4 minute read
Feel the Breeze
Kick off your heels and soak up the holiday vibes of Kym Jackson Shen’s boho luxe villa in The Lakes
Advertisement
“Being in The Lakes feels like you’re on holiday,” says Kym Jackson Shen, who bought a four-bedroom property here with her husband Tom in 2017. “I’d always wanted to buy a house in the community and to upgrade it in my signature bohemian style, so when this one came onto the market we snapped it up.”
Originally from Australia, the couple started renovating homes as a hobby, working around their day jobs in the superyacht industry. When their children Cleo and Bella were born, however, Kym decided to turn her talent into a business, launching a boutique e-store, Haute Bohéme (hauteboheme.ae), alongside. “I set off solo to Indonesia in search of artisans who could supply the furniture for the house and my business,” says Kym. “I asked around until I found a brilliant studio capable of producing everything from leather chairs to beaded chandeliers and solid teak dining tables, all of which I now ship back to Dubai.
“My main aim was to really open up the space by knocking down any interior partition walls that weren’t essential to the structure of the house. I even widened the patio door leading from the lounge to the garden to give the room an airy ambience. The place took around five months to renovate, with everything from the floor tiles to the AC ducts being removed and replaced with streamlined versions that fit the aesthetic. All the walls were painted in Jotun’s Jazz White – one of my favourite shades – and I used lots of natural, tactile materials, such as sea grass rugs and hand-stitched cushion covers to bring home the boho vibe.”
The washed teak four-posted bed in the master bedroom is the epitome of boho chic, while the hot pink orchid adds a pop of colour
A feast for the senses
The solid teak table is the focal point of the dining room, enhanced by black leather chairs and a dramatic wooden ceiling light. A recess was built into the ceiling to allow for a lighting solution that would bathe the area in a warm glow.
The glass stair bannister keeps the space looking pure and simple
The chalkboard paint on the kitchen wall is a fun addition
A white hot kitchen
A brand new glossy white kitchen from Hacker was installed, with a handleless design creating a clean and timeless look. The breakfast bar with tall stools encourages it to be a social space. “The chalkboard wall used to be a door that opened from the hallway, but we decided to block it up in order to better define the space,” explains Kym. “Doing so also meant we were able to add a console on the other side for a welcoming entrance.”
The white wooden pergola creates a shady spot for family barbeques in the garden
Natural charm
Dining alfresco doesn’t get more appealing than at this bespoke teak table, which enjoys the perfect amount of shade and sunshine from the large pergola that has been custom-built to suit the space. “We only planted the bougainvillea about a year ago, but it is already winding up the pergola and will soon stretch over the top, which will give it a lovely lived-in look,” says Kym. The wood-look tiles were a steal from Dragonmart while the egg chair, like the rest of the furniture, was custom made in Indonesia.
Take the plunge
The plunge pool, by Pools By Design, is small but perfectly formed, with clever underwater lighting allowing for a refreshing nighttime dip. “We added wide steps in the shallow end to make the pool especially family-friendly – it’s great for kids who simply want to sit and splash around,” says Kym. “We expect the ficus trees will bush out in time to afford a bit more privacy.”
