Anlo Neethling of One Design and Development is not one to shrink from a challenge. So, when former clients approached him to furnish their new apartment in just four weeks, he took on the task without hesitation. “There was a palpable sense of urgency,” says Anlo, recalling the initial meeting with the couple, whose work in finance and fashion requires them to oscillate between Johannesburg and Cape Town. “Three years of staying in Airbnbs and hotels had taken a toll on their wellbeing, and they longed for a base that felt familiar and personal.”
While they had anticipated finding a property on the Atlantic Seaboard, the couple’s search for a ‘smart lock-up-and-go with a short commute to the airport and city centre’ led them to Bridgewater, a vibrant mixed-use development in Century City. The secure living environment appealed to them as did the convenient access to running trails and waterways in Ratanga Park, the expansive adjacent green space.
The apartment in question – a sunlit two-bedroom penthouse – presented a distinctly modern sensibility, most evident in the open plan living space featuring seamless finishes, off-shutter concrete ceilings and bulkheads. “The interior spoke to our love of clean lines and minimalism, but it seemed to demand a fresh, upbeat stamp… not the kind of dark and moody scheme that we have a tendency of defaulting to,” say the owners.
Anlo, known for his stylish contemporary spaces shot through with colour, welcomed the opportunity to help the couple navigate a new course. He launched the project with a provocative proposal: creating a focal point in the open plan living area with a sofa upholstered in an invigorating burnt orange. To rein in the hue, he envisioned a rug in a deep shade of teal. And he conceptualised a bold print to anchor the scene and pull the palette together.
It took some convincing, but Anlo eventually won the couple over. “We had a lengthy conversation about balance,” he laughs, “and I used renderings to illustrate the proportion of colour in context to the size of the room.” There is no doubt visual equilibrium exists in the space. Simultaneously boisterous and quiet, the aesthetic is underpinned by a play of warm and cool tones and the use of curves to mitigate bold lines.
Drawing from the bespoke print in the living area, colour is dispensed judiciously across the apartment. The guest bedroom and bathroom are swathed in mint and the main suite, a tranquil refuge on the upper level, is punctuated by ochre. Earthy greens create cohesion. Throughout, windows have been treated with sheer curtains creating an ethereal backdrop, which Anlo says, “softens the spatial framework and reinforces harmony.”
In response to his clients’ request for ‘a unique collection of furniture’, Anlo designed many of the pieces and had them manufactured by Nieuw Design – a feat considering the timeline. Informed by geometry, items such as the dining table and bench establish a graphic quality befitting a modern interior. The ‘Bahla’ chair and ‘Wadi’ side table from Bofred were introduced as statement pieces. Together with ceramics by Jan Ernst, they lend an organic element to the mix. “Nothing is superfluous,” Anlo declares. “Everything, including the colours, was chosen to create a dynamic and engaging whole.”
Text written by Natalie Boruvka appearing in H&G Nov 2022 issue.
