Wider context

While designing the look of this UK home, designer John Jacob Zwiegelaar drew on the old-age practice of idolising the out of the ordinary as inspiration.

As such, he conjured an aesthetic which includes elements of the client’s South African heritage.

Here, in the context of London living, African artefacts and textures take on the effect of the exotic and precious.

‘If we look at history, rarity has always been equated with beauty,’ explains Zwiegelaar.

With this as the starting point, the designer chose to focus on an

aspect that would provide a foil for its surroundings.

‘When I design a space, I like to bear in mind what will stand out as significant in the setting,’ says Zwiegelaar.

In Joburg or Cape Town, for example, a bronze African bust or string of brightly coloured beads is commonplace, expected even. But here they take on an otherness and a sense of mystery.

The clients have a home in South Africa, too, where they spend part of the year – one that is completely different to this smart London house with its understated sophistication.

‘Their Johannesburg home is a lot more traditional, more feminine,’ says Zwiegelaar. This is part of the reason for the absolute lack of frivolity or fancy in the newer projects, as the designer consciously took a radical departure from what they already had. Aside from a few pieces that the owners wanted to move to their new house, there is no resemblance in style and the London home offers an opportunity to live differently in this part of the world.

This project too, was a different way of working from Zwiegelaar’s customary method.

While he normally gets involved from as early as the building stages, this house’s shell was complete down to the cornicing and fully fitted bathrooms and kitchen and only in need of decorating he came on board. Far from a license to do whatever he wanted though, the architecture of this seemingly blank canvas still needed to be tied into the décor. I’m an adamant believer that there should be a synergy between design and décor. The decoration of a space should contextualise the architectural detail and vice versa, ‘says Zwiegelaar.

In this case the modern structure, although complete, was devoid of any defining characteristics so he set about adding layers. ‘There weren’t enough architectural elements to give the decorating meaning, ‘he explains. The more surface level aspects were also particularly bland. To counteract this, the designer laid a grey sisal carpet over the shiny cream travertine and onto cream walls he painted a sophisticated but subtle taupe. Next to go was the yellow tone of the timber staircase, and in its place came a richer deeper stain, in keeping with the new layers of complexity throughout.

Zwiegelaar’s design signatures were brought into the mix at the decorating stages – tailored, customised and contemporary pieces give insight into the level to which he went to effect the staggering transformation of a generic shell into a bespoke and luxurious home. Tactile materials too add complexity and pieces in bone, hide and wood keep the scheme interesting. The home is geared for entertaining – two levels of living spaces offer separate areas to drink, eat, read, lounge and watch movies. The foyer on the entry level gives way to a kitchen and open – plan dinning room and ‘kitchen lounge’ as well as a super – chic sitting room, all of which look onto the lush expanse of groomed garden – a treasure in London’s urban landscape.

Down a level is a cocoon – like bar and cinema lounge, divided by geometric wood screens designed by Zwiegelaar to divide up the shapeless.

Read more John Jacob Interiors Magazine features here…