African geometrics meet American preppy-ness in creative director Isatu Funna’s colourful family home
Creative director Isatu Funna’s fabulous family home is bursting with life, colour – and artwork
when Isatu Funna’s husband, Philipp von Hammerstein, landed a new job that involved the family decamping from Berlin to London, it took them some time to find the ideal spot to put down roots. This was in part down to the fact they needed a house with walls of sufficient scale to display their burgeoning art collection. ‘We looked at maybe 60-plus houses,’ says Isatu. But when they saw this one in north London, Isatu knew it was the one.
For a start, it had a space in the living room that could fit her favourite painting, a three-by-two-metre floral piece painted on glass from a triptych by German artist Stefan Sehler. ‘It was always about finding that wall. I thought, “We’re not moving unless we can fit in this work” – because it would be very sad to have it stored away.’
It was a while before the couple were wrestling with hanging their collection, however. Their new home needed a fair bit of work as it had been subdivided into a series of flats so the family stayed put in a rental, while interior architect Ramses Frederickx took charge. ‘We had to gut the whole place, then build everything back up again,’ explains Isatu, who says that finding Ramses was happenstance. ‘A good friend had used him, and I loved what happened with her home and how he brought it all together. We had a similar aesthetic, so I asked for an introduction.’
As her daughters were still very young at the time of the work, Isatu handed over the nitty-gritty. ‘I wanted a liveable house, but wasn’t as focused on the development aspects,’ she admits. ‘Ramses and Philipp guided the renovation – I was more interested in the final bits and pieces.’ Once the shell was ready to go, Isatu stepped in. The neutral, pared-back bones of the building meant she was able to introduce colour and personality with her choice of furnishings and, of course, that art. ‘I love the idea of colour and I think it harks back to coming from Sierra Leone originally and that African feel and warmth,’ she says. ‘I also have a very preppy side – I love J. Crew. So, it sounds bizarre, but if you combine African geometrics and American preppy-ness, that would be where my style lies.’ It’s not so bizarre when you know that Isatu grew up between Sierra Leone and the United States, where she met her husband at law school.
Seeing the skilful craftspeople Ramses sourced for elements of the renovation in part inspired Isatu to set up her design business, Dar Leone – her take on contemporary African design. ‘Working with Ramses and seeing how he got designs, such as the built-in furniture, started from scratch and seen through to the end, is what gave me the bug,’ she says. ‘I also owe a lot to Eva Sonaike, who’s of Nigerian origin – she’s amazing. I first saw her cushions in a boutique and I thought, “Wow! This is aspirational, it’s contemporary, it’s African, I love it.” That’s where it all germinated.’
Isatu’s own signature print is her Oceana design and there are hints of it in different colourways dotted throughout the house. What’s notable is that despite the wide spectrum of bold colours throughout, the overall look of her home feels edited – curated almost. This is a happy accident, claims Isatu: ‘We buy what we like, and we’re always convinced it will work.’ It’s an approach that’s resulted in a comfortable space where the family can relax: ‘I come in, close the door and feel like I really can leave the outside behind.’
“We’ve had to work with our walls and the art we have – so pieces do get moved around”