FOR Jad Shamseddin and his family, the purchase of their very first home, a decade-old villa located in Dubai’s Jumeirah Village Triangle, represented the first steps towards fulfilling a long-term dream. Having lived in the city for eight years, the enviable access to Dubai’s various shopping malls and public amenities was one key attraction for the home, but it was the 700 m2 plot size that provided Jad and his family the opportunity to curate a private, botanically rich garden to call their own that proved crucial.
As Jad explains: ‘’The inspiration behind this project is related to our love for the outdoors, fresh air and genuine passion for botanical things. We really wanted to do something authentic and aligned with nature, that is also functional and aesthetically pleasing”.
With this inspiration in mind, the family have installed a brand-new swimming pool in the garden, with Bali tiles selected to provide a natural feel. Real grass was entirely sown into the new turf and trees capable of growing in the hot weather were planted around the perimeter of the garden.
The family chose Kebony Clear wood to deck the seating area next to the swimming pool, which also features a hanging pergola to provide much-needed shade during the Dubai daytime. Explaining his selection of the poolside material, Jad comments: ‘’Kebony is a real wood, not a plastic wood composite product. It beautifully ages with the Dubai weather and even when it’s very hot outside, the decking is still comfortable to walk on’’.
Kebony is a leading international wood modification technology company, recognised for over twenty years as a global pioneer in driving the use of sustainably sourced building materials. Developed in Norway and Belgium, Kebony provides an ecologically friendly timber product to combat the significant detrimental environmental impact of the global construction industry.
Traditionally, the intense heat of the Middle East has been a barrier for using timber in poolside decking projects, due to the risk of wood splintering in intense, arid weather conditions. Kebony’s dual modification™ technology transforms sustainable FSC certified softwoods into durable and aesthetically beautiful timber products with the same, and in some cases superior, properties as endangered tropical wood species.
The bio-based process permanently alters the hardness of the wood, guaranteeing safety and longevity that can withstand the hot climate of the Middle East, while diverting the need for deforestation of the world’s precious rainforests and helping to reduce global CO2 emissions.
“It’s the perfect combination of beautiful design and durability,” adds Jad, “Since the renovation, the first thing that everyone compliments is the beautiful decking’’.
Reflecting on the completion of the stunning private project and the integral role of Kebony, Mauro Affuso, Sales Manager for Kebony Middle East, comments: ‘’At Kebony, our mission is to support homeowners and designers bring healthy architectural projects to life.
“We are proud to see how Kebony wood realised sustainable and natural inspirations of this project, and thanks to the material’s longevity, wish the family much enjoyment in their stunning new home garden for years to come’’.
See page 42 of our December 2024/January 2025 issue on our Back Issues page.
