Jacket Interiors complete Bilila Lodge Kempinski
A predominantly neutral palette has been used, reflecting the colours of the African landscape. In order to highlight these organic hues, Jacket Interiors has employed natural fabrics with tactile textures; textiles such as linen, raw silk, leather in various guises, jute and canvas, with raw timber and sisal used on walls and floors. A natural fibre called “grasscloths” has been used on walls to mimic the grasslands outside, while faux crocodile skin leather adorns the sides of the Library and of the Private Dining Room.
Colourful accents are provided by African artwork and artefacts. On the wall of the lobby hang two large embroidered panels by Jenny Gifford that incorporate indigenous materials such as semi-precious stones, ostrich egg shell and coconut. Strategically placed throughout the public areas and the guest rooms are beaded artefacts, including cushions adorned with semi-precious stones, because beads have been important to local tribes throughout history when creating objets d’art, often with a religious connotation.
Black and white images of the Serengeti – of the landscape, of the people – are dotted around the property. In the bar, for example, over-sized photographs printed on canvas show aerial shots of the annual migration, a herd of zebra and a flock of flamingos. In each guest room, there is a series of framed limited edition prints of the Serengeti, each series with its own theme, such as The Hunt, The Waterhole, Migration or Acacia.
A textile inspired by the Serengeti (with artistic line drawings of a Masai Mara warrior and an acacia tree) has been created for the exclusive use of the hotel, and can be seen on raw silk scatter cushions in the Private Lounge and the banquette seating in the main dining room. National grass fibre placemats and napkin rings, which will be also be on sale in the hotel shop, have been made for Bilila Lodge Kempinski by a community outreach group, as part of the property’s ethos to aid conservation and respect local cultures.
