Words By Ivan Allegranti | PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRÉDÉRIC VASSEUR

On Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah, a penthouse becomes a study in contrasts: vibrant yet serene, luxurious yet lived-in. Designers Anna Bier and Elena Danici bring their distinct sensibilities into perfect balance. Anna’s precision and functional rigor meet Elena’s fearless love of colour and pattern, producing interiors that feel both intentional and exuberant.

For this full-scale renovation, the brief was clear: keep the ground floor a sophisticated, adults-only zone, while the upper level becomes a playful, family-friendly haven. The result is a home zoned for life’s many moods—where a four-metre custom dining island anchors the social spaces, and upstairs, cosy nooks welcome relaxed evenings.

Colour drenching—walls, ceilings, and built-ins washed in a greige base—sets a calm backdrop for bolder gestures: a terracotta kitchen, patterned wallpapers, and art that punctuates each room. Curved edges and softened transitions replace hard angles, lending a sense of flow. “The space was longing to be a cozy home,” say the designers, “so we treated it like a canvas, layering texture, tone, and form.”

Functionality is threaded through every detail: custom joinery that adapts across rooms, family spaces designed for easy reconfiguration, and materials chosen to endure. Cultural touches nod to the clients’ heritage, from vintage hall lights to a retro recording-studio sign in the home office.

The master suite—featuring a glass-brick headboard and fluted-glass sliding doors—was among the project’s most technically demanding features. But for Bier and Danici, the true reward is the reveal: “Seeing our clients’ faces when they step inside for the first time—often with tears in their eyes—makes every challenge worth it.”