Betterliving September/October 2019

Suncream slathered on and
inflatables at the ready. The
Viel clan – Luca, 10, Sofia, 8,
Lorenzo, 7 and Leonardo, 5 – are
excitedly getting ready for a dip in the
sea, a simple joy they have the pleasure
of experiencing every day due to their
coveted address on Palm Jumeirah.
Indeed, their gorgeous villa comes
complete with its own private stretch
of beach, fulfilling Edwina’s dream to
swap city life for a more outdoorsy
lifestyle. “The kids are dedicated water
babies,” she laughs, as the family’s
West Highland terrier Whiskey
scampers around her feet. “Each of my
children could swim from the age of
around 20 months, and we definitely
aim to make the most of our location
by the water.”
Edwina (a Singaporean raised in the
UK) and her Italian husband Maurizio,
a plastic surgeon, moved to Dubai from
London in 2009 to set-up a branch of
his business here. They immediately
started looking for a home by the
sea as an antidote to the built-up
environment they’d experienced in
the UK capital. “Although it was only
available to rent at the time, this villa
appealed to us as it was jointly owned
by two Australian families so we knew
they would be likely to want to sell
at some point in the future,” explains
Edwina. Two years later, her prediction
came true and the Viel’s seized the
opportunity to snap up the property.
Ever since, as the brood has grown,
the villa’s dreamy outdoor space has
provided an idyllic playground. “Walks
along the beach have become a family
ritual,” says Edwina. “We often cycle
down to the edge of the frond for a
picnic on the sand. As the beach is
THE VIEL FAMILY’S GORGEOUS
PALM JUMEIRAH VILLA COMES
COMPLETE WITH ITS OWN
PRIVATE STRETCH OF
BEACH, PROVIDING AN
IDYLLIC NATURAL PLAYGROUND
FOR THE CHILDREN
50 | bhomes.com