OKA UK SS23 Spring Magazine

It feels marvellous to be able to say that spring is right around the corner. As the natural world awakens again, so do we; it’s time to come out of hibernation – as lovely as it is – and start making plans for ourselves and our interiors.

Spring, to me, is full of design possibilities. It calls for fresh new colours, patterns and textures, all of which you'll discover throughout these pages, which feature our new-season pieces styled in a series of beautiful locations. I’m thrilled to be able to give you a sneak preview of a very exciting project we’ve been working on, too; on page six you’ll get a glimpse of our new lighting collection, designed in collaboration with Martina Mondadori, Co-Founder of Cabana Magazine. It’s a true fusion of our design sensibilities – the craftsmanship that goes into the lamps and shades is quite astounding.

If you’re looking to make a big change this season, now’s the perfect time to get acquainted with Tailored by OKA (p.52), our handmade-to-order seating service that offers over 1,000 combinations. If you can’t decide on a style, I recommend popping into one of our stores to experience for yourself how comfortable they are! Or, if you’re dreaming bigger still, take a peek at one of our latest interior design projects – it's sure to get the cogs whirring (p.62).

I hope you find plenty of fresh ideas in this issue. Wishing you all the best for the season ahead.

Sue Jones, Co-Founder and Creative Director of OKA

Contents

9 At Home with Our Icons

Get to know our much-loved Kraak Range, offering a modern interpretation of Ming and Qing-period china.

16 Pretty in Pastel

Sugary shades and playful prints unite in a country house that strikes the perfect balance between comfort and character.

28 Down to Earth

In a thoughtfully renovated London townhouse, natural textures, soft silhouettes and sunny hues invite you to relax.

40 Grecian Daydream

Wishing for warmer days? Let a bright and airy barn that nods to sunnier climes carry you away.

52 Suits You

The design possibilities are (almost) endless with our custom-made seating collection, Tailored by OKA.

56 Avant Garden

Al-fresco style is served, with weatherproof furniture alongside bright and beautiful accessories.

THE LATEST

62 A Meeting of Minds

Step inside one of our latest interior design projects, where colour and pattern take centre stage.

66 Story of My Home Alice Palmer, founder of the eponymous homeware brand, shares her home truths.

Window to the World

Our brand-new Palladian Mirror is the perfect way to bring spring's light to a dark hallway or corridor. Taking inspiration from the Chinese character (shí) – symbolising earth's lines of longitude and latitude – the design's cross formations are used to fix the mirror glass to its hand-painted gold frame.

Palladian Mirror £1,495 Crawford Console Table £3,195 Kinzig Textured Vase Medium £125

OKA.COM

Browse the entire OKA collection online. Your new favourite pieces could be on their way to you in just a click.

OUR SOCIAL CIRCLE STORES NATIONWIDE

We have 13 stores situated around the UK. See page 65 to find your nearest.

For plenty of design ideas and inspiration, be sure to follow OKA on all these platforms.

5

A Light Touch

Introducing our labour of love: the Cabana X OKA lighting collection, a creative collaboration between Cabana Magazine Co-Founder Martina Mondadori and our Co-Founder Sue Jones. A celebration of the designers' shared love of pattern, colour, and travel, there are three styles of handmade lampshade and a handcrafted wooden lamp base to discover, all in a selection of complementary colours. Watch this space; the capsule collection is launching 24th March.

Craft for Good

Handmade pieces offer something special to a home, but they can also mean a lot to their makers too. Hand-crafted from clay beads made by a small team of women in South Africa, many of whom have been affected by HIV, our new Eris Bead Pendant, Eris Wall Art and Albion Clay Wall Art are utterly unique. The bead crafting process itself provides essential employment and specialised skills to underprivileged communities.

Instant Update

If the approach of a new season is calling you to switch up your interiors, but you don’t want to go all out, look to cushions; they’re the simplest way to add fresh colour and character. With complementary designs and a palette of Sage and Mustard, our new mix-and-match Borrayo Range offers the ideal starting point. Then, for a picture-perfect sofa, add another patterned piece that features the same shades, such as our pretty, fringed Caladia.

Cushion Covers, clockwise from bottom:

Borrayo Cross Mustard £70 Borrayo Dot Sage/Mustard £70 Caladia with Fringing Mustard £70 Hidaya Mustard/Sage £60 Borrayo Dash Sage £70

It's 5pm Somewhere…

Whether you have an occasion to toast or it’s simply a day that calls for a drink, the latest addition to our popular Ranelagh Glassware is here to assist. Handmade and hand cut, these cocktail glasses join the range’s tumblers, goblets and champagne flutes; tailor your own timeless collection to your beverages of choice.

