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All Lit Up THE DECO LIGHTING IT LIST

WOMEN TO KNOW IN DECOR, ART & DESIGN

SOUTH AFRICA AUG 2018

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DECO CONTENTS

THE

WOMEN IN DESIGN

DECO DIGITAL The latest on Elledecoration.co.za

DECO NEWS What’s new in the world of decor and design

DECO STYLE The stylish life of fashion designer Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana

DECO VISIT All about MashT Design Studio by Thabisa Mjo

DECO PROFILE Four female names in international design you need to know

DECO AT HOME WITH Inside the breathtaking home of American designer Kelly Wearstler

DECO ART Meet 13 visionary South African women in art

DECO SHORTLIST Chef, author and restaurateur Karen Dudley on her favourite things

ISSUE

SHOPPING 56

DECO TRENDS Modern-day checks, graphic circles and all shades of yellow

DECO ETC A selection of sideboards in a variety of shapes, styles and finishes

DECO TOOLBOX Our guide to illuminating your home with the latest pendants, lamps and task lighting

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T H E WO R L D ’ S B E ST- S E L L I N G H O M E S M A G A Z I N E

AllLitUp THE DECO LIGHTING IT LIST

WOMEN TO KNOW IN DECOR, ART & DESIGN

AUG 2018

SEASIDE GLAMOUR A sleek beach house in Killcare on Australia’s Central Coast was built for easy living and combines a luxuriously glamorous aesthetic with a picture-perfect setting

A PAST WELL PRESENT Interior designer Claude Cartier artfully balanced a range of retro green hues with bold terracotta notes to masterful effect in this contemporary apartment in Lyon, France

100 JEWEL BOX With its emerald-and-gold palette, moody ambience and textural appeal, this sophisticated abode in Cape Town is a splendidly spacious bolt-hole for its Durban-based owners

118 DECO TRAVEL Explore the architecturally rich city of Chicago 122 DECO EATS Discover Cape Town’s new crêperie Swan Café 126 DECO HOTELS A glimpse of Barceló Torre de Madrid hotel in Spain

SOUTH AFRICA

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LIVING

25 R41,00

A VIBRANT AFFAIR The Urbanative founder Mpho Vackier’s family home in Johannesburg sees pieces of her own design beautifully displayed against a colourful, pattern-centric backdrop

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SOUTH AFRICA

N°126

Easy Glamour INTERIORS TO INSPIRE

COVER IMAGE BY VINCENT LEROUX

129 DECO GARDENS The growing trend for indoor plants 130 DECO SELECTS ELLE DECORATION decor stylist’s current top pieces

PHOTOGRAPHS TARRYN HATCHETT, ELSA YOUNG, SARAH DE PINA

HOMES

EBEL DISCOVERY THE NATURALLY BORN SPORTS WATCH FROM THE HOUSE OF EBEL

ARCHITECTS OF TIME 011 669 0790 | www.architectsoftime.co.za

DECO PUBLISHER’S NOTE

x @khanyidhlomo

omen’s Month is a great time to review all that we’ve achieved not only in the 24 years of South Africa’s democracy, but over the past half-century. We’ve progressively entered and claimed our stakes in the professions, the arts, industry, business – and, of course, design. This issue celebrates the creative flair and imaginative brilliance of women like Thabisa Mjo of MashT Design Studio (DECO Visit, p28) and Thabo Makhetha-Kwinana of the fashion label Thabo Makhetha (DECO Style, p24), who are taking design into a new age and infusing it with their unique identities. In her interview, MakhethaKwinana credits her mother for propelling her into a designing career – a timely reminder of the unsung, but inspiring earlier generations of women whose indomitable spirit refused to bow down to apartheid, poverty and a grim legion of other oppressors. We salute them all. ‘A designer knows he or she has achieved perfection not when there’s nothing left to add, but when there’s nothing left to take away,’ declared French aviator and writer Antoine de SaintExupèry. The truth of those words is evidenced in the homes around the world showcased in this issue – including on our own shores – which defy convention in forging a new and striking aesthetic: one that successfully straddles artistic flair, functionality, classicism and futurism, and makes these abodes distinctive statements. May they fuel your imagination and your creative energy. Have a great month! Versace dress R21 895 Steve Madden shoes R1 499 Thula Sindi dress Khanyi’s own Roller table lamp R10 000, Legs11 powder-coated stool R3 900 (excluding fabric) and Nesting bronze crescent table R9 500, all Studio 19 Diamond Shuttle Weave Dhurrie carpet R2 995, Weylandts

‘This issue celebrates the creative flair and imaginative brilliance of women… who are taking design into a new age and infusing it with their unique identities’

8 ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA THE WOMEN IN DESIGN ISSUE

PHOTOGRAPH SHAUN MALLETT; MAKE-UP CLARA BANX

@KhanyiDhlomo

Milner Road, Tamboerskloof. Interior Architecture: Zeanne + Goss - Tel: 0733078874 Oggie FSC European Oak Chevron Living with WOCA Denmark Diamond White Oil - 15/4 x 300 x 1848mm

...handcrafted chevron floors from sustainable forests. Cape Town: 021 510 2846 | Paarden Eiland Johannesburg: 011 262 3117 | Sandton Durban: 031 000 1000 | Umhlanga enquir y@oggie.co.za www.oggieflooring.com

‘One thing I know for sure is that true style has little to do with the size of one’s budget’

ands-down the best part of our working week is when the DECO team gets to spend time in other people’s homes, whether immersed in a shoot with stylists and photographers, or scoping out spaces to feature on these pages. I’m a self-confessed voyeur of sorts when it comes to how others live, and am constantly fascinated by all the amazing ways a house or apartment can be transformed into a unique, individualistic home. One thing I know for sure is that true style has little to do with the size of one’s budget, although it certainly helps to have the means to splash out on pieces with personal resonance, from a dream sofa to a soulful auction find or tiny painting that will forever provide a sense of joy with each glimpse. In this issue, we’ve gathered a collection of spaces that share a mostly achievable kind of laid-back glamour, in keeping with our special editorial focus on women in design (Women’s Day is on 9 August, but we’re celebrating all month long). For the most part, they simply reflect our love of beautiful, inspiring interiors while offering a wealth of brilliant ideas. Take global design maven Kelly Wearstler’s Malibu weekend escape, which is as eclectic and maximalist as it gets. Look a little closer and you’ll discover the effect is due as much to her fearless approach to throwing disparate elements together as to her perfectly positioned real estate and knockout sea views. And, yes, it does take a lot of self-assurance to create the rule book and then throw it out. Durban designer Amy Mitchell referenced Wearstler’s distinctive style sensibility in her clients’ Cape Town bolt-hole, with the starting point of the entire look being an emerald velvet couch. Furniture designer Mpho Vackier created an aesthetic entirely her own in her Jo’burg home, showcasing her distinctive Afro Mid-Century Modern pieces and a statement wall in a reworked Ndebele motif. But, of course, the ultimate trick in any space is to get the lighting right, so we hope you find all the guidance you need in our handy Toolbox compendium. May your August be a confidently stylish one!

leigh.robertson@ndalomedia.com x @lil_robertson

HILARY PRENDINI TOFFOLI Toffoli wrote a play about Napoleon and God at the age of eight and has covered a wide range of writing fields ever since, from social satire, gossip and business profiles to investigative journalism and screenwriting. One of her proudest achievements (besides bagging two Italian husbands) is having been quoted extensively in Jean Branford’s Dictionary of South African English. She’s currently working on three novels and wrote about Swan Café in Cape Town for this issue. 10 ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA THE WOMEN IN DESIGN ISSUE

ANSON SMART Lifestyle photographer Smart travels the world shooting beautiful places, spaces and the clever people who create them. His illustrious list of global advertising clients includes Qantas, Marriott Hotels, Apple and West Elm, but he loves nothing better than collaborating with creative interior designers and architects to capture amazing homes in their best light. When he isn’t working, he can be found surfing and relaxing with his family at their beachside home in Sydney, Australia.

ROBERTA THATCHER Thatcher is a journalist and events curator with a passion for South African design. A proud Jo’burger, she believes her hometown has a unique aesthetic and loves to celebrate it by profiling local designers in the media, as well as curating design fairs and other designrelated events. On her few off days, Thatcher’s usually exploring the city, which is why she loved spending time at Braamfontein’s new design destination, 99 Juta, for her feature on MashT Studio.

PHOTOGRAPH ADAM LETCH

DECO ED-IN-CHIEF’S NOTE

PUBLISHER & CEO: NDALO MEDIA

Khanyi Dhlomo EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Leigh Robertson ASSISTANT EDITOR

Ntombenhle Shezi MANAGING EDITOR

Karen Tennent DECOR DECOR STYLIST Sanri Pienaar DECOR INTERN Pieter von Wielligh

ART CREATIVE DIRECTOR Marushka Stipinovich DESIGNER Lauren Brits

EDITORIAL & PRODUCTION COPY EDITOR Gwen Podbrey PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR Karen Buys CONTRIBUTORS Mila Crewe-Brown, Fiona

DIGITAL GROUP DIGITAL STRATEGIST Kim Garner GROUP DIGITAL DESIGN DIRECTOR Neo Mutuma DIGITAL DESIGNER Precious Mphoreng MULTIMEDIA PRODUCER & DIGITAL DESIGNER Karabo Maboe CONTENT PRODUCERS Palesa Kgasane MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST Lufuno Ramadwa

Davern, Tarryn Hatchett, Sitha Ketane, Mary Maurel, Hilary Prendini Toffoli, Jessica Ross, Sharon Sorour-Morris, Jessica Spiro, Roberta Thatcher

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087 740 1052. Email: ellesubs@media24.com. SMS: ‘ELLE’ to 32361 (each SMS costs R1,50). Online shop: www.mysubs.co.za/magazine/elle-deco

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ELLE (ISSN 1025-9791) August 2018. Editorial contributions are welcome and should be sent to The Editor, ELLE, PO Box 2077, Lonehill 2062. All due care will be taken with material submitted, but the magazine and publishers cannot be held responsible for loss or damage. ELLE assumes no responsibility for returning unsolicited editorial, graphic or other material. All rights in letters and unsolicited editorial and graphic material will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and material will be subject to ELLE’s unrestricted right to edit and comment editorially. ELLE is fully protected by copyright and nothing may be reprinted in whole or part without written permission from the publisher. While reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of advice and information given to readers, the Editor, publisher and proprietor cannot accept responsibility for any damage or inconvenience that may arise therefrom.

