Sai’s style doesn’t adhere to a particular design school — she buys pieces that are meaningful and intends to keep them
There’s also a theme of time-honoured treasures and vintage pieces that run throughout the space. ‘I’m loath to throw away furniture or objects, so I only ever buy items carefully, with an eye to keeping them for as long as possible,’ says Sai. ‘As a result, my favourite items are things that have travelled along with me in my life, such as a chaise longue my husband bought in a rush when I broke my ankle and had to lie around for months, my grandmother’s brass planter, a rug my aunt gave me as a wedding present, and peculiar wooden animals and metal objects I’ve bought on travels.’
Another notable piece is an original Salvador Dali sketch, which is part of a limited edition of Essays of Michel de Montaigne published in 1947. ‘I bought it for myself as a fortieth birthday present. My favourite illustration in it is the one of a man staring at what is inside of himself, what to me looks like the universe. One could interpret that as vanity which is what the illustration is titled, but I like to think of the image as that of a person who realises their own value.’