Kristina Zanic Consultants Delivers Breezy Contemporary Interiors for New Palace Beach Resort in Fujairah
Design captures spirit of modern Arabian fortress by the sea
Kristina Zanic Consultants has designed the UAE’s latest five-star hotel in a style that celebrates local heritage from a modern viewpoint. The Palace Beach Resort Fujairah welcomed its first guests this summer with interiors that offer a contemporary interpretation of the traditional Arabian fortress.
The interior design studio was appointed by the developer Eagle Hills to design the interiors for the hotel, which is operated by Emaar Hospitality Group. The scope involved the design of 167 rooms and suites, an all-day dining restaurant, kids’ club, gym, meeting and function areas, and outdoor pool terrace.
Working in line with Emaar’s ‘Palace Hotels & Resorts’ brand guidelines for modern palatial luxury, the designers set out to create a space that evokes Arabian hospitality, but keep it in tune with today’s tastes. The vision was to create bright and airy spaces, with uninterrupted perspectives and fresh marine-inspired colours drawn from its beachfront setting.
“Our aim was to convey a style that speaks of understated and relaxed luxury, based on a ‘less is more’ approach. We wanted the guest to experience an overall sense of lightness and freshness within a sophisticated setting.”
– Kristina Zanic, CEO
The design amplifies the sense of scale and openness in the palatial architecture and the lobby’s double-storey height. It creates welcoming spaces with open airy layouts and an almost residential feel, inviting guests to lounge comfortably and enjoy the ocean view. The colour palette features a generous use of clean white, along with sandy beige, lifted by accents of fresh blue tones.
“Arabian design is famous for its craftsmanship and elements like mashrabiya screens, arches, metallic sheens and geometric patterns. We wanted to use these defining elements but present them in a simpler more modern appearance.”
– Annika Broemmer, Design Associate from Kristina Zanic Consultants
Visual interest is created throughout the interiors with geometric patterns derived from the region’s design vernacular and applied to flooring, walls and furniture finishes. Elements of local heritage sit comfortably side by side with modern pieces, creating a harmonious dialogue. In the main lobby, funky oversized floor-lamps in shiny lacquer blend easily with the classic mother of pearl inlay in the Moroccan side-tables. Large oriental rugs take on a more modern look due to their tonal neutral palette, while overhead, a dramatic feature light alludes to the fishermen’s nets from the local fishing industry. A mezzanine walkway inspired by fortress architecture is treated with a minimal glass balustrade to continue visual flow.
In other areas of the property, arches in furniture pieces take on a taller simpler silhouette to the classic Arabian arch. The resort’s contemporary art collection displays photography and abstract paintings with local motifs and Arabic calligraphy, while bronze geometric screens in the restaurant offer a contemporary version of the classic mashrabiya. The fortress theme continues in the kids’ club with castle-like play structures. Guests are guided to their rooms through lanterns set in niches in the corridor walls, with rooms following the overall palette and minimal approach.
About Kristina Zanic Consultants
Kristina Zanic Consultants in an award-winning interior design consultancy with offices in Dubai, Riyadh and Bangkok. The company’s portfolio includes work in 23 countries in Europe, Asia and Africa, with leading international brands, prominent local companies and VIP private clients in hospitality, corporate, retail, and residential sectors.
About Emaar Hospitality Group
Emaar Hospitality Group LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Emaar Properties PJSC, the Dubai-based global property developer, and manages Emaar’s hospitality and leisure projects across the region.