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Shop the look Achieve a similar aesthetic to that of the homes showcased in each issue with our stellar shopping guide and terrific tips

PHOTOGRAPHS TARRYN HATCHETT, ROBERT HOLDEN

Women in art As collectors, curators, auctioneers, historians and academics, these 13 female visionaries are making a big impact on the local art scene

T Design hotels around the world If you like the look of the luxuriously elegant Senato Hotel Milano in Milan, Italy, be sure to see our selection of breath-taking places to stay across the globe

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DECO PROMO

THE ART OF DESIGN Turn your living space into a visual delight with Samsung’s The Frame TV Creating a visually pleasing and comfortable environment in your home makes it more of a personal sanctuary from the outside world. Combining functionality and beautiful design, The Frame TV by Samsung is versatile and provides an appealing aesthetic. WHAT IS IT? Jointly developed by Samsung and Swiss designer Yves Behar, The Frame is a TV that, when switched off, acts as an interactive frame. It not only allows you to display your personal images, but gives you access to a range of pieces from renowned art museums worldwide. HOW IT WORKS There’s something for everyone in Samsung’s extensive library, from photographs and drawings, to paintings

and digital works, or items from your phone. Combining 10 genres from 37 acclaimed artists and 100 artworks, its Art Store provides access to the world’s finest museums and galleries from the comfort of your home, giving you the opportunity to buy artworks or pay a monthly subscription. CHOOSE YOUR OWN DISPLAY Mix and match your display to suit the style of your home. There are numerous mounting colours and templates available for displaying your art. Art can be displayed in three styles: shadow box, no mount and modern. For photo displays, you can choose shadow box, modern, panoramic, squares, triptych and mixed. Mount colours are polar, warm, antique, neutral, black, sand, sea foam, sage, burgundy and navy. NO MESS, NO FUSS A transparent optical cable, the Invisible Connection, is designed to eliminate the messy set-up of mounted TVs while providing improved data transmission capacity. Paired with the One Connect Box, it enables you to connect your devices discreetly and control all connected devices with the Samsung Smart Remote.

DECO NEWS

NEWS

ARCHITECTURE • DESIGN • ART • CULTURE • PEOPLE • PL ACES

BEHIND THE MASK Graphic designer and Fabrica founder Kirsten Townsend has turned toTHE the graphic visual language of African masks for her latest BEHIND ASK project, Unmasked. Consisting of handwoven wool Unmasked Rugs and resin-cast Unmasked Casts that combine 2-D surface design and 3-D forms, the designs are ‘a minimalist reimagination of an ancient art form with distinct, abstract designs that fit seamlessly into the modern home, honouring Africa’s wide-reaching influence,’ says Townsend. Only 15 of each rug and cast design are available and can be bought online at fabrica.co.za or via email at info@fabrica.co.za. x fabricastudio

TAKE SHAPE X Inspired by his time spent making figurines out of clay collected from hillside iindonga during his childhood herding cattle in the Eastern Cape, ceramicist Andile Dyalvane of Imiso Ceramics is showcasing his much-anticipated 100 IIndonga Bowls collection at this year’s 100% Design South Africa, where he has been named Feature Designer of the Year brought to you by ELLE DECORATION in association with 100% Design South Africa. The bespoke bowls are characterised by cracking, layered effects that reflect the eroded and collapsed terracotta tributaries – or iindonga – that are created by the hooves of cows as their pathways expand in the rain. This not only speaks of the landscape in which Dyalvane grew up, but also pays homage to the four elements of life, which is something the ceramicist strives to do in all his work. 100percentdesign.co.za x @andiledyalvane @imisoceramics

Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Decorex Jo’burg at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand promises to be a visual feast. Don’t miss a special installation paying tribute to master interior designer Stephen Falcke, whom we featured as our DECO Icon in our July 2018 issue. The World of Design – Stephen’s Way will showcase the exceptional decor ingenuity of the industry stalwart. See more highlights on decorex.co.za. x @decorex_sa Marrakesh wallpaper collection by Hertex

SPICE IT UP! Obsessed as we are with all things Moroccan, from the YSL Museum to all the hues of the medina, the DECO team has our sights set on Hertex’s Marrakesh range of wallpapers. Launching in September, expect an evocative palette to inspire. Pictured here is Bazar in Sumac. hertex.co.za x @hertexfabrics 18 ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA THE WOMEN IN DESIGN ISSUE

August is when the business of design gets serious on local soil, with the return of 100% Design South Africa from 8-12 August. Now in its fifth year, this benchmark of industry excellence is renowned for its exceptional selection process and fine-tuned curation, resulting in a show that always delivers heaps of inspiration as well as leads on all the names to be watching. Taking place as usual in tandem with Decorex Jo’burg at the Gallagher Convention Centre, 100% Design South Africa offers a great line-up. Show curator Cathy O’Clery, a highly regarded design consultant, will be presenting an accomplished selection of wooden furniture and accessories in her exhibition Designing in Wood. As ever, emerging talent is in the spotlight, from the Young Gauteng section highlighting upcoming designers from the region to 100% Talent, where future industry stars are likely to be discovered. Among these and other feature displays – covering wallpaper and fabric to office furniture – are more than 130 individual exhibition stands and pavilions. And to refresh amid the visual overload, there’s the 100% Design Café created in collaboration with furniture designers Houtlander. 100percentdesign.co.za x @100percentdesignsa

PHOTOGRAPH ANDILE DYALVANE BY INGE PRINS

ON SHOW

DECO NEWS

‘I reflect on nature’s Fibonacci patterns, memories and my deep spirituality, forming the clay roots in my 100 Iindonga Bowls collection. If clay were a song, it would sing of the layers of life.’ – Andile Dyalvane

IN REVERSE

PHOTOGRAPH FEDRO FASOLI/MELO BOSCARINO

Prairie Sous-Marine throw and (below right) Fusion throw, both from the Reversible collection by Forget Me Not

FRINGE BENEFIT Renowned Italian designer Lorenza Bozzoli presents the second instalment of her Couture line, with bar-stools adorned with overlapping fringes woven on 18th century looms. Based on her acclaimed Couture poufs (see right), the stools â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which were shown at Milan Design Week 2018 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; include a rich colour scheme and geometric designs arranged at various levels. The combination of high-quality materials such as cotton velvet and Mongolian wool with expert craftsmanship and hand-seaming results in a superior collection that more than lives up to its name. lorenzabozzoli.com x @lorenza_bozzoli_design

Couture bar-stools by Lorenza Bozzoli for Pomellato

DECO NEWS

PHOTOGRAPH SARAH DE PINA, STYLING DEAN VAN ASWEGEN

Jungle boogie Given the trend for lush and leafy interiors, the launch of Jo’burg-based artist and textile designer Nicole Levenberg’s Tanglewood collection of fabrics and wallpaper is well timed. Produced under her Aureum Design label in collaboration with T&Co Fabrics and Lemon, expect a palette and patterns inspired by Levenberg’s love of the tropics and exotic foliage. While studying at London’s Central St Martins, she spent ‘endless hours’ capturing the elements of the plants at Kew Gardens, giving rise to the leafy motifs that have become part of her signature design style. For her new collection, she wanted to ‘create the most beautiful, detailed and saturated aesthetic delight that embodied as much colour, texture and patterning as possible’. For more, visit aureumdesign.com or buy the fabric directly at T&Co Fabrics and the wallpaper at Lemon. tandco.co.za, madebylemon.co.za x @auremdesign

DECO NEWS

Celebrated for her energetic work in public spaces that blends modernism and traditional Mexican elements, Frida Escobedo is the youngest architect to design a temporary pavilion on the Serpentine Gallery lawn in London’s Kensington Gardens. This forms part of an ongoing project by the gallery, which has been commissioning a different architect every year since 2000, when Zaha Hadid established the first impermanent Serpentine Pavilion. Escobedo’s pavilion is based on typical Mexican architectural elements and takes the form of an internal courtyard enclosed by dark, latticed walls which allow a breeze to flow through the structure. It’s loosely inspired by a large sundial, featuring a pivoted axis filled with mirrors and a reflective pool, meaning the pavilion will emphasise the changing of the light as the sun moves across the sky. On show daily until 7 October. serpentinegalleries.org, fridaescobedo.net

