Wild and wonderful interior design

WORDS & IMAGES by ABI JAMES

Abi James is an interior designer and decorator specialising in remote safari and beach lodges. She has an absolute passion for travelling the African continent, and – when not working in her quaint Cape Town studio – she is galavanting across wild landscapes with a tape measure in hand. Kate Goss finds out how she does it:

KG: Abi, what is it that excites you about designing interiors for safari and beach lodges?

AJ: It’s not your run-of-the-mill interior designing! I really enjoy working in more rustic and outdoor locations and the way that encourages me to think about design in those scenarios. I particularly love looking at how nature and local artisans/crafts can be incorporated into a lodge – making each project unique as a result.

KG: Tell us about some of the most remote locations you have designed in?

AJ: I have been lucky enough to have travelled to some pretty off-the-beaten-track locations.

Likoma Island in Malawi has one of my favourite locations to work in Africa; a speck of an island filled with baobab trees, only a handful of cars and an extraordinary Cathedral that is the biggest in Southern Africa. I was working on the renovation of Kaya Mawa, the only 5-star beach lodge on the island. Everything about the rock room structures was built by hand with only basic handtools, including the wooden windows and doors. On the interior front we had to look carefully at what materials were available locally on the island – looking at baobab string weaved lighting and handmade island clay bead artworks. We also used Malawi eucalyptus wood a fair amount for handmaking rustic beachy furniture pieces and walls.

I also always enjoy going back to South Luangwa in Zambia where I have been lucky enough to live and work. I worked with Norman Carr Safaris on an upgrade of their bushcamps there at one stage. Very much keeping the focus on bush simplicity, a lot of my time was spent driving into the 4 camps in the depths of the South Luangwa national park; often seeing lion, elephants and an amazing abundance of wildlife on the drives in.

KG: How does someone like yourself (being primarily based in Cape Town) go about designing for these wild and wonderful locations?

AJ: It takes lot of planning on logistics and designing in my head. An item I see in the shops or have made up in Cape Town I may only be able to see in a space at the lodge a few months down the line – so I have to work to a clear idea of what I’m trying to create, but also have an element of flexibility to ‘play’ around with everything when I’m there and see what works best in the situation.

KG: Explain some of the interesting ‘trials and tribulations’ you have faced while working on projects like these.

AJ: Being evacuated from Gorongosa National park stands out! We were a week away from opening a new small bushcamp in the area when unrest was stirring between the political parties and resulted in the entire team having to pack up in a matter of hours and leave Mozambique via the road to the Zimbabwe border. My ‘work’ days have included walking near lions whilst looking for fallen feathers and pods for décor, canoeing to work on a small island in the Zambezi, flying in small 4 seater planes to get to locations, the list of adventures goes on…

KG: What essential item/s are you sure to carry with you on your design and decorating missions?

AJ: A tape measure is generally always hanging off a belt of my jeans or around my neck! And always a notepad and pencil to pull out to use for a quick sketch to demonstrate what I’m thinking – and if I don’t have that, it’s drawing in the sand with twigs.

KG: How would you describe your interior design and decorating style?

AJ: I would describe my style as romantic bohemia mixed with organic elements – but with a core of keeping the design as authentic to the roots of a location as possible, highlighting local design/artisans as much as possible in the process.

KG: You work in a variety of African locations with a range of cultural influences. If you had to pick just one favourite design influence, which would it be and why?

AJ: I have a real soft spot for Lamu Island off the Kenyan coast. It has the most beautiful houses with a distinct Swahili Arab influence, with arches, big Indian style studded doors and beautiful screed floors and walls. I also look to Morocco for inspiration – their patterned tiles, handcut candle lanterns and rugs are a common feature in my interior design.

KG: Are there any tips you would give to others grappling with interior projects in remote spaces?

AJ: Things are more likely to go wrong in remote places so be prepared to be flexible – on design, timing (!!), location, logistics, and who you work with.

A big thing is planning the space whilst you are there so you have as much information for purchasing and designing when you are back home; measuring, recording ‘ideal’ dimensions for furniture pieces/chandelier lighting etc. so when you are sourcing you have guidelines and won’t be caught out buying a piece that won’t fit well where you had envisaged it.
Photograph the area from as many angles as possible – even take a short video whilst you are there, giving yourself a 360-degree view as a reference.
Before you visit the area, start researching what is locally available by chatting to your clients and looking online. Start connecting with people as much as possible on this. This applies to both materials available and craftsmanship i.e. check if there are any local carpenters or interesting fabrics that you can set aside time to go and visit.

We particularly love that Abi incorporates elements of nature as well as crafts from local African artisans to transform the spaces she touches. Feast your eyes on some of her work below:

Finished beach chalet room at Kaya Mawa Lodge on Likoma Island, Malawi.

The Nut House room at Tongabezi Lodge in Zambia. In this House, Abi experimented with a more Moroccan look whilst exploring artisans work from around Africa and training the building team at Tongabezi to work with Cemcrete and screed floor to create archways and built-in cupboard spaces

A shower space in the River Cottages at Tongabezi Lodge in Zambia. The design draws on an African graphic feel with an ebony and ivory colourway – handmade clay chandeliers, Moroccan tiles, locally made wooden vanities, antique brass and copper bathroom fittings.