LEFT Eris Bead Pendant Lamp £2,495 BELOW Eris Bead Wall Art £3,995

Clay Wall Art £3,795 Magnante Console Table £1,995 Decimus Lidded Bone Box £150 Papavera Table Lamp £175 (seen with Elemeri Shade Grey Green £125) Rodin Rattan Lantern £90 Pillar LED Candle Short £20

4x Ranelagh Cocktail Glasses £60

Pearls of the Ocean

Bring the calming influence of the sea to your home with these aquatic-inspired pieces, with designs that draw on everything from urchins to shells.

Cut the Mustard

With a deep, comfortable seat and sweeping silhouette that’s paired with linen upholstery and studded detailing, it’s easy to see why the Brantwood has long been an OKA favourite. This spring, we’ve reimagined it in a Dijon yellow – perfect for warming up your interiors.

KRAAK RANGE At Home with Our Icons

There’s a reason why some ancient traditions endure, and nothing speaks to this more than the art of pottery. Carefully honed for centuries, with skills passed down from generation to generation, it's a craft that has produced countless heirlooms – and designs that are destined to become them. This is certainly true of our Kraak Range, which is comprised of pieces that are individually shaped, cut, painted and glazed by hand at a family pottery in Jingdezhen, known as the porcelain capital of China.

The results are near-exact replicas of Ming and Qing-period pottery; timeless blue-and-white designs that look just as good on the table as they do on display.

Kraak was an instant hit when we brought it to life over 20 years ago and it’s just as coveted now. The range has grown to include different-sized bowls and plates, a teapot and milk jug, and a giant charger, all of which you can mix and match to create your own bespoke fine china set.

What’s wonderful about these patterns is they cling so beautifully to all kinds of forms, and they sit so perfectly next to one another

Sue Jones, OKA Co-Founder and Creative Director

Twist and Shout

Introducing one of our latest coffee tables, and one that certainly offers a talking point: the Solomon. Its handcarved oak legs are inspired by spiralling Solomonic columns, offering a fun spin on an otherwise simple design.

Solomon Coffee Table £2,695

Brantwood Armchair Dijon £1,550

Urchin Jug £60

Doria Decorative Shell Ornament £65

Sanibel Shell Candle Holder Medium £125

Mertensii Table Lamp Tall £295 (seen with Iro Pleated Linen Shade Alchemilla £125)

Kraak China Large Deep Bowl £125 Giant Charger £225 | Dinner Plate £55 Starter/Dessert Plate £40 Side Plate £30 | Teapot £95 Sugar Bowl £30 | Milk Jug £40 Breakfast Cup and Saucer £55 Liaodong Pot Sea Blue £195

Musical Chairs

Whether performing solo or working in harmony, these statement seats will win over the crowd with their distinctive styles. Simply sit back and watch your living space sing.

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Photography Mark Saunders

OPPOSITE PAGE Camaret Dining Chair Elephant Grey £595 THIS PAGE Dining Chairs from top, left to right: Abbey Dark Vellum Leather £595 Stafford China Clay Leather £475 Taino £275 Ormoy £895 Lalee £250 Washakie Truffle Velvet £425 Vasa Natural Linen £595 Stafford with Arms Truffle Velvet £595 Carlos Cane £1,195

Gleam Team

Bringing character by day and radiance by night, it’s little wonder our lamps steal the spotlight. Pair your favourite with a patterned shade for added shine.

THIS PAGE Table Lamps and Shades from top, left to right: Mini Grisewood Wireless £185 Oralee Ink Blue £225 (seen with Rinca £175) Kalinda Taupe £195 (seen with Hirkani Air Force Blue £125) Karaffel Leather Brushed Red £250 (seen with Elemeri Pleated Grey Green £125) Miyanoura £395 (seen with Drum Shade Linen Natural £65) Choi £250 (seen with Drum Cotton Black £25) Hulu Chalk £250 (seen with Pleated Linen Off White £125) Ivar £295 (seen with Pattani Eclipse Onyx £125) Lucian £250 (seen with Drum Linen Natural £65) OPPOSITE PAGE Calendula Table Lamp £250 (seen with Hirkani Shade Moss £85)

Support Network

Though they may sit on the sidelines, these dependable fellows shouldn’t be overlooked. There to offer a surface whenever you're in need, you can always count on them.

