Aqwexzsd fff

Gilles Botbyl

Pretoria 012 346 3102

Cape Town 021 461 7840

EXCLUDING TAX

R48,70

OTHER COUNTRIES

No 99

SA R56,00

DEC 2018/JAN 2019

S A’ S M O S T B E A U T I F U L M A G A Z I N E

*WIN

GIVEAWAYS FROM MIELE, BABYLONSTOREN, LECREUSET, WAZ OUTDOOR AND MORE WORTH R60 000

HOLIDAY HOME IN CAPE ST FRANCIS PHOTOGRAPHED

BY ROB DUKER

GIFTSBY DESIGN COVETABLE, UNIQUE, LOCAL

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MOMENTS CELEBRATED TOGETHER PREPARE FOR A FEAST This season find your perfect entertaining style and celebrate more time being with family and friends. Whether your look is traditional, contemporary or luxe, @home has everything from furniture to a full range of dinnerware.

SHOP IN-STORE OR ONLINE WWW.HOME.CO.ZA

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Y E A R S

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SEVENS Cape Town Opening 1 December 2018 12 Beach Road, Woodstock

Fourways : 011-691 7700 Silver Lakes : 012-809 3519 Umhlanga : 031-566 6777

www.sevens.co.za

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Zondo Ave, Victory Park. Architect: Gass Architecture Studios.

Oggie FSC Oak – Herringbone Living - finished with WOCA Carbon Black Diamond Oil. - 15/4 x122 x 610

...oak floors handcrafted to your specific design needs.

Cape Town: 021 510 2846 | Paarden Eiland Johannesburg: 011 262 3117 | Sandton Durban: 031 000 1000 | Umhlanga nick@oggie.co.za www.oggieflooring.com

CONTE NTS EDITOR’S LETTER ......................................................................................................................................

CONTRIBUTORS ........................................................................................................................................

VISI.CO.ZA ...................................................................................................................................................

VISI FINDS ....................................................................................................................................................

VOICES Saskia Bailey .............................................................................................................................

VOICES Ralph Mathekga ......................................................................................................................

VOICES Ernst van Jaarsveld ................................................................................................................

VOICES Niq Mhlongo ...............................................................................................................................

PAGE 22 PAGE 26 PAGE 28 PAGE 32 PAGE 41 PAGE 42 PAGE 44 PAGE 46

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Features CAPE ST FRANCIS HOLIDAY HOME ....................................................................................................

SANDTON RESTAURANT .........................................................................................................................

SWARTLAND CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION .........................................................................................

SEDGEFIELD BEACH HOUSE .................................................................................................................

STELLENBOSCH WINE FARM ................................................................................................................

PATERNOSTER BIRTHDAY PARTY .........................................................................................................

CAPE TOWN ART GALLERY .....................................................................................................................

MPUMALANGA SAFARI LODGE ............................................................................................................

PAGE 50 PAGE 60 PAGE 70 PAGE 80 PAGE 88 PAGE 96 PAGE 104 PAGE 112

Reasons

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31 REASONS TO CHILL OUT 1. VISI Editor-in-Chief Sumien Brink gives her impressions of Maison&Objet Paris ............................

2. Laurie Wiid van Heerden’s new collection, Spektrum, combines cork and laminated glass ....

3. Plascon has released its Colour Forecast for 2019, which features four colour stories .............

4. The dining sofa from sofacompany.com is a modern alternative to dining chairs ........................

5. We’ve put together a list of giting ideas that are all local, different and ultra covetable .........

6. Something Good Studio is a celebration of South Africa, art and all-girl creatives ........................

7. Le Creuset Metallics collection sees the brand’s stoneware finished in seasonal sparkle .......

8. Outdoor lights from Core Furniture Concepts speak of summer entertaining .............................

9. Items in the delightful hello.karri furniture range are made of reclaimed timber offcuts ........

10. Babylonstoren’s 2019 calendar is an ode to the unsung heroes of the garden: insects ...........

11. Every rug in the latest Herringbone range tells a story ............................................................................

12. The 0°C print series features stunning floral compositions frozen in ice .......................................

13. Southern Hospitality draws on years of cratsmanship to remain at the top of its game .....

14. International art fair 1-54 is dedicated to contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora .......

15. Sanlam Private Wealth aims to inspire a new generation of young artists ..................................

16. New WAZ Outdoor loungers evoke the luxury Mediterranean yachting lifestyle .........................

17. Locally acclaimed Indigenus is blooming overseas ................................................................................

18. Creating a concrete feature wall just got a whole lot easier, thanks to Cemcrete ....................

19. MAXHOSA BY LADUMA knitwear‘s signature pattern has inspired a cushion collection ............

20. WOMAG’s no-fuss terrazzo-look porcelain tiles are right on trend ..................................................

21. The JPN Concept Store in Cape Town offers a range of products sourced from Japan ............

22. Mavromac & Gatehouse’s new outdoor range blends classic and contemporary styling .......

23. Gritty yet refined, the interior of Salsify at The Roundhouse is one of extremes ........................

24. Hannerie Visser talks about future food trends and African superfoods ......................................

25. For special occasions this festive season, we’ve selected five Champagnes for you ...............

26. Our round-up of exciting tonic water brands and ready-to-drink G&Ts (that you can win!) ..

27. Introducing South Africa’s most expensive cocktail, which puts the art in artisinal ...................

28. Five South African wines that are right up there with the best in the world ................................

29. Books to inspire and entertain you this holiday ........................................................................................

30. Dieter Losskarn shares his experience of driving two iconic cars in Stuttgart ............................

31. One lucky reader will win a Miele K 20.000 Blackboard Edition fridge-freezer, worth R29 999 ...

SMART IDEA .................................................................................................................................................................

PAGE 122 PAGE 128 PAGE 130 PAGE 132 PAGE 134 PAGE 138 PAGE 140 PAGE 141 PAGE 142 PAGE 144 PAGE 146 PAGE 148 PAGE 149 PAGE 150 PAGE 154 PAGE 156 PAGE 158 PAGE 160 PAGE 162 PAGE 164 PAGE 166 PAGE 168 PAGE 170 PAGE 172 PAGE 174 PAGE 176 PAGE 178 PAGE 179 PAGE 180 PAGE 182 PAGE 189 PAGE 192

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EDITOR’S LETTER

WELCOME TO OUR HOLIDAY ISSUE! T’S usually around this time that we’re able to look back on the past 12 months and boast about the awards VISI has garnered, and this year I’m proud to say we won big! Ahead of our muchanticipated 100th issue, VISI was named the winner of the international A’ Design Award for Best Design Media in Italy.

Nominated by designers, artists and architects from around the globe, it is a special recognition granted to leading design publications.

What makes this award special is that it gets presented to a publication only once to acknowledge its role and support in the creation of a better world and its understanding of how good design leads to better products

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and services. Much of VISI’s design perspective was conceived by our former Art Director Anton Pietersen, who has recently taken up new career challenges.

Here’s to the talented Anton and to the brilliant VISI team who constantly push the boundaries.

Ater the tumultuous year we’ve had, I think it’s time for a good break. It’s time to relax and enjoy the wonderful holiday options we have right here on the southern tip of Africa: from glamping on the West Coast to breathtaking holiday homes that won architectural awards on the East Coast, from a beautifully designed safari lodge in Mpumalanga that rests lightly on the earth to an inspired new restaurant in Joburg where David Higgs and his partners are making

magic, and from a remarkable new winery in Devon Valley near Stellenbosch that perfectly marries African and European sensibilities to a family Christmas celebration in the Swartland, whatever your preference, I think we have it covered.

And then there are lots and lots to win! There’s a Miele K 20.000 fridgefreezer, worth R29 999, with a blackboard finish on the door, a sun lounger from WAZ Outdoor, Champagne, books, calendars from Babylonstoren and Le Creuset sets in a new metallic finish…

We hope your holiday is a long and relaxing one so you can start 2019 recharged and ready for what VISI has in store for our big 1-0-0!

SUMIEN I want to snuggle among these embroidered cushions by Casamento that echo the fynbos garden outside, read this charming pop-up book, Creatures of the Deep, and look out over the sea. The framed photograph was shot by The Landscape Hunter in Patagonia. Turn to page 50 to read our cover story about this beautiful Cape St Francis holiday home.

 envisin  

visi.co.za

DEC 2018/JAN 2019

For our upcoming BUMPER 100TH ISSUE we are producing an exclusive series of 100 CELEBRATORY BOXES. Each will contain the must-have 100th issue and many other special surprises. GO TO OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO PRE-ORDER YOUR BOX. 22

What a difference la différence makes Far more than a bed, la différence is a feeling.

It’s the feeling of undiluted luxury every time you go to bed, and it’s the sensation of waking up with energy and optimism for a brand new day.

Feel la différence for yourself at a quality stockist near you.

ESSENSUAL LUXURY M A D E B Y S E A LY

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www.sealy.co.za

VISI

SPONSORED CONTENT

IT’S GIN O’CLOCK SOMEWHERE! HENDRICK’S GIN BUCK Ingredients: 50 ml Hendrick’s Gin 15 ml lemon juice 3 parts ginger ale 2 dashes Angostura bitters 3 thinly sliced rounds of cucumber 1 sliver of lemon zest

Preparation: Combine all the ingredients in a highball illed with cubed ice.

Lightly stir and serve.

Garnish with thinly sliced rounds of cucumber and a sliver of lemon zest.

There’s nothing better than drinking cocktails with friends on a beautiful summer’s day as you enjoy lunch, catch a tan or watch the sun go down… or at any other time. Those who live on planets without such joyous privileges have miserable luck, as aficionados of the Hendrick’s Gin Buck already know.

While you’re sipping your Hendrick’s Gin Buck and singing its praises, consider that Hendrick’s Gin, in its continuing quest to perfect its signature summer cocktail taste, has added yarrow to its delightfully peculiar medley of botanicals and infusions of Bulgarian rose and cucumber.

Now, yarrow features in a fair bit of fantastic folklore.

In the Middle Ages, it was used to keep evil spirits away.

Its botanical name, Achillea millefolium, comes from the Greek God Achilles – it is said he used yarrow to cure his wounds after battle, giving the herb one of its nicknames, soldier’s woundwort. It was also believed yarrow would provide you with second sight if you held the leaves over your eyes.

Who are we to argue? It seems a Hendrick’s Gin Buck can only improve your luck.

CONTRIBUTORS

EDITORIAL TEAM

ANNETTE KLINGER, WRITER Advice you’d give your younger self. Take fewer naps.

Describe your perfect New Year’s Eve? Dancing to midnineties music at a wedding. Can someone please make this happen for me?

The greatest compliment you ever received. My sixmonth-old daughter appreciating my juvenile sense of humour.

What’s at the top of your git list? At the moment it’s a toss-up between a scroll saw and a sewing machine.

And at the bottom? Hand cream. No, man.

The last place you visited for pleasure? Erf 81 in Tamboerskloof – to feed the resident goats and potbellied pig our kitchen scraps.

What do you love about your home? My housemates, namely my husband, daughter and cat.

Editor-in-Chief Sumien Brink Deputy Editor Annemarie Meintjes Art Director Lené Roux Managing Editor Samantha Charles Features Editor Amelia Brown Online Editor Lindi Brownell Meiring Content Producer Michaela Stehr Copy Editor Kay-Ann van Rooyen

ADVERTISING & MARKETING TEAM Head of Advertising and Sales Jeanine Boshoff Business and Digital Sales Manager Diane Lubbe 021 417 1147 / 083 391 1651 Key Account Manager Eva Cookson (Cape Town) 021 417 1274 / 076 662 0785 Key Account Manager Elna Coetzer (Cape Town) 021 417 5151 / 082 971 9715 Key Account Manager Hannelie Stemmet (Cape Town) 021 417 1111 / 083 448 2074 Advertising Coordinator Julian Petersen

PUBLISHING TEAM Annette wrote about coutourier Kobus Dippenaar’s 50th birthday bash in Paternoster on page 96 and chef Luke Dale-Roberts’ new restaurant, Salsify, on page 170.

Group Account Director Cat Anderson Senior Account Manager Cecilia du Plessis Group Managing Editor Chantel Kleinsmidt Production Manager Shirley Quinlan ABC Manager Roxanne Holman

ELSA YOUNG, PHOTOGRAPHER

EXECUTIVE TEAM

Elsa documented the Badenhorst family’s preparations for a festive lunch on their Swartland farm on page 70.

MARK SERRA, CREATIVE DIRECTOR Advice you’d give your younger self. Be kinder to yourself and take more risks.

Describe your perfect New Year’s Eve? With my best friend Stefan in New York City.

The greatest compliment you ever received. ”You walk the talk and raise the bar.”

What’s at the top of your git list? Anything by Tom Ford.

And at the bottom? Socks!

The last place you visited for pleasure? Diving in Key West, Florida.

What do you love about your home? Everything I treasure surrounds me; it’s comforting and beautiful.

Creative Director Mark is also a dab hand with the camera and photographed Silvan Safari on page 112.

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DEC 2018/JAN 2019

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Managing Director Aileen Lamb Commercial Director Maria Tiganis Content Director Andrew Nunneley Chief Financial Officer Mark Oaten Chief Executive Officer Bridget McCarney Executive Director John Psillos Non-Executive Director Irna van Zyl

DISTRIBUTION & SUBSCRIPTIONS Distribution RNA Distribution Print subscription Contact centre 087 405 2005 (local) +27 21 045 1809 (international) subs@magsathome.co.za Digital subscriptions MySubs 0861 697 827 mysubs.co.za/contact Reproduction New Media Publishing Printing CTP Printers Cape Town Publisher New Media Publishing (Pty) Ltd, New Media House, 19 Bree Street, Cape Town PO Box 440, Green Point, Cape Town 8051 021 417 1111, visi@visi.co.za, newmediapub.co.za

17 305, Q2 2018

CTPprinters

CAPE TOWN

All rights reserved. Whereas precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of information, neither the editor, publisher nor New Media Publishing can be held liable for any inaccuracies, injury or damages that may arise. The opinions expressed in the articles may not reflect those of the publisher.

PHOTO OF ANNETTE JAN CRONJE

Advice you’d give your younger self. Wear a bikini as oten as possible.

Describe your perfect New Year’s Eve? Being with family and good friends. Surrounded by trees. Copious amounts of Champagne.

The greatest compliment you ever received? “You are thriving.”

What’s at the top of your git list? A Cathy Layzell artwork.

And at the bottom? A fridge magnet.

The last place you visited for pleasure? The Cedarberg.

What do you love about your home? My garden and every living thing in it give me tremendous joy.

Can’t wait for the next issue of VISI? Get your daily dose at

VISI.CO.ZA #READERLOVE Enjoying the latest VISI? Take a snap and tag us on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.

You might spot your shot in the next issue!

That’s Sunday sorted! Thanks @visi_mag – #threadsthatbindus #dowhatyoulovelovewhatyoudo #visimagazine #sunday #selfcare #timeout #southafrica – @threadsthatbindus

Local is lekker! #visi_mag #sadesign – @ma.rlene85

Brightening up a chilly Sunday afternoon with a DIY manicure featuring my favourite orange-red nail polish – @alldolledup_sa

good morning – @smiling_jay

WIN WITH SOH COLLECTIONS Scent marketing and fragrance specialist The SOH Group has launched a home fragrance line, SOH Collections.

The products are in keeping with concepts created for leading hospitality and retail brands, for everyone to enjoy in their homes. You could win a gift set from SOH Collections, packed with a range of the brand’s signature home and body products, worth R3 500. To be in line for this fabulous prize, visit VISI.co.za/win to enter.

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I like it in small doses

20% Millennial what?

32%

It’s my new favourite colour

11%

Not my vibe

INSTANT INSPIRATION Follow @visi_mag on Instagram, where we share some of the best and most beautiful designs from around the globe.

visi.co.za

DEC 2018/JAN 2019

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WORDS LINDI BROWNELL MEIRING

From homeware to fashion, MILLENNIAL PINK continues to pop up wherever you look. We asked online HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS TRENDY COLOUR and more than 600 of you let us know. Here are the results:

MEIR BLACK The Bathroom Collection

Tap Fittings: Meir Black Sanware: Villeroy & Boch w w w. m e i r s a. c o . z a w w w. v i l l ero y -bo c h . c o m

T H E B AT H R O O M E X P E R T S

37 Paarden Eiland Rd, Cape Town - Tel: 021 5117888 - E-mail: info@flushbathrooms.co.za - www.flushbathrooms.co.za

VISI FINDS

LO OKING BACK, MOVING FORWARD Revisiting designs and movements from the past and reinterpreting them for the now and the future...

PRODUCTION ANNEMARIE MEINTJES PHOTOS MARIJKE WILLEMS

THE PLAYERS

SUMARI KRIGE, OWNER OF LA GRANGE INTERIORS

DIAN VAN ZYL, MARKETER-AT-LARGE, REBTEX

DES ARMSTRONG, OWNER OF HADEDA

HEN designing and sourcing new pieces, I am always drawing inspiration from the design masters and heroes of the past. However, I feel it is as important to consistently look forward, to push the bar, and create something fresh and new, be it in more simplified contemporary lines or in the materials used, like finding sustainable substitutes.

Mixing old with new, classic design in modern finishes, it blends to give it a unique La Grange feel.

ARLY colonists used a coarse floor covering made from coconut fibre, called coir, a combination of natural fibre, texture and originality.

The new identity of sisal as natural carpet has the same effect, but without the coarseness. Above all, it is sustainable and durable. The new take on ’60s and ’70s vinyl – as flooring, wallcovering and upholstery – is both sophisticated and fun. The bonus is that it can be used inside and outside.

HE classic encaustic cement tiles adorning cathedrals are environmentally friendly – they’re created using basic earth components of marble powder, natural stone granules, cement, sand and natural colour pigments. Working with local architects and designers, we developed new ranges for Hadeda clients.

Each tile is entirely hand-made. No harsh chemicals are used, and since they are not fired in a kiln but using a pressing process no fumes are emitted during production.

lagranceinterioirs.co.za

rebtexrsa.com

hadeda-tiles.com

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DEC 2018/JAN 2019

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≤≥≤≥≤≥ Pols Potten’s design of the Annie desk lamp in black and brass from La Grange Interiors (R6 250) is inspired by the AJ floor lamp, designed by Arne Jacobsen for Louis Poulsen in the 1960s.

The Boston black lounge chair (R9 999) at La Grange, which comes with leather cushions, is reminiscent of Harry Bertoia’s side chair in his iconic wire furniture collection for Knoll in 1952.

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VISI FINDS

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DEC 2018/JAN 2019

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≤≥≤≥≤≥ NO BLOOD WAS SPILT… During the Art Deco period, coffee tabletops, jewellery boxes and other decorative objects covered with shagreen (shark skin), snakeskin and crocodile skin represented luxury and glamour. Home Fabrics has the perfect shagreen-look vinyl in green and a high-gloss black snakeskin vinyl, both from the Jungle Fever collection. The vinyl is a composite material made up of PVC, polyester, cotton and polyurethane.

And in the Leather Craft collection we found the perfect crocodile skin. It is available with a highgloss patent or metallic finish in a range of colours.

