Biography
ROBIN ANDERSON is an internationally known interior designer and author. Born in Scotland he was brought up in the former Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and South Africa. Before attending Rhodes University (the Oxford of South Africa!), he hosted his own radio programme in Rhodesia (“The Golden Voice of Teenage Half Hour!”) and worked as a cub reporter on the Bulawayo Chronicle in his gap year.
Leaving South Africa he spent the early Sixties working with interior design companies in Paris and London before setting up his own London-based company in 1970.
Private clients in ROBIN’S extensive DESIGN portfolio include IVANA TRUMP (London apartment and yacht); SALLY BURTON (Private residence, London); Australian wine heiress REBEL PENFOLD-RUSSELL (Penthouse, London); actress CORAL BROWNE and actor VINCENT PRICE – MR & MRS HORROR! (London apartment and LA residences); LORD and LADY YOUNG of GRAFFHAM (London apartment and residences); mustard heir BENEDICT JAMES COLMAN (London apartment);
Billionaire art dealer and philanthropist SIR DAVID KHALILI (London house and private art gallery); “CHARLIE” EARL of COTTENHAM (London apartment) and last but not least, impresario MARK McCORMACK (London Mews House).
Commercial projects include the massive Park West redevelopment in London for GULF + WESTERN; The refurbishment of THE COLLONADES, THE ROYAL ALBERT DOCK, Liverpool; ARMY & NAVY CLUB, Pall Mall, London; The refurbishment of the executive offices and penthouse, .F. PRATT ENGINEERING, Belgrave Square, London and the executive offices, THE TAP & DIE COMPANY, London. “Out of the ordinary” projects include the total redevelopment of a 14th century village in Italy (see below), a luxury, air-conditioned stable, THE BROOK STUD, Newmarket, for KALAGLOW, the famous racehorse (the stable decorated in KALAGLOW'S racing colours!) and the décor for billionaire PAUL GETT'YS 80th birthday dance held at the DORCHESTER HOTEL, London and organised by MARGARET, DUCHESS OF ARGYLL.
Although interior design had been his first interest, the designer never stopped writing. Nowadays he a popular guest lecturer with venues ranging from private literary evenings and luncheons plus being invited as a guest speaker at The South Bank, Royal Festival Hall, London.
His first novel REGINA appeared in 1998 and gives a salacious look “behind the scenes” of the glamorous, but bitchy world, competitive world of interior design.
ROBIN is also a strong believer in the protection of endangered species and in 1959
he took part in “Operation Noah” which saw the rescue of hundreds of wild animals from the rising waters of the Kariba Dam, built across the mighty Zambezi River in the
north-western part of Zimbabwe.
In total contrast to the above the he also helped with the salvaging of precious works and manuscripts in Florence, Italy, during the mid-Sixties when the River Arno burst its banks and flooded the ancient city.
An inveterate traveller – a factor which becomes apparent from the varied settings for his novels – places such as The Amazon, India, Cuba, The Yucatan, Borneo, Myanmar, China, Russia, Japan, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Israel, Morocco, Kenya, Australia, Mauritius, North and South America, Canada, Central Europe, Ireland; most of the Mediterranean countries and last but not least, the Caribbean Islands have all been visited. ROBIN has walked the Inca Trail in Peru; climbed Mount Kinabalu in Borneo and made a “disastrous attempt” at climbing Kilimanjaro – “Whereby hangs another tale!”
In between his travels ROBIN lives in a spectacular apartment - "Overlooking acres of well-groomed private gardens" - in London's exclusive Chelsea. He also maintains a small hideaway in a fourteenth century village set high in the spectacular Cinque Terre east of Portofino, Italy.
“Have vivid imagination, will write and will travel!” is his mantra.
Interior of ROBIN'S Chelsea apartment
including the “Corridor of Covers”.