OPPOSITE PAGE Rander Ceramic Stool Sapphire/White Charcoal/White | Spruce/White £225

THIS PAGE Side Tables from top, left to right: Quinby £850 Lenox £1,250 Beauvais £450 Huxley Brushed Red £550 Abel £750 Gustavian Petrol £275 Kaishu Watered Grey £1,095 Rubinne £1,395 Florac £850

PRETTY IN PASTEL

Rose £80 Hidaya Cushion Cover Mustard/Sage £60

Hirkani Diamond Cushion Cover Moss £95 Hirkani Lampshade Moss £85 Gustaf Sideboard £2,395 Ursa Vase Small £65 | Large £85 (seen with Faux Hollyhock Stem White £18) Alexey Coffee Table £3,195 Faux Shagreen Oval Plateau Tray

Taupe £250 Set of Two Zion Lidded Urns Distressed White £85 (seen with Faux Mophead Hydrangea Stem Pink £20)

Asher Mirror £750 Hanshan Pot £195 Brantwood Armchair Sage £1,550 Ghini Feathers Cushion Cover Plaster £55

stores nationwide oka.com

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Photography Damian Russell

Rander Ceramic Stool Spruce/White £225 Radnor Two-Tiered Side Table £550 Okin Table Lamp £395 (seen with Iro Pleated Linen Shade Natural £100) Frame of Pressed Flower Prints £395 Avitus 3-Seater Sofa Off-White Linen £3,495 Stonewashed Linen Cushion Cover with Fringing Dusty

estled in the outskirts of the quaint, historical town of Malmesbury (the oldest borough in England, dating back to the 6th century), this country house offers charm in abundance. Large stone fireplaces, wood-panelled walls, expansive windows that flood the space with light –it has them all.

Such considered architecture called for an equally unique scheme. In the sitting room, comfort is added in the form of plump sofas and soft furnishings, embroidered with floral motifs in spring colours of green and blush pink. These sugary shades are offset with more rustic pieces: a wooden coffee table, jute rug and, in the dining room, a large oak table. The icing on the cake is the addition of playful patterns; look out for a ticking stripe in the bedroom, block print-style walls and geometric designs elegantly askew on pleated lampshades.

OPPOSITE PAGE Xavier Console Table £995 Yushan Vase £195 (seen with Faux Mophead Hydrangea Stem Off White £20) Set of Four Hokkaido

Wall Art Panels £1,295 Corylus Decorative Hazel Leaf Dish £45 Costellini Ottoman

Wild Oats Wide Herringbone Linen £275 THIS PAGE Isphahan Lidded Jar £550

Tailored by OKA Handmade-to-Order Hughes Armchair Dune Green Laundered

Linen £2,300 Carlina Cushion Cover Red Madder £70 Mambu Sofa Side Table £495

4x Memerah Twisted Tumblers £60 Oralee Table Lamp Sea Green £225

(seen with Hirkani Shade Moss £85) Shyrdak Rug £3,995

THIS PAGE Isphahan Range 4x Starter/Side Plates £225 | 4x Small Dinner Plates £295

4x Round-Based Crystal Goblets £175 4x Tideline Napkins Red/Blue £65

Corylus Decorative Hazel Leaf Dish £45 16-Piece Cutlery Set Ivory £95

OPPOSITE PAGE Claverton Dining Chair Sage £895 Sheki Rug Olive £1,595

Rectangular Arthur Dining Table £4,595 Loutro Vase Small £55 | Large £95

(seen with Faux Tea Rose Stem Pink £20 Faux Full Peony Stem Pale Pink £18 | Flushed Cream £14) Hadrian Decorative Jug £30 Ayla Pendant Lamp £250

Papavera Vase Medium £175 | Large £275

OPPOSITE PAGE Elsdon Rug £4,495 Stafford Dining Chair Midnight Green Velvet £395 Rubinne Sideboard £2,395 Reeded Bone Ice Bucket £275 4x Muromo Tumblers £45 Pevensie Mirror £450 Hulu Table Lamp Dusty Pink £250 (seen with Ginevra Shade £125)

THIS PAGE Abbey Bar Stool Vellum Leather £425 Kintaro Range Putting Green 4x Mugs £60 | Jug £40 Set of Four Tideline Napkins Red/Blue £65 Pacaya Decorative Vase £295