OPPOSITE, FROM THE TOP Green shagreen vinyl fabric (139 cm wide) and black snakeskin vinyl fabric (140 cm wide), R674/m, and crocodile skin vinyl fabric (138 cm wide), R700/m, all from Home Fabrics.

TEXTURED NATURALY Sisal flat bouclé rug in the colour Andes, 3 m x 4 m, R9 500, Rebtex.

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VISI FINDS

“CLASSIC ENCAUSTIC CEMENT TILES ADORNING CATHEDRALS ARE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY.”

BEAUTY LIVES FOREVER UNDERFOOT Hadeda makes encaustic cement tiles the same way they have been made for centuries. They are sold in boxes of 16 for R936,16 per box.

Each tile measures 20 cm x 20 cm, and 25 tiles cover 1 m2.

TOP Tile 907 teamed with Tile A110 BOTTOM Tile A459 teamed with Tile ZELLA.

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DEC 2018/JAN 2019

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≤≥≤≥≤≥ With this 300 cm x 300 cm honeycomb screen (R11 999) La Grange Interiors pays tribute to the screens, or room dividers, that were ubiquitous in the 1960s and ’70s.

≤≥≤≥≤≥ This Passel Accent Chair with h worn black iron base and natural old mahogany wood at La Grange Interiors (R9 8000) is reminiscent of the 1950s Saucer chair with the seat woven from plastic/wicker around a circular frame.

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TOUCH DIMMING FROM WARM TO COOL WHITE

TURN UP YOUR SHOWER EXPERIENCE GROHE SMARTCONTROL

Choose the spray, control the volume, save the settings.

All with one control. Activate the spray pattern directly with WKH SXVK EXWWRQ DQG WXUQ LW WR Æ‚QG \RXU LQGLYLGXDO VKRZHU volumes. A truly innovative all-in-one solution which makes showering a pleasure.

Purchase your GROHE SmartControl from a leading showroom near you. Alternatively you can order online at groheonline.co.za

VISI

VOICES

MY HOUSE, MY CASTLE When are you supposed to move out of your childhood home? And if it’s a wonderland, would you ever want to? wonders Saskia Bailey y house is a castle, my castle is a house. It could quite literally be the most magniicent house in Cape Town, and I become awkward when people tell me so. his is because everyone knows the right response to a compliment is to deny it, but as much as I cannot deny it I also can’t necessarily accept it, as it is not my house. I live here like a woman-child keeping not only my father company but also the various beasts that wander in and out as if looking for nothing in particular.

I’m not sure when I’m meant to leave home, but I know it won’t be easy given the magic held by this fortress of frayed silk curtains. he fact that my house has been in our family for many generations means that it is somewhat falling apart around me whilst I (poetically) fall apart inside it.

My dad inherited it from his great-aunt when he and my mother were 20-something and so, naturally, they blessed it with many raucous parties in which they’d have to stop people from swinging from the chandelier. As a result, the house almost seems happiest with throngs of people peacocking around inside it. I try to ill it when I can, but I also can’t help selishly wanting it all to myself, like a child holding onto a doll their sibling is trying to take from them. hrough the very overgrown garden is the pool, which my parents adorned with a painted mermaid. he mermaid is bald, which never made sense to my young mind, but still, diving down to kiss her was a favourite game of mine.

I always fantasised about turning the house (rather pretentiously named Villa Toscana) into some kind of dilapidated commune of grandeur, but I don’t know how happy my father would be with that plan. When it’s a full moon I watch the Lion’s Head hikers with their winding snake

PORTRAIT KATIE FISHER BACKGROUND MAVROMAC SOUTH FABRICS – RIPPLE MELON IN THE SORBET OUTDOOR-INDOOR COLLECTION

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Saskia Bailey is studying for a BA degree at the University of Cape Town, she bartends at Yours Truly and she is putting the finishing touches to her first book.

DID YOU KNOW? Saskia lives in Higgovale in the house she grew up in with her father – the artist Beezy Bailey – and brother, and partially at her mother’s house, a mini version at the bottom of the garden.

The book she is finishing is a memoir, titled Whatever. Each chapter is a commentary on various facets of her world, ranging from parents and childhood to white guilt and death.

She has two wishes for South Africa this festive season: that people are careful on the roads and that fewer family feuds occur over the Christmas table than usual.

You’ll find her on Instagram @saskiabailey.

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of luorescent torch light up the path, and its beauty makes me feel less guilty about never wanting to join in with the exercise. he placement of Villa Toscana is ridiculously faultless, and Table Mountain looms above it without being threatening. On hot evenings I stand on the balcony like I’m Jay Gatsby and the city lights are the party below, with the echoed prayers from the mosque, and mosquitoes linging themselves at me like desperate lovers. Perhaps my pathetic attendance throughout my education can be owed partially to the fact that leaving is always diicult. When I do eventually try to leave, I have to cross four lanes to get out the driveway and that, teamed with my terror of driving, often results in me slyly reversing back down the driveway like a tortoise shrinking into its shell.

When I’m home alone (which isn’t often), I glide around in a kimono with a glass of wine in hand pretending to be in an artistic ilm or sit writing furiously with music blaring. One would expect to get scared in my house – it’s old and huge and therefore should be a perfect habitat for ghosts – but for some reason I’ve mostly had reports of the opposite. I think the various people whom the walls surround are each so creatively energetic and strange that the ghosts wouldn’t have a very peaceful time.

I suppose there isn’t a set time for when you’re meant to move out of your parent’s home. It used to be around the age of 18, but that seems to have changed, given the many friends I have who are still living under their parents’ watchful eyes in their mid-20s. I suppose I might end up being one of them, and I know my dad would be very happy to hear that. Perhaps the secret to getting your children to stay around you for as long as possible is to let them grow up in a wonderland of sorts. My house is my castle, so I suppose I’ll stay.

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DEC 2018/JAN 2019

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VOICES

UNPLUGGED His mind works better in a virtual house without the chatter and clutter of social media, says Ralph Mathekga.

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DEC 2018/JAN 2019

analysis, I tend to have more time to myself than would be the case if I were busy arguing with thousands of friends and followers on Twitter. he whole idea that one can have so many friends is just strange. I have about ive human friends and I know where they all live. I often go to their houses in rotation for some braais. Whenever one of my ive friends sends me a message that is out of line, I can easily drive to their house and ask them to explain themselves over a hot chocolate or a beer. It would be diicult for me to handle two hundred and ifty eleven thousand hundred friends!

On a more practical note, I am convinced I am more independent and honest in my thinking than if I were inluenced on social media. Recently, one of my acquaintances phoned me and said, “Ralph, you are trending on Twitter!” “How so?” I asked, “because I’m home enjoying my cofee.” hat’s when he clariied that my article was trending.

I did not know how to react, but had to say, “hat’s not my problem.” I do not take feedback on my work from social media, and I write as if social media did not exist.

Whether or not people on Twitter approve, I will write what I like, with the common courtesy of showing respect to readers and the characters who come into my stories.

But I never yield to intimidation by faceless followers.

I imagine living in the house where social media knocks before it comes in, not the house in which social media announces itself once it is already inside. I cherish privacy and quietness.

It may no longer be possible for me to live in an environment that is not littered with social media, but I should always be in a position to decide when to let social media in the house and when to not answer the door. hat is the house I live in, where I make decisions as to whom to let in and whom to keep out. To maintain this house I have in mind, I constantly have to be the focused night watchman, for my sanity.

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Ralph Mathekga “writes and talks for a living”; he focuses on politics, the economy and society in general. In addition to writing newspaper columns and academic articles, he has published When Zuma Goes and more recently Ramaphosa’s Turn (Tafelberg).

DID YOU KNOW? Ralph has lived in Johannesburg ever since he fell in love with the city while studying at Wits. He also has a smallholding in rural Limpopo where he goes whenever he wants to see his parents and the people he grew up around.

He has just submitted his PhD thesis and is working on a novel.

His wish for our country this festive season is that all South Africans can enjoy some custard.

“There is something very soothing about custard; it might be a recipe for nation building!” he says.

He encourages everyone with books to spare to donate them to those less fortunate so we can promote a culture of reading.

BACKGROUND MAVROMAC SOUTH FABRICS – SUNRAY LEMON IN THE SORBET OUTDOOR-INDOOR COLLECTION

hat does it mean to live in the world away from social media? I imagine a house with walls that keep one away from the clutter of social media, a very quiet house in which one can hear the footsteps of anyone approaching. But it gets scary when one begins to imagine such silence, given how much we are used to noise as part of our surroundings.

Some of us have become so used to the noise that silence brings scary thoughts about ourselves. As a person who makes a living from writing, I enjoy the silence away from social media traic.

I used to have Facebook and Twitter accounts. I did not ind freedom on those platforms, only clutter and a constant low of information. Much of that information I could do without. As a writer who focuses on political and social developments in South Africa and abroad, it is important for me to think independently. Being independent is diicult if one is switched on to a platform such as Twitter with a constant low of information on just about anything under the sun. It’s nearly impossible to avoid what people are saying about Donald Trump or Jacob Zuma if you are on Twitter or Facebook, so how do you think independently about them?

For my own sanity, I unplugged, and I live in my own world where the only contact I have with the outside world is through the internet, TV, radio or a phone call. Of course, I cannot be completely isolated from the world, but I can easily switch of the TV, radio or phone. It is diicult to switch of Twitter or Facebook. I have seen some of my friends who feel they are missing out on breaking news when they take their eyes of Twitter for a second. hese platforms are just addictive by their nature, and they capture the mind and use it to engage even when other priorities are calling.

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VOICES

LESSONS FROM PLANTS If you know what to look for, you can deduce many things just by looking at a plant, says Ernst van Jaarsveld. Plants can even teach you life lessons.

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from the Bushveld, I hung up a portion of stem about 8 m above the soil. his plant amazingly grows a solitary initially thin root at about 2 cm per day, steadily dropping down and eventually rooting in the soil.

Growing in nature, the leshy lower stems of this Bushveld plant are often disturbed or grazed so that the plant loses contact with the soil, but this trick up its sleeve enables survival under diicult circumstances. It drops a lifeline, never giving up! he Namib turnera has hibiscus-like yellow lowers with a dark centre, and its leaves have glands that produce nectar, on which ants feed. he ants, in turn, protect the plant from other insects.

Spekboom is a soft-leafed succulent shrub with dainty pink lowers that grows among thorny thickets in the Eastern Cape and further north. It fascinates me how it copes in a hostile environment of large herbivores.

It exhibits passive resistance, allowing itself to be eaten and abused, but at the same time using this negative impact to procreate vegetatively. It thus turns the negative into something positive.

Plants are not mobile and have to defend themselves where they are. Features such as spines, camoulage and bitter or poisonous sap deter predators. Welwitschia, or afkopboom (literally, headless tree), displays the most simplistic growth form, yet it is highly streamlined for its arid Namib Desert environment. Its secret? It decapitates its stem in the seedling stage, and the two initial young leaves will be kept for the rest of its life, growing out like a conveyer belt. It is the only true evergreen. Other plants (including evergreens) shed their leaves or sometimes stems. Welwitschia thus carries no baggage; it is stripped down to basics. It can now put all its energy into producing male lowers and female cones. What we can learn from it is to get rid of baggage and become streamlined in whatever we do environmentally.

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Ernst van Jaarsveld is a botanist, horticulturalist and author who works at Babylonstoren farm near Paarl – ever since his “retirement” in 2015 from Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden.

DID YOU KNOW? Ernst lives in Stellenbosch, where he is busy turning his garden into an indigenous one based on water-wise principles. He previously lived in Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden.

His favourite room is his study, from which he looks out on a blue swimming pool and alien trees – a view that stimulates his thinking on how to best change it into a local selfsustaining garden with an eco-pool.

He is working on various projects, including ongoing research, several books and a conservation project.

His wish for South Africa is that we would all strive to create local indigenous gardens in harmony with the environment.

BACKGROUND MAVROMAC SOUTH FABRICS – PEAKS LIME IN THE SORBET OUTDOOR-INDOOR COLLECTION

y dream home has rocks, wood, plants, water and glass – the garden is part of the house and vice versa. Instead of a lawn, it has an indigenous ground cover or an organic mulch like gravel. his garden is friendly to birds, reptiles, frogs and ish, which are not only a joy to see and hear but also important for the biological control of insects and other pests.

When it comes to the choice of plants, I would start with pioneer species. In nature, after a ire, it is the pioneer species that are stimulated to germinate – these are fast growers that heal the earth’s surface. hey need disturbed soil, full sun and lots of moisture to germinate. his is exactly what happens in a new garden. By following the example of nature, I can create an almost instant garden.

Species like sweet thorn, paper-bark thorn, keurboom, resin bush and annuals can be planted with slow-growing, longer-living plants, giving them time to get established and eventually take over.

At Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, where I was fortunate to work for 41 years, I specialised in succulent plants. he conservatory was constructed in 1995 and my job was to come up with an eicient planting plan to display the wealth of South African succulents – from the largest, the baobab, to the smallest, such as button plants.

Dividing the space into a winter and a summer rainfall region made watering practical.

As the central feature, I picked out a baobab at Venetia Diamond Mine, which the mine donated. he various beds represent diferent biomes of Southern Africa, with not only succulents but also rocks and soil found in those regions. he plants I brought in included Aaron’s rod, black-eyed Namib turnera, various spekboom species and welwitschia, all of which can teach us some life lessons.

With the Aaron’s rod, a succulent creeper

The glass is always greener on our side.

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PLACE OF LIGHT Ten years ago, a new privately funded Johannesburg precinct that is now a popular inner-city destination needed a name… Niq Mhlongo tells the story.

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in Doornfontein, a suburb just a few blocks from Jeppestown. It explores the slum life and the then sub-culture of this exciting city of Johannesburg. here are also traditional songs and dances called eMarabini and Marabi, respectively, and I thought this was the perfect name. But when my German visitors asked me what the name meant, I was not clear with my explanation. hat name was not intimate enough.

I wanted a name that was not complicated; it had to be simple and ensnaring. hen, while we were sitting under the apricot tree in front of my home, I started thinking of the characters in my novel After Tears. I went inside the house and opened the book at the second chapter, in which Uncle Nyawana says to his nephew, “Welcome to Jozi Maboneng, Advo. he Place of Light.” he following day, Indra, Achim, Uta and I were at the Arts On Main building in Jeppestown painting the word “Maboneng” on its roof. You can see it even today as you drive along Joe Slovo towards Hillbrow.

And that’s how this precinct got its name.

My relationship with Maboneng is a deep and ongoing business. For me, Maboneng is a story of Jozi gentriication gone right. It is an important space that is central in our cultural, economic and social lives.

But I must add that the name Maboneng was in existence before my novel came into being and before I was born. It’s as old as the city of Johannesburg itself, which was established as a village in 1886. At the time, the name relected the gleam of hope, the mirage of riches and opportunities that came with the city and its rich deposit of gold.

I visit Maboneng very often, especially on Sundays. I love Pata Pata Restaurant, Bridge Books, he Bioscope Independent Cinema, the skateboarding activities, the craft beer, and the food and lea market.

I’m glad to be a part of the history of the naming of Maboneng Precinct, which today represents the iconic urban-living lifestyle and human foldedness.

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Niq Mhlongo is an author, freelance writer and city editor of the online literary magazine The Johannesburg Review of Books. “I’m basically paid to write,” he says, “and I sell my own books from the boot of my car for a living.”

DID YOU KNOW? Niq lives in Soweto. “It has given me the identity of a writer, which I embrace.

But I’m waiting to see what the expropriation of land without compensation brings… I may consider moving to George.”

His favourite feature of his home is the apricot tree in front. During summer, he says, he can sit under this tree all day, reading or writing.

His most recent book, his fith published by Kwela, is a short-story collection titled Soweto, Under the Apricot Tree. He is busy writing a new novel.

Niq’s wish for this festive season is that we’d all buy books by local authors as gits for our loved ones.

Follow @NiqMhlongo on social media.

PORTRAIT ALET PRETORIUS BACKGROUND MAVROMAC SOUTH FABRICS – SPARKLE SEA IN THE SORBET OUTDOOR-INDOOR COLLECTION

arly one morning in February 2009, three people visited me at my family home in Chiawelo, Soweto. hey were Indra Wussow, the founder and curator of the Sylt Foundation and director of jozi art:lab, and REMOTEWORDS founders Achim Mohné and Uta Kopp from Cologne, Germany. he purpose of their visit was to ask me to collaborate on a project designed as a crossover of art, literature, design, and internet culture and navigation technology. hey wanted me as a writer to come up with a suitable name for a place that was still under construction or renovation in the eastern parts of the Johannesburg CBD. At the time, it was known as Arts On Main in the suburb Jeppestown.

I had an idea of where the place was. From the N3 freeway and Joe Slovo Drive I had seen scafolding and cranes on the construction site. It is not far from the popular Kwai Mai Mai traditional medicine market, which I had visited a couple of times. I bought my clothes at a shop called Pappas Menswear on Jeppestown’s Main Street and my All Stars at City Outitters on McIntyre Street. It is close to the notorious Jeppe Hostel, the ugly site of political violence in the early 1990s. Jeppestown was also my workplace in 1993, when I was employed by Republic Umbrella Manufacturers to sell rain and garden umbrellas, before I enrolled at Wits University the next year to study African Literature.

You can imagine my excitement at being tasked to give a name to a new cultural hub in this area. My diiculty was to come up with an identity that had the power to immortalise the space in prose, poetry, visual art, technology and design – a name that embraced the creative energy around Jeppestown in the post-apartheid era. he irst name that came to my mind was eMarabini. It was inspired by one of my favourite books, he Marabi Dance by Modikwe Dikobe, which is set in the 1930s

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CAPE ST FRANCIS HOLIDAY HOME

OF LAND&SEA

The design of this award-winning one-of-a-kind contemporary beach house is an inspired reponse to its astonishing natural context and a celebration of local crat and design.

PHOTOS ROB DUKER AND JAN RAS WORDS AMELIA BROWN

The view from the main glass gallery features a bronze sculpture, Floating Swimmer: Just Touching, by Marieke Prinsloo-Rowe.

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REAKING up, folding down, blending in” is how architects Gardiol and Johan Bergenthuin of Bergenthuin Architects poetically recount their approach to integrating this Cape St Francis holiday home with the surrounding dunes. To maximise the views, minimise the impact and meet the client’s brief, a series of modular spaces were designed to address both the context and conditions of the exposed, ecologically sensitive coastal site. Openness and exposure are balanced by enclosure and protection. he architectural team describes the home’s three main zoning areas as “vessels”, linked together with a transparent

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glass gallery. “he three vessels, enclosed courtyard and linking gallery all open up to celebrate the magniicent 180-degree view of the beach, fynbos-covered dunes, historical lighthouse and Indian Ocean,” Johan says. he three zones work in two ways. First, it answered the client’s brief to have a twoperson living unit within the larger house. he main block features the living areas and main bedroom; the guest block has three guest suites and a second living room; and the service block comprises the garages, cloakroom and staf accommodation.

Second, breaking up the property reduced the scale of the building so it doesn’t dominate its natural surroundings. “Folding down the charcoal roof sheeting further

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reduced the scale and tied the structure to the sensitive natural beauty of the fynbos around it,” explains Gardiol. “he choice of a darker charcoal exterior building colour enhanced this concept.” he height and angles of the building also take the weather and prevailing winds into account, ensuring there is always a place to take shelter and still enjoy the view.

