Swarovski diamond-encrusted quilting :: The world’s most luxurious baby bed is launching in Dubai – clad in 24-karat gold plating, lined with Swarovski diamond-encrusted quilting and costing a cool $60,000 (220,000AED).
The Luulu bed costs more than a year’s rent on a two-bedroom apartment in the Burj Khalifa, but its designers already have a waiting list of well-heeled families desperate to welcome their newborns into the lap of luxury.
To be revealed at this month’s [March’s] INDEX interior design exhibition in Dubai, the ultra-modern crib – manufactured by a team of yacht builders – has been designed to mimic the feel of being in the womb, while offering parents a chic, high-end piece of furniture to add to their home.
Billed as being the epitome of diaper-doting luxury, the gold Luulu – which takes 200,000 man hours to plate – is perhaps more suited to the highway than the bedroom, with its soft interior shell lined with the same leather as the seats of Maserati supercars.
However, partners Marta Buzalska and Dariusz Panczyk – who run Luulu from their home in Gdynia, Poland, where they produce three different cot-styles, the gold of which is the most prestigious – actually took inspiration from the cream of the high-seas in dreaming-up the concept for their slick sleep pods.
Marta explained: “We came up with the idea while walking around Gdynia Marina, observing the exclusive yachts in the docks, while awaiting the birth of our baby boy Franek, and looking for an ideal cot. There were plenty of beautiful baby beds on the market, yet all of them were of the classic type. We wanted to have something exceptional, almost like the yachts themselves: a bed that would provide our sweetheart with security while looking good in our modern home.”
It was from this rather unexpected source of inspiration that the couple got to work in manufacturing what they wanted to be both the most luxurious and most comfortable baby crib imaginable.
“When designing the cot we firstly took into account the needs of the infants born prematurely,” said Marta. “We created a nacelle where a baby could feel like he or she was still in their mother’s womb. We then thought it was important to have a cot that could be adjusted height-wise, and one that was mobile, making it easy to move with the baby inside to any spot in the house.
“Once we had the logistical side sorted, we focused on its decoration. Not only did we want to make it a beautiful space for a child, but we wanted a piece of furniture that would draw the attention of all who see it. With that in mind, we decided to dress it in exceptional materials.
“Its interior is the finest quality leather imported from Italy, more commonly found inside Maserati cars. The quilted interior is seasoned with Swarovski diamonds to look like the stars in the sky, while the mattress itself is flexible, totally natural, ecologic and hyperallergic, and was made according to all binding standards and attestations.”
After completing their design, the specifications were given to a local shipyard, who specialise in the production of sailing yachts. Now, every cot is manufactured entirely by hand at the yard, using the same materials as the factory’s most exclusive yachts. The Luulu beds mirror the yachts through their modern design, symmetry and elaborate details.
The golden cot, and its more reasonably priced black and white alternatives, will be making their Middle Eastern debut at this month’s [March’s] INDEX exhibition – the region’s biggest interior design event, taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre, March 26th-29th.
Show director Samantha Kane-Macdonald said: “Our greatest source of pride at INDEX comes from being able to bring all elements of interior design together, no matter the style, no matter the budget. We always have a packed sleep section and this year is certainly no different – but the Luulu bed definitely is!
“A baby’s crib can often be an awkward piece of furniture, but the mobility and aesthetic beauty of the Luulu make it a gorgeous alternative capable of not only functioning, but standing out in any home. While the price- tag of the gold Luulu might put it beyond the reach of most people, the white and black beds – starting at $6,000 (21,000AED) – are guaranteed to be prized investments. We can’t wait to see them up close at INDEX.”
INDEX gets underway on March 26, with the four-day festival of design promising a hugely diverse and creative catalogue of furniture, furnishing and décor suppliers, a conference schedule featuring the pinnacle of local and international design minds, and bespoke live demonstrations and experiences brought to Dubai exclusively for the show. The exhibition will once again run alongside WORKSPACE, the MENA region’s premium office fit- out event, and SURFACE Design Middle East, where the focus is design solutions for floors, walls and ceilings.
Samantha Kane-Macdonald added: “This year’s show is all about Design for Expression: personality illustrated through interiors. We’ll welcome more than 600 exhibitors and host several brilliantly engaging features, which together will provide all the products and knowledge needed to incorporate individuality into any space.”
