House and Leisure - October 2015

t was the start of a new luxury safari

experience when Singita opened its first

lodge in Sabi Sands, a group of private

game reserves neighbouring the Kruger

National Park. Splashed in crimson and

with plush textures and elegant furnishings,

Ebony Lodge was the epitome of bush

glamour. Twenty-two years later, however,

it was time for a fresh new look and Singita

turned to design house Cécile & Boyd to

help reclaim the property’s position as

one of the grandes dames of the bushveld.

‘We are known for our creative

juxtaposition of design elements: classic

and contemporary, European and African,’

says Cecile & Boyd creative director Boyd

Ferguson. He’s injected the space with a

shot of the instinctively chic colonial style

that’s synonymous with his brand. ‘We

were cognisant of honouring Ebony’s legacy

and spirit as the pioneer lodge but also of

pushing the boundaries while creating

a quintessential safari bush camp.’

Gone are the now stuffy hides and bright

colours. Instead, contemporary animal

prints, neutral tones of khaki, touches

of brass and natural fibres mingle with

campaign style furniture. It’s at once

rough sketched and highly finished – a

royal Victorian bivouac with a distinctly

South African disposition.

Along with architect Sally Tsiliyiannis

of GAPP, Boyd and his team worked to

‘morph the tented camp and bush lodge

style’. Exterior walls were replaced with

floor-to-ceiling glass and canvas flaps.

This aesthetic is woven throughout the

lodge, with canvas blinds used as room

dividers and curtains that, as Boyd notes,

‘give a greater connection to the outdoors

and double the sense of space and light’.

From private plunge pools guests can spy

the buck and baboons (and the occasional

leopard) that stroll among the 12 suites,

each tucked between trees to lend it an air

of seclusion. It’s this sometimes alarming

proximity to nature that’s at the heart of the

bush experience. A wine-paired meal on the

airstrip under the stars might be interrupted

by a cackle of hyenas taking a leisurely walk

past your table. Fear not, though: a detail of

armed game rangers are sworn to fend off

fell beasts. Game drives here are exceptional,

too, and regular sightings of rhino and lion

are the best safari souvenirs.

Boyd believes the landscape speaks for

itself. ‘The site is magnificent and Ebony

embraces the romance and history as well

as the senses,’ he says. ‘It’s a traditional

safari set in a modern context.’ Singita

Ebony Lodge, singita.com; Cécile & Boyd,

cecileandboyds.com; GAPP, gapp.net

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT Each suite has

its own pool; Pat was our go-to guy; glass walls

let the outside into the bedrooms; morning

coffee, afternoon tea and pre-dinner drinks are

served in the main reception area; one of the

sumptuous desserts. PREVIOUS PAGE A young

leopard presenting itself at the golden hour.

I

92 HL OCTOBER 2015 HOUSEANDLEISURE.CO.ZA

LEISURE HOT SPOT

1015_HL_091_093_HotSpot_Singita_RFO.indd 92 2015/09/07 11:51 AM

for more

chic revamps

go to

h

ou

se

an

dleisure

.co

.z

a

Ebony Lodge’s dining and

lounge areas almost seem to

float on overhanging decks

among the trees, with the Sand

River easing by lazily below.

1015_HL_091_093_HotSpot_Singita_RFO.indd 93 2015/09/07 11:51 AM