You enter the house through a door designed by artist Paul Blomkamp, move through a small arrival courtyard and into a larger wind-protected one and the internal entrance – a glass gallery through which the guest is met with the full impact of the sea view. here is no formal arrival.

Instead, you are guided through the house and, wherever you are, your eye is always

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drawn to the horizon, which is mirrored by the long outdoor pool.

Connection and separation are important elements of a beach house. Here, there’s an efortless low between inside and outside and, whereas the bedrooms are all private and contained, there’s still easy access to the living spaces. Wood was used for looring – making for a natural transition from the timber deck – and for ceiling cladding. “It captures a nautical warmth,” according to the architects, “and creates a surprising intimacy, whilst drawing your eye to the far side of the bay.” he soft tones meet the client’s brief to interior designer Marilyn McDowell for a tranquil interior that serves quiet escapes and festive family gatherings. he neutral

backdrop also displays the owners’ artworks beautifully.

Like the architects, Marilyn was inspired by the property’s natural context – “being ‘in’ the sand dunes and fynbos and living within the ecosystem. I gathered a team of young artists, artisans, furniture designers and makers to collaborate and form visionary ideas of how it may be to live in such a beautiful and unique landscape”, she says. “Every step of the way, we held the sand dunes as our guide.” bergenthuin.co.za Builder Greg West: customconstruction.co.za marilynmcdowellis@gmail.com

WINNER SAIA EASTERN CAPE REGIONAL AWARD FOR ARCHITECTURE 2017

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CAPE ST FRANCIS HOLIDAY HOME

OPPOSITE The Kelp chandelier was a collaboration between artist Nic Bladen and master cabinetmaker Nic Mössmer. The stem is bronze, and laminated wood has been twisted to create the effect of seaweed under water. The maplewood dining table, made by James Mudge Furniture Studio, is surrounded by Wishbone chairs designed

by Hans J Wegner, who also designed the Shell chair. The bespoke sofas are by Casamento, the circular rug is by Hare + Klein and the coffee table is by Tonic.

Cabinetworks created the kitchen island as well as the photo library.

Above The William Kentridge tapestry, South Polar Regions, was woven at Stephens Tapestry Studio. The curtains and blinds were made by Angela Swain’s Swains Soft Furnishings.

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ABOVE AND BELOW The colours in the east-facing master bedroom were chosen to pick up the views: the crimson of the sunrise and aquas of the ocean. The bed was centred in the view, and Andrew Dominic Furniture created the assymetrical side tables. The reading lights are from Gigi’s Design House (as are all the lamps throughout). A Joburg pendant by David Krynauw hangs above a side table by Casamento and Signature chair by Frits Henningsen. The outdoor chairs are from Tonic.

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CAPE ST FRANCIS HOLIDAY HOME

ABOVE The ombrĂŠ of the Italian linen wall-to-wall headboard by Casamento (which also did the couching embroidery on the curtains) picks up the earthy hues of the Vogel Nguni bench and Upright Mantis lounger. The Joburg Hangkas is by David Krynauw and the side table from Casamento. BELOW James Mudge created the four-poster, Casamento the L-shaped sofa, Gregor Jenkin the side tables and Ronel Jordaan the Pebble cushion on the circular wet rug by Fibre Design. A Philippe Starck chair stands in front of the dressing table below a Tonic mirror.

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A Guy du Toit installation, Hares on Chairs, near the entrance always sparks conversation.

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Another sculpture by Marieke Prinsloo-Rowe, Trying to Catch the Dream, looks ready to dive into the splash pool. | The front door by artist Paul Blomkamp depicts a landand seascape. | In the informal dining area, David Krynauw’s Haywire chandelier hangs above a custom-made 4 m-long table with drawers by Gregor Jenkin Studio, which also made the telescopic extendable dining table on wheels.

“THERE’S A POWERFUL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ARCHITECTURE, INTERIORS AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.” MARILYN MCDOWELL

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The splash pool in the main entrance gallery is aligned with the outdoor pool. The guest zone is to the left and the main living block to the right. The outdoor loungers and chairs are from Mobelli Furniture + Living, and the wicker set, far left, is from Plaisir du Jardin.

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CAPE ST FRANCIS HOLIDAY HOME

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T HE PATON’S SAINT

Saint, David Higgs’ new pizza and Champagne restaurant in Sandton, is an inspired combination of simplicity and high style, simultaneously chic and tongue-in-cheek.

PHOTOS DOOK PRODUCTION ANNEMARIE MEINTJES WORDS GRAHAM WOOD

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SANDTON RESTAURANT

ehind the bar at Saint, chef David Higgs’ new restaurant in Sandton, the wall is animated by a huge sculpture by artist and product development maestro Damien Grivas. It’s a kind of deconstructed Renaissance statue, broken up and reassembled as a faceted installation. In the bathrooms, the basins take the shape of giant cupped hands, also Grivas’s work. In the restaurant itself, the ceiling features a vaulted dome onto which 3D images are projected – some based on Renaissance frescoes, others with more current imagery. he front of the wine cellar is a contemporary stained-glass rendition of windows in Italian cathedrals.

Apart from the opulence of it all, there’s a clear theme that holds these extravagant gestures together: the contemporary interpretation of classic Italian art and design.

It’s as if Old Italy has been taken, shaken up, transported thousands of kilometres and hundreds of years, and reassembled in a modern South African setting.

Saint looks out over the JSE and its surrounds from he Marc, Sandton’s latest gobsmacking glass ediice on the corner of Maud and Rivonia roads. It might serve pizza, but it’s not just any pizzeria. It’s a collaboration between chef David Higgs and Gary Kyriacou, who launched Marble, with its inspired take on cooking with ire, in Rosebank a few years ago. Once again they’ve taken something supposedly simple – a grill at Marble, pizza at Saint – and given it a contemporary spin along with some masterful culinary treatment. (he delicate Neapolitan-style pizzas are thin and slightly chewy, cooked for just 60 seconds in specially imported goldmosaiced pizza ovens, and there’s also pasta and oferings from the grill.) he interiors of Saint are the brainchild of Gary’s wife Irene Kyriacou, who worked closely with the Reddeco team to realise their spectacular Pazzo Italiano (crazy Italian) design. Irene says the angled pillars of he Marc, which seem to pierce the restaurant space, brought to mind the columns of classical architecture. he volume of the

PREVIOUS SPREAD, LEFT In the bathroom, a photographic artwork by Krisjan Rossouw depicts a woman wearing period clothing and a gold headdress, a playfully glamourous take on the relationship between heritage and modernity.

PREVIOUS SPREAD, RIGHT The scale of the main dining area creates the impression of a true destination-dining experience. The bonecoloured ceramic facade on the pass is designed by Rialheim to replicate old Italian roof tiles.

LEFT Irene Kyriacou.

OPPOSITE The centrepiece is a vaulted dome onto which 3D images are projected. They’re a mix of imagery reminiscent of Renaissance chapels and contemporary visuals, again combining historical and modern influences to convey the Joburg-Italian narrative that underpins Saint’s stylistic flourishes.

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space also has a classical grandeur. “I immediately thought of the Sistine Chapel and those palazzos with beautiful frescoed ceilings,” says Irene. he setting in the rapidly transforming, energetic commercial precinct of the Sandton CBD, however, prompted a “modern take on classic Italian”. Hence the combination of high-tech projections, fragmented igural forms, and abstracted stained-glass patterns. Also, any thought of faux authenticity has been banished (although the chefs did travel to Milan to learn their craft). “We’re a South African Italian restaurant,” says Irene, “so how do we bring about out our own unique story?”

At the entrance, a hand-woven tapestry designed by Sarita Immelman with Grid Worldwide (who did the branding for Saint and worked with David and Gary at Marble, too) depicts “an African angel kissing a mythological creature”, as Irene describes it. he passage at the end of the restroom features a photographic artwork

by Krisjan Rossouw of a majestic African woman in period dress. “It’s quite tonguein-cheek,” she says. he hostesses who greet you are dressed in David Tlale. he idea is that, although the interiors are dazzling, the mood is casual and fun – an elevated experience to match the menu but one that’s energised rather than intimidating. Irene uses word like “playful” and “sexy” to describe the tone, which she’s interpreted in the furnishings by “mixing the Renaissance with a little bit of ’50s retro, mid-century”, capturing that bright boldness in the fabrics.

Many of the furniture pieces were specially designed for the restaurant – Irene collaborated with the likes of David Krynauw, Guideline and habisa Mjo of Mash.T Design Studio. Other elements are also drawn from local makers: Laurie Wiid van Heerden of Wiid Design and Ngwenya Glass collaborated on the water glasses; the terracotta pizza plates are from Rialheim. Much of the lighting is imported.

Like the concept of combining pizza and Champagne that inspired Saint, the interiors work with inspired contrasts. he result fosters the sense of playful escapism that makes a restaurant a destination. oniroco.co.za reddeco.co.za saint.restaurant

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The furniture – designed in collaboration with the likes of David Krynauw, Thabisa Mjo of Mash.T Design Studio and Guideline – introduce bright colours and midcentury modern influences.

The pink water glasses, the product of a collaboration between Wiid Design and Ngwenya Glass, are made from recycled glass. The Egg pendant lamps are by Artemide and the cement tiles are by Wolkberg Casting Studio.

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SANDTON RESTAURANT

Two gigantic imported Stefano Ferrara pizza ovens, widely considered the Rolls-Royce of pizza ovens, are open to the restaurant. They have been clad in gold mosaics to add a theatrical aspect to the experience of dining at Saint.

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SANDTON RESTAURANT

Saint’s curtain window overlooks the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, the heart of the Sandton CBD’s commercial energy. The restaurant is located in The Marc, one of Sandton’s newest and boldest edifices.

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Behind the bar, images are also projected onto a massive deconstructed interpretation of an Italian Renaissance sculpture by local sculptor Damien Grivas.

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SANDTON RESTAURANT

MIE 8 David Higgs’ new book, described on the cover as “a book about cooking”, takes readers on a journey of his personal and professional life.

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riginating from Swakopmond Post Oice and running north for more than 100 miles, the Namibian coastline is dotted with mile markers. Featureless numbered stones which were intended to work as landmarks in a seemlingly monotonous landscape. Over time, the places which these stones signify have grown into their numbers. Today, their names are rich with association and meaning, and anyone who wants to describe anything up and down the coast will use mile numbers to do so. I grew up along this coastline. hese days, when people speak about milestones they’re usually talking about the signifant events and achievements of a person’s life. In some ways, this book is about some of mine. I’ve grouped the diferent periods in my life into chapters, and given each of these chapters a mile marker. Within each of these chapters you’ll ind the recipes that were developed around that time of my life, or inspired by it.”

EXTRACT FROM MILE 8 PHOTOS ELSA YOUNG

Mile 8, Marble Group, R550 davidhiggs.co.za

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SWARTLAND CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

WORDS KERRYN FISCHER PRODUCTION LUANNE TOMS PHOTOS ELSA YOUNG/ FRANK FEATURES

CHR ISTMAS AT KAMOESFONTEIN

The Badenhorst family have turned their Swartland farm into a destination for wine lovers and foodies. Preparations for a Christmas lunch afford a glimpse of their effortless entertaining style.

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SWARTLAND CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

OME for winemaker Adi Badenhorst and stylist Cornelia and their children Samuel Sunnyskies (12) and Ana Kalander (9) is Kalmoesfontein, a farm on the slopes of Paardeberg in the Swartland.

Adi and his cousin Hein bought the 60 ha wine farm just more than 10 years ago. With the acquisition they gained a winery that hadn’t been used in 70 years and the oldest Grenache vineyards in the country. Not to mention the Chenin Blanc and Cinsault vineyards that had been planted back in the ’60s.

“Our mission from the outset was to make natural wines the traditional way,” says Adi as he explains his irreverent approach to winemaking and eschewing of new technology. hey have created a range of much-loved wines under the label AA Badenhorst Family Wines, their own brand of tonic water, a Caperitif (or Cape aperitif, an ingredient of cocktails from the late 1800s that Adi revived with the help of a Danish mixologist) and mezcal, a spirit made from agave.

But then Adi and Hein were to the vineyard born, so to speak, growing up as they did in the Cape Winelands – their grandfather was the farm manager at Groot Constantia for half a century, and Adi’s mother Judy began the Old Cape Farm Stall in the 1970s, selling her pickles, preserves and other deli-type products.

Cornelia’s pedigree is no less impressive. he daughter of winemaker Jan “Boland” Coetzee, she grew up on their farm Vriesenhof in Stellenbosch. She is a former magazine stylist and talented gardener whose creativity is a good foil for Adi’s ever-expanding passions and eccentricities (he also farms parrots), not to mention his other love: food.

“Adi’s love of food is hugely inluenced by his mother’s talent for it and his travels,” says Cornelia. “Every time he comes back from a trip, he’ll be into the food of the place that he’s just been to.” He’s having a strictly Italian period at the moment.

“Food has always been a big part of what we do here,” says Adi, who is a noted raconteur and entertainer, and takes great

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pleasure in the many tastings, lunches, weddings, oes-af (end-of-harvest) parties and the annual Convivium event that they host on the farm.

As many as 20 people have been invited to Christmas lunch, excluding international wine guests and extended family, so the food needs to be plentiful.

“Adi dictates the menu,” says Cornelia. hey might cook half a dozen organic chickens (from their neighbours’ farm), dressed with locally grown blood oranges and one of Judy’s stuings, or Judy might prepare slow-roasted lamb. he meat will be served with simple salads, side dishes such as baby potatoes with mustard and chives, and other heat-beating delicacies. he menu depends on what’s fresh and available or what Adi feels like at the time.

What remains a constant is that the meal will be a cross-cultural mix of deliciousness. Neighbour and fellow winemaker Eben Sadie may arrive with his Spanish friend Raul, who makes little pigs and Spanish omelettes, says Adi, and Sato Keiji, their Japanese intern winemaker who used to run his own restaurant in Tokyo always has a broth on the go. Dessert staples are pasteis de nata (Portuguese custard tarts), traditional South African milktart and Adi’s brother Charl’s ice cream, which he makes using leftover botanicals from the Caperitif infusions.

Cornelia pulls it all together with aplomb using lowers and plants from the garden in ways you can’t even imagine.

“I make do with what is available and seasonal,” she says. “It’s fun to shop for new things, but in the end new things can feel excessive in this humble environment.”

For an occasion like Christmas lunch, Cornelia likes to vamp it up with largescale hanging arrangements over the table incorporating plants from the garden and ceramics made by her friends Anthony and Gerhard of Ceramic Matters. “We don’t do a traditional Christmas tree,” she says. “Instead, I’ll put up a prickly-pear cactus from the farm.”

And when it comes to table decorations and presents, the same selection process applies: local is lekker. aabadenhorst.com conviviumtable.co.za

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A long table laid on the stoep of the winery is covered with a velvet cloth that Cornelia got from her mother. ”My oupa bought old velvet curtains at a school auction for my mother,“ she says.

She made the hanging floral decorations using ”bits and pieces“ from the garden and ceramic weaver nests made by her friends Anthony and Gerhard from Ceramic Matters – who also made the swan bowls.

A wreath made out of prickly pair leaves is another example of how Cornelia uses what is at hand to create an authentic festive setting.

PREVIOUS SPREAD One of the pride of peacocks on the farm.

Cornelia dresses a prickly pear cactus with Christmas decorations.

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While Adi ďŹ xes drinks for guests, Cornelia keeps an eye on Ana, who is riding Poon.

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Bold geometric patterns in the living room. | The dirt road leading from the farmhouse to the winery. | Ceramic swans are a common sight on the farm. For Cornelia they’re a kitsch reminder of swans seen in the suburban gardens of her childhood. | The winery kitchen features a rail hanger with S-hooks from which hang ceramic cuts of meat and utensils made by Ceramic Matters.

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SWARTLAND CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

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SWARTLAND CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

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SWARTLAND CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION The farmhouse kitchen is an airy space that opens out to the terrace.

OPPOSITE A tiered chandelier of grapes hangs above the gifts table. The gifts are wrapped in fabric off-cuts and tied with ribbon.

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SWARTLAND CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

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Christmas at Kalmoesfontein is a relaxed celebration with good food, fun activities for the kids and stories told around the ďŹ re.

From the stoep of Adi and Cornelia’s house the views stretch across the farm to the mountains.

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SEDGEFIELD BEACH HOUSE

BREAT HING SPACE Architect Johann Slee’s latest creation hovers over and among milkwood trees above the dunes in Sedgefield.

PHOTOS WIL PUNT WORDS AMI KAPILEVICH

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SEDGEFIELD BEACH HOUSE

HE word “honest” comes up often when architect Johann Slee speaks about his work.

“Honesty in architecture to me means no gimmicks,” says Johann. “It means that one stays true to the function of the material used, and that everything that is not necessary is left out.

It’s a philosophy that has garnered Johann’s designs multiple awards, including for the Red House on the Vaal River, Sinkhuis, Johann’s own home in Stellenbosch, and a residence on Waterkloof Ridge in Pretoria, which have all been featured in VISI. His most recent triumph is the Floating Dune House in Sedgeield on the Garden Route, which won the Cape Institute for Architecture’s 2017 Award for Architecture as well as the South African Institute of Architects’ Award of Merit 2018.

“I have always had a great love for our own true South African architectural vernacular,” says Johann. “And my design philosophy has always been to relect the honesty found in this architecture – the honesty in choice of materials, honesty in design, and respect of place.”

Johann grew up in Ermelo. In the 1950s the Group Areas Act resulted in the destruction of an entire street of historical buildings occupied by the Indian community. he young artist (Johann is also a painter) rushed to the street to document the atrocity and sketch the old buildings before they were razed. he incident afected Johann profoundly, and today the architect’s designs contain trademark traces of historical South African buildings. It is from this that the corrugated roof and wood cladding of the Floating Dune House artfully echoes

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the old tin and wooden structures built by the foresters who lived and worked along the Garden Route so many years ago. he name of the house comes from its minimal impact on the sensitive and unique dune vegetation. “he footprint of the house was kept as compact as possible,” explains Johann, “by introducing a cantilevered building edge that is raised above the vegetation, giving the illusion of loating on the dunes.”

During the building process alien plants were removed, leaving gaps in the indigenous milkwood trees that created natural portals to the sea views. he brief was to embrace the milkwoods, and the result, in fact, was to be embraced by them.

Inside, the timber cladding creates intriguing angles, and it is here that you can sense the architect leaving his unique mark on the space – the reach of a lintel around a corner, the planes and angles of the ceiling, the ever-unfolding dimensions of the interior.

And yet, at its heart, the Floating Dune House is one of the most quintessential South African buildings that has deined a culture for generations: a holiday house.

In that sense, the primary function of the house is a sense of peace and relaxation, of connecting the spirit of the inhabitants with nature, a deep breath of fresh air, an exhalation.

“One enters the house by walking along a suspended walkway over the milkwood canopy,” says Johann. “Upon entering the house you experience the quietness and the smell of wood, immediately putting you in a holiday mood.”

Mission accomplished. And then some.