STOP THE BUS Forming part of Halls SA’s Own the Moment brand campaign, creative studio Mrs + Mr Luke transformed eight bus shelters in Jo’burg using vibrant colour, pattern and line work. The duo, which consists of Faatimah Mohamed-Luke – an artist known for her use of plastic building blocks – and Al Luke, a mixed-media designer and the owner of Blacksheep Design Studios, wanted their installations to offer an all-encompassing experience, both inside and outside. ‘Art exhibitions are usually seen as elite or private events, and we wanted to create that same intimacy and attention to detail for the viewer in the public sphere,’ says Al. ‘Our hope is that we‘ll see more public art commissions on this scale to inspire future generations. Good art and design should be something we live with and enjoy every day. They shouldn‘t be confined to specific spaces and audiences.’ mrsandmrluke.com, ownthemoment.co.za x @lucky_lady_luke x @alfromcapetown

22 ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA THE WOMEN IN DESIGN ISSUE

PHOTOGRAPH SERPENTINE COURTESY OF IWAN BAAN VIA THE SERPENTINE GALLERY

S T R U C T U R A L E XC E L L E N C E

*HWL ;V^U ! /PNO^H` 7HYR 5VY[ONH[L ,Z[H[L Â&#x2039; ;LS! 4PKYHUK! 6SK 7YL[VYPH 9VHK /HSM^H` /V\ZL Â&#x2039; ;LS! :HUK[VU 9HUKI\YN! 9OVKLZ :[YLL[ Â&#x2039; ;LS! <TOSHUNH! <YIHU 7HYR /V[LS 4LYPKPHU +YP]L Â&#x2039; ;LS! +\YIHU! :V\[O *VHZ[ 9K 4VILUP Â&#x2039; ;LS! 7PUL[V^U! *UY 6SK 4HPU 9K :[ 1VOUÂ»Z (]LU\L Â&#x2039; ;LS! .OHUH! :WPU[L_ 9K (JJYH Â&#x2039; ;LS!

DECO STYLE x @tmakcc Neo cape by Thabo Makhetha

thabomakhetha.com

Lion’s Head

Mvelo desk by Pinda Furniture

THE STYLISH LIFE OF THABO MAKHETHA-KWINANA

Afrikanswiss

When Lesotho-born Makhetha-Kwinana’s mother bought her her first sewing machine in Grade 11, it sparked the start of a fashion journey from which the designer‘s never looked back. ‘My mother‘s one of my biggest supporters and pushed me out of the house to my first studio space in 2009. She believes that God doesn’t give you a talent from which you can’t make a living,’ she says. Her mother was right. Two years after establishing Thabo Makhetha, a luxury womenswear brand acclaimed for its use of Basotho blankets in creating jackets, capes and coats, Makhetha-Kwinana made a coat for the 2011 Vodacom Durban July that changed her life. ‘The year’s theme was “Royalty” and, wanting to explore the glamour of African royalty, I imagined what a moSotho princess would wear,’ she recalls. She was named Best-Dressed Woman at the event, with photos of her outfit going viral on social media. A year later, she developed her first Kobo collection made from Basotho blankets and seven years later, that first Rose coat is still in production. ‘I hope to create a business rooted in African heritage and culture that’s as recognisable as the Chanels and Diors of the fashion world. A business with a legacy that will outgrow and outlive me,’ she says. What’s inspiring you at the moment? I’m still buzzing from Black Panther and the themes of Afro-futurism and the embracing of culture that the movie explored. It’s given new confidence to creatives like myself who see the potential in telling our unique stories. 24 ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA THE WOMEN IN DESIGN ISSUE

Which African fashion designer should everyone have their eye on? Afrikanswiss, who makes denim more interesting with its unusual cuts, treatment of the fabric and embroidery. What’s on your decor wish-list? I’d love to get a Mvelo desk by Pinda Furniture. It shows how traditional Ahluka African elements can be used in neckpiece an everyday piece. by Afrigarde What colour can’t you get enough of? It’s a toss-up between red and yellow, both of which work well with my skin tone. What’s your favourite material to work with? Japan Basotho blankets, specifically those made of wool, which is a luxurious material that’s soft on the skin, warm and long-lasting. Each blanket has a story or symbolism behind it that’s conveyed in its pattern. What’s your dream holiday destination? Japan. Ever since watching The Last Samurai, my fascination with ancient Japanese culture has grown. Black Panther screening in Kenya Which accessory should everyone have? A neckpiece by Afrigarde. Its accessories double up as art pieces that you can hang in prominent spaces in your home. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? Spending time with my Traditional Basotho blankets 18-month-old son and hiking up Lion’s Head with my husband and our Siberian husky, Khaleesi – the most beautiful dog in Cape Town!

PHOTOGRAPHS GALLO MAGES/ GETTYIMAGES/ALAMY

As the founder of a fashion brand whose luxury items possess a significant link to heritage and culture, Makhetha-Kwinana champions locally made clothes with a distinctly African aesthetic

AT WORK: THABISA MJO For the owner of MashT Design Studio, success is about more than making beautiful pieces â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mjo is passionate about preserving traditional skills and helping other small businesses along the way TEXT ROBERTA THATCHER PHOTOGRAPHS SARAH DE PINA PRODUCTION SANRI PIENAAR

DECO VISIT

he dynamic city of Johannesburg has proved to be a one-way highway to achieving her dreams for Mjo, a young interior designer from the Eastern Cape who’s behind MashT Design studio. It was only two years ago that Mjo, hustling to make her name known in the industry, entered the Nando’s Hot Young Designer Talent Search competition. ‘I’d never designed a product before, but thought: “Let me give this a shot.” I wanted to get their attention,’ she says. The challenge was to create a pendant light with a South African twist that could be used in any Nando’s restaurant worldwide. Mjo’s Tutu 2.0 light was announced a winner, and she’s amazed at the knockon effect the award’s had on her business. ‘As the prize, Nando’s ordered 50 lights for its restaurants,’ she says. ‘I can’t think of a better way for big companies to support the small guys. Thanks to them, I started operating like a proper business.’ Two years later, that same light was named Design Indaba’s Most Beautiful Object in South Africa 2018, which gave Mjo conﬁdence that she was on the right track. She’s spent the past two years expanding her collection, producing homeware products and establishing her impeccably styled MashT Design Studio showroom at the shared design space 99 Juta in Braamfontein. ‘Before I moved here, I’d design in a vacuum, focusing on what I thought was cool,’ she says. ‘It’s been great to interact with potential customers and get more insight into what people really want.’ Connecting with suppliers is one of Mjo’s passions and she’s always seeking partners to bring her ideas to life, such as Chandelle Lighting, a factory in Fordsburg that produces the frames and hardware for her lights. Once those elements are complete, Mjo’s designs are woven onto the frames. Much of the weaving is done by her collaborator Derrily-Lee Grater Hodgkinson, who wove the original Tutu 2.0 light, and as the business has grown, Mjo’s expanded to include female crafters from the outreach organisation Boitumelo Project in Hillbrow. ‘The best thing about being downtown is that we’re surrounded by artisans with whom we can collaborate,’ she says. ‘No matter what I design, there’s someone who can make it happen.’ Although Mjo doesn’t strive to produce a quintessentially African aesthetic, she acknowledges that it’s the inclusion of traditional skills that gives her work a local feel. ‘For me, arts and crafts and anything handmade represent luxury, and my aim is to merge these traditional production methods with forward-thinking design. I want to make them current,’ she says. To this end, she’s committed to working with small ownerrun businesses that are preserving traditional skills. For her, it’s as important to help sustain and grow the businesses with which she partners as it is her own. ‘I can’t just be designing for the sake of designing,’ she says. ‘Building a business that will change people’s lives in a meaningful way and that will outlive me – that’s my passion.’ x @mashtdesignstudio

this page (from top) 99 Juta in Braamfontein; Chandelle Lighting produces the frames and hardware for the lights; Mjo’s Potjie server; Derrily-Lee Grater Hodgkinson and female crafters from Boitumelo Project weave Mjo’s designs onto frames. opposite Mjo next to her Nomgcana lamp. last page Zanele Shabalala from Boitumelo Project and Mjo.

DECO VISIT

‘For me, arts and crafts and anything handmade represent luxury and my aim is to merge these traditional production methods with forwardthinking design. I want to make them current’

30 ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA THE WOMEN IN DESIGN ISSUE

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INDIA MAHDAVI FOR BISAZZA BAGNO Architect and designer Milan Design Week project: Plouf bathtub, Splash washbasin and Wow mirror for Bisazza Bagno What’s been driving you through your life and career? My main driver is that I get upset with ugliness. There’s a right to ugliness, of course, but there’s a certain kind of ugliness that bothers me. Since I was young, I’ve projected myself into a future where there’s some kind of aesthetic value. That’s what really made me move forward. I needed to have beauty around me. Maybe at some point my conception of beauty was about perfection, but it evolved with time and now it has more to do with authenticity. What did you present at this year’s Milan Design Week? We’ve been working on this bathroom with Bisazza Bagno for nearly three years. I designed it thinking about what I’d want if I had to redo a bathroom in my own apartment, and also thinking about people who don’t have an interior designer. We created a small, round bathtub, a mirror and a small sink that can be opened and hide storage. These three pieces alone can create a whole bathroom with a strong identity. I wanted small elements, because I believe that most people live in apartments with little space available, and also because I don’t like the idea of wasting too much water. I wanted everything to have colours: there are very few colour options in bathrooms – everything’s so white and clinical. I believe in the power of colours to put you in a good mood in everyday life, so introducing the coloured element to the cleansing ritual brings an extra purification efect made by the colours themselves. Does being a woman influence your work in any way? When I think of myself, I think of a human being who happens to be a woman, who happens to be a designer. When I look at this bathroom, I wouldn’t think it could have been designed by a man. Maybe because it’s round and soft, not sculptural and massive. Creating an object is more than just an ego trip – functionality always has to be there. I hate to say that women are more practical, but actually, I think women respond to functionality in a daring way. Daring to use colours, for example. Functionality is about the way I’d like to use a product, but I want to add a dream to it at the same time. For me, design is about function and dreaming. Are there any challenges for you as a woman in the design world today? I always say that when I started out, it was a great help for me being a woman because there were no women out there. I got attention as a woman and because I was ‘exotic’ at the same time. Also, most of the industry’s professional press is run by women and they always really supported me. There was also a time when companies wanted to be ‘original’ by choosing a woman instead of a man for their projects. I think I’ve proven myself in my talent, but I still don’t have access to larger projects – I always get consulted for smaller projects or for something they call ‘feminine’. Especially in the construction field, people still have concerns about me being a woman in terms of structure, or the amount of work I can carry out. Some people don’t understand that I have enough flexibility to do well in every field. india-mahdavi.com, bisazza.it