THIS

Lucian

Top right: Faux Shagreen Dressing Table Mirror £495 OPPOSITE PAGE

Costellini

Caladia Cushion Cover with Fringing Aqua £70 Sheki Throw £295

Nott Bench Wild Oats Wide Herringbone Linen £795 Ephrussi Rug £2,295

PAGE Top left: Beauvais Side Table £450 Set of Two Zion Lidded Urns

Distressed White £85 (seen with Faux Tea Rose Stem Burgundy Pale Pink £20)

Table Lamp £250 (seen with Odonata Shade Red Madder £85)

Ottoman Wild Oats Wide Herringbone Linen £275 Divan Bed Base with Drawers Super King £995 Classic High-Rise Headboard Super King £995 (seen with Classic High-Rise Headboard Cover Super King | Natural £325) Bed Valance Super King Natural Cotton £260 Hirkani Dot Cushion Cover Blue Grey £95

Though the bones of this Victorian townhouse speak to its past, a modern renovation has brought it firmly into the here and now, with organic textures and an earthy colour palette. Here, natural jute, linen and rattan, seen on everything from rugs and armchairs to side tables, add depth and interest to the space. With the property’s plaster walls lending a sepia-toned hue, shades of mustard yellow slot in seamlessly, while graphic black, brass and leather pieces add a glamorous edge. But it’s not colour that makes the space, nor indeed is it print; instead, it’s the clever pairing of textures, styles and silhouettes that bring the look to life – a perfect homage to the property itself.

Costellini Ottoman Sea Moss Velvet £275 Kaishu Side Table Watered Grey £1,095 Cormack Candle Holders White 2x Small £18 Large £25 Hadrian Decorative Jug £30 Anwar Table Lamp Vellum £225 (seen with Serigraph Shade £175)

Hooghly Rug £1,595 Crosby Armchair Dark Vellum £1,395 Grassetto Leaf Cushion Cover Charcoal/ Ochre £75 Eris Bead Pendant Lamp £2,495 Argead Side Table Nutmeg £550 Hongwu Pot Dijon £95 Fyli Vase Medium | White £80 (seen with Faux Catkin Stem £22)

OPPOSITE PAGE Tailored by OKA Handmade-to-Order Stafford Dining Chair

Ochre Laundered Linen £450 Round Kaishu Dining Table £3,695

Perry Textured Vase £125 Lanthorn Hanging Lamp £475 4x Lavaux

Goblets Multi £60 Senada Rug £1,595 Faux Potted Olive Tree Extra Large £2,995

THIS PAGE Lauretta Wine Cabinet £4,795 Papavera Vase Medium £175 | Large £275 (seen with Faux Eucalyptus Stem Green £18)

Tailored by OKA Handmade-to-Order Fanshawe Footstool with Fixed Cover Rectangular Ochre Laundered Linen £1,095

THIS PAGE Left: Corylus Decorative Hazel Leaf Dish £45 Daintree Decorative Vase Brown £65 (seen with Faux Maple Bud Branch Yellow £18) Pula Vase £25 Barton Candle Holder with Glass Lampshade £75 Foundry Candle Holder with Glass Lampshade £50 Above: Kinzig Textured Vase Medium £125 Set of Two Ceres Prints £395 Kolokythi Wide Decorative Bowl Distressed White £30 Elder Bar Stool £495 OPPOSITE PAGE Barrington Hurricane Lamp £175 Callanish Dining Table Pebble Grey £3,695 Elder Dining Chair £450 4x Lavaux Goblets Multi £60 Loutro Vase Large £95 (seen with Faux Eucalyptus Stem £18)

Sorano Range Large Dinner Plate £30 | Dinner Plate £25 | Soup Bowl £18

Esio 28-Piece Faux Tortoiseshell Cutlery Set £295

Grecian Daydream

THIS PAGE Above: Talasa Rectangular Rattan Tray £110

Afina Bone Box Stripes £150 | Check £195 | Dots £95

Right: Jussara Cushion Cover Sea Green £75 Set of Four Skeleton Coral Prints Red/White £395 Solomon Coffee Table £2,695 Hongwu Pot Sea Blue £95 OPPOSITE PAGE

Thalassia Basket Vase £195 Balabac Rattan Sideboard £1,395

Bricini Vase Medium £45 Fyli Vase Large White £125 Set of Two Zion Lidded Urns Distressed White £85

Irian Mirror £995 Oralee Table Lamp Ink Blue £225 (seen with Serigraph Shade £125)

Welcome to Greece, by way of Wiltshire. Though the verdant English countryside can be spied through the windows of this converted barn, the property’s soaring ceilings, wooden beams and crisp, white walls recall a house located in the Mediterranean.

