The visit begins in the entrance hall, a tall room kept white and still. The eye goes first to the stone wall at its centre, where a circular opening looks through to a tree outside. From there the hall turns towards the living area, where daylight comes in through glass that reaches from floor to ceiling, softened by fabric and filtered by timber.
Travertine carries the weight of the room. Its open grain and warm tone hold the opening and keep the white surfaces from feeling cold. The gold discs on the hall walls add points of reflected light. In the living area, timber slats and sheer curtains work together: the slats give rhythm, and the sheer diffuses the sun, so the light arrives softly. The house is in Sharjah, UAE.