DECO PROFILE

Women in Design With backgrounds as varied as their work and their recent involvement in this year’s Milan Design Week, these are four female names in international design you need to know TEXT ALICE IDA PHOTOGRAPHS VALENTINA SOMMARIVA

ROSSANA ORLANDI Founder of Rossana Orlandi Gallery (pictured: Celestial Flame chandelier by Moritz Waldemeyer) Why did you decide to become a gallerist? I spent years working in fashion before getting into design – my family owned a spinning company which, at the time, was run by my two older brothers. It wasn’t easy being part of the family business and after many long years, when my enthusiasm for fashion had seriously started to wane, I stumbled across a former tie factory in the historic centre of Milan. It was oozing charm and I just knew that its old walls had many a story to tell. The initial idea was to turn it into our family home, but after realising that my children were starting to make their own way in the world, I decided to throw all my energy into my passion for design. I spent two years browsing around and started filling the space with objects I loved, positioning them in relation to one another and creating a dialogue between them, always allowing myself the freedom of choice. That was how I first got into design: starting with a space whose history really excited me, and then falling in love with each of the objects that gradually filled the space. What did you present at this year’s Milan Design Week? We were involved in numerous collaborations, but one project I’m really proud of is the in-gallery restaurant we opened, Aimo e Nadia BistRo. With chefs Fabio Pisani and Alessandro Negrini at the helm, there’s a synergy that gives me a real buzz. Along with Jacopo Etro and Valeria Lepore of Etro Home, who were in charge of designing the interiors, we managed to create an extremely warm and welcoming feel. What do you think makes Milan Design Week so special? Firstly, it has an outstanding history of design projects and secondly, it’s now the place where companies choose to present their latest designs. On top of that, the city’s currently being thrust back onto the international stage. It’s now the second-most popular tourist destination in Italy, simply because it has so much to ofer. I don’t leave my gallery while the show’s on. I have the other 11 months of the year to discover new talents, and I love spending that week simply soaking up the amazing vibe. What’s the role of women in design today? I work with female designers from all over the world – the Emirates, Lebanon, America, Europe, Japan and even Korea. There are huge numbers of female designers today, just as there’ve always been, and some of them work for companies that generate massive turnovers. I believe female designers shouldn’t hold back – they should throw themselves into their work with tremendous determination. If women think that they’re impeded by their gender, that’s their problem. Today’s women must show determination, courage, self-assurance and self-esteem, just as I did. rossanaorlandi.com THE WOMEN IN DESIGN ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 33

PATRICIA URQUIOLA FOR CASSINA Designer and architect Milan Design Week project: Art direction and renovation of the Cassina store in Milan, Via Durini Why did you decide to become a designer? I’ve always been a creative person with a real flair for maths and, as a teenager, I was already aware that the only job that could combine both technical reasoning and creativity was architecture. Design came much later, on arriving in Milan. If I had never come to Milan, I wouldn’t be a designer today. Does being a woman influence your work in any way? In the design world, you have to be a one-woman or one-man band, wearing many diferent hats. I think that from a social point of view, it’s easier for women to juggle lots of diferent roles than it is for men. Scandinavian countries are streaks ahead in this respect, and I believe it’s something in which both men and women still need to be educated. I took years to open my own studio. I worried that I wouldn’t be able to cope, but it was easier than I thought. I had to tackle other people’s prejudices, along with my own. I firmly believe we’ve all been given an equal amount of sensitivity and that when teaching our children, we need to focus on developing their values rather than creating role or gender subdivisions, because adopting a dualistic mindset that simply distinguishes between men and women excludes all other minorities. I can’t imagine defending my rights if I didn’t defend every nuance of gender with the self-same dignity. Thank goodness we have people like Xavier Dolan raising awareness right across the spectrum. Schools everywhere should take a look at his work. What did you present at this year’s Milan Design Week? We began restoring the Cassina store last year, starting with the façades and windows. This year we’ve moved onto the central section, creating a link between the existing store and a newly-created, multi-functional area on the first floor, which we still need to play around with a little. It consists of a sort of club area, featuring an open kitchen to accommodate chefs, as well as a desk space where architects can work. I always try to create spaces that have overly specific functions; spaces that are fluid and reflect how people co-exist, be they public spaces such as airports, or semi-public spaces, such as this club. Our work involved structurally restoring the mezzanine and the central dome, and reconstructing the staircases. However, we were unable to emulate the scale of the existing Achille Castiglioni staircase in terms of its dimensions and the way it communicated with the outdoors. We needed to create a sense of continuity between the two levels, so we decided to design a 5m-wide concentric staircase. I wanted the staircase to filter out the sound of voices, hence my decision to cover it with a sound-absorbing material, which has also helped transform the way voices resonate around the dome. What do you think makes Milan Design Week so special? The system that underpins the Milan Furniture Fair is all about innovation. It’s a place where a wide cross-section of high-quality companies are given the opportunity to be in the spotlight for one whole week and showcase their wares to half a million people. It’s a complex system, and one that must be defended and nurtured because supremacy can easily be lost. One way of driving the innovative discourse forward would be using new technologies to create communication strategies of involvement from and dialogues with other sectors, thereby creating a richer, more interesting ofering. With this in mind, we’re currently working on a virtual reality project with the Le Dictateur gallery, the idea being to develop a virtual interface with the design week. patriciaurquiola.com, cassina.com

DECO PROFILE

ILSE CRAWFORD FOR KASTHALL Interior designer Milan Design Week project: Grönska rug collection for Kasthall Why did you decide to become a designer? I’m always fascinated by the way design materialises the imagined values we have into the texture of everyday life. I’m interested in creating environments that afect us, that make people feel good and that connect us on a human level. Specifically, what we focus on a lot in the studio and in our hospitality spaces is what happens when people come together, and how design can afect this and change the connection between them in a good way – in public and private spaces. For me, that’s independent of whether it’s a high-end environment or a social project. Many of the essential design principles are the same. What’s been driving you through your life and career? I’ve always been inspired by people who don’t accept the status quo. I suppose, in simple terms, the first people who inspired me were my parents. My father was an economist and investigative journalist, my mother was an artist. They both pushed boundaries and questioned the system. Making things better is the essence of design. What I love about the design profession is that there’ve been so many extraordinary men and women who’ve had a vision of a better world, whether through architecture or design. Those people are really inspiring. What did you present at this year’s Milan Design Week? We have a new collection of rugs for Kasthall, which includes three woven and two tufted designs that celebrate Swedish landscapes throughout the seasons. Kasthall is located in the Swedish countryside, and there’s a visible connection between the factory and the beauty of the landscape. Throughout our projects, we’ve seen a cultural shift towards the greening of architecture and interiors. Over the past 10-20 years, references in colours have been urban: cement grey, gallery white, steel. They all took cues from the built environment. These days, we spend much of our time in front of a screen and live the majority of our lives indoors, so we crave a physical connection with nature. It was also important for us to investigate the techniques Kasthall could ofer. To see what came out of these experiments. What’s amazing about this company is that they combine design and manufacturing; they have looms, they weave and they do hand-tufting, all under one roof. These techniques have very diferent outputs and we were able to mix them and see what efects we could create. We wanted to emulate the textures of nature and used the structure of ‘the Swedish landscape’ as a way of making sense of our research. We took five diferent types of Swedish landscapes (meadow, farmland, glade, furrow and vegetable patch) and then looked at those through the seasons – a sort of calendar in carpets, defining a new range of colours and materiality, which are combined in this collection. When you work for a company, what are your ideal conditions for a successful collaboration? When we work on our projects, the most important part of a successful collaboration is the people we’re working with: you can have a great building, but if the client, the team or the contractors aren’t committed, you won’t be able to produce a great end result. Whereas you might have a not-so-impressive building, but if you have a champion and everybody involved along the way is really interested and engaged, the outcome can be amazing. Q studioilse.com, kasthall.com THE WOMEN IN DESIGN ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 35

this spread In designing this expansive sea-facing room, Wearstler says that she opened up the space â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;as much as possible to bring the outside inâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. A pair of vintage chaises in tan leather offer a comfortably chic vantage point, casually matched with a monochrome rug from Morocco amid swathes of Bardiglio marble and a motley selection of timber furnishings and sculptures â&#x20AC;&#x201C; testimony to her knack for pairing old and new, opulent and understated. The French copper chandelier from the 1960s evokes a gathering of seaweed.

