My Own Home: British stylist trades five-bedroom villa for Dh3.4m townhouse in new Rukan community
My Own Home takes you inside a reader-owned property to ask how much they paid, why they decided to buy and what they have done with it since moving in Sarah Silsbury is a stylist and personal shopper who has been in the UAE for nearly six years. When her daughter left home, she and her husband Rob decided to downsize from their rented five-bedroom villa in Dubai's Sustainable City – but with one…
Sarah Silsbury, a stylist and personal shopper living in the UAE for nearly six years, recently traded her five-bedroom villa in Dubai's Sustainable City for a townhouse in the new Rukan community behind Serena in Wadi Al Safa. The couple, Rob and Sarah, decided to downsize after their daughter moved out and wanted to start their property portfolio with smaller properties in the UAE and the UK.
The end-of-row townhouse features an open-plan layout downstairs, which Sarah appreciated as it allowed her to be near her husband and animals. She converted one bedroom into a dressing room for her styling job, keeping the spare room for her daughter's visits. The property boasts a large plot with a swimming pool and a unique sunken seating area.
Before moving to Rukan, Sarah and Rob were renting in Sustainable City, but they had long desired a more condensed living space as they no longer needed the large villa. They were happy to find a property with a big outdoor space that was hard to come by in the UAE. After renovations, the kitchen and bathrooms were redone, and the pool house was transformed with a gazebo and barbecue area.
Rukan's community includes gyms, padel courts, and swimming pools, as well as a small shopping area with a Subway, hairdresser, and Co-op. Sarah particularly likes the location, being close to other communities, shopping centers, and having easy access to green areas for dog walks. She describes her interior design style as 1970s Arizona, incorporating natural elements, wood, and art, including pieces from artists like Connor Brothers, Banksy, Tracey Emin, and Keith Haring.
She plans to keep the property for at least a couple of years, potentially renting it out afterward. The couple also expressed interest in acquiring more properties in the UAE to rent out as they age.
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