KALLOS: A HOME REPRESENTING SPIRITUAL SOULFULNESS AND BEAUTY
Nestled into the verdant green of the South Downs National Park, this sculptural property was designed to create a tangible sense of wellbeing and a palpable synergy with nature.
An auspicious location for such a home, the natural landscapes are inextricably linked with the interiors. Visible, present, influential and inspiring at every turn, the curves of the outside world are reflected in the design and materials used.
Yogic forms and organic materials form this property’s foundation and the lifestyle it’s designed to facilitate. Combined with undulating curves of the national park outside, its burgeoning wildlife and the impact of the changing seasons on the look and feel of the space, it’s a true representation of what the Ancient Greeks termed ‘kallos’ – a beauty that transcends physicality, touching the emotions and the senses.
Personality and perfect harmony
The ineffable soulfulness of this home is testament to the owners’ personal passions and the designer’s skill at interpreting them before creating a physical environment that nurtures them as well. Taking the simple inspiration of a perfectly executed yoga move, the house is almost a living, breathing Barbara Hepworth sculpture – all organic forms, natural light and seamless, flowing energy.
The home is peppered with details that tell the story of the owner’s life and personal interests. The African masks on the table are from their global travels, the decorative items on the asymmetrical niche shelving and even the light paper lanterns, all evoke particular memories.
The power of nature
There’s an elemental quality to this house that gives you a sense of groundedness from the moment you walk through the door.
Earthy materials like the rich Pentelic marble – the same as that used in The Parthenon – seem to give you a visceral link to the past, while textured walls finished in a combination of unadulterated concrete and natural plaster add warmth and softness. Antique brass goes against societal myth, proving there’s immense beauty in the ageing process, while smoked oak and untreated wood in all its knotted glory, seems to speak to its reverent cousins caressing the windows outside.
Light and air flow with abandon, they are the invisible powers that truly govern this home. The vast space provides a plentiful opportunity to fling open enormous doors and windows to let in the fresh air and create a seamless connection with the beauty of the South Downs. All the while, sunlight pours in, changing the environment from one hour and one season to the next.
Form and function
A home that aims to elevate daily life, its form is matched by its functionality.
Curved steps lead you to a lounge area reminiscent of an amphitheatre, creating both a convivial environment but a clear delineation between rest and activity. The hidden pantry, the touch-open drawers and cupboards and the monolithic stone island made of three pieces of marble pivoting on two axes so as to almost dance in the centre of the kitchen, have all been positioned and created with ease of use in mind.
The huge windows are motorised, pivoting and disappearing from view when they’re open, cabinetry is recessed and flush to the wall so that it’s barely perceptible. Together these details enable a world in which every moment of the day becomes a ritual, an experience and a joy.
Living art and design
Proving that spiritual wellness and natural connectivity work in harmony with exemplary art and design, this home is also a showcase of artisan skill and artist ingenuity.
The floor is a particularly unique feature, created from in situ terrazzo, forging offcuts into a one of a kind artwork. Platner chairs from Knoll, first designed in 1966, sit nonchalantly by the island, and there are sculptures and paintings intentionally placed to provide moments of intrigue as you go about your day.
The dining table is made from limestone and appears to emerge from the floor as if growing of its own accord. Surrounding it are Capitol Complex Chairs from Cassina, made from oak and Viennese cane, and designed as a tribute to Swiss architect Pierre Jeannere.
Every inch represents the embodiment of the owners’ personality and values, who they are and who they want to be, this is a home that is an entity in its own right. Living, breathing and coaxing its inhabitants into being the best versions of themselves, it seems almost to have its own language and its own voice. So often we hear the phrase ‘if these walls could talk’. In this case, if you pay attention, they really do.