Project architect: Cillié Malan of Slee & Co. Architects slee.co.za

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WINNER SAIA EASTERN CAPE REGIONAL AWARD FOR ARCHITECTURE 2017

PREVIOUS SPREAD The main bedroom opens out to the terraced wooden deck – watched over by a whalebone angel – and uninterrupted sea views.

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The bed in the main bedroom has a cantilevered effect, which playfully echoes the house itself. Behind it are the dressing and study alcoves. The floating effect, says Johann, “is from the way the surfaces meet each other. I prefer a shadow line where the surfaces meet, giving a floating effect.” | The main bathroom’s large mirror extends the space considerably and reflects the interesting angles of the cladding and joinery. | Wide-plank oak from Oggie was used for the cladding throughout the house. “We followed the roof angle inside to create more space,” says Johann. “This created the interesting angles where the ceiling meets the wall planes.” | The wine room continues the wood theme with a timber peg display system by Display Wines.

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“HONESTY IN ARCHITECTURE TO ME MEANS NO GIMMICKS.” JOHANN SLEE

The timber-clad main living space opens to the sea on one side and views of the Outeniqua Mountains on the other. Joanne Kuny Interiors was tasked with selecting furniture.

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SEDGEFIELD BEACH HOUSE

A view from the north showing the lit entrance gives a good idea of how the Floating Dune House got its name, as it hovers above the milkwood canopy. Note the corrugated iron roof – a signature Johann Slee reference to South African vernacular architecture.

A Cape sugarbird drops in for a drink.

LEFT The bright, summery fabrics

by Jim Thompson are imported by T&Co Fabrics.

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SEDGEFIELD BEACH HOUSE

THE NAME OF THE HOUSE COMES FROM ITS MINIMAL IMPACT ON THE SENSITIVE DUNE VEGETATION.

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The open-plan kitchen has both sea and mountain views.

The joinery throughout the house was done by Engton Cupboards.

OPPOSITE The decking and screens were done by Top Deck. The timber used is South American garapa hardwood. In the background are the main bedroom and main living area.

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STELLENBOSCH WINE FARM

WHEN WORLDS COIDE The design rationale behind the new function venue at Louisvale Wines is a considered marriage of African and European building traditions.

PHOTOS MICKY HOYLE PRODUCTION SUMIEN BRINK WORDS BIDDI RORKE

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STELLENBOSCH WINE FARM

PREVIOUS SPREAD, LEFT The cladding reflects the shape and surface of a Khoekhoen reed mat hut.

PREVIOUS SPREAD, RIGHT Designed by Christof Albertyn and made by Peter Neokorides, this quirky Shiraz grape couch in plum leather and steel is offset by two whimsical occasional tables

by LIM. LEFT Architect Christof Albertyn enjoys a superlative framed view of the Helderberg.

OUISVALE Wines on the slopes of Devon Valley near the town of Stellenbosch arguably has one of the most beautiful settings in the Cape Winelands. Now, a itting new function venue and revamped tasting centre have opened their doors to enhance visitors’ experience of the farm and the wines. he anthropological history of the area was the inspiration for the building’s unusual design. As Christof Albertyn, the architect behind the project, explains: “he irst inhabitants of this area were the Khoekhoen, who practised nomadic pastoral agriculture and hunted for food close to what is now named the Eerste River. In the summer months they would move to the coast, where they lived of seafood such as perlemoen and alikreukel

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(periwinkle). he Khoekhoen also built the irst man-made structures in the area: domed huts, or matjieshuise, were constructed from taaibos laths covered with woven reed mats and animal skins.”

When Europeans arrived here in the 17th century, they introduced vines and oak trees to the area and built whiteplastered gabled houses.

What Christof has achieved at Louisvale is a sensitive fusion of these two diametrically opposed building styles. “he soft curve of the Rheinzink cladding relects the shape and surface of a Khoekhoen reed mat hut,” says Christof. “he dome is supported by curved steel rails and connected by loating glass to the concrete loor, which is embedded with polished perlemoen shell chips.”

Known for its lightness, strength and durability, Rheinzink is a trademarked

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name for titanium zinc. his material doesn’t require regular maintenance and the aesthetic patina created by natural weathering protects it for decades.

Rheinzink also requires little energy in production and is 100% recyclable, meeting today’s design considerations for sustainability and low energy use. he dome hovers over a low concrete roof, which has been planted with restios to reference the thatched roof of the Nieu Cape Dutch-style manor house, built in 1924, right next to the new building.

In strategic places, the dome facade peels away in organic curves to make the most of the views of the mountains in the distance. he end result is a dramatic, intelligent departure from the expected. christofalbertyn.blogspot.com rheinzink.co.za louisvale.com

Mouton du Toit is the venue manager at Louisvale, which has become a popular destination for weddings and other functions.

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The curved walls mirror the Cape Fold Mountains in the distance, and the exposed aggregate concrete paving has a rustic, natural look.

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Purple leather-seated stools, designed

by Christof, are clustered around a burnished-gold coee table from LIM. | A majestic oak tree stands between the nearly-100-yearold manor, which houses the tasting centre, and the new function venue. | Contours in the bar echo the topography, and the hanging stemware rack creates a sense of intimacy. | Tasting is a serious business, hence the angular, upright oak-andsteel bar and L-shaped bar stools that reect the Louisvale logo.

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STELLENBOSCH WINE FARM

Rheinzink square tiles were used to clad the curved dome of the function venue. The windows were designed to resemble the row of apertures along one side of a perlemoen shell.

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“THE KHOEKHOEN BUILT THE FIRST MAN-MADE STRUCTURES IN THE AREA.” CHRISTOF ALBERTYN

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PATERNOSTER BIRTHDAY PARTY

PTCH PERFECT

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PHOTOS CHARLENE SCHREUDER WORDS ANNETTE KLINGER

Couturier Kobus Dippenaar is more than proficient at giving audiences the ol’ razzle-dazzle at his fashion shows, but at his 50th birthday party guests were treated to a far more understated do… complete with braaibroodjies.

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PATERNOSTER BIRTHDAY PARTY

ELIEVE it or not, I love camping – don’t hold it against me!” says Kobus Dippenaar, couturier to the stars and, as it turns out, quite the dab hand at tent construction (draped with swathes of ivory bridal fabric, no less). “When I told my friends I wanted to camp for my birthday, I got quite a few raised eyebrows, but when people found out it was going to be glamping, they were all over it!”

From the outset Kobus knew he wanted to have a destination birthday, where guests would arrive on Friday and head home – feet sore and voices happily hoarse – on Sunday. And he didn’t want anything too over the top. “I’ve always loved the sea – it’s where I work, live and play – and camping on the West Coast is something I grew up doing with my dad.

So when a friend and I went scouting for party locations, Sea Shack at Paternoster really spoke to me.”

As anyone who has ever gone away camping with friends knows, there’s always a party tent, and in the case of this particular shindig it took the form of a beautiful canopy built on the morning of the big day

by Kobus and his friends, including fellow fashion designer Hendrik Vermeulen.

“Look, we’re both boerseuns at heart, so if you give us a technical challenge we’re in our element,” says Kobus. Made according to a design he had inalised at home, the canopy was fashioned from poles that he’d had sawn at his local hardware store and two bolts of power mesh that had been ordered for one of his bridal gowns – only in the wrong colour.

A quick forage yielded the pennygum and bluegum branches that Kobus ended up winding around the poles along with

fresh roses in what resembled a dramatic couture-esque headdress that would have it right in at one of his fashion shows.

Even though Kobus is about as handson a party planner as they come, he was the birthday boy, so he decided to call in a little help from the professionals, who in this case happened to be some of his closest friends. Wedding and event coordinator Luke Krone was enlisted with bringing to life Kobus’s brief of timeless elegance with a splash of whimsy. he axis around which the day party turned was two long trestle tables lanked by walnut cross-back chairs, sourced from urbantonic. he table decor was a happy marriage between unafected and opulent: vintage Delft plates, gilded cutlery and crystal stemware by Two Birds; lace-edged napery by he Tablecloth Hiring Company; and loose arrangements of banksia and dusty miller leaves by Leipzig Floral Design.

ABOVE LEFT Red feathers against classic white linen napkins from The Tablecloth Hiring Company made for simple yet impactful place settings. ABOVE RIGHT Vintage Delft plates were chosen to incorporate Kobus’s favourite colour combo. OPPOSITE The brief was classic elegance with a hint of OTT opulence.

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As per Kobus’s stipulation, it was a banquet of braaivleis. “I kept trying to convince him to do something fancier,” says friend and caterer-for-the-day Karin Koch, “but he was adamant that everything should be as if he were braaiing for friends at home.

So in the end there was an abundance of meat, braaibroodjies and potato salad!”

And so, in a scene straight from the last page of an Asterix comic, only ininitely more stylish, Kobus and his nearest friends and family feasted on meaty fare while sipping on ine wine and bubbly by the crateful, the peaks of the shacks and canopy creating their own magical rendition of the tiny Gallic village as the sun set over the Atlantic.

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ENTERTAINING AL FRESCO THIS SUMMER Kobus and friends weigh in with a few tips to make yours the most stylish soirée on the block.

Keep it cool: South African summers are killer, and outdoor entertaining will take it out of you – and your guests – if everyone’s overheated before the canapés have arrived. Prioritise freezer space for ice above anything else, says Karin. “And remember the SPF 50 sunscreen and water!” adds Luke.

Keep searching: Whether it’s an unforgettable table centrepiece or fairy lights, Kobus says it pays to shop around.

“My mother has amazing style, and her

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advice to me has always been, ‘Don’t buy the first, most expensive thing that catches your eye. Keep looking until you find something beautiful, but which still comes in on budget.’’’

Keep it simple: “When it comes to a theme colour, pick one colour you like, then use it sparingly, balanced by neutrals,” advises Luke.

Keep calm: Luke says it pays to have a plan B, lest an ill-timed shower or galeforce wind derail your outdoor do.

After the meal was done, the dining table made way for pouffes and daybeds.

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Kobus and friend Brigitte Willers; dogs in attendance dug the braaivleis menu; Kobus in good spirits; toasting the next 50; socialite Edith Venter is a client and friend; Kobus’s mom made decorations out of vintage doilies for the occasion; Kobus’s dad taking a breather; the eyecatching canopy threw some serious shade.

“WHEN PEOPLE FOUND OUT IT WAS GOING TO BE GLAMPING, THEY WERE ALL OVER IT!” KOBUS DIPPENAAR

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PATERNOSTER BIRTHDAY PARTY The pitched roofs of the glamping units at Sea Shack perfectly echoed the lines of the canopy in the image below. Can anyone say “Instagram opportunity”?

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Embroidery hoops and vintage lace make for easy, inexpensive DIY decor accessories. | A bit of Baroque bling never hurts. | Some textural contrast courtesy of crystal stemware and tarnished copper candlesticks from Two Birds.

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CAPE TOWN ART GALLERY

T HE ART OF REINVENTION

With a name like WHATIFTHEWORLD – part question, part challenge, part statement of truth – the highly regarded Cape Town gallery had to be certain its new premises contained all of that potential.

PHOTOS ULRICH KNOBLAUCH AND HAYDEN PHIPPS PRODUCTION SUMIEN BRINK WORDS AMELIA BROWN

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OVING through the WHATIFTHEWORLD exhibit capsules, something to stimulate you at every turn, it’s hard to imagine the gallery’s former life as a garage. his is the second move and third premises of the contemporary art gallery, and much like its own evolution in the past decade, the 600 m2 space has been completely reimagined.

It took the artistic vision of gallery director Justin Rhodes and gallery curator Ashleigh McLean to see the potential of this unreined blank canvas. With an impressive roster of artists that includes Athi-Patra Ruga, Mohau Modisakeng, Lungiswa Gqunta, Cameron Platter and

hania Petersen, among others, this duo certainly have an eye for the exceptional.

And inding a space that could contain the diversity of their artists, sometimes collectively, was part of their approach.

Taking what they’d learnt from the previous gallery spaces and inspiration from extensive international travel, Justin and Ashleigh carved out the expanse. Designer Marco Simal and architect Jacques Mouton provided creative and technical input, with Justin and Ashleigh weighing in on aesthetic and practical requirements.

Justin took design inspiration from the Venice Biennale’s method: “hey take an old building with old halls and old ceilings and they erect these super-crisp white walls. here’s a mix of new and old; it looks

temporary, but it’s not. he fact that we could build from scratch, yet it appears almost like a set design, that appealed to me.” he dark ceiling, beams and ductwork have been left exposed; the use of a shadow line makes the walls appear to loat. he sharp edges and interesting angles of the internal architecture, purposefully distinctive from other galleries, allows the team to programme projects into the it-for-purpose smaller boxes. “Bigger is not necessarily better,” says Justin. “Not every artwork is best viewed in an enormous space. We wanted to create more intimate spaces to also give young artists, who perhaps aren’t ready for a whole show, an opportunity.” he smaller cubes also lend themselves to collaborations, art

“THERE´S NUANCE IN YOUR EXPERIENCE OF THE GALLERY. VIEWERS NEED TO BE HOOKED, TO BE DRAWN IN, TO HAVE THEIR INTEREST PIQUED.” ASHLEIGH MCLEAN

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merchandise from a particular exhibition, pop-ups and, well, anything. he addition of a dedicated moving image room equips the gallery for continued expansion in the multimedia realm. Sophisticated concealed projection and soundprooing ensures it can still be adapted to suit a more traditional exhibition.

Justin and Ashleigh refer to the return to Cape Town’s CBD as a homecoming of sorts. (WHATIFTHEWORLD was initially in Hope Street before moving to Woodstock.)

Just of Bree Street, it’s undeniably a good neighbourhood, yet the building itself is fairly unassuming. “We wanted it to be low-key from the outside. he sign is quite small. In Woodstock the building was a big

presence, whereas here the inside is, which is interesting,” says Justin.

One beneit of the new address is easier public access. Justin masterfully adapted the existing ramp (also a practical way to deliver large-scale pieces) so that arriving, or, more accurately, ascending, is an experience. It builds anticipation and feels like an apt embodiment of the intrigue that the gallery’s name piques.

“A key word we thought about while designing the gallery is ‘thresholds’,” says Ashleigh, who describes the entrance threshold as a palate cleanse that enables you to enter the gallery in an open and receptive state. “We wanted people to feel like they were going through diferent

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phases, an accumulation of experiences broken into stages.”

Instead of being met by an often-times intimidating reception desk, here you turn and are confronted by the work itself. “Every time you visit, we want it to be something very strong,” says Justin of the pieces in the main gallery, which are often commissioned in an approach that puts the work and the idea front and centre rather than the format or the context. “he space is in constant evolution. It’s an endless work in progress, and that’s what prevents it from being predictable and formulaic. We want to play and have some fun, too.” whatitheworld.com

PREVIOUS SPREAD The intention of Justin’s entrance design is to funnel visitors into the gallery, where they are instantly met with art, in this case pieces and an installation by Michael Taylor in a show called Boy. Boat. Bat. (also featured opposite). OPPOSITE FAR LEFT Ashleigh McLean and Justin Rhodes. ABOVE A video installation by Lungiswa Gqunta in the moving image room.

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“RATHER THAN FILLING WALL SPACE, WE ASK THE ARTISTS, ‘WHAT IS THE PROJECT YOU HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO MAKE?’” JUSTIN RHODES visi.co.za

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A view of the main gallery, featuring an installation by Lungiswa Gqunta in a show titled Qwitha, a demonstration of the gallery’s curatorial vision for ambitious solo projects and multidisciplinary installations.

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“We wanted you to be able to access us,” says Justin of the co-working island. “We all work from here. I hate those galleries where you feel like you’re disturbing someone.”

OPPOSITE The large open space of the former garage has been punctured with crisp corners and interesting intersecting angles.

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CAPE TOWN ART GALLERY

THE OPEN CEILING AND SCALE OF THE WALLS EMPHASISE THE FEELING OF A SET THAT’S ABLE TO MOVE AND ADAPT.

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MPUMALANGA SAFARI LODGE

SPIRT OF T HE TREES A well-designed safari lodge should reinforce the design story of a place without attempting to reinvent it; and it should tread lightly on the earth – disrupting quietly and without causing harm. As it is at Silvan Safari.

PHOTOS & PRODUCTION MARK SERRA WORDS TRACY GREENWOOD

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n each of the six pods – or suites – that make up the accommodation at Silvan Safari in Sabi Sand Game Reserve you will ind a copy of horeau and the Language of Trees

by Richard Higgins, with a foreword by Robert D Richardson. American naturalist Henry David horeau wrote proliically about trees during his lifetime. “He looked at trees every day. He observed their shape, colour, texture and stance on his daily walks. His eye took in all – root, trunk, bark and branch, crown, leaf, blossom and cone,” Richardson writes.

Trees are such an integral part of the Silvan experience that the presence of the book in each pod is itting and in keeping with the names given to each suite: Knobthorn, Kierie Klapper, Cassia, Blue Guarri, Tree Wisteria and Leadwood, indigenous trees around which the suites have been woven in an architectural tapestry, a little dance between the manmade structures and the natural world. “he brief,” says architect Marcus Smit of Marcus Smit Architects in Somerset West, “was to design a compact high-end lodge with a fresh take on lodge architecture, challenging the norm of game lodges.

We interpreted typical game lodges to include the use of rustic materials, pitched thatched roofs, poles, tree stumps and organic shapes. he construction had to be sensitive to the site, and the design had to it in with the surroundings.” he contrast between the angular buildings and the natural environment makes the majestic trees on the site stand

out. “Another important aspect is the dark colours we used, which make the buildings disappear into the shadows,” says Marcus. “Scale played an important role, too – and even though the loor level had to be raised to allow for the river lood line, the buildings were kept as low as possible. In time, the trees will hide the buildings even more.” he brief from owners David Ryan and Charl Brink was to preserve the trees on the site. “Charl has a thorough knowledge of the trees in the area and we worked tirelessly with an environmental consultant to preserve as many of them as we could, even the saplings,” says Marcus. he team went to great lengths to mark out buildings, reposition them where necessary and redesign some of the deck areas to accommodate low branches, bushes and existing game paths. “he magniicence of the surroundings is paramount,” says interiors guru Jacqui Hunter of Imagenius Interiors. “We wanted to accentuate that beauty, not compete with it.”

And accentuate it she did, creating a sense of harmony and understated elegance that extends throughout the private and public areas, starting of with the majestic wall of stone that has a small aperture of an entrance through which visitors are ushered onto the premises.

After all, in the contemplative words of horeau, “What is the use of a house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on?” imagenius.co.za marcussmit.co.za silvansafari.com

PREVIOUS SPREAD The furniture on the deck of the Cassia Suite – named after the cassia tree – were custom-made by Homewood in Durban.

LEFT, FROM THE TOP The resident leopard is called Tiyani. | Silvan Safari is situated in Sabi Sand Game Reserve in the Bushveld. | Vanilla yoghurt panna cotta with chocolate crumble and honeycomb candy. | Animals like zebra roam freely between the Kruger National Park and Sabi Sand.

OPPOSITE, TOP The yellow colour and the commissioned artworks in the Cassia Suite reference the colloquial name for the cassia tree, the golden rain tree. In the living area of every suite, an embroidered Casamento piece celebrates its namesake tree – Jacqui Hunter of Imagenius Interiors had the sofa and ottoman made in collaboration with Starry-Eve Collett and the rest of the Casamento team.

