By Marie Claire Maison Arabia
In the heart of Dubai’s Umm Al Sheif, architect Abdalla Al Mulla’s Colonnade villa is a bold conversation between old-world charm and contemporary elegance. With its rich textures and sculptural forms, the space challenges conventional design, inviting both luxury and introspection.
The villa is not just a building; it’s an experience curated through material choices and spatial arrangements. “Materiality is central to how a space is experienced,” Al Mulla states. The home’s layers—Italian Calacatta marble, solid oak, and silk-blend carpets—are not just chosen for their beauty but for how they invite touch, light, and time to alter their story. “These elements work together to elevate the space, ensuring that luxury is felt not just in aesthetics, but in how the home is lived in.” Each material brings its own voice, harmonizing to create a residence that speaks through more than just its visual impact.
At the core of the Colonnade villa lies its striking courtyard, a space that transcends its function to become the home’s pulse. “The courtyard is the heart of Colonnade, designed to establish a dialogue between architecture and nature,” Al Mulla reflects. Framed by dramatic arches, it’s a place where light plays off surfaces, creating a constantly shifting atmosphere that feels alive. It’s the emotional anchor of the home, offering solitude in a space that feels both enclosed and open to the sky. The arches, like delicate sculptures, offer a visual rhythm, guiding the flow of movement through the home while filling it with life.
The use of archways throughout the villa is far from a mere stylistic choice; it’s a deliberate dance of light and form. “The arch is one of the most enduring architectural forms,” Al Mulla explains. Repeated throughout the villa, these arches frame spaces, drawing the eye and guiding movement like an ancient ritual. They soften transitions and let light spill into the rooms, creating a dialogue between openness and privacy. The result is a space that feels sculptural, full of grace, and always in motion.
The arch is one of the most enduring architectural forms.
In the living room, custom furnishings play a starring role, but not in the traditional sense. Every piece has been chosen to complement the architecture rather than compete with it. “Furnishings are meant to enhance and complete the architecture,” Al Mulla explains. His vision wasn’t to overwhelm the space with excess but to create harmony. “Luxury is expressed through harmony rather than excess.” This balance is evident in the rich textures of the fabrics, the sculptural quality of the furniture, and the careful attention to proportions. It’s a living space that feels at once inviting and magnificent, exuding a quiet, timeless grandeur.
Luxury is expressed through harmony rather than excess.
When it comes to privacy and openness, Colonnade takes an unconventional approach, one that flows naturally without rigid boundaries. “Balancing privacy and openness is about creating layers—architecturally and experientially,” Al Mulla notes. The expansive terraces extend the living space outward, drawing the eye to the surrounding landscape, but always maintaining intimate sightlines. The villa shifts between enclosed, private moments and expansive vistas, inviting both solitude and connection in equal measure.
Abdalla Al Mulla’s Colonnade villa is not a structure, but a dialogue between the past and the present, between space and material, between luxury and introspection. It challenges the conventional, pushing the boundaries of what design can evoke, leaving an indelible mark on the landscape of Dubai. “The villa is not merely an exclusive residence, but a true living experience,” Al Mulla states, and in this, he offers a vision of architecture that is as much about feeling as it is about form.
Discover the unique design language of MULA by Abdalla Al Mulla on Instagram @mula.ae.
