Into The Blue
The sea plays a focal role in Ashley Maddox’s home in Cape Town— and not only because it features a 180-degree view of the ocean. Each of the upstairs rooms has been painted to match the spectrum of blues and greens seen in the sea.
“When we bought the house, it was all white everywhere—very stark with big, white, shabby-chic couches. You can create so much personality just with color,” says Ashley.
The cerulean shade in the couple’s bedroom was inspired by a studio visit to South African artist Paul Senyol (a large painting of his hangs in the entranceway downstairs). “From France, before we moved here, I was looking for inspiration in South African design and there were two artists that I really loved. One was Paul and one was Andrzej Urbanski. I had no idea that not only are they both in Cape Town, but they’re represented by the same gallery, they’ve exhibited together and they’re best friends. And I found them from totally different sources.”
In the kids’ bathroom, the ‘Itawuli’ towel is by Mungo in South Africa and the shell necklace is from Madagascar.
The plastic and wire ceiling light that looks like a giant hat is by French furniture designer Constance Guisset. It’s soft to the touch and was delivered coiled up in a (hat) box, before being untwirled and attached together.
The ‘knot’ tiles in emerald around the fireplace are by Popham Design. The Tuareg leather and grass woven carpet is from Mauritania; the Bamileke stool from Cameroon; the throws and ottoman from Malawi via Ashanti Design; and the pillows from Malawian social enterprise, People of the Sun.
The chairs on either end of the table are by French furniture designer Constance Guisset and the patterned wax print school chairs are by South African fashion designer Sandalene Dale- Roberts. The chandelier is Atelier Areti and the bowl topped with citrus fruits is by Wonki Ware, from George in South Africa.
Linen sheets in the turquoise guest bedroom are from La Redoute; the throw and pillows from Ashanti Design in Cape Town; Danish 1960s table from a French flea market; Binic Table Lamp; vintage 1950s French industrial lamp; vintage 1960s wicker chair from Fresh and Vintage in France with a pillow by the Keiskamma Art Project in South Africa.