OPPOSITE, BOTTOM The roomy bathrooms – in this case the Tree Wisteria Suite’s bathroom – give one the feeling of being in a hammam. The decor was kept simple, with white linen curtains, a giant armchair and hand-forged metal stands and tables.

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MPUMALANGA SAFARI LODGE

Butler Xolisa Khatu walks past the ironwood dining table, which is laid for a feast. The delicate chandelier by Gregg Brill features more than 1 km of antique copper chain and “leaves� of copper and coconut husk chips. The artworks against the back wall are by Anastasia Pather, who was commissioned to depict the Rain Queen Modjadji, and The Grand Living was commissioned to make the bronzed-metal Twig server.

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A boardwalk winds through a fever-tree forest and then past leadwood trees and cycads to an unobtrusive opening in the great granite �spine“, the wall that forms the backbone of the lodge.

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In the main living area, a baby grand piano, another Casamento masterpiece and a bee-eater swarm art installation by Gregg Brill are the heroes of the space. The ceramic-topped side tables are

by Ceramic Matters and Wiid Design, and the rug is a �reworn“ and overdyed Persian.

Butler Phindile Singwane.

The Bobo ottomans and slipper chairs were designed by Jacqui and Peter Wunder.

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Seared scallops with a cauliflower and cashew nut purée on a plate by Mervyn Gers Ceramics. LEFT Dawid Minnie relaxes in a Porky Hefer Nest chair against a Poetry cushion by Karien Belle.

A magnificent jackalberry tree presides over Vogel loungers next to the 25 m lap pool, from which elephants sometimes drink.

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PHOTO BRUCE BOYD TURN TO PAGE 148 FOR MORE

31 REASONS TO CHILL OUT

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01 A FAIRTOREMEMBER

In September, visitors to the annual lifestyle trade fair Maison&Objet in Paris found it easier to navigate the exhibition halls than before thanks to a revamped layout comprising two hubs. VISI Editor Sumien Brink gives her impressions of the fair.

ARLY in September 2018, I had the opportunity to visit the incredible Maison&Objet Paris trade fair. It’s hard to believe that ater all these years of working in the industry, it was the first time for me!

I got advice from people who’d been there before, but nothing could have prepared me for the size and extent of the expo. There was no way to see everything in four days – I think that is why the clever

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organisers decided to radically change the layout and navigation of the exhibits.

The fair is now divided into two sections, “Maison” and “Objet”, to help visitors to get the best out of the exciting new offerings.

The “Objet” section presents the best in objects by product family, and is devoted to a practical solution for retailers. The “Maison” section, which is aimed at opinion leaders, groups together decoration and home interior solutions organised by style.

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CONNECT TO THE LATEST IN DESIGN AND DECOR Now, you can get previews of new products and keep up to date with what’s trending year round on the website mom, short for Maison&Objet and More. mom.maison-objet.com

VIRTUOUS The overarching theme for this expo was designed by Vincent Gregoire of the NellyRodi agency in Paris.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MAISON & OBJET

The idea of being mindful and kind through design is not new, although it is definitely becoming a more prominent global trend. NellyRodi came up with this concept as a show theme to highlight how it is front-of-

mind for creatives, consumers and manufacturers in the design sphere.

Thinking locally but acting globally is vital in shaping the future of design.

This awareness of environmental concerns as a part of the fair was divided into six exhibition spaces: The Virtuous Factory, The Virtuous Design, The Virtuous Makers, The Virtuous Stories, The Virtuous Store and The Virtuous Kid Room.

The space was organised like a village square, with houses around a central plaza that visitors could stroll through. The houses all had different key points, like recycling and repairs, fair trade, social responsibility and traceability. The idea is that all this will inspire us to communicate differently with different values, to stop cultural appropriation and highlight the value of regional identities.

ABOVE An exhibition exploring the “Virtuous” theme included products made of recycled plastic. TOP Jour de Fête cushions by Maison Popineau, made using fabric offcuts from haute couture reserves and end-of-series ranges, and reclaimed leather for the tabs from high-end leather goods suppliers.

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Among Ramy Fischler’s projects is Refettorio Paris, a community kitchen in the crypt of La Madeleine church in Paris.

RAMY FISCHLER

DESIGNER OF THE YEAR SEPTEMBER 2018

“We aim for this inconsistency in our choices to give ourselves more freedom,” he explains. Two main facets of focus in his design are encounters and ecology, which surface again and again in his work.

PORTRAIT CHIARA CADEDDU PHOTOS VINCENT LE ROUX

Paris-based Ramy Fischler is described

by Maison&Objet as a “free spirit” who is strongly influenced by cinema

and practices design in the same way a director creates a film. Ramy is as eclectic as the variety of projects he has happening at the same time – most of which are inspired by exploring and taking risks in the design realm.

Ramy Fischler and two of his recent projects: The Twitter offices in Paris and La malle de Voyage, “a world inside a trunk” for Le Kasha.

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THE RISING TALENT AWARDS These young designers demanded the spotlight with an array of cutting-edge creations. Maison&Objet looked towards Lebanon and these six talented creatives made the cut ater being nominated by a seven-person jury.

MARC DIBEH

ANASTASIA NYSTEN

The Storyteller

At The Crossroads of Culture

Beirut-based designer Marc embraces the concept of stories before product. marcdibeh.com

Dubai-based Anastasia uses a combination of warmth and minimalism in her multicultural approach to design. anastasianysten.com

CARLO MASSOUD Committed Design Carlo, who constancly questions social, political and cultural norms, blurs the line between design and art installation. carlomassoud.com

STUDIO CARAMEL Back to the Future Karl Chucri and Rami Boushdid celebrate a ’50s aesthetic with a modern twist. studio-caramel.com

PAOLA SAKR Charitable Projects Artist and designer Paola’s Quantum collection reveals an approach to clay that is more architectural than organic. paolasakr.design

CARLA BAZ Because it’s Beautiful Designer Carla founded her own studio in Beirut and works with top Lebanese cratsmen to create striking minimal pieces. carlabaz.com

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The VISI team’s selection of products and trends that stood out at the September edition of Maison&Objet in Paris.

CERAMICS REINVENTED

TENTS, THE NEW PLAY ZONE

A black-and-white combination was seen at many stands.

You couldn’t miss the many play tents for kids – forts and sanctuaries for when they want privacy from adults.

Paper-clay creations by ceramicist Paola Paronetto.

EXOTIC INDOOR PLANTS

Organic and rectangular forms were ubiquitous at the fair.

Plant installations featuring exotics were everywhere.

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KNITTED AND CROCHETED PIECES

ABOVE Neรณ exhibited baskets and bags knitted or crocheted out of neoprene yarn. ABOVE RIGHT French brand Les Jouets Libres designs and produces eco-friendly creative games for children.

PINK AND TERRACOTTA

SOUTH AFRICAN TALENT AT MAISON&OBJET Two South African brands had individual stands at the fair: Mungo and Ronel Jordaan.

And nine local brands exhibited at a stand hosted by the Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries (CBI), which is funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Cratscurator and Solly Levy helped them to prepare for the exhibition: Beloved Beadwork, Design Afrika, Evolution Product,

PHOTOS AETHION

Indigi Designs, Meyer Von Wielligh, Minima Design, Saks Corner, Skinny laMinx and Vogel.

Pink, terracotta and a combination of the two shades are the new go-to colours.

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FULL SPEKTRUM

Laurie Wiid van Heerden of Wiid Design has combined cork and laminated glass in his new collection, named Spektrum.

How did you decide on the name Spektrum?

It relates to the theme of the collection.

The main focuses are texture and colour.

The special colour film used in the laminated glass creates a rainbow of colours . The colours on the cork are also layered and the unique Mexican blue appears luminous.

What are the colour combos? In this collection I used an imported Mexican blue paint for the base of the table, and bright yellows and the same blue as an undercoat for the chairs. For

my new range I will make use of more subtle colour and leave parts of the cork exposed.

What inspired the designs? The Spektrum collection reminds me a bit of the ’70s, especially the colours and the shapes of the chairs and table.

I love timeless pieces, and these shapes are universal, allowing us to incorporate additional materials such as marble on the tables and different coloured glass backrests. The cork can also be finished in any colour or simply let uncoated. wiiddesign.co.za

PHOTO JUSTIN PATRICK INTERVIEW MICHALEA STEHR

How does this differ from your other work? It is the first time my studio has experimented with painted cork and glass in furniture. We played

with different paint techniques and pigments to emphasise the unique texture of cork in combination with the smooth surface and contemporary feel of the glass. Cork as a material is transformed with a coat of paint: It retains its unique texture and sustainable properties, and its durability is further enhanced by the paint.

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COLOUR TRENDS

Plascon has released its Colour Forecast for 2019, which features four distinct stories and a Neutral of the Year.

T a time when information overload meets introspection, colour is so much more than the paint we roll onto our walls,” says the Plascon Colour Team in the latest annual Colour Forecast from the global paint company Kansai Paint. ”It’s a source of inspiration and escapism that can be customised and combined to affect our mood and shape our lives.”

In preparation for the 2019 edition, Plascon embarked on a Kansai colour workshop to gain insights from its teams around the world. That information was then combined with research from trend forecaster WGSN to tap into the global mood. Six annual trend drivers were identified, namely cocooning, urbanisation, individualisation, emotional intelligence, mindfulness and global connection.

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Out of this research come four definitive colour stories, each with its own personality and palette, and the Neutral of the Year, Ravine 62, an artful blend of grey and beige, as well as key paint trends.

The Glamour Story, which is underpinned by restrained neutrals offset by feminine pastels, is said to appeal to confident and creative souls.

For the introverted thinker, the soulful neutrals and saturated shades of the Minimal Story will stimulate mindfulness and suit an uncluttered environment. Rich autumnal hues set against calming neutrals signify the sophisticated Luxury Story.

And the Urban Story’s inner-city energy is perfectly captured by vibrant accent colours paired with cementicious shades.

Find the Plascon Colour Forecast 2019 at all major Plascon stockists. plascon.com

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The Neutral of the Year is Ravine 62, a subtle grey that is the perfect base colour for building an interior palette regardless of your personal style. For a calm Scandinavian aesthetic, pair it with bright white and blond wood tones to add warmth and make the space feel cosy and inviting.

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PHOTOS SHAVAN RAHIM WORDS AMELIA BROWN

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FINE DINING

The dining sofa from online furniture store sofacompany.com is a modern alternative to traditional dining chairs.

ANISH designer Cathrine Rudolph is behind the look of sofacompany.com’s Scandi-inspired Garret dining sofa, a new addition to the Danish brand’s extensive furniture collection.

Cathrine, who has a background in textile design, chose to cover the dining sofa in two shades of sot-to-the-touch velour, a dusty pink and a dark grey. The standard sofa features a straight, high backrest with classic button detailing and smoked-oak legs.

Compared with traditional dining chairs, the Garret “provides a more intimate, cocooning dining experience,” says sofacompany.com partner Jonathan Sherwin. “It also works beautifully matched with equally well-designed dining chairs to create a modern, eclectic dining area.”

Around the corner from the existing sofacompany.com showroom in De Waterkant, Cape Town, is a new 760 m2 pop-up showroom at 72 Hudson Street where you can view the Garret and more than 150 signature pieces.

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za.sofacompany.com

The upright Garret dining sofa from sofacompany.com, which costs R9 299, encourages socialising around the dining table.

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RAVINE 62 THE ULTIMATE GREY

As a part of our annual Colour Forecast, we choose a Neutral of the Year for the perfect backdrop to every home.

Inspired by nature, Ravine 62’s artful blend of beige and grey offers a sense of calm and timelessness, regardless of style preferences.

For the perfect product complement, paint it in Plascon Cashmere.

Plascon Cashmere comes in a plush matt finish providing an elegant transformation for the inside of your home.

PlasconSA

@plasconsa

PlasconSA

PlasconSA

@PlasconSA

For more colour and interior trend inspiration, view our 2019 Plascon Colour Forecast at www.plascon.com Plascon Advisory Service 0860 20 40 60 | Email: advice@plascon.co.za

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05 GIFTS BYDESIGN

Here at VISI HQ we love to celebrate good design, the minds that dreamt it and the hands that make it. We’ve put together a list of giting ideas that meet some key criteria: something a little different, something made with sustainability and slow who h everything. production in mind, and something unique – ideal for som MOSS & MOON Simone Stiglingh, owner of Moss & Moon Apothecary, is passionate about creating products that contain only natural ingredients and essential oils. She was born into a family who all have sensitive skin, so she has always preferred to turn to nature or the pantry rather than commercial products. Moss & Moon is a collection of her best recipes formulated into shard-like soap bars, oils, creams and tinctures.

Shop: The Space in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban, Johannesburg and Pretoria Instagram: @mossandmoonstudio

MAG Duafe medium earrings, R280 per set.

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MAG BY ANDILE Andile Mdakane launched MAG Urban African Accessories in 2016. Inspired by ancient African symbols rich with meaning, MAG earrings and brooches come in various shweshwe finishes.

Shop: The Watershed, Zeitz MOCAA and The Space Cavendish, Cape Town; Hello Africa Marketplace, The Space Menlyn and The Space Rosebank, Gauteng Instagram: @magbyandile

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SKIN CREAMERY

PHOTOS JAN RAS, SHAVAN RAHIM AND MIA MELANGE WORDS MICHAELA STEHR

Founded in 2014 by Hannah Rubin, Skin Creamery aims to be kind to the planet while being kind to your skin. We love the idea of minimising clutter in your bathroom by having a few welldesigned products that don’t compromise on quality. And you can order refills, too.

Shop: skincreamery.co.za Instagram: @skincreamery

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Facial Cleansing Powder, R310, Facial Hydrating Oil, R295, Two-Phase Skin Tonic, R325, and The Everyday Cream for Face & Body, R350.

LISA SWANEPOEL Reminiscent of the lava lamp of the ’90s, the Neon Snake by artist and designer Lisa Swanepoel speaks to her eclectic and ever-colourful contemporary aesthetic. The 55 cm-tall LED light, which is sandwiched between two slabs of Perspex with a path cut out for the snake, can be dimmed and programmed with a remote to a single or slowly changing colour.

Shop: lisabrey@mweb.co.za Instagram: @swanepoellisa Website: lisaswanepoel.com

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WIN

Canary hat with pompoms (R1 250) and Hibiscus hat (R1 750) by Crystal Birch.

CRYSTAL BIRCH London-trained milliner Crystal Birch worked under Piers Atkinson in the UK before she launched her eponymous brand of stylish hats – “which pair perfectly with onepiece swimsuits,” she says – in 2014. In 2018, she became a director of the 82-year-old hat factory Parisian Milliners, where her unstoppable energy is directing the business into the 21st century while retaining its hand-made charm.

Shop: Kirsten Goss in Cape Town and Joburg, and therealcrystalbirch.com/shop Instagram: @therealcrystalbirch

LISA FIRER Ceramicist Lisa Firer’s unique porcelain vessels are created through a handrolled slab-built technique. When she got married last year, Lisa wore a dress made from an antique silk ikat created by friend and fellow artist Shirley Fintz.

Her latest range of slip-trailed porcelain vases is inspired by this unconventional wedding dress.

Shop: Lisa Firer Design, Chandler House and Collect, Cape Town; Firehouse, Johannesburg Instagram:

@lisafirerdesign

WIN! To win a selection of gits on these pages, worth R5 995, visit VISI.co.za/win for details. visi.co.za

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Waffle and honeycomb pillowcases from R495 each and Camargue throws from R2 750 each in Oats, Bone and Salt & Pepper.

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WIN ITHACA FINE HOMEWARE The simple pleasure of sleeping under exquisite bed linen is unsurpassed. Ithaca’s locally made and hand-finished pillowcases, duvets and throws promise a perfect night’s rest. “As an interior designer, working with fine fabrics for many years almost let me no choice but to create something exquisite that we can use and appreciate in our homes on a daily basis,” says Ithaca owner Ilze Swart.

Shop: ithacahomeware.com/contact-order Instagram: @ithaca_homeware

SAMASAMA

PHOTOS SHAVAN RAHIM COMPILED BY MICHAELA STEHR

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Kimberly Lardner-Burke, who founded the clothing brand SamaSama, attributes her design inspiration to growing up with brands like Mad Dogs and Naartjie. Most of SamaSama’s designs – “clothing designed to allow movement, unrestricted and with compassion for the body” – are gender-neutral.

Shop: The Neighbourgoods Market and The Strangers Club, Cape Town; Better Half & Friends, 99 Juta, Johannesburg Instagram: @samasamacpt

For more locally made gits, beautifully wrapped and delivered countrywide, check out the online shop JimnoJean.com, which sells local artists’ work, homeware, jewellery, fashion and conscious beauty products.

Shop: jimnojean.com

DISCOVER MORE OF OUR FAVOURITE LOCALLY PRODUCED GIFTING IDEAS AT VISI.CO.ZA

WIN! To win a voucher from JimnoJean, worth R1 200, visit VISI.co.za/win for details.

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A celebration of South Africa, art and all-girl creatives, Something Good Studio is the little start-up with a grand vision.

RMED with the will to pursue something greater than her eight-to-five, Joburg girl Zydia Botes started Something Good Studio with dreams of creating corporatesponsored charity blankets that are equal parts art and warmth for those in

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need. Getting corporate sponsorship as a start-up proved trickier than expected, so she decided to start off with an art blanket range, comprising six blankets/throws designed by some of her favourite female artists and all made here of locally sourced yarn.

Zydia continues to pursue corporate

sponsorship and her dream of charity blankets. In the meantime, every sale of these limited-edition art blankets support women and local manufacturing. Blankets cost between R3 450 and R3 800 and are available online and at selected shops. somethinggoodstudio.com

Blanket designs by, clockwise from top left, Janet Lightbody, Renée Rossouw, Karabo Poppy Moletsane and Fran Labuschagne.

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WORDS CHERI MORRIS

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GOOD LOOKING

“Architecture is the thoughtful making of space.”

Louis Kahn American Architect

CENTURY - TERRA GRIGIO. 800mm x 800mm. Natural & Grip Surface.

STILES - Cape Town 37 Paarden Eiland Road Cape Town, 7405 T: 021 510 8310 F: 021 510 8317 info@stiles.co.za

STILES - George 12 Commercial Close George, 6529 T: +27 44 8713222 F: +27 44 8710721 info@stiles.co.za

STILES - Mossel Bay Bolton Street Mossel Bay, 6506 T: +27 44 6951800 F: +27 44 6951877 info@stiles.co.za

www.stiles.co.za

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07 ALL SHINY

DEAL for holiday giting and entertaining, the Le Creuset Metallics collection is available in sets of six mini bowls, six mini ramekins, three stackable ramekins, six 350 ml mugs, six cappuccino mugs and six espresso mugs.

The shimmery colourways are White, Mist Grey, Cerise, Lapis, Kale and Cassis.

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& NEW

The new Le Creuset Metallics collection sees the brand’s iconic stoneware ďŹ nished in seasonal sparkle.

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In the Metalics collection, a set of six espresso mugs costs R1 190, a set of cappuccino mugs R1 450 and a set of 350 ml mugs R1 615.

