stylish Inside Bushmans Kloof ’s revamped Cederberg house
Legendary interior designer Toni Tollman talks to House & Garden about her latest work at Bushmans Kloof ’s new villa, Cederberg House
How luxe has developed your vision from of the Cape work country you did 10 years ago?
I think that one’s own personal style develops over time and I can see that evolution when I look back at the previous work I did for Bushmans Kloof. For this project it was about translating the environment into the interiors through colour. The villa was built on an existing structure that was on the land. This was a unique opportunity because I got a chance to start completely from scratch. I could build something from proportions that were there, but I could create new volume in the space.
But in many ways the villa still speaks true to your own style of interior design?
I love textures and I really got to play with them in this villa, whether it was with stone, leather or wood. using the stark white walls as a starting point, I slowly introduced colour with art and various fabrics.
The space looks authentic without feeling overly bespoke, like it’s the home of real people that have decorated over a lifetime. What was your inspiration?
My starting point was to create a space I would want to live in myself. That’s the way that I work best. I always start with that level of discipline. I was inspired by the ancient landscape of the cederberg. It’s such a powerful place. all the warm, burnt tones of the rock formations and the soil really spoke to me, which I then translated into the decor and the art of the villa. and I think it works beautifully with the stone floors and the high ceilings with its wooden beams.
You are a great lover of art, and it’s something you and your family are passionate about. How did you go about choosing art for the space?
I like everything atypical. That being said though, I want it to remain true and authentic to the environment it’s found in. so there is a mix of painted cederberg country scenes, with antique wedding blankets framed on the walls. They’re very different, but both echo the stunning colours of the natural environment, creating a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere. That comfort is taken to another level by having two master suites in the villa.
From the large central room there are doors that lead to two master suites. They are the same in every way. They have the same amenities, proportions and features, making it ideal for two couples or friends to go away together.
It’s really the ultimate experience in luxury.
You have decorated hotels for years, but you have never believed in replicating decor. In this villa you maintain a standard of style and emotional luxury throughout.
When you walk through the villa you’ll realise that it wasn’t decorated quickly. It was put together with a lot of love and it took time. It was a process of collection; I’d see something and it would evoke a feeling in me and I’d immediately think ‘oh that would look amazing in the villa’. It’s my own journey of discovery, of collecting beautiful things. Most of the pieces were collected over the span of a year, at small corner shops or at auctions around south africa. some pieces I’ve had for over four years, and I’d just been waiting for the perfect place to use them. But some pieces in the villa are bespoke?
There are some pieces. such as the chest at the foot of the bed in one of the suites. It’s a dutch-inspired chest made from mahogany, with a yellowwood marquetry-style star. It looks like a chest for linen but a remote reveals a television inside. It’s about being inventive for modern tastes, without distracting the eye. Bushmans Kloof 8 bushmanskloof.co.za
‘MY STARTING POINT WAS TO CREATE A SPACE I WOULD WANT TO LIVE IN MYSELF. THAT’S THE WAY THAT I WORK BEST’