Edo Mapelli Mozzi On His Latest Townhouse Project In London
The British designer and founder of Banda shares his take on the true meaning of luxury, revealing insight into his design philosophy
Having travelled extensively, Edo Mapelli Mozzi, founder of design house Banda and husband to Princess Beatrice, seeks inspiration from all over the world for his projects, taking in from other cultures, tastes, design and fashion.
“The learnings are then subconsciously brought into our design studios and ethos,” he shares. “Wabi-Sabi in particular is a design style which really resonates with me and fuels much of my inspiration. It’s the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfections. This is such a huge element of restoring historical buildings – it’s about celebrating these cracks and sourcing the beauty from within.”
Being surrounded by a luxurious environment, what does luxury really mean to the designer-cum-developer? “The word luxury is extremely subjective,” he says. “Right now it’s less about material objects but [more about] how our spaces make us feel, and right now the time spent at home has never been more important. I’d say the current climate and pandemic has placed a great emphasis on the luxury of the ‘perfect’ home – that is one which fulfils all our needs, is authentic, feels unique and of the finest quality. Homes are playing greater roles in our daily lives. We need to adapt in order to entertain more activities and services, and create more flexible spaces. A home which can get this right feels like luxury.”
His latest project, a townhouse at the newly completed development of 13-19 Leinster Square in London, is a good example of that. “The whole project has been a joy to deliver and work on and I am exceptionally proud of what we have achieved here,” says Edo. “The look of the townhouse, which is one of five townhouses within the development, is very different to the other dressed spaces within 13-19 Leinster Square but still has all the signatures that are synonymous with the Banda name: attention to detail, meticulous design and absolute quality of materials and craftsmanship.”
The design of the townhouse is full of rich autumnal shades such as copper, brass, bronze and orangey tones mixed with darker navy blue and grey plush velvets and lighter boucle fabrics alongside warm timbers and brass metals. “The deep warm palette of the townhouse also includes leafy greens from the indoor planting scattered about the home,” he explains. “Farrow & Ball’s ‘Ammonite’ grey on the panelled walls offers the perfect backdrop for pieces of unexpected abstract art and sculpture, and the bold veining of the statement Rosso Levanto ‘MOTO’ marble fireplace in the sitting room.”
The townhouse features pieces from his first furniture collection called Kwanza (which means ‘first’ in Swahili), such as a statement marble fireplace ‘MOTO’ in Rosso Levanto marble found in the front reception room and the grand KARAMU bespoke banquet table, made of marble and bronze. There is also a striking artwork by Ann Sophie Ogard called Concrete in the main sitting room, a piece by Lawrence Calver in the kitchen above the bench, and a piece called Swan (Blue) 2917 by Hugh Hamshaw Thomas in the dining room.
“The cinema room features a few key pieces including a limited-edition David Yarrow No Country for Old Men sitting proud between the brass inlayed into the suede upholstered walls,” explains Edo. “Also there is a Connor Brothers piece called We Must Be Careful.” The luxurious cinema room features an oversized Ben Whistler L-shaped sofa upholstered with Roma fabric, a bespoke coffee table in black Marquina and a popcorn-making machine designed by Banda Design Studio.
A powder room situated off the cinema room includes an antique burnished brass with an alabaster sconce by Kelly Wearstler. Other furniture pieces of note include the angular Jan Janssen coffee table and Rich Owen side tables in the main reception room juxtaposed with soft, layered textural fabrics, muted tones and a bronze floor lamp by Vincenzo De Cotiis.
In the master bedroom, the bedside tables are designed by Sven Engström & Gunnar Myrstrand and produced by Tingströms in Sweden rosewood and a brass finish, and there are some bold Hector tabletop marble-based lamps.
What’s Edo’s design philosophy? “Our mantra is ‘design for living’,” he answers. “It’s the thread which runs through every element of our business. We take time to understand our clients, the building and location, and consider the lifestyle and needs of these residents. All of our clients value design, discretion and quality craftsmanship. These words underpin what we’re constantly striving for.” bandaproperty.co.uk
From the Winter 2020 issue of Harper’s Bazaar Interiors, The Art Issue