Located in Dubai, Milestone delivers fully customized residential solutions, combining thoughtful spatial planning, high-quality materials, and smart technology to create living spaces that are both sophisticated and deeply personal. With a focus on sustainable design and attention to detail, Milestone transforms every project into a distinctive reflection of its clients’ lifestyles, setting new standards in Dubai’s high-end residential sector.

In this exclusive conversation, Alexander Chetchikov, President of the World Luxury Chamber of Commerce, sits down with Sejal Nagjee, CEO and Creative Director of Milestone. Ms. Nagjee offers a compelling perspective on how comprehensive design innovation, personalization, and deep cultural empathy are shaping the future of luxury residential interiors. A former international table tennis champion with 138 medals and a Shiv Chhatrapati Award, Sejal brings the discipline of sports, the soul of art, and the logic of business into everything she designs.

Alexander Chetchikov: The luxury interior design landscape is constantly evolving. With Dubai becoming a global hub for sophisticated living, which trends do you see dominating luxury residential design this year, and how are clients’ expectations changing?

Sejal Nagjee: Dubai is shifting from spectacle to lived performance. Luxury today means a home that feels equally intuitive at 7 a.m. on a busy weekday and at 9 p.m. during a dinner gathering. Over 70% of our 2025 briefs include flexible layouts, biophilic integration, and year-round outdoor salons. The move is toward tailored living – homes that flex between weekday calm and weekend hospitality.

Three core drivers shape this shift: flexible living, human-centered wellness, and intelligent design that prioritizes emotional ease. For example, in Jumeirah Park, we opened view corridors that transformed daily flow. In Dubai Hills, we created serene show kitchens paired with prep zones, ensuring function and elegance coexist.

My early immersion in Mumbai’s art culture and training in Ikebana and Feng Shui taught me that true luxury isn’t decorative – it’s emotional, fluid, and rooted in how we experience space.

AC: Sustainability and eco-friendly design are increasingly important for high-end clients. How does Milestone integrate environmentally conscious practices while maintaining the high standards expected in luxury homes?

SN: Sustainability is no longer a niche request – it’s a foundation of responsible design. For me, eco-luxury is comfort and longevity that happens to be resource-smart.

We use hydro-zoned planting and drip irrigation with smart controllers, which cut water consumption by 20-30% while making landscapes look lusher and more curated. Indoors, we incorporate thermal curtains, low-VOC finishes, and intelligent climate systems to keep spaces cooler and quieter – reducing DEWA bills without compromising elegance.

Every decision we make has a dual lens: beauty and longevity. Our joinery factory gives us control over sourcing, finish consistency, and waste management. Outdoor rooms are designed with light-toned, IR-reflective materials that remain cool underfoot even in August.

Sustainability should never feel like a compromise – it should feel like comfort that lasts. That’s why we were honored to receive the Best Luxury Residential Interior Design Studio in Dubai award for 2025.

AC: Personalization is central to creating spaces that feel unique to each client. How do you approach making every project feel specific to the lifestyle and preferences of the homeowner?

SN: We don’t begin with a style – we begin with a life. Personalization is a careful reading of rituals – how a family wakes, cooks, hosts, works, and unwinds. From morning light preferences to prayer rituals to pet zones, we capture every nuance.

We resolve lifestyle contrasts – chef versus host, early riser versus night owl – by creating dual-function zones that honor both. A prep kitchen beside a serene salon. A bright family room with an adjacent cocooned den.

I use a one-step or three-step rule – ensuring storage, surfaces, and utilities fall naturally into daily movement. We soften acoustics, manage glare, and frame views that matter. When clients value it, we blend in Vastu or Feng Shui to bring harmony without imposition.

In Palm Jumeirah, we designed gallery-grade interiors for an art collector with dogs, using pet-smart materials that still read as refined. In Dubai Hills, a couple enjoys a shaded breakfast nook oriented to soft morning light. When clients look at the plan and recognize their morning – not just their furniture – we’ve done our job.

AC: Leading a studio involves balancing creative ideas with business considerations. How has your role as CEO and Creative Director influenced the culture and workflow at Milestone?

