to download the PDF Article - St Leger & Viney

One of two living areas
on either side of the
dining room leads out
onto the long front
terrace overlooking
the Patrick Watsonlandscaped
forest.
Throughout the house,
the upholstery is by
Ralph Lauren available
at St Leger & Viney.
The white slipcovered
sofa is from Petite
Upholsterers. On the
table behind it are two
Blackmore candelabra
from Guinevere
Antiques in London.
The round side table is
from Ralph Lauren and
the San Lorenzo-stone
coffee table is from
Michael Taylor
Rhapsody in Blue
1 0 6 1 1 3
In SAndhURST, BUSIneSS MAGnATe dOUW STeyn’S hOMe
IS A GRAnd-ScALe VILLA. decORATOR STePhen FALcke
deScRIBeS hIS WORk TheRe, WhIch BROUGhT TOGeTheR The
BeST OF AMeRIcAn And eUROPeAn FURnITURe TRAdITIOnS
photographs
elsa young

1 1 4
A collection of antique tobacco jars stands
on a round hall table. The blue-and-white
porcelain collection is from the clignacourt
Flea market, Paris, which is where the best
large-scale examples of this pattern are
found. Behind is a carved-stone ‘Lion’ chair,
which is a Michael Taylor trademark
LeFT An original
Aubuson rug hangs
behind a table from
the decorative
Antiques & Textiles
Fair in London.
Beside it are two
Michael Taylor ‘diana’
armchairs. ‘Michael
Taylor produces
museum-quality
reproductions with
exceptionally good
proportions and
patina. As it’s so
difficult to get antique
pairs, I use this source
a lot’ RIGhT An
understated Venetian
mirror from Michael
Taylor hangs on the
back wall. In front of it
a Ralph Lauren ‘dukes
host’ gilt armchair
‘
We have done quite a few houses of
different styles together and for this
one, which is not far up the road
from the Saxon in Sandhurst, Douw
said that he’d like an American Ralph
Lauren House. Architecturally it was
appropriate. I ironed out a few creases, but there was a good classicism
that was very workable. I painted it a sort of Milo brown outside
and limed all the woodwork inside, which was previously very dark.
‘While all that was happening, I said to Douw that we ought to
go to New York to buy furniture. He hates travelling, so I ended up
going on my own. And, of course, I got a lot of wonderful things at
Ralph Lauren: chairs, lamps, beds, lanterns, not everything. In fact
I got as much from Michael Taylor, a San Franciscan designer whose
legacy of furniture – still in production – is an indispensable source.
‘Quite simply, I decided on a look and carried it through the whole
house. Ralph Lauren covers a lot of styles so I thought I’d look at
the classics, the favourites of all time that for me are the blue-andwhite
fabrics, and, of course, the stripes. There are about 10 fabrics
The scale of the
house and classical
detailing is evident
in the double-volume
dining room. The
vaulted ceiling’s
height has been
emphasised with
circular mirrors hung
high at either end
of the room, a large
lantern above the
table and striped
roman blinds at the
tall windows. Telford
chairs from Ralph
Lauren are covered in
indigo ‘Resort Batik’.
The table is from G2
1 1 5

A large stone-topped
table on the terrace,
surrounded by dining
chairs from Michael
Taylor, overlooks the
pool and garden. here,
consistent hues of blue
in different patterns
create drama against an
epic, architectural stage.
Similarly, the stone
coffee table (right) and
console table (below
right) have the same
gravitas and scale as
the architecture, which
engenders a seamless
sense of belonging
of this style that I used, which is more than enough to create variety
yet keep the scheme cohesive in a house of this size.
‘On the ground floor alone, there are two living rooms, a 10-seater
dining-room table, two outdoor living areas and a 14-seater dining
table, which is a lot of upholstery. The answer was to keep the colour
(indigo blue) consistent but vary the pattern. It’s sophisticated,
always interesting and a very good base for big scale going on in the
background, be it architecture, furniture or art.
‘The house is set in a forest of white stinkwood trees landscaped
by Patrick Watson, and from the terrace you can see the skyscrapers
of Sandton between the slender trunks. It’s a very African moment.
Some of the blue-and-white fabrics and the indigo African-inspired
weaves are of artisanal origin and feel organic, and as American villa
as the house has turned out, I think it was important to include this
African and exotic tradition of textile prints. They’re a counterpoint
to the European-inspired refinement elsewhere, but they’re robust
and work with the scale of this building.’
Stephen Falcke Interior Design % 011 327 5368; St Leger & Viney % 011
444 6722 or % 021 683 5233
The colours of grey
chinese porcelain
and a pair of english
paintings provide
a calm note in the
bedroom wing. The
vessels were bought
at Guinevere Antiques
and the dresser is
from Ralph Lauren
1 1 6 1 1 7

cLOckWISe FROM TOP The main suite with an upholstered
Ralph Lauren ‘duchess’ bed and linens. Throughout the house, an
extensive collection of original oils and contemporary etchings has
been edited and added to, including a black-and-white bullfi ghting
series by Picasso that complements the monochrome scheme; the
white-stinkwood forest and terrace; at the entrance to the main suite,
a chair and matching ottoman are upholstered in indigo ‘Resort Batik’,
a cushion in ‘koi Porcelain’ and curtains in ‘Beach Side Matelasse’
The covered terrace feels like a loggia, with rolling blinds
between the pillars that can be lowered as the setting sun
streams in. The trees create a magical sense of distance from
the urban world. The iron furniture is by Michael Taylor, the
loungers by dedon and Plaisir du Jardin. cushions in ‘Lagos
Indigo’, an artisanal print from Ralph Lauren’s explorer range.
Ralph Lauren Fabrics available at St Leger & Viney
1 1 8 1 1 9