In this space, wood in varying textures and tones echoes the building’s original features, from the undulating spindles on a smooth coffee table to the rustic rattan and cane detailing spied on armchairs, side tables and wardrobes. Pops of navy blue and terracotta add warmth to an otherwise neutral palette, while the subtle presence of nautical stripes and palm prints nod to the high summer aesthetic. The space is grounded by the foliage that decorates every corner and surface – serving as a gentle reminder of the building’s true home.

OPPOSITE PAGE Camaret Dining

Chair Elephant Grey £595 Arthur

Dining Table Round £3,795 Glass

Hurricane Lamp/Vase Small £40 | Medium £50 | Large £60 Barrington

Hurricane Lamp £175 Rodin

Rattan Lantern £90 Pillar

LED Candle Short £20 THIS PAGE

Top: 4x Ranelagh Cocktail

Glasses £60 Bottom: Bricini

Vase Medium £45 | Large £55

Rubinne Side Table £1,395

OPPOSITE PAGE Laucala Wooden Beaded Range 4x Placemats £195 4x Napkin Rings £35 Kintaro Range Indigo | 4x Dinner Plates £95 | 4x Side Plates £65 4x Soraya Napkins £90 16-Piece Cutlery Set Ivory £95 4x Pulcinella Wine

Glasses Large £85 4x Lavaux Goblets Sapphire £60 Cormack Candle Holders Cobalt | 2x Small £18 | Large £25 Sorano Giant Charger £65 Twisted Glass Jug £55 THIS PAGE Lalee Chair £250 Stonewashed Linen Cushion Cover with Fringing Off White £80 Conisbrough Dining Table £3,095 Alarik Rug Aged Terracotta £1,495

THIS PAGE Balabac Chest of Drawers

Large £995 Doria Decorative Shell

Ornament £65 Kinzig Table Lamp

£225 (seen with Lascaux Shade £125)

Set of Four Seaweed Prints White/ Orange £395 Lazaret Rug £2,995

Nesbitt Upholstered Trunk Blue £550

OPPOSITE PAGE Mandalay Planter

Large £75 (seen with Faux Bay Tree

Medium £250) Set of Four Seaweed

Framed Prints Multi £395 Daintree Decorative Vase Snow White £65

Palayam Upholstered Trunk £1,750

Jussara Cushion Cover Sage £75

Hirkani Cushion Cover Blue Grey

Diamond £95 | Dot £95 Komingo

Cushion Cover Grey Blue | Stripe £115

Diamond £115 Medanoso Rug Chalk £995

SUITS YOU

Get to know Tailored by OKA, our handmade-to-order seating service that offers over 1,000 possibilities

At the heart of each of our designs is a belief that your home should reflect you and your lifestyle, and nothing says this more than our custommade furniture range, Tailored by OKA. With a view to creating exceptionally inviting, well-crafted pieces that could be passed down for generations, we designed a collection that bridges the gap between classic and contemporary style, seeking out the best skilled craftspeople to help us create it.

When the core collection – now comprising eight sofas, seven armchairs, and a footstool (see p.55 for details) – was first conceptualised, our goal was to keep things simple; to create pieces that could truly fit into anyone’s home, regardless of its size or style. “Each of the pieces are very different to one another, but what they do have in common is that they are so beautifully uncomplicated and extremely comfortable,” says our Co-Founder Sue Jones. “You can find embellishment and print in our core range, but with Tailored we really wanted craftsmanship and comfort to take centre stage, through the shapes, structure and even the stitching.”

The brief might sound straightforward, but finding the perfect people who could bring our vision to life took time. “Since OKA started out as a small English brand, with a love for beautifully made pieces, we wanted to collaborate with a company with the same background and ethos,” explains Sue. We now employ two family-run businesses in the UK to craft the collection, which have long been staffed by some of the most passionate and skilled makers out there.

Sue Jones OKA Co-Founder and Creative Director

With Tailored we really wanted craftsmanship and comfort to take centre stage

We’ve since added one of our most popular seating ranges to the Tailored offering: the Stafford. Each is hand-finished in the UK by a specialist team of expert upholsterers, who carefully apply the seat’s signature studded border and your chosen fabric by hand.