SN: Leadership is where design quality is actually protected. I see it as choreography – aligning vision, people, and execution into a fluid rhythm.

Milestone operates as a single-point design-build engine. Our team – 80+ professionals – designs, engineers, procures, and builds under one ecosystem. There are no handoffs, only handshakes.

We’ve institutionalized discipline: locked scopes, decision calendars, weekly risk reviews. Our on-time handovers exceed 96%, and we’ve reduced variation orders by 35% year-on-year. Snag density averages below 0.5 items per room.

My mornings are for design reviews; afternoons for aligning operations and approvals. Our teams escalate early – RFIs turn in 24–48 hours. We run post-handover debriefs and feed learnings into standard details. That’s how we scale without dilution – by turning process into a design tool.

AC: Dubai continues to attract a mix of international clients and investors. What opportunities and challenges do you see for luxury interior design in the region over the next few years?

SN: We’re in a retrofit moment. Clients want cooler, quieter, more flexible homes without changing addresses. We’re designing outdoor rooms that function even in August, acoustically controlled façades, and EV-ready garages with solar prewiring.

Multi-generational living is rising. We’re adding discreet lifts, ensuite units, and zones for aging-in-place. We’re also splitting kitchens – serene show spaces paired with hardworking prep areas – to preserve flow.

Challenges lie in timelines – municipal and developer approvals can add 6–10 weeks. Skilled trade availability is tightening. That’s why we’ve internalized joinery, carpentry, and stonework – to maintain quality even when the market is stretched.

The real opportunity is in operational rigor. Luxury is shifting from spectacle to reliability. The firms who turn process into poetry will lead.

AC: Modern design often incorporates technology, while clients value warmth and personality. How do you approach integrating modern trends, technology, and client lifestyle preferences in your projects?

SN: I treat technology as a comfort layer – not a visual statement. You should feel its impact, not see its mechanics.

We shape atmosphere first – circadian lighting, zoned climate, acoustic dampening. Our tech supports these without intruding. Speakers disappear. Controls are reduced to a few intuitive scenes – Morning, Work, Cinema.

Sun and heat are characters in Dubai’s story. We combat them with UV-filtering sheers, thermal curtains, and material logic. A space should feel quiet, cool, and clean – even in August.

We design analog sanctuaries too – reading corners, barefoot gardens, device-free zones. A smart home isn’t just intelligent – it’s emotionally literate.

AC: Digital tools and visualization software are becoming increasingly important in design. How has Milestone utilized these technologies to improve planning, communication, and the overall client experience?

SN: Technology turns ideas into confident decisions. Every project begins with a federated 3D model – architecture, services, joinery – all in sync. Clients view calibrated renders and VR walk-throughs before we cut a single material.

We mock up wardrobes and kitchens at life size. Clients test the flow and clearance firsthand. This front-loading of clarity reduces site rework by 25% and finalizes designs 30% faster.

Our communication is real-time. Clients receive weekly site updates tied to drawing revisions. Approvals are coordinated for both developer NOCs and municipal permits.

Tech is our safety net. It protects design intent and delivers the most valued luxury of all – certainty.

AC: For those aspiring to enter the luxury residential design sector, what practical advice would you give for developing a distinctive style and succeeding in the competitive market?

SN: Learn the site before the software. Stand on slabs. Watch edge-banding in carpentry shops. Understand where beauty fails under real heat and time.

Build your own spec library for Dubai – which timbers warp, which fabrics fade, which tiles crack. Sit with estimators. Trace how a line becomes a cost.

Mock up your details. Title your drawings for the person on the ladder. Annotate like it’s the only sheet they’ll see.

I studied Ikebana, Bonsai, Feng Shui, NLP – and still run post-handover rituals to document what we’ll never repeat. Track outcomes – not just aesthetics. Measure comfort, energy use, and maintenance.

Finally, treat the process as a design. And stay curious. A home well-lived is your best portfolio.

As the landscape of luxury residential design evolves, Sejal Nagjee’s approach shows that innovation, personalization, and sustainability can – and must – coexist. Through visionary leadership and a human-centered philosophy, she is reshaping the language of luxury living in Dubai and beyond.

🔗 Discover more: https://milestonedubai.com.