Our Design Philosophy: The Story Behind Every Object

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Our Design Philosophy: The Story Behind Every Object

I never set out to be a designer. With a background in anthropology and years working in television and advertising in Canada, interior design wasn’t exactly in my career plan. But when Johnny and I started building our first lodge in Uganda in the mid-90s, we quickly discovered that finding quality furniture here was nearly impossible.

“If you manage to find something half decent, you will be paying a fortune. And it’s probably not even that nice,” I remember telling Johnny after yet another disappointing shopping trip in Kampala. This challenge became the catalyst for our distinctive approach to creating spaces that now define Wildplaces.

Making It Up As We Went Along

When we began creating Semliki, our first lodge, I was completely out of my element. There were no interior designers to hire, no furniture showrooms to visit, no catalogs to order from. We were in the middle of nowhere, trying to create something comfortable and beautiful with extremely limited resources. 

“We tried to hire a decorator once for our hotel in Kampala,” I recall with a laugh, “and the resulting proposal was all about swagging and pelmets. We realized that we knew what we wanted far more than anyone else and we were best positioned to deliver the goods.” 

This realization led to two parallel approaches that now define our aesthetic: crafting everything ourselves in our carpentry workshop, and my personal favorite – scouring antique auctions in the UK for pieces we could restore and reimagine.

Treasure Hunting

I’ve spent countless hours at auction houses in England, bidding on pieces that most people would consider beyond repair. I remember Johnny’s face when I proudly showed him photos of my latest “treasures” – broken chairs with missing legs, cabinets with doors hanging off hinges, and sofas with springs poking through the upholstery.

“We have been trawling through antique auctions in the UK, hauling truckloads of old broken furniture, shipping it back here to strip it down and build it back up again,” I explain to skeptical friends. This painstaking process involves everything from “repairing a cabinet to reupholstering sofas. An old frumpy chair can look amazing with the right fabric!”
At The River Station, our newest property, this approach reached new heights. “I am super proud of our furnishings at The River Station,” I confess, “how we took old broken things and built them back up…and also made our own new things that complement the antiques so well.” There’s something deeply satisfying about giving new life to pieces with history and character.

Designing for Place

I’ve never been interested in creating generic luxury. For me, it’s about crafting spaces that deepen your connection to Uganda’s extraordinary landscapes. At Apoka, we carved the swimming pool from the natural rock face, “making you want to leap in, arms in the air, shouting ‘Yahooooo!'” At Clouds, we built stone cottages with locally quarried materials that blend seamlessly into the misty mountain landscape.

Each property has its own distinct personality, reflecting its unique environment. Semliki’s elegant main lodge with its “deep sofas and gleaming timber floors is perched on a hill overlooking the forest canopy. Open on one side in grand safari tradition, the lodge celebrates its location in this very special landscape.”

I spend hours thinking about how guests will experience each space – where they’ll sit to watch the sunset, how the light will fall across a room in the morning, which view they’ll wake up to. These aren’t just aesthetic decisions; they’re about creating moments of connection with Uganda’s wild places.

The People Behind the Places

Perhaps what I’m most proud of is how our design approach has created meaningful employment and skills development. Our carpentry workshop has trained generations of craftspeople. Our relationships with local artisans have spanned decades. When you run your hand along a beautifully finished wooden table or sink into a perfectly proportioned sofa, you’re experiencing the culmination of years of skill development and pride in craftsmanship. 

This human element extends to how our spaces function. Johnny and I are both deeply involved in the design process, with our daughter Annabelle bringing her own perspective to recent projects like the refurbishment of Clouds. “We were young and inexperienced, but full of passion and ideas. We learned as we went along,” I reflect on our early days.

What Luxury Really Means

The result is what I call authentic luxury—spaces that offer genuine comfort without compromising connection to place. You won’t find gold faucets or crystal chandeliers at our lodges. Instead, you’ll discover thoughtfully designed spaces where every element enhances your experience of Uganda’s wild places.

From hand-carved bathtubs positioned for wildlife viewing to dining areas that frame spectacular sunsets, our design choices are always in service of deepening your connection to the landscape. Because ultimately, that’s what you’ve traveled so far to experience—the authentic Uganda, not a generic luxury that could be anywhere in the world.
Next time you visit one of our properties, take a moment to notice the details. That antique cabinet, that handwoven textile, that perfectly positioned chair—each has a story of creativity, craftsmanship, and connection to Uganda’s extraordinary landscapes. And perhaps, if you listen carefully, they might just tell you their stories too.

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