Elena Kuoni is a Russian national who first came to Africa in 1994 and relocated to Kenya in 2005 where she has settled with her family and established her business. In 2015, inspired by her love for fashion she established KSHMR – a fashion brand stocking products made from cashmere.
During an exclusive interview on the Art of Living show on KTN, Elena Kuoni and her Russian hubby gave the world a glimpse of their palatial mansion that was once owned by the late President Moi.
Here is a tour of the imposing home courtesy of WoK.
The Address
The mansion is a two storey building with a white exterior that imbues elegance. The potted and climbing plants at the main entrance add class to the home. The lawn is well-manicured with lush trees dotting the compound.
The swimming pool has three sun loungers located just at the edge of the house. The mansion was constructed Moi when he was a vice president at the time.
“When we came to Kenya we first lived along Shanzu road. This particular house was built for the late President Daniel Arap Moi. Later on it was bought by two old brothers and it was an amazing piece of architecture. We found this place and we bought it, so this is our home,” she explained during the interview.
After acquiring the house, the mother of two and her husband, who is an architect by profession, renovated the entire mansion in order to suit their taste and preferences.
The Interior
The living room is wide and looks even larger thanks to the bright cream painted walls. Traditional art carvings on the wall give the mansion and African feel.
What cannot go unnoticed in this space is the exquisite furniture that includes two leather sofa sets, doors from Ivory Coast and antiques from different countries such as Guinea and Dar es Salaam. The living room is complimented with an archaic fireplace.
The Dining room
This space is next to a wide window that allows light to penetrate into the house. It is surrounded with art pieces sourced from talented artists from different countries in Africa.
It has a large brown traditional table which was customised in Conakry, Guinea. The dining table has seven comfortable white chairs.
Next to the dining room is a space that is fitted with a home library and has a huge clear glass window that opens up to a breathtaking view of a lake and the nearby green plantations.
Bedrooms
The house has six bedrooms but Elena declined to give the public a tour due to personal reasons.