design et al are delighted to announce that Etcetera Living LLC have won the City Space (Apartment/Penthouse) Award in The International Design and Architecture Awards 2017.
Etcetera Living’s client, Abwab Real Estate, built 11 of these low-rise buildings each comprising of only 4 or 5 floors with apartments varying in size from 1650 sq. ft. to 6500 sq. ft. The buildings are dotted around a parkland area giving all residents spectacular views, either green spaces, tree line views or Dubai skyline views. The apartments are situated directly opposite 7th Heaven, at the water’s edge and have views across the waterway to the retail area where there are restaurants and cafes directly on the water. There are also play areas for children. A key element of the whole project is a ‘car free’ zone as all parking is underground giving residents a tranquil yet lively atmosphere. 
The client was very specific in their brief – to create a decor that will appeal to all nationalities and appear timeless and not ‘contrived’. The chosen 2-bedroom apartment is 3034 sq. ft. and the client wanted to create a ‘show home’ for this project. The client wanted the space to be contemporary but also feel like a place where a small family or a single person would equally feel at home in. The main reception area encompasses the kitchen, dining area and the sitting room and should flow seamlessly across the space. The guest bedroom needed to feel like a retreat from the ‘hustle and bustle’ of the city and at the same time take full advantage of the view of the Dubai Skyline. The Master bedroom design also needed to take advantage of the large space by utilising it to the maximum and integrate the balcony into the same space to take advantage of the views.
For the Master Bedroom, Etcetera Living wanted to design something different, something they had not done before. The master bedroom was inspirited by the digital age. The design was translated by using monochrome colour scheme for the room. When you think of modern technology you think of black and white as it is such a timeless theme, it’s always going to appear new. The hints of gold add an element of glamour and drama to the space. When you first walk into the master bedroom your eye goes straight to the dramatic black wall, with a white console table.
The whole building has a very clean and simple look, but because of the large terraces we could add outdoor living space – 8 seater dining table, a sofa set for viewing the ‘Downtown Skyline’ and outside the master bedroom, 2 black hammocks and of course plants to bring together the building and the nature surrounding it. The whole apartment was designed architecturally to complement the greenery all around. It was Etcetera Living’s priority to make sure that the interiors worked seamlessly with the landscaping and to utilise each space to maximum effect both aesthetically and practically. This was achieved by the layout of the furniture maximizing the views and the colours used to create a sense of tranquillity and harmony between the indoor and outdoor spaces.