That brings us neatly on to upholstery, another key consideration for a bespoke collection. All styles are available in eight fabrics, spanning natural Belgian linens and velvet – alongside their ‘clever’ counterparts – as well as wool and linen-wool blends. We’re particularly proud of our ‘clever’ offering, which has been created to retain the look and feel of the classic materials but with increased durability – perfect for family homes or those with pets that like to lounge. Clever velvet has been designed by a UK-based family business to be invitingly soft and at the same time incredibly resilient; it’s waterresistant and doesn’t fade, mark or stain, yet has the same luxurious look and feel of traditional velvet. Clever linen, meanwhile, has been carefully crafted by a specialist weaving mill in Belgium to retain the organic-yet-refined look of natural linen, but with increased durability, colourfastness and moisturewicking properties.

And let’s not forget our thoughtfully edited colour palette. While there’s a rainbow of hues to choose from – over 30 and counting – each one has been chosen to complement the signature shades that you find throughout our furniture and homeware collection. So, whether you opt for a neutral Oystertoned linen or a dense Charcoal velvet, each colour or texture can live in perfect harmony in your home.

Tailored by OKA – How it Works

Choose from 11 styles, 10 of which are handmade-to-order here in the UK, and one – the Stafford – that is finished by hand to fit your specification. Each can be crafted in a wide variety of fabrics and colours, with sustainably sourced legs in two finishes.

1. Select a Style

To begin designing, select a style from the collection and get creative with our online tool. Alternatively, pop into your nearest OKA store where our team will be happy to help.

2. Choose your Fabric and Legs

Each style is available in a variety of fabrics and colourways. If you can’t decide, you can order up to five complimentary swatches to try out. The legs are crafted from oak or beech – depending on which style you choose – and are available in two finishes: Ebony and Greyed Oak.

Barrett

Celebrating clean lines, with a square silhouette and traditional track arms

Available as: Armchair; Sofa in three sizes

Beale

A contemporary classic, with a smart, clean-cut silhouette

Available as: Armchair; Sofa in three sizes

3. Work Begins

Cecil

With a buttoned back, for all the glamour of traditional Chesterfield sofas

Available as: Sofa in four sizes

Egerton

The ultimate in comfort, with sumptuous seat cushions

Available as: Armchair; Sofa in three sizes

Highmore

Timeless English style with a sprung seat and back

Available as: Armchair; Sofa in two sizes

Once your order has been confirmed, our makers get to work on your design and our team will give you an estimated timeline for delivery.

Hughes

Angular and elegant, with curving arms and a low, deep seat

Available as: Armchair; Sofa in four sizes

4. Your Piece Arrives at Home

Our Customer Service team will contact you to arrange delivery at a time that suits you. Your item will be unpacked and installed in a room of your choice, with all packaging removed.

Radcliffe

A minimalist’s dream, with clean lines and flared arms

Available as: Sofa in two sizes

Wickham

Classic and comfortable with generous, rounded features

Available as: Armchair; Sofa in four sizes

Stafford

Our extra-comfortable and much-loved classic, now available to customise

Available as: Dining Chair, Dining Chair with Arms, Bench and Bar Stool

Haywood

A playful take on traditional club chairs

Available as: Armchair

Fanshawe

A versatile footstool to pair with any OKA sofa

Available as: Rectangular; Square

Start

All styles are available in eight fabrics, spanning natural Belgian linens to velvets

Garden Avant

Bring

Humphry Corner Set and Coffee Table Bark £3,995 Zacke Outdoor Cushion Putting Green £95 Isphahan Deep Bowl Small £125 Tortoiseshell

Vase Short £55 Faux Shagreen Oval Plateau Tray £250 4x Round-Based Crystal Glasses Large £150 Sydra Side Table Bark £195

BOTTOM

TOP LEFT Cormack Candle Holders Cobalt Large £25 2x Small £18 | Raspberry Large £25 | 2x Small £18 TOP RIGHT Huaca Tablecloth £150 Pandanus Carafe and Glasses Set £150 Arzella Bowl £95 Borromea Basket £60 Elea Bamboo Serving Spoons £60

LEFT Zacke Indoor/Outdoor Tablecloth Putting Green £195 4x Adam Lippes X OKA Coquille Dinner Plates £275 4x Muromo Glass Tumblers £45 16-Piece Cutlery Set Ivory £95 4x Tideline Napkins Red/Blue £65 BOTTOM RIGHT Sydra Side Table Bark £195 4x Pulcinella Tumblers Short £75 Humphry Armchair £650 Areca Outdoor Cushion Seafoam £95

