A classy bachelor's pad

By Tricia Wanjala

In a high-rise luxury apartment complex near Dennis Pritt Road, a young international relations consultant has chosen to make his home as classy as possible. Victor Ramotswe’s style is simple, understated and elegant.

The living room is clearly used for entertaining, with sturdy wooden side tables to enable guests easily reach their refreshments while watching Dstv and a plethora of movies on the large flat-screen television.

The clever use of furnishings to create separate closed spaces in an open-plan area shows careful contemplation and forethought when it comes to the decor process.

Manly earth-tones permeate, with the sofas, curtains and cushions taking on a simple monochromatic palette of magnolia, ochre and beige. A native-American print rug brings it all together with tasteful zigzags weaving in a traditional Navajo design.

Close by, a faux-rattan design adds interest to a gorgeous cedar console with its large matching framed mirror. Indeed, a well-known trick in decorating smaller spaces is well utilised here; the introduction of mirrors to create the impression of rooms within rooms. The visual effect is thus one of a vastly enlarged space.

Behind a glass and wood installation demarcating the entrance hall is a stately dining table that holds up to eight guests. It anchors the dining room space and creates an inviting atmosphere. African artefacts and souvenirs adorn the wooden sideboard from where tantalising dishes are received, fresh from the kitchen adjacent to it.

Within the kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms, the pervading style is homogeneous with that of the living room.

Natural light

The apartment is aglow with natural light and a clean, clutter-free aura as a result of the minimalist principles employed. Here the practical application of the well-known mantra ‘less is more,’ results in a calming and liberating environment.

Indeed, as is evident in the master bedroom, decorations have been limited to accent pieces rather than a visually distracting environment where multiple pieces compete for oneÌs attention. Individual pieces chosen for their aesthetic and sentimental value remind the occupant of his home country.

A Swahili-style sleigh bed with ornate hand-carved designs is the centre piece of the guest bedroom. Comfy scatter cushions in cream and off-white complement the apartment’s colour-scheme.

In the bathroom, a blissfully relaxing environment comes from the deliberate choice of neutral colours to soothe the senses and refresh the mind. It is actually reminiscent of a hotel bathroom with crisp, clean linens and rustic accents, contrasted with shiny chrome and stainless steel fittings. Thus ends our informal tour of this classy, minimalist bachelor pad.