TRADITIONALLY MODERN
by John Jacob Zwiegelaar
Written By Louise McCann
Elle Magazine– February 2008
In the three years since he opened his design business, John Jacob Interiors in Cape Town’s Bree Street, this talented 31-year old has garnered an impressive portfolio of high profiled assignments.
The projects he has worked on have been commissioned by both local and foreign clients and include, amongst others, the interior decoration of a gracious turn-of-the-century manor house in Fresnaye, the Cape Royale hotel in Green Point, a state-of-the-art wine tasting space for Graham Beck Wines in Franschhoek and an annual trip to decorate the safari camp of a Saudi family on holiday in the African wilds.
John has a talent for translating traditional style into a modern design language. ‘I’d describe my style as contemporary classic. The rendering is modern, often with a hidden twist, but the proportion and scaling are traditional and correct.’ Citing Dutch designer Piet Boon and British architect Sir John Soane as inspiration, John says he’s moving ‘where I believe modern is going, a new take on neo-classicism.’
And he is doing so in subtle, yet powerful, tones of espresso, ash and coal, with shades of cloud and smoke.
John has an intuitive grasp on the subtleties of successful design that includes reading his clients’ needs. He gives them what they need to create ‘environments that hold and nurture people.’ This also extends to a comprehension and incorporation of the character of existing architecture, garden design and surrounding environment into the classic chemistry of his interior design.
A graduate of Cape Town’s Design Time, John also creates bespoke furniture and fabric and comes up with a new line for every interior commission. These lines, together with accessories, form the content of his store, John Jacob Home, also situated in his Bree Street Premises.
Brimming with enthusiasm – ‘I love designing, I know this is what I’m meant to do!’ – and possessing the gravitas that comes with an intrinsic understanding of aesthetics, this is a talent who is living his intention of designing with resonance.
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