Opening doors to ultra luxury
As Danube Home opens its latest store in Al Barsha, the biggest in the region, Adel Sajan talks to Friday about his own design sensibilities and why beauty lies in details
The sea of sequins on her beige sari adds an ethereal aura around Mahira Khan. Her cross border fame as an actress – both in Pakistani cinema and television and India’s Bollywood – had ensured that there were scores of fans waiting with bated breath for a glimpse of her. She had flown in a few hours ago from Karachi, Pakistan, for the opening of the largest store of Danube Home in Al Barsha, Dubai. As the pair of scissors sliced through the ribbon outside the store doors the crowd broke into a loud applause.
After a quick tour of the 100,000sqft retail store, Mahira and Adel Sajan, director of Danube Home, settle down on plush sofas for an exclusive chat on home styling choices and décor aesthetics.
Known for essaying strong womenoriented roles in her movies and soap operas, the real essence of a home for Mahira, is one where her family is. ‘Even a hotel room feels like home if my son and parents are with me. Home is really wherever my loved ones are,’ says the first Pakistani actress to walk the red carpet at the 71st Cannes Film Festival this year.
In her hometown Karachi, Mahira still lives in her family’s ancestral home with her parents. The actress and her nine-year-old son Azlaan occupy two rooms in the modest villa. ‘Since there isn’t much space, our rooms are cramped with suitcases, books and family heirlooms.’
The 33-year-old actress who made her debut in Bollywood opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Raees in 2017, is however keen to build a house of her own soon where they will all stay together. ‘It will be a home with lots of windows for sure. I love bringing the outside into the inside. There will definitely be a high four-poster bed, a spacious closet and a lounge area to sit and relax. My tastes are very boho and I also like classic styles, so my home would be a mix of both,’ says the effervescent Mahira.
Seated next to her, Adel Sajan dressed immaculately in a bright blue striped suit, looks every bit the scion of the Danube group that completes 25 years this year. It is a momentous day for 28-year-old Adel, son of Danube’s founder Rizwan Sajan. The newly opened store spread across three floors is his much-cherished project is the largest retail showroom in the region and the tenth store for Danube Home in the UAE.
Mahira was the perfect celebrity for the store launch for Adel because of her popularity among both Indians and Pakistanis. If her decor style is a mix of boho and classic, Adel prefers a minimalistic look with bold statement features. ‘Our home in Emirates Hills is open and airy with
white the predominant colour. But my own bedroom follows a Versace theme of bold black and gold patterns,’ explains Adel.
He has been travelling across the globe to attend trade shows for more than ten years. ‘Everything I’ve learnt about this business has been from visiting factories and international retailers all over the world,’ says Adel, who has been to China alone 40 times.
At this new store, products have been sourced from over 21 countries. There are sofas from the US, bedroom furniture from Brazil, flooring from Switzerland, fragrances from Turkey, and tiles from Spain and UAE. Some of the new additions at the store built at a cost of Dh100 million include the Dolce Vita line of luxury furniture from Italy; Dan, a robot who will assist shoppers, and virtual reality experience for interior design solutions. ‘The store is designed to be a
‘‘The new store in Al Barsha is designed to be a one-stop solution for all your interior needs,” says Adel Sajan
one-stop solution for all your interior needs,’ adds Adel. Over 40,000 home furnishing products are showcased in the store.
At the store Mahira was most impressed with the garden collection. ‘I am always attracted to green spaces and so the huge garden collection caught my attention.’ At Danube Home’s garden collection customers can choose furniture and accessories for their home gardens based on four themes – vintage, urban, tropical and Arabian.
Decorating a home or redesigning a space, says Adel, need not burn a hole in your pocket with some smart budget solutions. ‘Little details will make a lot of difference. If you have a small room, place a wall mirror to make it look spacious. Give a new look to your living room by painting accent walls with bright colours or by using wallpaper. Family photos on walls and large gold frames are other affordable ways to give your home a fresh perspective,’ he suggests. The store also offers free interior design services for customers.
For 2019, Adel predicts blush pink and checkered patterns to be in trend. On the anvil for Danube are plans to introduce more eco-friendly home options in their garden section and special non-chemically treated foam for their upholstery.
Change is the only constant, believes Adel. Danube Home reflects this philosophy by offering something new for their customers always. So, here is a store waiting to help you turn your home into a castle reflecting your personal style. Go shop.