Words by Ayesha Shehmir-Shaikh | Photography by Oculis Project.
Nakkash Design Studio has transformed a Dubai duplex into
a serene Japanese-inspired sanctuary, where every detail fosters calm, luxury, and mindful living.
High above Dubai, perched on the 40th floor of One Za’abeel Residences, a duplex apartment has been transformed from a generic high-rise shell into a haven of calm. Nakkash Design Studio has turned the space into a Japanese-inspired sanctuary, marrying minimalism, warmth, and meticulous craftsmanship into a retreat that feels entirely removed from the city’s relentless energy.
For the couple who commissioned the project, this was never about dramatic city views – it was about escape. Omar Nakkash, Founder and Design Director of the studio, explains, “It was less about juxtaposing and more about shielding the couple from the energy and skyline of Dubai, to create a tranquil Japanese sanctuary. From an aesthetic point of view, it draws from Japanese inspirations, but from a functional viewpoint, it is more like a cocoon – warm, comfortable and welcoming.”
Stripped back to shell and core, the duplex offered a blank canvas for transformation. The centerpiece is the staircase: “The way we changed its dimensions, clad the wall behind it, and integrated a Zen garden transformed the whole look and feel,” Nakkash shares. “It has the highest visual impact on the space.” Walls were added strategically to break up the open plan, introducing intimacy without sacrificing flow. Every detail was considered: flush doors, seamless skirting, and carefully integrated lighting work together to create a space that feels deliberate, refined, and calming. “We believe that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” says Nakkash. “No touch point or design element should feel like it wasn’t carefully thought through.”
Double-height glazing floods the living area with natural light, framing panoramic views of Zabeel Park and the Dubai skyline.A semi-curved wall separates living and dining zones, adding softness and warmth. Textures and colours are carefully layered: a Flexform sofa anchors the space, Borzalino armchairs in Japan red punctuate the room, and a colour-customised Danielle Brustman ‘Meteorite’ sculpture brings sculptural drama.
“It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what creates this mood,” notes Nakkash. “It is not one thing. It is everything coming together.”
While Japanese elements are central, the interiors embrace a global perspective. “Timeless Italian furniture with Japanese Byobu, organic shapes, and Brazilian veneers. A sanctuary should never feel overwhelming – less is more – but it should also not feel flat and uninteresting.”
Artworks, from cherry blossom murals by Zahra Paints to framed wrought iron fence heads, weave layers of texture and surprise. Each piece resonates with the overarching goal: a calm, cohesive retreat that balances visual interest with serenity.
Private spaces are designed for stillness. A massage and yoga studio is pared back to essentials, while upstairs, a library offers a digital-free zone. Rare design icons, including Etel’s recreation of Niemeyer’s Marquesa bench from 1974 and Cassina’s limited-edition Veliero bookcase, create quiet moments of inspiration. On the Veliero, Nakkash reflects: “I remember being completely blown over when I first saw it as a student because I was struck by this idea about how engineering becomes the design,” he muses. “Seeing it integrated in this project feels like coming full circle. It epitomises everything that means luxury to me.”
The master suite continues the theme of refined calm. Cassina’s Volage bed is paired with Marcel Wanders’ Diamond Screen; a room divider repurposed as a headboard and art piece, the limited-edition collectable is part of Louis Vuitton’s Objets Nomades. These are complemented with Fabraca Studios’ lighting, creating an oasis where comfort, elegance, and sculptural form coexist. For Nakkash Design Studio, luxury is not opulence. It’s subtlety. “There is a leaning towards muted luxury in today’s homes,” Nakkash says. “To me it is a balance of fine design, utmost quality, a sense of rarity, and attention to detail – intrinsically instilled in the entire experience.”
Every element reflects the client’s lifestyle and daily rituals. The result is a home where time slows, moments linger, and the city feels far away. Distilled into a single word, the project is: “Zen.” In a city dominated by spectacle, this One Za’abeel duplex proves that the ultimate luxury is a home designed to exhale.
