Styling It Up

The Douglas family called upon the expertise of two Dubai-based stylists to create the contemporary yet comfortable scheme they were longing for

- Eleanor Joslin

 When Kristina and Mauricio Douglas moved to The Meadows three years ago, they soon called upon the help of Dubai-based stylists Karen Pissarra and Emilie Jacobs, who effectively reworked the lovely furnishings, collectible artwork and travel mementoes the couple had to create a beautifully decorated home. ‘When I went in search for a stylist I didn’t really know what I was looking for,’ admits Kristina, who worked as an HR and recruitment specialist within the engineering industry before she had Valentina. ‘I knew I needed somebody to help me find the finishing touches to our new home, someone who could make the most of what we already had, to put it together properly and freshen it up.’ After seven years living in an apartment in Dubai Marina, the couple had the challenge of creating a family-friendly home for their new-born and maintaining a garden that needed some care and attention.

‘We looked at a lot of villas in the area but as they’re approximately 10 years old they’re not all in good shape,’ says Kristina. ‘However, we were lucky finding this villa; it’s been upgraded by the owner, the pool had been properly walled in with glass and re-tiled, there are nice finishes with new doors and wooden floors instead of cold tiles. We haven’t had to renovate it ourselves, just decorate, which was pure luck.’

In 2016, Karen and Emilie worked on styling different areas of the house independently. While Kristina liked Karen’s softer aesthetic for the bedrooms and the garden furniture, Emilie took a bolder approach downstairs.