DECO AT HOME WITH

KELLY WEARSTLER’S SOULFUL MALIBU STYLE When the prolific interior designer isn’t at work at her West Hollywood studio and flagship store, holidaying in far-flung destinations such as Fiji or home-making with her family at their Beverly Hills residence, she can be found simply taking time out at her Malibu beach house: an airy abode that signifies a new wave in her sophisticated, ever-spirited style PHOTOGRAPHS FRANCOIS HALARD

earstler’s design repertoire is almost encyclopaedic in its scope. In case one imagined that dreaming up interiors for Hollywood A-listers and a panoply of high-end stores and boutique hotels around the world was enough, not to mention creating collections of lighting, furniture, rugs, tiles and even home fragrances and candles for her eponymous lifestyle brand, it’s clearly not. A global style-shaper in every way, her personal inventory also extends efortlessly from magazine guest editor to fashion icon and all-round inﬂuencer, with an Instagram following of 531 000 and counting. While Hillcrest Estate, the Beverly Hills home she designed for her family (comprising property mogul husband Brad Korzen and teenage sons Oliver and Elliott) is Wearstler at her high-octane best, with its ultra-luxe interiors and classically landscaped grounds presented at the grander end of the scale, her weekend and holiday home on Malibu Beach sees her exploring more soulful territory. The home has something of a castaway allure, all sun-bleached hues and a mix of smooth and weather-beaten textures, as if freshly plucked from the sandy shore below. Wearstler’s a self-confessed

nature-lover, which is immediately perceptible in every corner of her personal retreat, from the panoramic seascape to the towering tree planted in the main hall, which stretches a full two storeys high. With the ever-shifting ocean providing a moody backdrop for the interiors, the colour palette Wearstler employed is both muted and complex, moving from shades of driftwood taupe to misty grey, watery green and seashell pink. A lavish use of marble, one of her favourite materials for its inherent rawness and natural patterning, is artfully balanced by the bleached walnut floors and abundance of neutral tones seen throughout the home. It’s enhanced with Wearstler’s seemingly efortless nous for placing chunky, modernist furniture and other clever vintage finds from a variety of eras alongside rough, natural objects and artworks: a striated wall hanging by Sheila Hicks evocative of a sea fan, a copper light fixture reminiscent of seaweed, a sculpture in the form of a nautilus shell and stools of petrified wood. Contradictory as they may seem in this idyllically beachy setting, the result is cohesively organic, raw and textural. This is the designer at her instinctive best. Q kellywearstler.com x @kellywearstler

DECO AT HOME WITH this page (left) Wearstler’s brand of soulful luxury at its best, as seen in this bedroom featuring signature lattice-like Channels wallpaper by the designer layered with vintage wooden mirrors that reference porthole windows on a ship. The pyramid-shaped bedside lights are vintage purchases from Paris, while the 1970s swivel chairs were re-upholstered in a Larsen fabric. opposite Wearstler sits on a Soriana sofa by Tobia and Afra Scarpa for Cassina from the 1970s. The white enamel-and-glass table lamps and the floor lamp are all vintage, while the geometric wooden cabinet was custommade by Jeffrey Greene. The piece is flanked by vintage Karl Springer chairs. On the low marble table by Gae Aulenti is a serrated wooden arc sculpture designed by Wearstler.

(right) The sunken dining room features a monumental stone table, bought on auction at Bonham’s, and contemporary Zuma dining chairs by Wearstler. (below) A Wearstler Soufflé bed with signature leather ruching takes centre stage in this bedroom, alongside vintage glass lamps from the 1960s and a custom-print wall covering. (bottom right) Vintage pieces chosen for their bold, sculptural forms are cleverly grouped on a resin side-table from the 1970s.

this page The panoramic seascape view from the home’s expansive floor-toceiling windows provides an ideal backdrop for the designer’s inspiration for the home. With a signature style that juxtaposes raw with refined, melds colour, sophistication and spirited spontaneity, and seamlessly blends diverse periods of furniture under one roof, Wearstler’s revolutionised the look, feel and meaning of modern American design.

DECO AT HOME WITH

this page (above) The wooden sideboard was custom-designed by Wearstler and holds a painting and sculpture sourced from Pegaso Gallery Design in Los Angeles. (below) Cipollino marble wraps the walls and floors of a bathroom to dramatic effect, especially when juxtaposed with the bleached Douglas Fir sideboard and portholestyle mirrors by Wearstler. The cast-glass pendant light is a vintage piece from the 1970s.

GAISANG SATHEKGE X Sathekge is the Exhibitions & Events Curator at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg, and is responsible for raising funds, forming and managing relationships with key stakeholders in the creative industry and forming partnerships for events, including the popular youth month festival Basha Uhuru. ‘Transforming a monumental historical site into a space that allows the contemporary voice of young people to take ownership of history and reinterpret their own narratives through the arts and dialogue is one of my key objectives,’ she says. ‘[I try] to decolonise sites of memory by deconstructing the walls of heritage and using those bricks to craft more meaningful stories that are relevant to today.’ constitutionhill.org.za

Jacket R58 500, Giorgio Armani; skirt R8 500, Marianne Fassler; crown rings R1 999 for set and honeycomb ring R2 999, all Pandora; heels Sathekge’s own

In the name of art Women have always been involved in forms of artistic expression. As curators, collectors, auctioneers, historians and academics, they play an important role in shaping ways in which we think about and experience the arts, both within and outside of traditional institutions. We invited 13 visionary South African women in art to step in front of the lens TEXT AND PRODUCTION NTOMBENHLE SHEZI PHOTOGRAPHS TARRYN HATCHETT STYLING SITHA KENTANE LOCATION JOHANNESBURG ART GALLERY MAKE-UP CAROLINE GREEFF, LUTHER GALLOWAY INTERNS MICHELLE JALI, REFILWE NKAUNYANE

DECO ART

W CHUMISA NDAKISA Ndakisa is an independent curator whose ﬁrst exhibition, Atomic Peace, showed at Bag Factory Artists’ Studios in Johannesburg. It was a very memorable project for her personally, and spoke about the meeting of spiritual unrest and mental disorder. As a curator, Ndakisa interprets diferent mediums of art to create interventions related to ideas and subjects she deems important – one of them being collective healing. Research is an integral part of succeeding in these objectives. ‘As a person who’s not necessarily talkative, I use my curatorial work to express my thoughts and contribute to a greater conversation,’ she says. mushroomhour.com x @chumisapaquitan

DR SAME MDLULI T Mdluli is an artist, arts writer and historian who’s also the current manager of the Standard Bank Gallery in Johannesburg. Her work entails curating exhibitions that talk about our past, present and future. She’s now designing a gallery programme for 2019 and a book that documents the work of black South African artists. ‘One of my greatest professional achievements is obtaining a PhD in the history of art,’ she says. ‘To date, there are only two black women in the country with this qualiﬁcation – myself and Dr Nomusa Makhubu of the University of Cape Town.’ sponsorships.standardbank.com x @sametheone1

4. SUSIE GOODMAN S Goodman is the executive director of art auctioneers Strauss & Co and is the head of client advisory in the company’s Johannesburg office. She trained as an auctioneer in London and thrives on the adrenaline rush of the live auctions where artworks by major international and South African artists go under her hammer. One of her greatest professional achievements was being awarded the Ampersand Fellowship in 2018 and spending the month in New York visiting exhibitions and networking with clients and art world professionals. ‘I do what I do because I’m passionate about people, the art world and South Africa,’ she says. ‘I ﬁnd my work environment both stimulating and invigorating. There’s never a dull day.’ straussart.co.za

this page (clockwise from top left) Ndakisa wears: Floral shirt dress R4 950, Sindiso Khumalo; multi-coloured coat R28 000, Clive Rundle; gold earrings R490, WAIF. Goodman wears: Coat R28 000, Clive Rundle; earrings R890, Folli Follie; yellow rope necklace R1 250 and pearl rope necklace R1 870, both Pichulik; ring POA, American Swiss; ring R1 050, Black Betty. Dr Mdluli wears: Mesh coat R1 400, Black Coffee; earrings R3 895, Giorgio Armani

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KABELO MALATSIE T Malatsie, the director of the Visual Arts Network of South Africa, recently produced a publication titled Matšatši a and curated Sabelo Mlangeni’s photographic exhibition, Umlindelo wamaKholwa (Night Vigil of the Believers), at Wits Art Museum in Johannesburg. She’s also working as the editorial co-ordinator for Igshaan Adams’ Standard Bank Young Artist Award catalogue and curating this year’s FNB Joburg Art Fair’s talk programme. ‘Contemporary art is still considered a hobby even by those who are in the arts because basic working conditions don’t exist and artists are expected to work for exposure without anyone considering how you even make it to this space,’ she says. ‘This realisation made me want to work on structural issues so that practitioners aren’t bullied into working without basic conditions.’ vansa.co.za x @kabelo_malatsie this page (below) Dress R1 350, Amanda Laird Cherry at The Space; top R9 000, Marianne Fassler; earrings R1 280, Pichulik; bracelet R390, WAIF; ring POA, American Swiss

5. 6. CATE TERBLANCHE S Terblanche is the curator of the Sasol Art Collection. Her job focuses on the conservation and promotion of the collection and she’s also involved in initiatives such as the Sasol New Signatures competition. As a teacher at a tertiary level, Terblanche ﬁnds it important to share skills and knowledge, and to give back to a community that’s provided her with many opportunities. ‘I love being able to work so closely with historical artifacts,’ she says. ‘Many of the works in the collection aren’t often displayed or seen by anyone outside Sasol, and I get to explore them in a way few people do. It’s like a treasure hunt: ﬁnding a message scribbled on the back of a work or noticing a detail not seen on photographs in catalogues is priceless.’ sasolnewsignatures.co.za x SasolSA (above and opposite) Terblanche wears: Shirt R3 800 Sindiso Khumalo; trousers Terblanche’s own; bangles from R2 999 each, all Pandora; ring POA, American Swiss. Shange wears: Jacket, skirt and shoes all her own; earrings R1 950, St Erasmus

