In Cape Town, designer Dylan Thomaz of Curación has created a pared back pied-à-terre in nuanced neutrals and timeless design pieces.
I gravitate to a more timeless style, quietly understated and sophisticated, designed to be highly functional and adaptable. The beauty of this is that it endures and can adapt and belong to both its space and environment. My first impression of the space was that it had a pied-à-terre feel to it. Looking at the views – the lush green surroundings – it had a European air, which worked well with the client’s vision,’ says Dylan. as the client is an art collector, the brief was to create a pared-back aesthetic in which the furniture pieces would complement the art and grow and mature with the space. ‘There are a lot of pieces that speak to this environment. I drew inspiration from the building’s location, its views of the Cape Royale hotel in the distance, and the architecture of the building itself, which has an old-world feel. however, I wanted to give it a more contemporary energy inside that was not in complete contrast to the building’s exterior but rather a modern extension.’
The Green Point apartment in sits inside a building built in the ’50s. With high ceilings and wooden floors throughout, it offered the perfect opportunity to create an almost gallery-like feel, where the homeowner could showcase his extensive art collection in harmony with the interior pieces.
‘As a designer, when you merge art and furniture, what is important is that it still looks lived in without appearing too precious,’ says Dylan. ‘It was important to me to create a neutral wall and floor that plays into the architectural details, and then complement it with art, lighting and furniture.’
To incorporate a dining room table in the small main living space, he added moveable banquet seating. ‘You can see underneath it, which adds a sense of lightness. The balcony also has banquet seating, deep enough to lie in the sun reading a book or linger over a beautiful breakfast or romantic dinner. It also became a multi-functional space, doubling as storage.’
Dylan explains that the main factor for the kitchen was keeping it simplified and not overly styled. ‘The important thing we did to this space was clean it up. When the client bought the apartment, the kitchen was newly renovated, so we removed shelving, changed the colour and replaced the floors with a luxe finish. We added carpet, which is an unconventional design element in the space. carpeting, in general, can make any space feel softer, and I wanted that same effect in the kitchen.
We treated the kitchen as we treated the living room to make it more comfortable and inviting. The carpet is very tactile – it is soft and luscious underfoot. The kitchen is usually practical, even though it is the heart of most people’s homes and has become such a social space, so I wanted to move away from it being clinical and purely functional. The furniture, accessories and design elements are custom-made by Curación, vintage finds and local designers, including Créma design, Mae artisan rugs, Bofred, Vorster & Braye and Meuble Fine Furniture.