When Sabina and her husband Rory, who both work in tech, first set eyes on this townhouse, they knew it was their dream home, and it’s easy to see how they fell in love with it. Thoughtfully extended by the previous owners, who work in the design industry, the property has a rare combination of historical and contemporary features. Cornicing and stained-glass windows in the sitting rooms and original quarry tiles in the kitchen are fused with more modern, practical elements – such as the newly added light-filled garden room. In short, the property was the perfect excuse to leave their flat in London for pastures new. With these unique details at play, Sabina wanted to make sure she was doing the house justice, which is where our Interior Design Service came in. “I enlisted OKA as I love the furniture, but I’d also never worked with this scale before, so what I really needed help with was the layout. With the rooms’ large proportions and high ceilings, I wanted to make sure I was choosing the right pieces and arranging them all correctly,” she explains. Enter Charlotte Saunders, one of our expert interior designers, whose vision was to “make it really special, while also making sure that our client and her family [the couple have a young daughter] could really live in it.”

A Meeting of Minds

Step inside one of our latest interior design projects: a beautiful period property in Hove where our designer and client’s mutual love of colour and pattern shines

The design process began with a site visit, where Charlotte and Sabina discussed colour palettes and key furniture items; both from the OKA collection and what Sabina owned and loved already. “She has a lot of her own quirky pieces and inherited things that she wanted to incorporate, so I got to work with those as well. We do that quite a lot; it makes everything feel even more bespoke,” says Charlotte. In terms of a brief, Sabina gave the designer free rein – a strategy that undoubtedly paid off. When Charlotte came back a few weeks later to present some suggested designs, it was the TV room that her client was most delighted with. “I would never have thought that I could have fitted those pieces in there. It was so nice to see them come together as I really struggled with that room; the proportions of it and how to make it feel cosy. Charlotte came up with an amazing solution,” she tells us. The paint colour, which they chose together, stepped it up a level and completed the intimate atmosphere.

This room is a particular favourite of Charlotte’s, too. “The footstool has a piece of my heart; I’ve wanted to use that fabric [Christopher Farr Cloth's Chubby Check in green] ever since I saw it. And Sabina loved it just as much as I did, so I thought ‘why not?’ – that’s where I started, I based the room around it,” she says. Said footstool is the Fanshawe, part of our Tailored by OKA custom-made seating collection, but with a twist: when you use our Interior Design Service you have the added benefit of being able to upholster the pieces in any material of your choice, as our designers work with an array of beautiful fabric houses. You can truly go as wild as you like.

Sabina, OKA Client

Sabina picked some Tailored sofas too, with the main priority being replacing her existing uncomfortable ones with those that were perfect to lounge on. “The custom fabric was a brilliant bonus because you can really tailor it to your light and space, and you know it’s not one that anyone else has,” she says.

The mix of classic and contemporary shapes they chose fit seamlessly into the home, each of which plays a key part in how Charlotte shaped the colour scheme and atmosphere. In the garden room, there’s a light green 'clever' linen that has a good light-fastness rating and is stain resistant. It's perfect for the bright space and how the young family uses it – linked to the kitchen, it's the most indemand spot in the daytime where they’ll often sit and have a coffee or play games with their daughter. “I knew I wanted to bring green in for sure, due to the garden right outside, and then lots of warm tones as they’re Sabina’s favourites,” says Charlotte.

62 Photography Trent McMinn

The footstool has a piece of my heart; I’ve wanted to use that fabric ever since I saw it

Charlotte Saunders, Interior Designer

The custom fabric was a brilliant bonus because you can really tailor it to your light and space

In the more formal sitting room, it was “very much about picking out the colours from Sabina’s rug and building the different textures and fabrics around that,” the designer muses. “The red on the sofa works so well with the monochrome ottoman in the middle; it’s quite a dark room so the colour and pattern work really well.”

Charlotte’s clever use of different types and scales of pattern that run throughout the home is the icing on the cake – "the space is so big it can take it", she says. They’re the threads that tie the fun, cosy space together; the effect is perfectly composed, yet incredibly welcoming. What you’d really like to do is sprawl out in one of the snug corners – which is exactly what Sabina wanted from the off. “Even though each room has a different purpose, I wanted it all to feel cohesive, which it certainly does," she says. "Using the service paid off."

Our Interior Design Service, in Detail

Our team can assist with anything and everything, anywhere around the globe, to craft a home that is utterly unique to you. Not only can they help create a space that is both beautiful and functional via furniture and accessories, they can also plan colour schemes and work with trusted external suppliers to arrange bespoke curtains, blinds and headboards, as well as source fabric for custom upholstery. What’s more, projects can be taken from concept to completion in four to six weeks.

