My Dubai Rent: Family bids emotional goodbye to three-bedroom villa facing demolition

Tamanna Sirohi O'Gorman pays Dh160,000 a year for the family home that she moved into seven years ago

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  Tamanna Sirohi O’Gorman at her three-bedroom villa in Umm Suqeim, Dubai. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National

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  The kitchen

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  The garden

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  The sitting room

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  Office space

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  One of the children's bedrooms

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  Another view of the kitchen

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  The swimming pool

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Tamanna Sirohi O'Gorman moved to a villa in Dubai more than seven years ago to gain additional indoor and outdoor space for her growing family, but will soon be forced to look elsewhere.

She shares the three-bedroom home in Umm Suqeim 1 with her Irish husband Tom, their daughter Aria, 8, son Laurence, 7, and a cocker spaniel, Willow.

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Ms O'Gorman, an Indian national working in luxury fashion, showed The National around a house that she says gives her a sense of peace.

Tell us about your home

The villa has three bathrooms, a private garden and access to a shared pool within the compound.

It’s an older-style home rather than a modern build, which is something we really love. It has warmth, character and space, and feels very family-friendly.

Another great benefit is that Tom’s passion for cars has an outlet. He currently has three Jaguars … luckily, we have lots of free parking space.

How long have you lived here?

We moved here about seven and a half years ago from an apartment in Dubai Marina. At the time, I was about to have our second child, and we needed more space.

We were also very keen to move somewhere with greenery and outdoor areas where the children could grow up.

Why did you choose this place?

When we first moved here, the price for the location and the amount of space was excellent. Over the years, the rent has increased gradually, but it’s still below the current market rate for this area.

We were also drawn to the older-style villas. They aren’t ultra-modern, but they feel more homely and spacious.

What made you opt for this area?

We really wanted a garden and green space for the children to grow up in and that’s becoming harder to find in central Dubai.

My husband sails, so being close to the beach and the sailing club was also a big factor. The area is very central, close to good schools, supermarkets and work, and it has a real community feel.

There’s plenty of outdoor space, walking and cycling paths, and it feels like a proper neighbourhood rather than just a collection of buildings.

What do you pay to rent?

We pay Dh160,000 per year. It’s still comparatively reasonable, although rents across Dubai have risen to levels that feel quite extreme for many families.

How have you made it your home?

For us, making it home has been about warmth and meaning rather than design trends. My mother-in-law was a wonderful painter, so her artwork is displayed throughout the house.

We love using refurbished furniture, and over the years, we’ve planted trees and plants in the garden. We also grow vegetables.

It’s a very lived-in, personal space that reflects our family, rather than trying to look perfect.

What amenities do you have nearby?

We have access to a shared swimming pool. The beach is within walking distance and there are nearby walking and cycling paths.

Being close to supermarkets, shopping centres, schools and work makes daily life easy and family-friendly.

How does the location suit your work life?

I head window design and production for brands including Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, and work in One Central. Getting there takes 15 minutes, which is amazing.

Tom has been in Dubai for 21 years and works as a marketing director. His office is near Mall of the Emirates, so it takes him a bit longer, getting home especially. The kids’ school is 10 minutes away.

What would you change about living there?

We’re very happy here. We have a great community of friends around us. As the children grow older, an additional bedroom would be useful, ,there’s very little we would change.

Are you planning to stay there?

This is the part that’s quite emotional for us. This house is truly home. It’s where my children have grown up and every time I walk through the door, I feel a sense of peace.

Unfortunately, the compound was bought by new landlords two years ago and it’s being demolished in May.

All of us - including our neighbours - have been asked to move out. It’s such a shame to see the old villas and the sense of community slowly disappearing, replaced by denser developments with less green space. We would like to stay in the area we are in.

Have you thought about buying property?

We own a smaller apartment in Dubai Marina, which we rent out as an investment. However, as a family, we prefer living in the area we’re in now.

We would love to buy here, but ownership isn’t permitted in this area, and even if it were, prices are simply unaffordable. It’s difficult to see long-standing family communities being priced out of places they’ve called home for years.