Cape Town meets the Kent countryside in this cool but cosy home filled with artisanal gems from around the globe
Roxi Zeeman and her family live in a Kentish cottage that lies at the end of an unmarked bumpy lane, surrounded by woodland. Deer regularly take a short-cut through their garden and cows graze in the field behind.
The setting is quintessentially English, but inside Roxi has created a look that also draws from her South African roots and her love of hand-crafted objects.
THE FAMILY: Roxi and Dave Zeeman – who run homewares shop Dassie Artisan – live in a four-bedroom Victorian cottage near Tunbridge Wells, Kent, with their children Scarlett, nine, and Noah, five
Much of the seating comes in Roxi’s favourite textures of sun-bleached mango wood and raw linen. Pendant shades are threaded with rows of tiny clay beads or handmade in metal that’s been welded and then buffed to a dull sheen.
Baskets, rugs and cushions have been woven, stitched and appliquéd in age-old patterns. It all adds up to a global spin on rustic style.
When Roxi and Dave moved to the UK five years ago they had no furniture – just a stack of suitcases filled with summery clothes. ‘In our first week, we had to do a mammoth trolley dash around Ikea to buy everything from beds to cutlery,’ she says.
These days, fast-fix furniture is a distant memory, as the couple now runs interiors company Dassie Artisan, bringing homeware crafted in Africa and Asia to the UK.
‘I became slightly obsessed with finding the perfect faded mulberry shade for this wall,’ says Roxi. ‘I was after something warm and welcoming. After several tester pots, we found this one. I love how it brings out the textures of linen, velvet and dulled metallics. It also goes well with the natural tones of our furniture.’ The paint shade is Muted Rose by B&Q Colours (diy.com). The sofa, chairs, ottoman, cushions and framed weaving are by Dassie Artisan. The cabinet is from a reclamation yard in India; try Trading Boundaries (tradingboundaries.com) for similar
Roxi and Dave on the decking at the back of their cottage, which has views over farmland. ‘Our kids love spotting deer from the bedroom windows,’ says Roxi
In the dining area, shades of blue and grey are punctuated with pops of the palest pink. Because the couple are renting, they used a hook and loops of cable to place their favourite pendant lamp over the table: ‘Knowing we couldn’t make any big alterations allowed us to be more creative with the décor,’ says Roxi. The lamp, tableware and seating are all from Dassie Artisan. For a similar table, try Loaf (loaf.com)
‘The business began in a very low-key way, as something for me to do while the children were young,’ remembers Roxi, who had worked as an interior designer in South Africa. ‘I started at a one-week pop-up shop, selling picture frames made by people I knew in Cape Town. By the fourth day, I’d completely sold out – I couldn’t believe it.’
Right from the start, says Roxi, customers loved hearing stories about the makers behind the products, and this connection to the artisans – as well as a commitment to fair trade – remain central to the company’s ethos.
This small reception room leads off the hallway. ‘We love its sweet original fireplace – and just added some pieces from our travels,’ says Roxi. For a similar chandelier, try Abigail Ahern (abigailahern.com). The bamboo chair was made in Malawi. The mirror and table are by Dassie Artisan
The hand of the maker is visible in everything, right down to the tableware, with ceramics in dusky pink and pebble grey that come with deliberately wobbly rims and wavy glazes. ‘I prefer objects with texture and character to the production-line perfect,’ says Roxi.
Roxi laid out a layer of cheap protective floor tiles in the playroom ‘so that the kids can get creative with glue, glitter and felt-tip pens without me worrying about mess’. The cabinet is from a reclamation yard in India. For similar, try Trading Boundaries (tradingboundaries.com). Screwfix (screwfix.com) sells similar floor tiles
In the unfussy cottage kitchen, a metal bull’s head adds a hint of global style. As simple updates, Roxi added a hanging rail over the range cooker. The bull’s head and ceramics are from Dassie Artisan
The reclaimed wood cabinet from South Africa is ‘a great space-saving way to store our glassware’, says Roxi
The mix of natural textures set against warm pink and subtle grey continues in the master bedroom: ‘The bulls’ heads are made out of recycled jute and remind us of our African roots,’ says Roxi. The heads and the table lamp are from Dassie Artisan. For a similar throw, try Decorator’s Notebook (decoratorsnotebook.co.uk)
‘Scarlett insisted that she wanted a bunk bed, but after two nights she decided it was too scary!’ says Roxi. Now has the best of both worlds – and is all set up for sleepovers. The cushions are made from fabric that Roxi spotted in a Thai market and the woven mudha stools were bought in Asia: find similar on Ebay
Shelving made in marble and metal provides elegant bedroom storage. ‘The welded corners are a nice reminder of how they have been made by hand, rather than come off a production line,’ says Roxi. The shelves, glass boxes and vessels are all from Dassie Artisan. You can find similar printed artworks at Etsy (etsy.com)
When the couple first moved in to the cottage they painted all the rooms white to provide a plain foil for colour and texture, but more recently Roxi added the muted pink shade to one wall of the living room.
As well as having the pick of Dassie Artisan products and prototypes, Roxi loves vintage finds, such as a pair of beautifully battered doors that she spotted in an Indian reclamation yard. ‘Did I haggle? Of course!’ she says. ‘It’s expected – and I’ve become pretty good at striking a deal that works for both sides.’
dassieartisan.com