The Clifton Splendour, a Residential Project by Olala Interiors

The Clifton Splendour, a Residential Project by Olala Interiors – Established in 1993, OLALA Interiors offers a turn-key solution to discerning clients looking for the essence of luxury living. Over the years the studio has invested their time and energy into building a reputable and successful business reaching across borders and oceans, incorporating the latest local and international style and design trends. In their dynamic and continuously evolving industry, the studio knows the importance of authenticity and treat every project uniquely in order to develop its own personality.

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Having started OLALA INTERIORS 25 years ago with the personal motto of “come to work to be excellent” and fierce pride in her work and product, Schanè Anderson still has an unquenchable love for the interior design business. “It is one of the few careers where one can dream wildly and see concepts become a reality daily. It is also one of the few careers where age and experience count in our favour – creatives are known to be at their best after 50… so I’m in the right time warp now” says Schanè.

The project actually came about as a surprise. With the trucks loaded to decorate another house for her client, Schané and her team were informed of a change of plan: The house they were primed to furnish had been sold, and in its place was an exclusive Clifton property, designed by Jane Visser of Visser Architects.

Schané had to go back to the drawing board. “A toned down yet alluring modern industrial style was redesigned into a layered and more glamorous look and feel,” she says. In the end it took her a matter of weeks to turn the project around, to travel to find exclusive designer pieces, hunt for fabulous art, and for the team at the OLALA INTERIORS factory to make the custom designed cabinetry. To pull off a project of this magnitude is a testament to the relationships Schané fosters with her clients.

Schané has two loves: black and velvet. “So now I have a client who loves black, who adores velvet, who travels extensively, who has an amazing eye for design, and who fell in love with this gracious home and its unobstructed views over Clifton and Camps Bay!”

This could fairly be classified as a dream job. Four storeys, five bedrooms, 3,9 m-high ceilings, bare white walls and panoramic views from the Twelve Apostles to Clifton’s beaches (approximate size of the space is 623m2). This was the blank canvas that Schané had to work with. The views, seen through tall sash windows, are framed in lush black velvet drapes. The home’s magnificent proportions allowed for expressive decorating with volumes of epic wall space for beautiful imported wallpaper and local art. From every angle, this is a home that celebrates craftsmanship, design, art and its exquisite location.

Being a creative, Schanè really wanted to study art but at the time, that was not to be and instead enrolled to study law. It quickly became evident that litigating was not her passion and whilst working in the financial industry, she was tasked with putting together offices – finding the space and doing the layout and designs free-hand. Fortunately, the external designer loved it and Schanè jumped at the opportunity to make her foray into the world of interior design. Within 6 months, the entrepreneurial bug bit and OLALA INTERIORS was established.

OLALA INTERIORS won ROMO International Top Interior Designer of the Year for KZN Award for three consecutive years 2016, 2017 and 2018. This magnificent accolade took Schanè and Debbie to Maison & Objet in Paris France, courtesy of Romo International where they met and engaged with the designers and visited the pop-up shops for the international fabric and wallpaper houses in Paris for the likes of Romo, Zinc, Villa Nova, Mark Alexander, Kirkby and more.