DECO ART

W KHOLEKA SHANGE

Shange is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in History of Art at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. Inspired by her great-grandmother uMntwana uNosulumane kaDinuzulu (Princess Nosulumane kaDinuzulu) and her great-aunt uMntwana uMagogo kaDinuzulu (Princess Magogo kaDinuzulu), her PhD research is concerned with re-reading photographic representations of uMntwana uMagogo kaDinuzulu as a way of ﬁnding new information about how she is understood historically and in contemporary times. ‘I do this archival work mostly for my family,’ she says. ‘Both uMntwana uNosulumane kaDinuzulu (who raised me) and uMntwana uMagogo kaDinuzulu are giants in my lineage. For me, thinking and writing about them is a way of ﬁguring out who I am and what I can learn from them as incredible women that came before me.’ x @kholekashange

CASSANDRA TWALA T Twala is a design fair curator for Artlogic, which produces the Nirox Sculpture Fair, the FNB Joburg Art Fair and the Sanlam Handmade Contemporary Fair – spaces that build platforms for artists and artisans to engage with people, craft stories about African creativity and support the design space. ‘I’m particularly excited about the inclusion of ﬁve new African artisans in this year’s Handmade Contemporary Fair, which speaks volumes about the importance of providing platforms that enable Africans to collaborate with one another in creating wealth on the continent,’ she says. artlogic.co.za x @cassmiat

DECO ART

this page (from left) Modiko wears: Jacket R9 500, Black Coffee; blazer R8 500 and trousers R5 800, both Marianne Fassler; necklace R1 670, Pichulik. Patel wears: Coat R12 250, Hugo Boss; shirt, trousers and shoes all Patel’s own. opposite Dress R1 300, Mareth Colleen; apron R3 800, Marianne Fassler; earrings R12 995, Giorgio Armani; green stone ring R1 050, small black stone ring R690, clear stone ring R1 280 and white stone ring R980, all Black Betty

NAADIRA PATEL T

10.

Patel is an artist, a lecturer and the founder of StudioStudio, which aims to consolidate art, research, design and project management. The framework of the business ranges from exploring the value of design in social justice organisations to working with young artists in conceptualising exhibitions and publications of their own work. ‘My work as a designer is integral to thinking about the role of an artist in society today,’ she says. ‘In my practice, I push a rethinking of distinctions or narrow categorisations of “creative labour” to include reassessments of the roles that design, activism and research can play in developing smart and motivated modes of communicating complex ideas to a range of audiences.’ studiostudioworkwork.co.za x @studiostudioworkwork

9. LONDI MODIKO S Modiko is an independent curator, art advisor and the founder of An Art Agency, and previously acted as co-director of WHATIFTHEWORLD gallery in Johannesburg. Through her work, she aims to expand the discourse surrounding contemporary African art. Her interests lie mainly in the patronage of art through commercial exchange, while her long-term goal is to democratise access to art through innovative exhibition platforms. ‘I regard being unapologetically myself as a personal achievement,’ she says. ‘This has also played a part in my carving out a career in a small, elitist, complex industry.’ anartagency.com x @londiii

11.

this page (from left) Kunene wears: Dress R1 899, Thebe Magugu; earrings R2 100 and disc ring R1 080, both Pichulik; ring R280, Black Betty. Hyslop wears: Coat R2 699, Thebe Magugu; pattern necklace R1 250 and black and gold necklace R1 720, both Pichulik; earrings R490, WAIF. opposite Jacket R45 395, Giorgio Armani; earrings R790 and bracelet R390, both WAIF; crown rings R1 999 for set and honeycomb ring R2 999, all Pandora

GLYNIS HYSLOP T Hyslop is the managing director of the Forum Company, a venue and event company based in Johannesburg with a belief that the art in its venues enhances its clients’ positivity and creativity. She’s also the founder of the RMB Turbine Art Fair. Now in its sixth year, the fair brings together a number of up-and-coming and established artists to sell works in an iconic part of the city. ‘We wanted to have an art fair that was inclusive and approachable,’ she says. ‘We enjoy it as much as the incredibly dive e it attracts.’ turbineartfair.co.za

1 . KWANELE KUNENE S Kunene is the founder of CREATIVE GHETTOS, a platform that aims to celebrate creative spaces in Africa. Through her weekly podcast, she interviews some of the most brilliant minds in art, architecture, interior design, literature and other ﬁelds, and would like to see the platform grow into a go-to resource for people wanting to learn about Africa’s contribution to exciting creative sectors. While a number of the industries she focuses on seem exclusive or unattainable to many, she’s building a bridge towards each one and breaking down high walls. ‘Africans have already begun falling deeply in love with their own creations, and the rest of the world is watching and interacting with enthusiasm,’ she says. ‘I just want to be part of this mental and physical shift as best I can.’ x @creativeghettos

DECO ART

13.

W LEVINIA JONES

Jones is the Head of Arts: Southern Africa at the British Council. In her role, she leads a team in several countries on thecontinentastheyworkwithartists,producers,managers, enablers and audiences, connecting them and brokering ways to share and create together, both here and in the UK. ‘My greatest achievement is being part of new African and UK stories, the ones told and shaped by young (18–35 year olds) people through art,’ she says. ‘This narrative is driven by contemporary ideas and passionate people– being part of it in a small way is extraordinary. It’s not what art is that excites me, it’s what it can do.’ britishcouncil.org THE WOMEN IN DESIGN ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 49

DECO SHORTLIST

Jo Malone Oud & Bergamot cologne Chandler House by Michael Chandler

THE KITCHEN’S INTERIOR DESIGN

My aesthetic has a great appreciation for redemption – taking things that might have been discarded, and restoring or making them better. I love objects that carry stories or that involve some imagining, and there’s strong nostalgia in all the bits I’ve collected. The cool thing is that almost everything is for use, not merely for display. I also have a strong connection to colour and the power it has to create pleasing spaces.

x @capetownk

@lovethekitchen karendudley.co.za The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Mile 8 by David Higgs

KAREN DUDLEY This Cape Town-based chef, author and ‘surprised restaurateur’ is driven by her desire to ‘ find solutions and make things better for everyone every day’ Best known for the fresh, wholesome dishes she presents at her eclectic restaurant The Kitchen in Woodstock – which began after her successful catering business outgrew her home kitchen – Dudley’s diverse approach to food is inspired by her aim to ‘lead people into making better choices in the way they eat’. It’s this diversity, in fact, that played a major role in shaping her life. ‘I grew up during apartheid in a typical coloured home,’ Dudley says. ‘Embracing my identity as a non-white South African at a time when SA was very traumatised, I realised that I’d never fit into a category and had to forge my own identity. I was the embodiment of a rich mix of cultures, which set me free to embrace flavours, textures and colours.’ Dudley soon realised she could touch people with the food she made and authored two cookbooks that introduced a different, vegetable-led way for South Africans to eat. She’s now in the process of completing her third, which is due to be released later this year. ‘My new book, Set a Table, is about how to gather people around your table and the joy of entertaining,’ she says. ‘It’s a very beautiful, intimate book full of secrets and ridiculously brilliant recipes, and is based on my “theology” of the table: this is where we learn about each other, where we connect and find belonging. Food is the vehicle that helps us get to this place.’

Vintage chaise-longue

Heritage is tremendously important in my work. I’m always reaching for the flavours that people are longing for, introducing combinations and textures, finding our common identity and riffing on it. I’ve had to trust and believe in what I find delicious. JO MALONE’S OUD & BERGAMOT COLOGNE

This and Malone’s Pomegranate Noir cologne are my ultimate scents. I also love the smell of cardamom and fennel. DAVID HIGGS, RICHARD CARSTENS AND IVOR JONES

They’re three of SA’s finest chefs. I love the attention they’re giving to vegetables. VINTAGE FURNITURE

From my chaise longue and slightly dilapidated Sanderson two-seater to our large glass-drawer haberdashery chest in our dressing room, I love all my furniture, which is mostly vintage and re-covered, often in linens from my collection. THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

When I visited New York City, I was in awe of this museum and would happily spend days in it. Back home, I’m spoilt for choice, especially because I live and work in Woodstock where there are amazing art exhibitions at Stevenson Cape Town and Goodman Gallery on my doorstep. CAPE TOWN

This is my favourite city, where I grew up and live. Looking up at Table Mountain gives me great perspective on my place in the world and I find inspiration throughout the city, from Kingdom in the Woodstock Exchange and Chandler House in Church Street to the treasure-filled Woodstock Vintage and the bookshop in Newlands’ Dean Street Arcade, where I shamelessly sit on the floor and feast on cookbooks!

PHOTOGRAPH GALLOIMAGES/GETTYIMAGES/ALAMY

MY SOUTH AFRICAN HERITAGE

THE STREETS ARE OUR RUNWAY PROUD SPONSOR OF BROUGHT TO YOU BY

www.4thstreetwines.com

Not for Persons Under 18.

