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Out of Africa

Published: 19-Dec-2011

The colours and textures of Africa provided the starting point for the Linley design team when it worked on the interior scheme for this lakeside family house in Gloucestershire

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It may seem like a big leap from the Masai Mara to the Cotswolds but, in the hands of Linley’s experienced design team, the transition appears almost effortless. The team was commissioned to design this lakeside house by a couple who walked into the Linley store on London’s Pimlico Road looking for an interior designer. They were inspired by a recent holiday in Kenya and wanted their house in the English countryside to remind them of their African experiences.

‘Every one of our jobs is different,’ says Charlie Robertson, who leads Linley’s interior design team. ‘There is no set house style — our work is tailored to the needs of the client.’

The finished scheme for this home includes only two of Linley’s own designs — a pair of armchairs — with all the other pieces sourced or commissioned by the team. ‘To reflect the African-inspired theme, we decided to create a light and airy scheme throughout, using materials such as polished plaster, leather, ponyskin, linens, cashmere, alpaca, seagrass and sisal. Warm tones are used as accents to create a home that can be used throughout the year,’ says Robertson.

The designers were able to work alongside the construction team as the house was built. The property is part of Lakes by Yoo, a rural, gated development in Gloucestershire. The houses are built in close consultation with the owners and the developer takes a flexible approach to interior specification. This enabled Robertson and his team to help design the electrics and lighting, choose the flooring, specify smaller items such as splashbacks and bronze handles for the kitchen and add a fireplace to the centre of the master bedroom.

One of the highlights of the project for the designers at Linley was working with the couple to acquire art for their house. ‘The clients’ passion for the art of western African was our starting point,’ explains Robertson. ‘They had a very specific brief with their art and we looked at a lot of things with them. Dressing a client’s home is so important and such a vital part of an interior. In fact, we are still finding pieces to add to it — it’s a work in progress.’

This article was first published in idfx Magazine.

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