This Al Mahra Residence Is a Contemporary Expression of Place

Set within the lush, low-rise landscape of Al Mahra in Dubai’s Arabian Ranches, this private villa unfolds as a study in material presence with an interior inseparable from its environment. Rather than leaning on decorative excess or stylistic shorthand, interior architect Marie Claire Mrad approached the project as a meditation on substance: how weight, texture, and light can define domestic life in a region shaped by sun, shadow, and heat.

Modern living room with built-in black shelving displaying various sculptures and decorative objects, next to large open glass doors overlooking a pool and patio area.

Modern living room with a large black sectional sofa, marble and metal coffee table, abstract wall art, and a large window showing green plants outside.

Completed as a full renovation of a 2007 villa originally inspired by traditional Arabic architecture, the residence belongs to Christopher Hani, owner and CEO of Bull Contracting, and his family. From the outset, the home was conceived not only as a place to live, but as an opportunity to push craftsmanship, detailing, and construction techniques to their limits. This ambition – shared by Mrad and Hani – is evident throughout an interior that replaces conventional partitions with material articulation, and ornament with structure itself.

Modern backyard with a swimming pool, poolside lounge chairs, and an outdoor kitchen area under a pergola surrounded by palm trees.

Modern outdoor pool area with white lounge chairs, a clear blue swimming pool, tropical plants, and a glass-walled building on the left.

At approximately 4,575 square feet indoors, with an additional 3,230 square feet of outdoor living, the villa is organized around a radically open ground floor. All interior walls were removed, leaving behind a sequence of living, dining, and bar spaces that flow uninterrupted toward the terrace and garden beyond. Rather than being concealed, structural columns are wrapped in brushed stainless steel, becoming vertical markers that subtly organize the plan without enclosing it.

Outdoor kitchen with a modern stainless steel bar, six black bar stools, a grill, and a pergola, set beside a pool and surrounded by lush greenery.

Outdoor kitchen with a modern black pergola, built-in grill, and countertop; surrounded by lush green plants, cacti, and bamboo fencing.

This openness is not about visual minimalism alone; it is about climate and lifestyle. A custom-engineered facade allows the entire ground floor to open onto the terrace at the push of a button, with glass panels sliding seamlessly to one side. In doing so, the interior expands outward, dissolving the threshold between inside and outside in a gesture that feels particularly attuned to Dubai’s culture of evening gatherings and outdoor living.

Modern home bar with marble countertop, backlit shelves displaying liquor bottles, black chairs, and a view of a pool and garden through floor-to-ceiling windows.

Modern bar with a marble counter, four black barstools, and shelves filled with various liquor bottles against a backlit wall.

Material selection became the project’s central design language. Mrad chose finishes for their tactile depth and ability to age gracefully: brushed stainless steel, lava stone, gunmetal steel, and dark-stained wood form the backbone of the interior. These are not surfaces applied for effect, but elements that carry visual weight, grounding the home and lending it a sense of permanence.

Modern interior with a view through a large window to an outdoor patio featuring black pergolas, lush green plants, and natural sunlight.

Modern kitchen with matte black cabinetry, a large central island with two stools, and a wide window overlooking lush greenery and palm trees.

The color palette follows suit – deep charcoal, steel gray, and dark stone hues dominate, softened by carefully placed accents in desaturated blue. The effect is intentionally moody, yet never cold. “The challenge,” Mrad notes, “was finding the balance – allowing the materials to be bold without overwhelming the sense of home.” The solution lies in restraint: color is used sparingly, texture does the heavy lifting, and light is treated as a material in its own right.

Modern minimalist kitchen with dark matte cabinetry, a built-in double oven, a sleek stone countertop, and three gas burners on the island.

A modern dining area with a long black table and gray chairs, large windows overlooking a pool and garden, and an adjacent living room.

At the heart of the house, a sculptural staircase rises beneath a skylight, drawing daylight deep into the plan. As the sun shifts throughout the day, light grazes stainless steel surfaces, reflects off dark mirrors, and animates the stairwell with a constantly changing glow. This vertical axis becomes both a spatial anchor and a moment of quiet drama.

Modern interior with black staircase, built-in planter containing tall cacti, light-colored floor, and dark wall panels.