WIN! Three readers will each win a box of Le Creuset Metallics mugs, worth from R1 190 per set. Go to VISI.co.za/win to enter. visi.co.za

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PHOTO JAN RAS WORDS AMELIA BROWN

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NO OR 20 years, Core Furniture Concepts has worked with interior designers, property developers, architects and procurement companies to source designer pieces from around the world. Core imports from high-end European manufacturers such as Vondom, Ethimo, MyYour and Varaschin, to name a few, which work with designers like Ross Lovegrove and Marcel Wanders. This season we’re crushing on Core’s range of unusual outdoor lights, which are ideal for summer nights al fresco.

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LEADINGLIGHTS With warm summer evenings on our mind, contemporary outdoor lights imported by Core Furniture Concepts caught our eye.

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WORDS AMELIA BROWN

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Ampoule floor lamp

by MyYour, R16 312,75. | Pancho floor lamp by New Garden, R5 636,15. | Large Japan lamp by Point, R19 838. | Bonheur lamp

by Serralunga, R21 817.

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WELL, HELLO THERE The VISI team spotted Karin Cronje’s delightful hello.karri furniture range at the 2018 Cape Town Homemakers Expo.

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wo years ago, instead of taking the annual builder’s holiday, a few carpenters working for Hands On, Karin Cronje’s construction company, spent the time “playing” with timber offcuts reclaimed from building sites. And so hello.karri was born. We chatted to Karin about the brand.

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Do you have a design background? Not at all. I was a crime reporter at Die Burger and in the early 2000s my life took a complete turn and I started Hands On.

Do you use recycled materials? Yes, as far as possible, especially Oregon pine and reclaimed plywood.

And if we need to buy timber, we use only wood sourced from regulated suppliers and plantations.

The hello.karri studio is at The Hub, Fabriek St, Franschhoek hellokarri.co.za

A small Christmas tree costs R250 (proceeds go to Isabelo charity) and the dog bed R650. Email request@hellokarri.co.za for prices.

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PHOTOS MICKY HOYLE INTERVIEW TRACY GREENWOOD

Tell us about your products.

I am passionate about practical furniture. Our various ranges include lockers, tables, play kitchens and practical furniture for the office, made of plywood and MDF board. Since these materials are affordable, we‘ve been manufacturing furniture for students, startups, young parents, bars and restaurants.

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TOEVERY SEASON Babylonstoren’s beautiful 2019 calendar is an ode to the unsung heroes of the garden: insects.

The calendar, which costs R330 at the Babylonstoren farm shop and online, comprises loose sheets of quality paper layered over a wire coat hanger, to be taken o as the months pass. They can be used as wrapping paper or place mats.

WIN! Three lucky readers will each win a Babylonstoren 2019 calendar, worth R330. Go to VISI.co.za/win to enter. visi.co.za

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PHOTOS JAN RAS WORDS AMELIA BROWN

EES, butterflies, moths, flies, spiders, beetles – precious pollinators, a crucial link in the chain of life which ensures our food and sustenance,” says food stylist and creative Maranda Engelbrecht, who conceptualised the Babylonstoren 2019 calendar. Beautiful photos featuring Rorschach-esque insects assembled with botanicals from the farm have been captured as if in a display case. Functioning as something of a gardener’s almanac,

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the calendar focuses on produce or an important activity or event relevant to a particular month. It also features recipes, each with a suggested Babylonstoren wine pairing, and festive cocktails.

As well as paying tribute to the farm’s insect employees, the calendar acknowledges the founders, creators and maintainers of Babylonstoren, who, in Maranda’s words, “provide us with a neverending harvest of wholesome inspiration”. shop.babylonstoren.com

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Hand-woven in wool or cotton and sourced from all over the world, every rug in the latest Herringbone range tells a story.

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contemporary design, says co-owner Sarah Craig. “Our offering is a little different. We do follow trends, but foremost in our selection criteria is our passion for the culture, art and history of rug-making.”

The striking images featured here were captured on the Atlantis dunes in Cape Town. They belie the logistical manoeuvring required of the team,

13TH-CENTURY EXPLORER MARCO POLO REPORTED HEARING EERIE SINGING IN THE GOBI DESERT. THIS COULD BE EXPLAINED BY SEISMIC WAVES TRAVELLING THROUGH DUNE SAND.

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Blue-and-white cotton dhurrie with a ribbon stripe, 1,6 x 2,3 m, R10 300.

FAST FACT

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4x4 driver and photographer, Karen Haacke. “We chose these rugs from our collection for the shoot, as we felt they would contrast beautifully against the stark landscape of the dunes and the early-morning light,” says Sarah.

“We went for bright colours and bold patterns to create this contrast against the simplicity of the untouched sand.”

TOP Turkish kelim with a diamond pattern, 3,17 x 2,69 m, R24 700.

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PHOTOS KAREN HAACKE WORDS MICHAELA STEHR

ERRINGBONE was started out of a desire to find beautiful dhurries and other flat-weave rugs, which have now become a staple of the brand‘s offering, among the wide variety of beautiful hand-made rugs they sell.

Initially serving a utilitarian purpose, flat-weave rugs have found a place in

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WORDS TRACY GREENWOOD

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AT YOUR SERVICE

The people of Southern Hospitality, furniture architects that cater to the hospitality industry, draw on years of innovative designs and cratsmanship to remain at the top of their game.

KILLED upholstery, fine cabinetmaking and progressive design are just some of the qualities that make Southern Hospitality a favourite supplier to the hospitality industry.

If you’ve visited a top hotel in South Africa, eaten a meal in one of their restaurants, sipped a cocktail at the bar or lounged in your room, chances are

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you’ve been relaxing on their furniture.

“Our biggest strength as a company is that we know when to lead or be led; we follow this model with our clients, designers, suppliers and, most importantly, our staff,” says Southern Hospitality CEO Dylan Joseph.

The hospitality industry, says Dylan, is fast-paced when it comes to furniture design, and at Southern Hospitality the

emphasis is placed squarely on working with clients to develop new products.

“The market has been thirsty for a new category of furniture supplier that does not just make furniture but makes it happen. At Southern Hospitality we pride ourselves on offering clients a flexible way to express their brands through quality custom furniture.” southernhospitality.co.za

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Cookie Monster Halo chair, Memphis wingback sofa, Lino chair, Ixapa Padington chair, Odenraal chair and Memphis chair.

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‘MET YS’ The 0˚C print series features stunning floral compositions captured in ice and on camera.

ROWING up with a mother forever arranging flowers in a home filled with paintings made by his father of those very arrangements, Bruce Boyd has always known he wanted to do something with flowers.

He began experimenting with flower-filled ice blocks against backdrops of light with the help of artist Tharien Smith, his girlfriend.

Ater yet another mediocre shoot, they inadevertently dropped an ice block into a swimming pool… and

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watched in awe as cascading light danced from petal to pool floor. In that moment, their 0˚C series was born.

Months of trial and error followed. With Tharien as chief flower arranger and Bruce behind the lens, more than 100 blocks of flowersin-ice were photographed before they were happy with the results. When the ice blocks meet with fluid form – pool, stream or puddle – they crack and melt, offering an always-unexpected final touch. Prints in A1 size are sold online for R4 000 each. zerodegrees.co.za

IMAGES BRUCE BOYD WORDS CHERI MORRIS

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Time to shine.

Shine on this Christmas with Le Creuset. Look out for the new Metallics Collection, a range of shimmering stoneware gift sets with a luxurious, pearlized finish. Shop the new range as well as some irresistible Christmas promotional offers, in store or online at www.lecreuset.co.za with free delivery.

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AFRICAN ART BEAT Now in its sixth year, 1-54 is the leading international art fair dedicated to contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora.

The 1-54 London 2018 edition was again held at Somerset House in central London in October. The fair attracted 18 000 visitors.

RT fairs, even though they are indeed as the name suggests places where one can drop a considerable amount of money on art, are not merely for the well-heeled. Nor are they just affairs for the art cognoscenti to gather and wax on. As art has become a bigger and bigger business, so the events have become recreational occasions.

Out of the 60 000+ people who visit Frieze London, one of the biggest art fairs in the world, it is estimated that more than 80% are there to view the art

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rather than to shop. Frieze happened in the first week of October 2018 and so did 1-54, the newer, younger and ohso-much-more African contemporary art fair, which takes its name from the number of countries on the continent.

Founded by Touria El Glaoui in 2013, 1-54’s three annual editions in London, New York and Marrakech attract buyers, the global art-fair-hopping crowd and a fair number of celebrities.

Says founder Touria about the growth of the fair: “When we launched in 2013 in London, our mission was to

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provide visibility to artists from the continent and the African diaspora.

Ater the success of the first two years in London we wanted to make sure that the artist representation was accelerated a bit by trying to provide the same type of visibility in another art capital of the world, so we went to New York. The thinking was that it’s the place where the largest number of institutions and important collectors might be interested in coming to see what we were doing, so in 2015 we launched in Brooklyn. And now, in 2019,

we’ll be celebrating our fith edition in New York and moving from Brooklyn to Manhattan, which will be central to the big collectors and the big institutions.

Last year we were also able to bring 1-54 to the African continent by adding a Moroccan edition, so we launched 1-54 Marrakech, and the second edition is coming in February 2019.”

THE FEATURE EXHIBITION This year’s feature exhibition at 1-54 London was by none other than South African artist Athi-Patra Ruga, whose solo show Of Gods, Rainbows and Omissions included work from three of his exhibitions over the past decade as well as new work. “Not only is Athi-Patra an instrumental artist for his generation

in South Africa,” says Touria, “but his exhibition also presents work that a lot of people can engage with, not just people focused on contemporary African art. He is talking to a wider audience and engaging on important issues. We are really happy that a larger audience in London will see it.”

It remains on show until 9 January 2019.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WHATIFTHEWORLD WORDS MALIBONGWE TYILO

Two works that Athi-Patra Ruga showed at 1-54 London: Night of the Long Knives I and Proposed Model for uMabele-bele.

PEOPLE OF THE SOUTH Among the Southern African artists who showed with various galleries were four brought together by restaurant chain Nando’s and the Spier Arts Trust, in partnership with 1-54 London: Emma Willemse, Ricky Dyaloyi, John Murray and Zemba Luzamba. “They are artists who think deeply about what they do and, even though they have distinctly different messages, I think their works tie together beautifully,” says Spier Arts Trust chief curator Tamlin Blake.

“Generally speaking, the core theme of the exhibition revolves around people.

Emma’s ideas about displacement

are very much about how people are removed from their places of living or work, but specifically about human trauma around loss. Zemba’s work references politics and power relations between different classes, and how people compete with one another in the pursuit of positions of power.

“John references people in his work and, through a collage of imagery, questions how people fit into their society. And Ricky oten does these huge crowd scenes, lots of people, lots of energy, sort of really documenting the current local feeling of his hometown.”

FAST FACT SOMERSET HOUSE, NOW A CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTRE, WAS DESIGNED IN 1775 TO HOUSE PUBLIC OFFICES. IN WINTER THE COURTYARD IS THE SETTING FOR AN ICE RINK.

GET WITH THE PROGRAM The next edition of 1-54 will be held in Marrakech, Morocco, 23 – 24 February 2019, followed by 1-54 New York, 3 – 5 May 2019.

Go to VISI’s YouTube channel to see our interviews with artists at 1-54 London.

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VISI REASONS

EMMA WILLEMSE is a conceptual artist, curator and lecturer.

Her work includes sculptural installations, painting, drawing, video, photographic processes and printmaking. She deals primarily with issue of displacement and the ensuing trauma, oten using wood reclaimed from homes from which people have been displaced.

ZEMBA LUZAMBA moved to Cape Town from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he was born, in 1999. He documents the lives of immigrant communities, his paintings reflecting a post-colonial Africa. His work portrays the attractive facade of leisure and tedium, revealing little of the seriousness beneath – of political and historical context.

JOHN MURRAY uses various mediums, including collage, bricolage (work built up with materials that happen to be available), oil and charcoal. His primary focus is the notion of difference, as “difference” is characteristic of South Africa’s diverse nation in particular and of contemporary society in general.

RICKY DYALOYI depicts people going about their daily lives, but his images are more than simple snapshots of township life. They explore the various predicaments of contemporary African society, specifically as he observes them in his community. Using materials that oten reflect and echo his surroundings, he works on untreated canvas and occasionally mixes his paint with sand and dust.

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MORE PEOPLE OF THE SOUTH Represented by a number of other galleries, including SMAC and WHATIFTHEWORLD, were South African artists such as Esther Mahlangu, Siwa Mgoboza, Nelson Makamo, Kendell Geers, Pieter Hugo, Lungiswa Gqunta and Lebohang Kganye.

PHOTOS BRITTANY BUONGIORNI

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE An installation by Kendell Geers. | Works by South African icon Esther Mahlangu, including two Loop chairs by Dokter and Misses that she was commissioned to paint. | An artwork of an embroidered curtain and beer bottles, titled There are Many Ways to be Betrayed, by Lungiswa Gqunta. | Three works

by Siwa Mgoboza.

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VISI REASONS

Walk of Numbers by Ndikhumbule Ngqinambi.

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Sanlam Private Wealth is collaborating with young artists to reimagine works from the vast Sanlam Art Collection. It’s called Again & Again.

ANLAM Private Wealth has come up with a brilliant way to use the amazing Sanlam Art Collection to inspire a new generation of artists.

By doing so, it is also drawing parallels between the artist creating something valuable and lasting, and the work that wealth managers do.

How it works is that the curator of the collection, Stefan Hundt, selects a work in the collection and Sanlam Private Wealth then commissions upand-coming creatives to reinterpret it.

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Again & Again kicked off with a 2009 work by Ndikhumbule Ngqinambi titled Walk of Numbers, which depicts a journey of sorts and the passage of time on four linked circular canvasses.

The creatives selected for this first edition were Michael Chandler, Renée Rossouw, Shaun Gaylard, Evan Sohun and Lukhanyo Mdingi.

Michael made a pen-and-ink illustration that is just 30 cm high but 6 m wide. Captivated by the individual stories of the people in the procession, Renée made an abstract linocut portrait

imagining one individual. Shaun interpreted the figures’ journey as leading to a destination constantly beyond their reach, so he envisioned an ideal city for them, drawing on Renaissance and contemporary urban design principles.

Evan responded to the idea of linear progress the work evokes by wrapping his distinctive distorted cartoon-like characters in an escapist world. And fashion designer Lukhanyo created a textile design to capture what he saw as cyclical references to time in the work. againandagain.co.za

ABOVE, LEFT AND RIGHT Interpretations of Walk of Numbers by Michael Chandler and Renée Rossouw.

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BEGINNING AGAIN

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When the founder of WAZ Outdoor was designing the brand’s latest outdoor loungers, she took inspiration from the luxury Mediterranean yachting lifestyle.

HE WAZ Sport lounger does more than just evoke the sports-luxe yachting set of the Med – it is also made of sail material, with bold zigzag stitching. “The choice of material just made so much sense,” says Sarah Wassell, founder of WAZ Outdoor. “It is both functional and characterful.”

Also new in the WAZ range are an umbrella, lounger and rectangular and round sunbeds in the classic Striped Collection, as well as

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the WAZ Fabulously Fuchsia lounger and ottoman.

“I think we have generally become more conservative in our outdoor furniture choices, but the Fabulously Fuchsia collection is all about doing things differently,” Sarah says of the vibrant poolside range.

WAZ products are made in Cape Town of materials sourced from all over the world and put through rigorous testing, with an emphasis on durability. @wazoutdoor wazoutdoor.com

WIN! To stand a chance to win a WAZ Sport lounger, valued at R8 995, enter at VISI.co.za/win. visi.co.za

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WORDS NOMFUNDO NKAMBULE

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LOUNGINGAROUND

VISI REASONS A range of Tuber planters, designed by Haldane Martin, and, below, Steen planters, designed by architects Stefan Antoni and Greg Truen.

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17 AGROWING SUCCESS “My primary inspiration is a love of making beautiful things,” says Indigenus founder Peter van der Post.

“I had a business making industrial products and I hated that they weren’t beautiful. I wanted to make things I would be proud of.”

With this guiding principle, Indigenus has collaborated with the likes of Stefan Antoni and Greg Truen of SAOTA, Andile Dyalvane, Laurie Wiid van Heerden, Haldane Martin and Gregor Jenkin. “I saw how top European brands collaborated with some of the best designers to make amazingly beautiful products,” says Peter.

“I believe those designers are no better than ours; in fact, I think ours are ahead in many respects.”

The positive response to the brand’s DNA of “African soulfulness” has given Peter the confidence to take risks, like with the Bhaca planters designed by artist

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Andile Dyalvane. “Some felt the design might be too avant-garde for planters, but they’ve been well received everywhere.”

Peter credits the brand’s commitment to quality for its growing success, from the quality of its collaboration with designers to the artisans who make the planters, down to the quality of the styling and photography for marketing purposes.

Ater fulfilling orders for two luxury hospitality refurbs in Dubai and Mauritius in 2016 and 2017, Indigenus broke into the Middle East market and now has high-end distributors in Asia, Australia, Europe, the UK and North America.

The team are currently developing an adaption of the Tuber planters, designed by Haldane Martin, this time made out of glass-reinforced concrete. But Peter has his sights set on growing the range to include lighting using natural materials and the same principles. indigenus.co.za

PHOTOS MARK WILLIAMS WORDS AMELIA BROWN

Since its launch in 2014, Indigenus has garnered local acclaim with its functional-art planters and designforward collaborations; and the brand is blooming globally, too.

Inspired ideas

create world-class tented destinations

INVEST IN A BUSHTEC CREATION With more than 50 years in designing, manufacturing and delivering extraordinary tented experiences across the globe, we have earned the trust of investors in leisure and hospitality destinations.

We believe collaboration is essential to producing a profitable villa, resort or lodge.

It’s why our award-winning and specialised in-house design and engineering team work closely with you. From the irst introductory meeting through to the site inspection, delivery of CAD drawings, tent manufacture and construction phase, we ensure your buy-in at all stages of the project.

By ofering a full turnkey solution, we guarantee the quality and workmanship of our contractors, thereby reducing costs and avoiding unnecessary project delays. Added to this, our afordable maintenance plan or on-site training ensures the longevity of your investment.

Let’s work together to create a luxury getaway which is always fully booked.

Contact us on +27 (0)12 671 1117 bushtecsafari.co.za info@bushtecsafari.co.za

A CANVAS AND TENT company

Goo-Moremii

g , Bootswana

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Concrete has been cast in a new light in the world of interior design over the last few decades, and now creating a concrete feature wall just got a whole lot easier, thanks to Cemcrete.

EOPLE thought Thomas Edison was nuts when he commissioned and moved into the world’s first precast concrete house. (He even tried to make a piano out of concrete.)

These days, concrete is not just a building material but also a desirable decorative element. It’s one of the materials that, along with steel and

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glass, changed the face of cities in the 20th century and underpinned the new building techniques that made Modernist architecture possible thanks to its strength and versatility. But its understated beauty is perhaps what we love most about it, the way it takes the wood print from the shuttering used to cast it, for example, or the subtle variations in its colour.

