CAPE TOWN PAD
Raquel Holton’s seaside abode pays homage to its Art Deco heritage, along with the breezy glamour of Eighties Malibu
Chic by day and by night, Raquel Holton’s Art Deco inspired apartment is the perfect place for entertaining
according to Raquel Holton, the best place to be on New Year’s Eve is Cape Town. ‘You don’t even have to plan a party because the whole city comes alive; December and January are especially high energy because of all the fireworks displays,’ she says of the cit y ’s festive period. Nothing gets done by halves during those months and for Raquel, who recently made Cape Town her home after living there on and off for five years, nothing could be better.
After all, it was the city’s energy that enticed her to buy an apartment in Sea Point, a lively seaside suburb, in the first place. This and the fact her new beachfront home, in the former Odeon cinema building, overlooks the promenade. It’s a to-die-for location, although the same couldn’t have been said for the apartment’s interior, which was a warren of disconnected rooms. Luckily, Raquel had experience in project managing renovations. It was a challenge, but she was ready for it.
By engaging interior designers Bruce Fyfe and Kelsey Boyce to realise her vision, not only was she able to work with two of Cape Town’s finest, she also had the opportunity to collaborate with close friends – again. ‘I wouldn’t dream of taking on any project without Bruce and Kelsey,’ Raquel smiles. ‘There’s complete trust and honesty between the three of us and by the time we got to crack open the champagne and enjoy the end result, the apartment felt like it was theirs as much as it was my family’s.’
From the outset, they all agreed the interior’s design should pay homage to the building’s Art Deco heritage and this underpinned the scheme’s daring decorative style. But first, the apartment needed to be gutted and the floor plan reconfigured to move three bedrooms, each with an en suite, to the sides. The new layout freed up the apartment’s core , allowing the open-plan living area to run uninterrupted from front to back.
This spatial flow is important to Raquel, who frequently hosts intimate dinner parties as well as larger functions. ‘I love that the apartment is perfect for entertaining just the way it is. Bruce and Kelsey have created such a wonderful connection between each area that my guests don’t feel like they’re falling over each other.’
The designers were especially mindful of orientation and the way the light changes depending on the time of day. They took advantage of the afternoon sun in the promenade-facing formal living and dining area, introducing blush-pink tones that twinkle at sunset. And rather than fight the lack of direct sunlight in the rear kitchen and entertainment space, Bruce and Kelsey went with it, creating dark, cosy spaces. ‘They’ve delivered a design that reflects who I am,’ says Raquel. ‘And while they made sure it feels like home, they also added elements that make everyone who walks through the front door go “wow”!’ One thing this apartment boasts in abundance is impact, including a main bedroom resplendent in gold and white striped wallpaper that opens up to the living area via mirrored concertina doors.
Bruce and Kelsey’s concept may have been initially informed by the colours and patterns of Art Deco, but it also references the sophisticated sensibilities of France’s belle époque, along with the breezy glamour of Eighties Malibu. The emphasis is on bespoke detailing, highly textural materials and an eclectic, multilayered arrangement, seamlessly tied together by custom-designed pieces of key furniture. A faceted bar in the dining area – that literally stopped traffic when it was craned in – is the undeniable jewel in the crown, complemented by plush baby-blue bar chairs. Curved white sofas are opulent yet comfortable and the ‘soft brutalism’ of the entry console makes it more art object than table.
It’s the personal touches, like the artwork Raquel painted – the portrait in the dining area, the gold-leaf abstract opposite the entry and the collage of palm trees in a guest bedroom – that make the apartment so welcoming. Yet for Raquel, the most memorable moments are those shared with family and friends.
“There’s a clever layering of different styles, without any one dominating”