A modern interior with a black staircase, wall-mounted linear lights, and a large sculpted face artwork displayed on a white wall under a skylight.

That dialogue between light and matter finds its most expressive moment at the bar: a 13-foot Patagonia stone slab, backlit to reveal its crystalline interior. Shipped from Lebanon and installed with exacting precision, the glowing stone acts as a luminous counterpoint to the darker materials around it. By night, it becomes the emotional center of the home, reinforcing the owners’ love of hosting and gathering.

Modern open-concept bedroom and bathroom with a black freestanding tub, double sink, large windows, and views of a garden.

Minimalist bedroom corner with a black headboard, metal nightstand, modern pendant light, and part of a neatly made bed with white linens. A window is visible on the left.

Every piece of furniture and lighting was designed specifically for the project by Mrad’s Beirut studio, then fabricated and shipped to Dubai. This bespoke approach ensures that scale, proportion, and materiality remain consistent throughout from custom seating to site-specific lighting elements that echo the home’s architectural rhythms.

Modern living room with a dark blue sofa, two matching velvet chairs, marble coffee tables, pendant lights, sheer curtains, and a large window overlooking greenery.

Modern bathroom with a beige stone sink, brass fixtures, a large mirror, floor-to-ceiling window, white curtains, and vertical pendant lights. Green plants visible outside.

Art and objects were curated with equal care. A Spider chandelier by Mb-Designlab Paris anchors the main living area along the entrance axis, while a monumental face mask sculpture by Cape Town artist Marco Oliver commands the double-height stair wall. Elsewhere, a painting from Bali and sculptural Dragon and Buddha figures from Thailand introduce moments of cultural resonance and narrative depth, reinforcing the home’s global yet grounded sensibility.

A modern walk-in closet with black shelves and hanging rods, displaying neatly arranged clothes in neutral tones. A reflective island is centered in the room.

A modern, minimal bedroom with a low platform bed, white bedding, light wood floor, and large windows letting in natural light.

A modern bedroom features a dark wall with a doorway leading to a minimalist bathroom with a black bathtub; a glass lamp stands beside a white bed.

While unmistakably modern, the Al Mahra residence feels deeply tied to its location. Its openness responds to climate; its palette mirrors the desert’s tonal range from daylight to dusk; its reliance on mass, shadow, and texture echoes the region’s architectural traditions without mimicking them. This is a house defined not by style, but by an atmosphere that celebrates material truth and the quiet power of well-executed craft.

Minimalist bathroom with beige walls, a rectangular sink and countertop, black cabinet, black wall-mounted fixtures, and a black freestanding oval bathtub.

Double sink bathroom vanity with two faucets, a rectangular stone basin, and a large, modern mirror with sliding panels in a neutral-toned setting.

Modern interior with a black glossy staircase, vertical wall lights, metallic wall panels, and a textured black face sculpture mounted on a white wall.

Modern staircase with black steps and railing, vertical pendant lights, and a large window revealing green trees outside. Natural light enters through the window.

Modern indoor lounge area with blue sofas, large windows, and a view of lush greenery outside. Minimalist design with neutral tones and sleek surfaces.

A metallic wall with vertical light strips and a slightly open pivot door in the center.

A modern bathroom with a geometric metal sink, wall-mounted faucet, dark walls, and vertical tube lights reflected in a mirror.

Modern lounge area with symmetrical lighting, dark walls, two blue sofas, and a decorative sculpture, seen from a spacious hallway with vertical light panels.

A backlit marble bar counter with illuminated patterns stands in front of shelves lined with assorted liquor bottles in a modern, dimly lit setting.

Modern bar area with a backlit marble countertop, glass shelving with bottles, large windows, and greenery visible outside at night.

Modern house at night with illuminated pool, open living area, lounge seating, and indoor wine storage visible through glass walls.

A woman with long curly hair, dressed in black, sits on a modern black chair in a minimalist interior space with dark walls and metallic accents.

To learn more about the interior architect, visit marieclairemrad.com.

Photography by Walid Rashid.

With professional degrees in architecture and journalism, New York-based writer Joseph has a desire to make living beautifully accessible. His work seeks to enrich the lives of others with visual communication and storytelling through design. When not writing, he teaches visual communication, theory, and design.