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But we’re not all lucky enough to live in concrete homes. The good news is you can now give just about any surface a concrete finish. A new skim-on coating from the Cemcrete range, CemCote Skimmed, allows you to paint or trowel the product onto walls, ceilings, countertops and wooden doors. But maybe you should still spare the piano. cemcrete.co.za

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GREY MATTER

STEEN

SOMA

Greg Truen & Stefan Antoni of SAOTA

by Laurie Wiid van Heerden

BHACA

TERRA

by Andile Dyalvane

by Laurie Wiid van Heerden

Indigenus design and manufacture beautiful, durable architectural planters developed to uplift and enhance residential, hospitality and corporate environments. www.indigenus.co.za

VISI REASONS

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19 FASHION

FORWARD esigner Laduma Ngxokolo has long since taken his MAXHOSA BY LADUMA knitwear brand international – his designs are showcased and celebrated around the globe. Now, he is steadily branching into homeware, with a range of cushions added to the already blossoming collection that began with a series of woven rugs.

What Laduma enjoys most about homeware is that it crosses seasons. “I love the fact that it doesn’t restrict me to winter or summer and that it is not as fast-paced as

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the fashion industry.

Every six months we have to come up with a new fashion collection, so I like the easier pace.”

The cushions feature a limited range of colours, combining hues that will easily complement existing decor. “We don’t anticipate that our customers would like to see their fashion items match their homeware!” says Laduma.

With plans to expand (think lamp shades, upholstery and curtains), it seems the MAXHOSA homeware journey is only just getting started. maxhosa.co.za

FAST FACT IN 2017, NEW AFRICAN MAGAZINE NAMED LADUMA ONE OF THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL AFRICANS. The cushions, costing R1 350 each, are sold at the Johannesburg studio, Mall of Africa, Newtown Junction and online at maxhosa.africa.

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PHOTOS MAXHOSA BY LADUMA WORDS LINDI BROWNELL MEIRING

MAXHOSA BY LADUMA knitwear‘s signature pattern – a celebration of traditional Xhosa aesthetics – has inspired a cushion collection.

VISI REASONS

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CAST IN PORCELAIN The renewed popularity of terrazzo flooring is showing no signs of abating, so WOMAG’s no-fuss terrazzo-look porcelain tiles are just the ticket.

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Terrazzo Nero is a 600 x 600 mm porcelain tile with a mix of light and dark, and large and small stone chips on a black base.

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porcelain tiles with a terrazzo pattern.

“We have introduced a new range of Terrazzo-look porcelain tiles that offer all the benefits of real terrazzo without the fuss of installing and maintaining it,” says WOMAG managing director Oren Sachs.

He is referring to the traditional method of pouring the concrete and

Terrazzo Grigio is a 600 x 600 mm matte-grey porcelain tile finished with grey stone-like elements, mimicking the effect of traditional terrazzo.

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polishing it on site. Porcelain tiles, on the other hand, are easy to install, with less mess, and require no additional maintenance.

The three tiles in the Womag Terrazzo range are all non-slip, so they’re suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. womag.co.za

Terrazzo Bianco is a 600 x 600 mm matte off-white porcelain tile finished with a combination of light-grey and off-white stonelike elements.

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WORDS TRACY GREENWOOD

RADITIONAL terrazzo flooring consists of an aggregate of marble, quartz and granite chips mixed into cement or epoxy resin. Firmly back in vogue, terrazzo is a sophisticated choice for a classic look. Now, local fans can opt for WOMAG’s latest collection of

VISI REASONS

The JPN Concept Store stocks artisan ceramics from Darrin Morrisby of Setamono Tableware (middle) and authentic Japanese kitchen knives from Neil Janse van Rensburg's Kitchen Samurai.

Recently opened in Cape Town, the JPN Concept Store offers a range of quality products sourced directly from Japan.

APE TOWN-based Japanophiles who have already discovered the authentic Japanese products available online from WAZA (which means “technique” or “skill”), Kitchen Samurai and Setamono Tableware can now browse their combined wares at the JPN Concept Store in Salt River. Ceramic tableware,

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hand-forged chef’s knives and a range of Japanese daily-use goods and tools are on offer for individuals and businesses alike.

The owners of the three brands, who all have an appreciation for Japanese culture and the quality and care of the cratsmanship, started following one another on social media in 2017. With mutual admiration for their various

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products, they shared a few informal messages and discussed organising a Japanese pop-up event, and so the idea of a concept store took hold. The partners plan to host small events for people interested in Japanese goods, themes and culture. kitchensamurai.co.za setamonotableware.com wazashop.co.za

Items from the online shop WAZA, which was opened by Hilda and Botha Kruger after returning from a trip to Japan and lamenting the fact that one couldn’t access beautiful functional Japanese-made products in South Africa.

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PHOTOS FRANK ELLIS AND CLAIRE GUNN WORDS AMELIA BROWN

MADE IN JAPAN

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WORLD CLASS, COST EFFECTIVE ITALIAN BRETON ENGINEERED STONE.

LIFETIME WARRANTY! Ideal for domestic and commercial interiors.

Visit our website or warehouse to view our full range of designs. www.vicostone.co.za I 021 531 5801

VISI REASONS

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HEADING OUTDOORS The new outdoor range at Mavromac & Gatehouse merges the traditional and contemporary with its clean lines and gently weathered aesthetic.

Hanneke Swart, owner of Mavromac & Gatehouse, sitting among pieces from the new outdoor furniture collection.

T was at the time of planning and designing a stand for Design Joburg 2018, with architect Jo van Rooyen, that I decided Mavromac & Gatehouse was ready for the next step,” says Hanneke Swart, owner of the fabric, wallpaper, furniture, accessories and lighting company with showrooms in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth. And now the new outdoor furniture collection is ready to be launched.

“About seven years ago I made the decision to produce locally instead of importing. We have an amazing amount of untapped talent in our country that needs a chance to flourish. So we started our in-house manufacturing operation,

with a focus on quality and uniqueness.”

Every oak or teak piece in the outdoor collection is treated to withstand the elements. An outdoor oil solution preserves the wood while allowing it to appear raw and natural.

The collection includes a Cuban-inspired rocking chair, contemporary sun lounger, deck chair and a Morris-inspired bench and chair – all of which are upholstered in beautiful linen-like outdoor fabrics unique to Mavromac & Gatehouse.

“We have taken what we believe in most and what we love most in design to create something that is uniquely us – designed and made right here in South Africa,” says Hanneke.

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FROM LEFT Aubrey Mabaso, Thabo Setshoha, Harry Maringa, Michelle Louw, Milton Petersen, Salome Ngako and David Maeko.

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PHOTOS HERMAN BOOYSEN WORDS LILLY QUIN

mavromacandthegatehouse.co.za

bianca@dolceb.com T | (+27)82 308 1653 Postnet Suite 438 Private Bsg X1 Melrose Arch, 2076

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ART IMITATINGLIFE The interior of Salsify at The Roundhouse is one of extremes: gritty versus refined, rock ’n’ roll versus classic.

ALSIFY is no shrinking violet. Not the restaurant and not the eponymous 1,3 m-tall bronze sculpture

by Otto du Plessis presiding over the space. Unapologetic, defiant even, the let foot of her curvaceous body is anchored firmly on her right thigh in a classic yoga pose, and her stylised pheasant head casts a steely gaze in the direction of the busy kitchen.

“She was my starting point,” says Sandalene Dale-Roberts, interior designer and wife of superstar chef Luke, whose Woodstock-based eatery The Test Kitchen was recently named 50th in the World’s Best Restaurants awards. “I just love her attitude.” As with all Luke’s restaurants, Sandalene was tasked with imbuing this space with her signature urban-opulent style, but breathing life into Cape Town’s iconic The Roundhouse wasn’t a straightforward endeavour. It’s a heritage space, for one, which translates into set parameters as far as renovations go. The building is also steeped in a colonial history that’s hard to paint over, as it were – in the early 1800s it was Cape Governor Lord Charles Somerset’s hunting lodge, where, it is said, he oten hosted Dr James Barry who, ater death, was revealed to be a woman.

When Sandalene’s customary starting point of skimming and finishing the walls was vetoed by the Heritage Trust, she opted for a talking point to build the interior around. Salsify stands

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Grit and polish: Artist Louis de Villiers’ spontaneous spray-paint splotch in conversation with Salsify, the bronze statue by sculptor Otto du Plessis.

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The leather cladding of this dining area was a challenge, considering the curved walls.

Sandalene’s team from her factory Naturalis stripped down and reupholstered the diminutive chairs in the drinks lounge.

The story of Lord Charles Somerset and Dr James Barry makes for interesting graffiti inspo.

Chef Ryan Cole’s spicefired tuna with atchar.

PHOTOS JUSTIN PATRICK WORDS ANNETTE KLINGER

The Salsify gin and tonic.

in a circular mirrored entrance hall. Above her, the round ceiling from which a chandelier dangles is painted gold. To the side, a Rorschachian spraypainted splotch by artist Louis de Villiers tips you off that this is no buttoned-up interior.

“I approached Louis to have the story of The Roundhouse told in a modern, controversial way,” says Sandalene. The interior showcases his divergent style: The reception area walls feature illustrative portraits of both Somerset (replete with horns) and Barry, and the drinks lounge walls are a juxtaposition of gritty graffiti and illustration.

Visible among it all is Sandalene’s hand. In her factory, her team reupholstered antique chairs in colonial blue, red, mustard and olive-green velvets; manufactured side tables, covered in charcoal leather, in a mid-century modern style; and produced the dining chairs for both the smoking-lounge-esque dining area with its leather-clad walls and the airy sea room, which overlooks the Atlantic.

“I’ve never ever taken so many risks with a job before,” she says.

“What I really tried to do here is to show that we can be in a space with a history, but that we can be ourselves and evolve.”

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AFRICAN SUPERFOOD Food fads come and go, but recently there has been a shit in the way we source, prepare and think about food, says Hannerie Visser.

THE team at Studio H, a multidisciplinary design studio, has developed a Future Food report and limited-edition book that explore trends shaping our future, from African superfoods to food for women. We chatted to Studio H owner and creative director Hannerie Visser about what to expect from this evolution.

Tell us more about the concept behind your report and book. At Studio H we are constantly reassessing and researching what and how we will be eating in the not-so-distant – but also the very distant – future. We are fascinated by the fact that there will be 10 billion people living on this planet by 2050 and there will have to be food for everyone. Our Future Food report is the result of our ongoing research and the information we gather as

a team working with experts in the food world such as chefs, farmers, beekeepers,winemakers, foragers and scientists; attending some of the world’s best food conferences and hosting our own; and also by experimenting (and oten failing) all the time.

Where do you see food in Africa going over the next few years? We’ll see a rise in the use of African superfoods like

FAST FACT WOMEN HAVE BETTER TASTE THAN MEN, LITERALLY. IN THE LARGEST STUDY OF ITS KIND, THE UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN FOUND THAT WOMEN COMMONLY HAVE A SHARPER SENSE OF TASTE AND MORE TASTEBUDS THAN MEN.

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PHOTOS JAN RAS AND ALIX-ROSE COWIE INTERVIEW MICHAELA STEHR

BELOW A selection of African superfoods and a bread inspired by the Venus von Willendorf figurine.

OPPOSITE The Future Food trend book for 2019/20.

amaranth, blackjack, sorghum, millet and marula. Traditional nutrition has gradually disappeared from urban South African diets due to apartheid’s spatial planning, land ownership laws, migrant labour, disconnected family structures and controlled farming. There’s also the emphasis on the value of water, which has never been stronger. It will keep having an impact on our daily behaviour and consumption so that the way we cook and eat will change forever. We will see more waterwise ingredients, cooking methods and products, and transparent communication around it.

Are you seeing a food evolution for women? The food industry is still a male-dominated arena for the most

part, but the foundations are shaking with the rise of female empowerment as seen across industries in 2018.

This will become visible in the food industry, too, with a change of the gender makeup of kitchens and a closing of the pay gap. We will do away with Best Female Chef categories at awards ceremonies. We will see an increased focus on women-run businesses and suppliers. In another major shit, we will see a whole new category of food and drink entirely designed for women. More brands will aim to open up the conversation around women’s health and get women talking about their experiences.

How do see society relating to food?

The biggest trend this coming season

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will be a personal one, about all of us wanting to be and do better. We are heading into an era of honesty and respect. We‘re looking forward to a world of candid conversations about bridging the divides in the industry, about understanding other people’s views, about being vulnerable and about striving to improve.

Tell us about the book‘s design? It is designed in such a way that the physical book ties in with the content.

Each of the nine chapters unfolds to reveal a poster. The chapters have been compiled into handmade sleeves and are accompanied by samples of the trends presented. studio-h.co.za

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VISI REASONS THE CHAMPAGNE FOR DRINKING A TOAST TO SUMMER IN THE CITY VEUVE CLICQUOT RICH ROSÉ Inspired by mixology, the Rich Rosé is made to be mixed with cocktail ingredients like fresh pineapple or lime and served over ice. Tailor to your taste and enjoy Champagne on the rocks on a hot summer‘s day! R899

THE CHAMPAGNE TO SHARE WITH AN EPICUREAN KRUG GRANDE CUVÉE A blend of more than 120 wines from 10 or more vintages, the Grande Cuvée is the archetype of Krug‘s philosophy of cratsmanship and savoir-faire. R2 450

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25 BREAK OUT THE BUBBLY

Any day is a good day for bubbly, but for special occasions this festive season we’ve selected five of our favourite Champagnes.

THE CHAMPAGNE FOR A FESTIVE CELEBRATION MOËT & CHANDON TRIBUTE TO THE FRENCH ART OF LIVING Celebrate with the limited-edition collection of three varieties presented in git boxes featuring iconic French landmarks. R549 for the Impérial

THE CHAMPAGNE TO SIP UNDER THE STARS DOM PÉRIGNON 2009 This vintage Champagne (the region had ideal weather in 2009) offers notes of nectarine and guava on the nose and juicy fruit on the palate, complemented by vanilla and lightly toasted brioche. R2 295

GIFT! VISI is giting one lucky reader this collection of five fabulous Champagnes, worth R6 843. Visit VISI.co.za for details. visi.co.za

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COMPILED BY KAY-ANN VAN ROOYEN

THE CHAMPAGNE TO ENJOY AS AN APERITIF “R” DE RUINART This well-balanced Champagne has freshness, juicy fruit on the nose and a long finish. Enjoy it before a meal or with a light starter such as poached oysters. R650

VISI REASONS CHINCHONA This tonic brand is light in sugar, so it enhances your favourite gin rather than disguising it. The range includes a Premium Indian Tonic and a Premium Pink Tonic with ruby grapefruit flavour. R46 for 4 x 200 ml • chinchonatonic.com

SYMMETRY Symmetry Botanical Tonic Essences, produced by the Geometric Drinks Company in Franschhoek, come in three flavours: Citrus, Floral and Spice.

They have a quarter of the sugar content of traditional tonic. R170 for 500 ml • geometricdrinks.co.za

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INTHE MIX

As the makers of Fever-Tree tonic water say, “If three-quarters of your G&T is the tonic, wouldn’t you want it to be the best?” Lucky for us, we’re seeing a variety of exciting artisanal tonic water brands on the shelves, as well as ready-to-drink G&Ts. FEVER-TREE The Fever-Tree story is about going to the ends of the earth in pursuit of the best-quality ingredients.

It uses only natural flavours and no artificial preservatives. Fever-Tree sells five tonic variants, including Premium Indian and Elderflower tonics.

About R20 for 200 ml • fever-tree.com

AA BADENHORST Made using spring water from Wellington, lime, mint and cardamom, the Swaan Dry Cape Tonic contains much less sugar than many other tonic brands.

BARKER AND QUIN Lime, lemon, grapefruit, orange peel, cardamom and star anise are some of the flavours used in Barker and Quin Tonic Water, which is produced in Paarl and made using spring water from the Slanghoek Valley. The five variants are Indian Tonic, Light at Heart, Honeybush Orange, Marula and Hibiscus. From R59 for 4 x 200 ml • barkerandquin.co.za

R22 for 275 ml • aabadenhorst.com

LITTLE WOLF BREWERY Citrus zest, lemongrass, lime leaves and allspice enhance the earthy Cape Dry Tonic by Cape Town-based Little Wolf Brewery, which also makes crat beer (the brewery’s name refers to the Latin name of the hop plant).

From R17 for 340 ml • littlewolfbrewery.co.za

WIN! To win an amazing drinks and mixers hamper, worth more than R2 000, visit VISI.co.za/win for details. visi.co.za

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READY-TO-DRINK

THE MAIN ATTRACTION

OPIHR G&T For occasions when you need a convenient pre-mixed option, there’s the ready-to-drink Opihr Gin & Tonic with a twist-off crown cap in three flavours: a classic Gin & Tonic, Gin & Tonic With a Twist of Orange and Gin & Tonic With a Dash of Ginger. All three pair Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin with premium tonic water.

THE BOTANIST ISLAY DRY GIN This Scottish gin is enhanced with 22 botanicals native to the Hebridean island of Islay where it’s made.

The festive season git pack includes a branded goblet.

R449 • bruichladdich.com/the-botanist

R149 for 4 x 275 ml • opihr.com

THE DUCHESS GREENERY For a ready-to-drink alcohol-free G&T, there’s The Duchess Greenery, which has the refreshing flavour profile of a gin & tonic – with hints of rosemary, lime leaves and cucumber – but without alcohol, low in sugar and preservative-free.

VICTORIA SIGNATURE BOTANICALS GIN The three Victoria gins are made in small batches: Amber has a hint of spice, Blue has an infusion of blueberry and Classic Pink features citrus and rose notes. R349,99 • victoriahandcraftedgin.com

COMPILED BY KAY-ANN VAN ROOYEN

R429 for 24 x 275 ml • theduchess.co.za

COINTREAU / FITCH & LEEDS INDIAN TONIC GIFT PACK For a sweeter but still refreshing alternative to a classic G&T, pour a tot of Cointreau over ice and top up the glass with tonic. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and bitter. This git pack is available at major liquor stores over the festive season. R299 • cointreau.com

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VISI REASONS

The three Hendrick’s Gin Something Marvellously Unusual cocktails were sold in unique goblets created by Ardmore Ceramic Art.

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EXTRA ORDINARY

Introducing South Africa’s most expensive cocktail, which puts the art in artisinal.

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made… at a price of R40 000 each!

Aside from Hendrick’s Gin, of course, the cocktail, designed by mixologist Marson Strydom, contained one-of-a-kind ingredients: a limited special-edition Barker and Quin Tonic Water, ice made from Svalbardi Polar Iceberg Water, vermouth created by fortifying Klein Constantia Vin de Constance with Hennessy XO Cognac and infusing it with spices like saffron and herbs like honeybush, and gold leaf.

Ardmore Ceramic Art took inspiration for the three goblets from the design elements of the Hendrick’s brand, including rose, cucumber and various animals. The cocktail was available on order at the Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town, The Oyster Box in Umhlanga and Marble Restaurant in Joburg, and all three were snapped up shortly ater release. ardmoreceramics.co.za @hendricksginsa @hendricksginsouthafrica

Some of the ingredients of the cocktail recipe were a one-off Barker & Quin Tonic Water and vermouth made from Vin de Constance.