SHOPPING PHOTOGRAPH ÉLÉMENTAIRE_CONE TABLE COURTESY OF HAY

DE TAILS • DECOR • TRENDS • TIPS • LIGHTING

Discover the top three decor trends on our radar (p56), why sideboards are so versatile and our current favourite offerings (p60) and our Toolbox lighting guide complete with alluring products, great tips and breathtaking inspiration to help you illuminate your home (p62)

Stone metallic stool by Marcel Wanders for Kartell R5 321, True Design

Lady armchair by Marco Zanuso from the Maestri collection for Cassina R58 000, True Design

Raised checked cutlery from R70 each, Zara Home

Highland rug by Vivienne Westwood from R27 649, The Rug Company

Toscana napkin in Paprika R150, Haus at Hertex

F OU R

Square

Cubista mirror R117 400, Casarredo

Blockpattern tea towel R80, H&M Home

Forget dated tartan walls and plaid tablecloths. Check today is much cooler than it was in the ’90s and brimming with sophisticated appeal Toy vase by La Chance from R33 376, Establishment. co.za Brioche bar-stool R2 295, Block & Chisel

Woven dining chair R3 995, Douglas & Douglas

Melange pouffe R13 622, CRÉMA

Cafetan tapis rug R68 610, Roche Bobois

Loewe Fall 2018 Ready To Wear

Golden transfer ceramic bathroom accessories R369 for set, Zara Home

Kite shelf by Patricia Urquiola for Kartell R1 048, True Design

Houndstooth ottoman R500, MRP Home

DECO TRENDS

Double Zero chair by David Adjaye for Moroso R35 600, True Design Bubbles lamp by Jaime Hayon for Bosa R15 650, Limeline

Metal trivet R129, H&M Home

Inlay rug by Samuel Accoceberry from R43 310, Roche Bobois

Moiré wall light by David Derksen for New Works from R7 079, Establishment.co.za Sircle chair from R5 100, Egg Designs

Black singlestem curved vases from R585 each, LIM

Tulip candlesticks by Skultuna R4 034 for set of three, Esque

Victor chest by Luigi Gorgoni from R107 420, Roche Bobois Biba table lamp by Lorenza Bozzoli for Tato Italia R20 000, Limeline

Bump teacup by Tom Dixon R1 816 for set of two, CRÉMA

Spotted cotton rug R399, H&M Home

Newton table by Boco do Lobo from R38 288, Establishment.co.za

Spot ON

Circles go far beyond typical polka-dot prints – think laser-cut motifs, rounded edges and globular details Carolina Herrera Spring/Summer 2018, New York Fashion Week

Cone bump vase by Tom Dixon R2 497, CRÉMA

Silo nesting coffee tables from R33 871 each, Okha

DECO TRENDS Shadows rug by Golran for Moroso R92 400, True Design

Checked amber vase R1 695, La Grange Interiors

Bentley sofa R9 995, Block & Chisel Ramekins R77 each and utility bowls R130 each, all Mervyn Gers

The Bench by DA Design from R12 218, Establishment.co.za

Muffin suspension lamp R15 898, CRĂ&#x2030;MA

Quilted crumpled linen throw R14 900, La Grange Interiors

M E L L OW

Yellow

Blown-glass vases in yellow from R4 500 each, Anatomy Design

From mustard to gold, honey to blonde, sunny shades will inject your interiors with vibrancy

Meagan chair R2 995, Bloc Outdoor Furniture

Ambrosia vase R700, SHF Roksanda Fall 2018, London Fashion Week

Drinks sidetable R2 350, Fundi Lights

Mustard knot scatter cushion R270, Knus

Glass tiles in Sunflower R65/sheet, Douglas Jones

Cubo armchair from R8 400, Mezzanine

Casino stool R2 750, SHF

Blown-glass bowls in yellow from R5 500 each, Anatomy Design

PHOTOGRAPHS IMAXTREE.COM

Gravity ball vase by Roberto Tapinassi and Maurizio Manzoni from R62 890, Roche Bobois

Side ef fec t

From providing storage and surface space to making a grand statement, a sideboard is a versatile piece that will complete any living area PHOTOGRAPHS SARAH DE PINA PRODUCTION AND STYLING SANRI PIENAAR PRODUCTION ASSISTANT PIETER VON WIELLIGH

(clockwise, from bottom left) Caliza A side-table R14 000, Tonic Design; Eden Queen carpet by Moooi R46 250, Weylandts; 637 Utrecht armchair by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld for Cassina R51 865, True Design; HG server R33 000 and Shogun table lamp by Artemide POA, both Tonic Design; Tear vase R770, Mezzanine; Jacaranda bowl by Andrew Early R5 000, Tonic Design; Gerda glass vase R1 995, La Grange Interiors; Ceramic vessel (not for sale), Tonic Design; Cosmic Diner Lunar Hard Rocket candleholder #2 by Diesel Living with Seletti R3 105, Generation; Reaction PoĂ¨tique centre-piece by Jaime Hayon for Cassina R8 625, True Design; Gravity Cross vase R12 700, Casarredo; Superluna floor lamp R35 000, Tonic Design; Subu sheepskin beanbag R7 995, Weylandts

DECO ETC

Diamond sideboard by Boca do Lobo from R45 3024, Establishment.co.za

Bruno sideboard R12 999, @home

E1027 credenza from R31 950, Douglas & Company

Kassena Isibheqe server POA, Dokter and Misses

The Moller sideboard from R47 500, Bofred

Minimalist oak sideboard in Grey Oil R34 960, James Mudge

Symphony sideboard by Boca do Lobo from R390Â 176, Establishment.co.za

Rosso server R49 000, Tonic Design

Lloyd server R17 500, SHF

E Unit Large R13 200, Studio 19

Lala Shwantla drinks cabinet POA, Dokter and Misses

Angora sideboard R16 995, Block & Chisel

THE WOMEN IN DESIGN ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 61

Glow on We shed some light on how best to illuminate your home with standout products, top trends and inspiring ideas TEXT KAREN TENNENT COMPILED BY SANRI PIENAAR ASSISTANT PIETER VON WIELLIGH

DECO TOOLBOX

1 DESIGN INSTEAD OF VIEWING YOUR LIGHTING IN A PURELY PRACTICAL SENSE, SEE IT AS A VERSATILE DESIGN ELEMENT THAT WILL HELP FINISH OFF YOUR SPACE Barcelรณ Torre de Madrid hotel by Jaime Hayon barcelo.com Photo by Kunderbie

L A NTE RN L A MPS /

Recreate a similar feel to that of a hurricane lamp or lantern with electric versions that provide a dappled quality without the need for candles

3 STRUCTURE SCULPTURAL LIGHTS ARE ALL THE RAGE, WITH OFFERINGS SO STRIKING THAT THEY ARE WORKS OF ART IN THEIR OWN RIGHT. LOOK FOR INTERESTING FORMS AND UNEXPECTED FINISHES. Moon Jelly standing lamps in Black R27 600 each, Dokter and Misses

MOOD LIGHTING

Bonbon table lamp by Ana Kraš anakras.com

Ambience

Dimmers are a wonderful way to create ambience and easily control the brightness of a room. To allow for a smooth transition from day to night and create a welcoming atmosphere, replace any compact fluorescent light bulbs with warm white offerings, and ensure that all your light fixtures are dimmable.

Marselis table lamp in Soft Black by Hay hay.dk

‘Since this is a space you entertain in, aim for warmth and cosiness when selecting lighting for your living room. You want people to feel comfortable, so avoid bright overhead lights and consider a combination of table lamps and pendants. Standing floor lamps can serve a double purpose – they can be a beautiful decorative object in a room, while also providing mood or task lighting. I love to use them when I need to create height in a space. It’s also important to have layers of light to ensure ambience, and a mixture of downlights, table lamps, pendants and floor lamps can help you achieve this.’ – Kelly Adami, Copperleaf Studio

6 METALLICS Just as in jewellery, there’s no need for metallic fittings to be the same tone

(from left) Orion Globe & Tube hanging lights by Lee Broom R19 445 each, CRÉMA; Elgar table-lamp R1 500, SHF; Liam Swing wall lights in Black and Brass R6 800 each, Studio 19; Iris standing lamp R33 500, Casarredo; Vonk glass wall light R4 800, Woltemade

DECO TOOLBOX

COMBINATIONS

One of the biggest lighting trends to date is the mixing and matching of fittings in different materials, styles, laZi^l Zg] lbs^l' =hg m [^ Z_kZb] h_ pairing an antique light with something more contemporary â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it will introduce a personal touch and layers of interest Hay at Salone del Mobile hay.dk

8 When lighting a large area, rather increase the amount of fixtures in the space than the intensity of the bulbs. Not only does bright lighting give off an unpleasant glare, it is more effective to illuminate a room using small groupings of lights than with one beaming fitting.

SC A N D I LI G H TS /

Embrace the minimalist Scandinavian aesthetic with designs in neutral colours that boast clean lines and sleek shapes The Utzon pendant in White by Jørn Utzon for &tradition andtradition.com

10 ‘PENDANTS BRING LIFE TO A ROOM WHEN IN THE MIDDLE OF A SETTING LIKE A DINING TABLE OR AS TASK LIGHTING ABOVE A KITCHEN ISLAND. THEY MUST BE BOTH FUNCTIONAL AND BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED, WHILE THE REST OF THE LIGHTING SHOULD BE AMBIENT AND WELCOMING, MIRRORING THAT OF A GOOD RESTAURANT – OVERLIT SPACES DON’T DO MUCH FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF FOOD AND GREAT COMPANY.’ – ERICA SCHALKWYK, FORM INTERIOR

DECO TOOLBOX 11 MULTIPLES

Ground a table and make a room seem longer by hanging multiples of the same light in a row or with a fixture that gives the same effect

OVERHEAD LIGHTING Pay attention to the position of your overhead lighting and ensure bm l on separate switches from your mood lighting

Saint Louis pendant lights by Ceccotti Collezioni R22 000 each, Limeline Hidden Tints kitchen by Note Design Studio notedesignstudio.se

13 LEVELS ‘Lighting is very important to any room, and you always want to have more than one option available. Once you’ve decided on your base lighting, add different levels of light depending on what ambience you want to create in the space. The correct lighting levels can encourage relaxation and comfort and should never be too harsh, even in a room like the kitchen.’