Following a site visit, or a detailed look at plans, your designer will draw up a proposal to present to you that includes mood boards, floor plans and elevations, plus ideas for any bespoke services requested.

DELIVERY

For delivery details, visit oka.com/delivery

PRODUCT INFORMATION

We do our best to ensure that all items you see in the magazine are as close as possible to the photographs shown, but since they are not mass-produced, slight variations in colour and size may occur. We hope that you understand this and appreciate the skill and craftsmanship required to make such high-quality products.

NOT QUITE RIGHT? NOT A PROBLEM

Once you’re happy with the layout and product selection, our team will process your order and arrange delivery and unpacking at a time that suits you – your designer can also be there on the day to help place everything, if you so wish.

For our returns policy, see oka.com/returns.

PRICING

The pricing and other details in this magazine are valid until Friday 31st March 2023. Although every effort is made to check accuracy, incorrect prices – and other details – may occasionally be printed.

We regret that such incorrect prices or details cannot be honoured. Prices include VAT at 20% and exclude delivery charges.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

For our full terms and conditions, visit oka.com/terms. Your statutory rights are not affected. All products shown are subject to availability.

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I wanted it all to feel cohesive, which it certainly does Sabina, OKA Client

Story of My Home

ALICE PALMER

The founder of artisanal homeware brand Alice Palmer & Co on everything from feasting to crafting at home

Workspace: I am so lucky to have found a studio space right at the end of my road (it was a stroke of luck, a friend was moving out of it at the same time I was looking for somewhere). We have now turned it into a shop that’s byappointment-only as well, which is such an exciting step. Dinner party game: I’m more ‘have a dance after dinner’, with some good music and friends. But also love a game of Oh Hell or Perudo.

Dinner party guest list: Édith Piaf, to sing to us; Jaime Parladé, a Spanish interior designer whose work I am obsessed with; Quentin Blake, a favourite illustrator of mine; Frida Kahlo, I would love to see what outfit she would turn up in; Paul Newman, for a swoon; Joni Mitchell, a true female icon who, I think, would have some amazing stories; and Moira from Schitt's Creek – just for a laugh.

Ice breaker: Laughter is definitely the best ice breaker.

Fakeaway: I love to make my signature slow-cooked pulled pork with tacos, guacamole, salsa, spicy sweetcorn with Mexican cheese and black beans. Building your own tacos makes for such a relaxed (and delicious) meal.

Way to greet guests: A drink on arrival. I always have olives and antipasti laid out, and light scented candles. Night in alone: am quite a doer, so if there was anything that needed to be fixed around the house, this would be when it gets done. I love a late-night painting session or some pottery at my kitchen table.

Binge-watch TV series: The Handmaid’s Tale. Praise be.

Reading nook: The day bed in my kitchen. I designed it with my builder, mainly to store my children’s toys inside, but it makes for the perfect spot to relax and read.

Welcome home: It's always a joy for me to come home to a spotless house, but the best welcome is my children running to me for a hug.

Dance-around-the-kitchen song: ‘Emmylou’ by First Aid Kit. I can’t not sway along.

Framed photograph: I have a black-and-white posed family portrait up in our studio, which was taken at a Ralph Lauren event on a staged set. I see it every day at work. It’s very 80s and makes me laugh.

House plant: I have lots of house plants (I would like to have more!). My favourites are geraniums, pelargoniums, money plants and blue star ferns. I love bunches of eucalyptus around the house, too. Colour palette: For my interiors I gravitate towards terracotta and greens. I’m also a sucker for a stripe and think that there should always be something red in every room. For clothes, I love navy and red; navy is always flattering and red funks it up.

On your nightstand: My Alice Palmer & Co Moroccan Lamp Base with the Calico Box Pleat Lampshade, an Alice Palmer & Co Red Striped Tissue Box, and a small ceramic bowl I made.

To discover more of Palmer’s world, visit alicepalmer.co or follow her on Instagram @alicepalmerco

Photography Tom Griffiths

Our collection of unbelievably lifelike faux flower stems and ready-styled bunches add the perfect finishing touch to every home. oka.com/bunched

TOP RIGHT Rander Ceramic Stool Red/White £225 Cariape Dashes Decorative Pot £30 Bishkek Rug £2,295 ABOVE Isphahan Porcelain from £55 RIGHT Hongwu Pot Celadon £95 Talasa Rectangular Rattan Tray £110 Afina Bone Boxes Dots £95 | Stripes £150 Check £195