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PHOTOS JAN RAS

UT of the artisinal cocktail movement comes next-level cratsmanship: a marvellous creation by Hendrick’s Gin served in bespoke goblets by ultracollectable Ardmore Ceramic Art. Ever since it was launched 20 years ago, Hendrick’s Gin has been associated with the unusual. As part of its Hendrick’s Gin o’Clock summer campaign, the brand created a cocktail dubbed Something Marvellously Unusual: Only three were

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LIMITEDEDITION

If you can get your hands on a bottle of one of these five South African wines – and can resist pulling the cork – you’re going to want to store it under optimum conditions and save it for a special occasion.

DE TOREN THE BLACK LION SHIRAZ 2017 Only 1 462 bottles were made of The Black Lion, each one labelled and numbered by hand and presented in a wooden case secured with a special key. Every step of the wine-making process was done with great care, resulting in a velvety, opulent Shiraz with an underlying elegance and an ageing potential of more than 40 years. R2 750 • de-toren.com TOKARA TELOS 2015 The maiden Telos 2015, Tokara’s pinnacle wine, is a Cabernet Sauvignon blended with small quantities of Malbec (5%) and Merlot (3%). It is a complex wine expressive of the Tokara terroir, with exceptional balance and a well-defined structure. The labels were printed on an original Heidelberg press and only 1 000 bottles were released released. R4 200 • tokara.com tokara com

COMPILED BY KAY-ANN VAN ROOYEN

KANONKOP BLACK LABEL PINOTAGE 2017 Kanonkop has perfected the art of making Pinotage, and the single-vineyard Black Label is the ultimate expression of their tried-and-tested method based on minimum intervention in the cellar. It is a multilayered wine that is both opulent and elegant.

Bottles are individually numbered and labelled with a hologram to prove authenticity. R1 850 • kanonkop.co.za

CONSTANTIA GLEN TWO 2017 The making of the elegant 2017 vintage of Constantia Glen’s flagship white has an interesting twist: Into the blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon went a dash of Semillon that was fermented in an amphora. R270 • constantiaglen.com

STEENBERG MAGNA CARTA 2017 This blend of 60% Sauvignon Blanc from old vines and 40% Semillon reveals absolute fruit purity, clean minerality and an elegant structure. It shows beautifully now, but will gain complexity with cellaring. R575 • steenbergfarm.com

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THE PRINTEDPAGE

Dazzling interiors, extraordinary underwater photography, tried-andtested recipes and a niche travel guide… These books are keepers.

On VISI.co.za, read interviews with the two SA interior design studios featured.

THE MISSONI FAMILY COOKBOOK by Francesco Missoni, Assouline, R819 The family behind the fashion house share their treasured recipes, with a focus on fresh and seasonal food. Some dishes have Croatian origins, a nod to the patriarch’s birthplace.

ANDREW MARTIN INTERIOR DESIGN REVIEW VOL 22 teNeues, ±R930 This doorstop features the best work in the past year of 100 interior designers from around the world, as selected by design house Andrew Martin. It’s a visual feast that offers lots of design inspiration.

WHERE TO DRINK BEER

by Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergso, Phaidon, R402 With more than 1 600 listings in 70 countries – recommended by crat brewers and other experts – this is an informative and fun guide to the best places to go if you like good beer.

SIMPLY ZOLA: THE JOURNEY CONTINUES by Zola Nene, Struik Lifestyle, R290 There are chapters devoted to cooking dinner for one, one-pot meals, gluten-free treats and desserts, among others. The rocky road waffles with salted caramel sauce is a decadent delight.

ANYTIME: ÎLE DE PAÏN

by Liezie Mulder, Quivertree, R455 The chef-patron of Knysna restaurant île de païn has put together a selection of recipes from the restaurant menu, dishes inspired by places she’s travelled to and family favourites.

THE LAZY MAKOTI’S GUIDE TO THE KITCHEN by Mogau Seshoene, Quivertree, R340 From breakfast basics through traditional African food to dishes made with letovers, Mogau’s recipes are straightforward and use ingredients that are easy to find.

WIN! We have a hamper of books featured on this page, worth R1 220, to give away. Visit VISI.co.za/win for details. visi.co.za

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SEA CHANGE: PRIMAL JOY AND THE ART OF UNDERWATER TRACKING

by Craig Foster and Ross Frylinck, edited by Philippa Ehrlich, published by Quivertree, R850 at bookstores and available from seachangeproject.com

COMPILED BY KAY-ANN VAN ROOYEN

This book reveals a South African ecosystem as remarkable as the Great Barrier Reef yet not widely known: the inshore kelp habitat along the south-western Cape coastline – dubbed the Golden Forest.

Craig Foster has been exploring the Golden Forest around the Cape Peninsula for eight years, snorkelling almost daily, summer and winter. Yes, without a wetsuit or scuba gear. During this time he has discovered seven new marine species, recorded amazing animal behaviour (including a sequence featured in the BBC’s Blue Planet II), taken spectacular photos and film footage, and founded the Sea-Change Trust together with fellow diver Ross Frylinck and a team of scientists and storytellers.

The Sea-Change Trust aims to raise awareness of this diverse ecosystem through projects such as this coffee-table book, a feature documentary, exhibitions, courses and an outreach campaign.

The book tells the story of what Craig and Ross have found in this underwater environment and how it has changed their lives. It features the beautiful photographs on this page and many more, and explores insights into our human origins and the ability to track in nature.

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Dieter Losskarn shares his experience of driving two icons from the cradle of motorkind.

ABOVE AND OPPOSITE Legendary wheels from Stuttgart: the Porsche 959 from 1986 and the Mercedes-Benz SL 280 Pagoda from 1968.

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T’S quite an emotional moment as I move from the passenger to the driver’s seat of the pearl-white Porsche 959 parked in the basement of the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart. It has been 32 years since the launch of the first Hypercar. For the year 1986, it was packed with technology, from all-wheel drive to variable ride height suspension, which set it apart from its competitors.

And it was the first production car to break the 300 km/h.

In the mid-1980s, working as an intern at a publishing house, I discovered that the very first of these super sports cars, limited to a production of just 292 units, was on the road already, months before other customers would get theirs. The owner? None other than the grandson of the company’s founder, Dr Wolfgang Porsche. Then and there I decided that a short spin with the man whose car bear’s his name had to be my very first motoring piece. And I pulled it off. I will never forget the insane acceleration the 959 displayed on entering the German autobahn, reaching 300 km/h

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in a few heartbeats while Herr Porsche explained the twin turbos to me in his soothing Austrian accent, classical music in the background.

Now, ater more than three decades, I am in the driver’s seat. The car is still owned by the man with the iconic name, it features the same number plates, it looks exactly like it did in 1986, and it has just 24 143 km on the clock. Unfortunately, it is not in running condition – let a 959 stand longer than a year and it needs a complete overhaul. Apparently the hydraulic lines are very brittle. It’s a car that has to be driven constantly.

I get my chance, however, to experience a piece of motoring history for a day around Stuttgart in the lovingly restored stone-grey 959 from the Porsche Museum. I am glad I waited a while to move into the driver’s seat; this car has zero driver-assist programs.

I’ll admit to getting tears in my eyes, and not only from the acceleration.

Made for a short and passionate affair, the Porsche 959 is not a car you want to own. In 1986 it cost as much as

a small house, and that figure still didn’t cover half of what Porsche invested in each car. Or, as they put it, “Only 292 cars built – the most expensive promotional git in company history.”

across some of the most beautiful roads in northern Germany, culminating in the Port of Hamburg.

I fell in love with this car. A fatal attraction, shall we say, at least in a financial sense, as I am going to testdrive some Pagodas in Cape Town now… mercedes-benz.com/classic porsche.com/museum/en

PHOTOS SARAH DULAY AND PHILIP RUPPRECHT WORDS DIETER LOSSKARN

THERE is another legend from Stuttgart that is definitely relationship material.

As a kid it was always my favourite Mercedes-Benz: the gorgeous SL 280 Pagoda, which debuted in 1963. The name derived from the concave shape of its standard hardtop, but this convertible was really meant to be enjoyed topless on a sunny day. It was a hit, especially in the US, where more than half of the 48 912 units produced between 1963 and 1971 were sold.

The Pagoda is neither wild nor fast; it’s an attractive cruiser with achingly beautiful lines and a certain lightness to the design that its predecessors lacked and its successors are still lacking. It’s perfect for leisurely drives in the countryside, which is exactly what

I did. I was one of the 170 participants that took part with “my” silver SL 280 automatic from 1968, restored by the Mercedes-Benz Museum, in the Hamburg-Berlin-Klassik 2018, a rally for vintage cars. Witnessing that number of classic rides together makes this non-digital driving experience even more intense. It’s a trip back in time

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SPONSORED CONTENT

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE We have some creative ideas for you that will please even the pickiest people on your gift list.

FOR THE AESTHETE

NEWPORT LIGHTING

The Anglepoise + Paul Smith collection combines the unmistakeable form of the iconic desk lamp with the style of Britain’s foremost designer.

Add a dash of panache to your workspace with an Anglepoise + Paul Smith desk lamp, a stunning reinterpretation of the original Anglepoise lamp. Created by leading British industrial product designer Sir Kenneth Grange, this timeless lamp provides the perfect canvas for a designer known for his mastery of colour. The Anglepoise + Paul Smith desk lamp is available in three colour combinations.

R5 850 newport.co.za

FOR THE AFICIONADO

SPIER 21 GABLES CHENIN BLANC 2016 Earlier this year, Spier’s flagship 21 Gables Chenin Blanc 2016 won the Harold Eedes Trophy for Best Chenin Blanc plus the coveted Best White Wine Overall award at the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show.

It’s not surprising. This celebrated wine offers a rich and complex palate, characterised by yellow fruits, opulent caramel, vanilla cream and toasted cashew – all framed by a beautifully balanced acidity and supported by a sumptuously textured mouthfeel. Made with grapes from old vines from one of South Africa’s best-known farms, it was fermented and matured for

14 months in French oak barrels.

The label pays tribute to Spier’s 300-year winemaking heritage and impressive architectural legacy: 21 immaculately preserved Cape Dutch gables. Befitting its heritage, this Chenin Blanc pairs perfectly with sweet, spicy South African dishes such as bobotie, smoorsnoek and waterblommetjie bredie.

While it can be savoured today, if stored for eight years or longer, each prize-winning bottle will reward patient drinkers with a deeper intensity and complexity of flavours.

R198 from the Spier online shop spier.co.za

ALL PRICES INCLUDE VAT

Having scooped the prestigious International Wine and Spirit Competition’s 2018 Chenin Blanc Trophy, it’s oicially the world’s best Chenin Blanc. And it’s no stranger to other accolades either.

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FOR THE QUIRKY

HENDRICK’S GIN Behold the much-loved and whimsical Hendrick’s Gin Tea Cup Gift, the perfect excuse to celebrate Gin O’Clock.

What says summer festivities better than a premium gin and tonic or gin cocktail? Give the gift of celebration this year. Hendrick’s Gin combines a distinct blend of eleven botanicals plus signature infusions of cucumber and rose petals – resulting in a refreshing, unique tipple.

And that’s not all. The annual Hendrick’s Gin O’Clock summer season has kicked off at 40 participating bars and restaurants countrywide and offers a range of cocktails,including the Hendrick’s Gin Buck, the Hendrick’s Orchard Collins and the Hendrick’s Gin Mule.

From R349 hendricksgin.co.za

FOR THE CONNOISSEUR

RÉMY MARTIN

For those who appreciate true excellence, the 2018 limited edition gift pack from The House of Rémy Martin.

Anyone who takes pleasure in fine Champagne Cognac will value this year’s innovative gift offering from The House of Rémy Martin. It comprises a 750 ml bottle of Rémy Martin XO and two exquisite crystal tumblers – all the makings for a memorable festive season.

Rémy Martin XO is made of eaux-de-vie exclusively

from the highest-quality vineyards of Cognac – the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne. Expect a wide spectrum of aromas on the nose, from late summer frutis to rich floral notes of white flowers such as jasmine. On the palate? Sheer opulence with mature flavours of juicy plums and candied oranges, with a hint of hazelnut and cinnamon.

Those who understand superlative quality will savour the velvety texture and true richness of this next-level Champagne Cognac – and this gift box invites you to share the experience with your nearest and dearest.

R2 999 remymartin.co.za

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FOR THE DECORATOR

SW CONTRACTS

Sean Williams, who established SW Contracts in 2002, is a specialist importer and distributor of premium furniture brands, among them the Italian brand Gaber. Its Abuela outdoor chair collection combines vintage lines and modern style.

The Abuela outdoor chair collection by Gaber is not only stylish but also light, strong and resistant to wear. It is made of injection-moulded technopolymer material, which is stain-resistant, UV-resistant and antistatic.

This material is also recyclable. In fact, as far as possible Gaber uses recycled pre-used technopolymers as a source of raw material.

The elegant design of the Abuela outdoor

chairs reflects the indoor collection, except the latter has a solid beech frame. The clean shape of the back, comfortable armrests and padded cushion option make the range suitable for different decor schemes.

SW Contracts is founded on the principles of outstanding furniture quality, customer service and reliability. Its motto is “Service, Quality & Value with a Distinct Difference”. swcontracts.co.za

Wicker clutch with leather and tassle details, R1 899

FOR THE ADVENTUROUS

SCOTCH & SODA

Men’s elasticated swim shorts, R1 499

Inspired by solo travellers around the world, the Seven Lights of Day collection celebrates natural light.

Contemporary tailoring in palettes of golden khaki, metallics, rich navy and earthy pastels, burnished golds and rich russets. scotch-soda.com Barfly EDT, 100 ml, R1 500

Women’s slippers, R2 999 Women’s double-breasted jacket in striped linen, R3 799

Men’s panama hat, R1 099

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FOR THE HEALTHCONSCIOUS

VAN LOVEREN Finally! A wine with less than 0,5% alcohol! Van Loveren’s Almost Zero Wonderful White means a guilt-free glass or three of vino.

If you’re a wine lover you can now usher in the festive season without overdoing it on the booze or the kilojoules. Made from a dry Sauvignon Blanc wine, Almost Zero Wonderful White combines age-old winemaking techniques with contemporary alcohol-removal technology. This means a crisp drink with only 0,5% alcohol (the equivalent of an alcohol-free beer) – and 75%

fewer kilojoules than an average wine.

The good news is that watching your waistline and your alcohol intake needn’t mean scrimping on flavour. Van Loveren’s latest offering boasts flavour of apple, litchi and citrus and will complement any summer fare, including fresh seafood and garden salads.

R360 for a case of six, delivered to your door 023 615 1505, winehub@ vanloveren.co.za

FOR THE BEACH LOVER

MUNGO

Tired of those gaudy, tatty beach towels in your cupboard? The oh-so-stylish Mungo towels in a textured mix of white and blue are the perfect stocking illers for you… and the linen lover in your life.

Keep it local this season.

From the beach to the pool to the shower to the sand, the Dhow towel by Mungo deserves to be your constant summer companion. Woven from the finest European flax at Mungo Mill in Plettenberg Bay, this 100% linen piece is both lightweight and robust, meaning it’s a doddle to pack in your beach basket and will withstand many warm-

weather outings.

It’s also generously sized and luxuriously absorbent – so you’re likely to be the envy of everyone at the beach when you spread it out. The Dhow towel is available in three distinctive textured weaves and promises to make your festive summer even more free-wheeling and hassle-free.

R800 mungo.co.za

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FOR THE HOMEMAKER

RUGS & SUCH Transform your living space with rugs from the extensive Rugs & Such collection.

Whether it’s to pull a room together or to hide unsightly tiles, a well-chosen rug will take your space from basic to beautiful. You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to shape, colour, size, style and price when you shop online at Rugs & Such – there are more than 3 000 products to choose from! Keep an eye out for the festive season special offer – and have your precious rug delivered (for free) to your door anywhere in South Africa within 15 days. facebook.com/rugsandsuch rugsandsuch.co.za

FOR THE REBEL

HAIG CLUB CLUBMAN

Ignore the rulebook. Be unique. Be fashionable. Be bold… Serve this exclusive whisky whichever way you choose: neat, over ice or in a cocktail.

This single-grain Scotch whisky, produced in partnership with soccer legend David Beckham, offers a modern twist on a heritage drink. The legendary House of Haig boasts a 400-year legacy – and Haig Club Clubman is imbued with its bold, progressive spirit.

Presented in a striking blue square bottle, this versatile whisky will appeal to everyone – whether you’re an aficionado or a newcomer to the taste of Scotch.

And there’s no need to limit yourself to drinking it neat. Make a style statement. Haig Club Clubman pairs well with a wide variety of mixers to complement its ultra-smooth character and toffee and butterscotch notes.

It makes a stylish gift too.

R299 haigclub.com/en-za

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THECHILLFACTOR

One lucky reader will win an exclusive free-standing Miele K 20.000 Blackboard Edition fridge-freezer, worth R29 999.

HE Miele K 20.000 fridgefreezer really does come with all the trimmings, not to mention its top-of-theclass A+++ rating for energy efficiency.

The handle-less, click-to-open Blackboard Edition comes with an extra-large interior cabinet, dynamic cooling circulation, a nity NoFrost feature (you’ll never have to go through the hassle of defrosting ever again) and PerfectFresh technology that ensures food stays fresh up to three times longer than normal.

This easy-to-clean model allows you to forget the sticky notes and simply jot down reminders and messages directly on the fridge door, making life a little bit easier when you’re on the go.

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miele.co.za

VISI COMPETITION RULES • VISI competitions are open to all South African residents, excluding employees of New Media Publishing, employees of the companies supplying the prizes, associated companies and advertising and promotion agencies, and their immediate family members.

• The winner will be chosen at the sole

discretion of the judges, whose decision will be final. No correspondence will be entered into.

• Winners will not be eligible for other prizes for three months after winning a competition.

• The prize is not transferable or redeemable for cash.

• Neither New Media Publishing nor any of its partners can be held responsible for disputes in connection with prizes or for

any loss, damage or injury that may be suffered or incurred by prize winners.

• Entrants will be deemed to have accepted these rules and agree to be bound by them when entering VISI competitions.

• Data collected may be shared with the prize sponsor company, but will not be sold or passed on to third parties.

• New Media Publishing reserves the right to cancel, modify or amend competitions at any time if deemed necessary.

WIN! To stand a chance to win this fabulous Miele fridge-freezer, worth R29 999, go to VISI.co.za/win to enter.

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SHOPPING DIRECTORY

Escape... and indulge in the finest the Midlands has to offer.

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WINGS OF FANCY

String lights make for a festive atmosphere, even more so when they’re adorned with butterflies.

PHOTOS DOOK CONCEPT ANNEMARIE MEINTJIES

UTTERFLIES are everywhere this season: colourful collections in different sizes, flat or three-dimensional, with or without magnets. To embellish your string lights, you’ll find butterflies at git and stationery shops that cater for scrapbooking – or make your own! The more translucent the wings are the more beautiful the effect.

Butterflies with magnets will adhere to a metal string, or you can attach them to a plastic string with clear glue. Use LED string lights – the LEDs don’t get hot and they’re more energy-efficient than incandescent bulbs.

B

We bought our butterfly magnets for R25 per packet at Home Stuff in Randburg (homestuff.co.za).

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