Hay at Salone del Mobile hay.dk

GU10 Spotlight in Black R220, KLight

– Sumari Krige, La Grange Interiors

14 WALL SCONCES

ARE PARTICULARLY EFFECTIVE IN NARROW PASSAGEWAYS THAT ONLY REQUIRE SOFT ILLUMINATION.

Barberton pendant light in Lilac R4 700, Newport Lighting

The Kein wall lights R6 100 each, Studio 19

WHICH FITTINGS WORK WHERE 1. Floor lamps Place next to couches and tables as an additional source of light for activities such as reading.

2. Spotlights 3. Table lamps Use to highlight a Position throughout the certain object such as home, and try to have an artwork or sculpture, the bottom of the shade or draw attention to at eye level when you a particular area. are in a seated position.

4. Pendants Hang individually or in groups over tables, kitchen counters, nightstands or in an entrance hall.

BOW III S+M+L chandelier by David Dolcini for tossB R19 076, ELDC

THE WOMEN IN DESIGN ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 67

16 SHAPE Bold lights with eye-catching silhouettes will add to your decor both during the day and at night (from left) Jelly table lamp by Marc Sadler for Bosa R6 700, Limeline; Hallstat pendant light R3 690, Eurolux; Agata table lamp R21 760, Roche Bobois; Cut wall light by Tom Dixon R11 489, CRÉMA; Untitled Oxide Green pendant light by Caine Heintzman from R24 750, Establishment.co.za; Cone Utility table lamp in Nickle R499, @home

17 ?eZgd ma^ [Zmakhhf fbkkhk

with sconces and ensure there is an overhead light _hk mZldl ln\a Zl Ziierbg` fZd^&ni' Bm l bfihkmZgm mh dghp ma^ lbs^ h_ ma^ bgm^g]^] space for the fitting and what function you want it to serve. Select something that adds a decorative element to your khhf% ^o^g pa^g bm l mnkg^] off: fixtures in bold colours and intricate shapes will automatically attract the eye, but you can also create a focal point by hanging lfZee^k ]^lb`gl bg fnembie^l'

Free up space on your nightstand and frame your bed at the same time by replacing side-lamps with wall sconces. When properly positioned, these fittings can offer better reading light and act as alluring accents. Journey wall light by Signe Hytte for &tradition andtradition.com

– Kelly Klopper, Eurolux Fonda Bondi by Esteta studioesteta.com.au Photo by Tessa Ross-Phelan

The Fleming Hotel Hong Kong thefleming.com

MATERIAL

‘When it comes to buying light fittings for a specific area, try to tie the materials in with something else in the room. Feature lighting often includes brass, glass or marble, which are easy to bring into accessories, fixtures or furniture. Tom Dixon is known for leading the way in lighting design, especially with the introduction of new materials. Now he’s moving away from shiny metallics in favour of muted alloys and glossy black. In terms of durability, glass and marble are great options, while brass and copper should be avoided near the sea. Clusters of small pendants can be more impactful than large, singular pieces and often, all that’s needed to freshen up a room is a selection of collectables in a range of shapes, materials and finishes.’ – Craig Tabor-Raeside, CRÉMA

DECO TOOLBOX

S TATEME NT F I X TU RES Use dramatic lighting to create a centre of interest in a room and direct the eye to high ceilings and decorative features such as mouldings. Scale is an important consideration here, and the size of your fixture can help enhance your space. For example, a slim, horizontal fitting placed up high can make a room feel larger, while a big, low-hanging offering can result in a cosy and intimate atmosphere Hidden Tints bedroom by Note Design Studio notedesignstudio.se

Glamour FOR

JOHANNESBURG FURNITURE LIGHTS ACCESSORIES

KARE Johannesburg 14 Appel road Kramerville, Sandton

www.kare-johannesburg.co.za kare_johannesburg

KARE Johannesburg

HOMES

PHOTOGRAPH ELSA YOUNG

JOHANNESBURG • KILLCARE • LYON • CAPE TOWN

Inside The Urbanative founder Mpho Vackier’s family home in Johannesburg (p72), a glamorous seaside abode in Killcare, Australia (p80), a colourful contemporary apartment in Lyon, France (p90) and a strikingly sophisticated house in Cape Town (p100)

this spread A Gralan Fabrics rug from Vintage Vista and a pair of woven stools from @home introduce pattern to designer Mpho Vackierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family living room, which also features a server from Tokkara Living, a deep-buttoned sofa from @home and a pink velvet Thulani loveseat from The Urbanative.

HOME JOHANNESBURG

A Vibrant Affair Pattern, colour, culture and a high-low mix of furniture all come together in the contemporary family home of The Urbanative designer Mpho Vackier TEXT MILA CREWE-BROWN PHOTOGRAPHS ELSA YOUNG PRODUCTION SANRI PIENAAR

this page Upstairs in Vackierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s studio, a bold wall provides an eye-catching backdrop for a Nomalanga lamp, two Zamo desks and an Umganu cabinet, all from The Urbanative. opposite Vackier working at her Nenzima desk, which was inspired by the hairstyle of Queen Nenzima of the Mangbetu tribe in the DRC. In the foreground stands Vackierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recently released Oromo chair.

HOME JOHANNESBURG

s the owner of product design brand The Urbanative, Mpho Vackier’s pieces include strong narratives of Afrofuturism and cross-culturalism. The mix is what makes them so appealing. ‘The whole reason I design is to tell stories,’ she says. Her family home in Centurion, Johannesburg, speaks the same language, signalling the designer’s bold approach to style with a clash of influences that’s unexpected and unquestionably her own. When she and her husband Harald bought the house three years ago, they had a light makeover planned. However, as things progressed, the makeover became an overhaul. ‘We gutted everything,’ Vackier recalls. This involved installing new vinyl flooring, adding windows, building an upstairs studio for her business, replacing the ceilings, and refitting the kitchens and bathrooms. ‘The bathrooms had sandstone tiles and little brown mosaics… how do you brush your teeth in that!?’ she exclaims of a look completely at odds with her own breezy, animated aesthetic. Vackier’s interior style is eclectic, blending antiques and vintage finds with accessible pieces from local homeware stores and retailers. The abode is also a vessel for the ever-popular Afro Mid-Century Modern furniture she designs. ‘I create the way I do to speak to my cultural background. My son is both Tswana and Belgian. I don’t have an heirloom to give him, but I have cultural stories to tap into,’ she says. Her latest furniture collection, The African Crowns, was inspired by sculpted tribal hairstyles, with Vackier mirroring those elements in the detailing of her woven and fringed chairs, tables and lights. ‘My furniture has to speak of who I am culturally, as well as stand on its own in a home in Antwerp, for example,’ she says, noting the duality of her designs, which juxtapose European, Mid-Century Modern feels with African narratives. Her reference to Antwerp is no coincidence: Harald is Belgian and they talk about owning an apartment there one day. All over their family home, Vackier’s designs bring life. Pops of colour and geometry vibrate against a base colour palette of greys. In the lounge, an antique marble-topped cofee table is teamed with a light grey, deep-buttoned sofa, emerald scatter cushions and her Thulani loveseat, with its open metal framework and pink velvet seat. A wooden server extends the interplay of patterns, textures and colours. The walls are where Vackier has been most playful: a series of geometric wallpapers from Builders Warehouse shakes things up in the bedrooms, patterned tiles and painted stripes invigorate the bathrooms and a commanding Vladimir Tretchikof print brings saturated colour to a small guest toilet. Her home office/studio was a vital move, allowing her flexible working hours and accessibility to the couple’s son, Xavier. It’s an enviably cool, pared-back space with ample room to store samples and prototypes. Here she painted an entire wall in pink, black and gold motifs that nod to traditional Ndebele design, while a mixture of contemporary and vintage pieces rub shoulders. With its inviting living areas, Xavier and her beloved Yorkies have a place to hang out while she works. ‘Our kitchen was purpose-built for my husband, who’s very tall, but it’s fine because I don’t cook and I don’t care!’ Vackier laughs. As the appointed family chef, Harald wanted a social area where he could prepare meals while chatting to friends, and they’ve achieved this with an open layout that makes use of a central island surrounded by Vackier’s Buumi bar-stools. Here, too, a shot of pattern is introduced in the form of terrazzo floor tiles. Vackier is a restless homemaker. Ever the stylist, she admits to moving things around most weekends. ‘I like constant change and because I’m subjected to design through my work, I know the look I’m after. I want people to feel comfortable as soon as they walk into this house,’ she says, without the slightest sense that she’s already nailed her own brief. Q theurbanative.com

THE WOMEN IN DESIGN ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 75

“ ”

Vackier’s interior style is eclectic, blending antiques and vintage finds with local pieces

HOME JOHANNESBURG this page The Vackiers’ kitchen is a contemporary space and includes terrazzo floor tiles from Union Tiles, Caesarstone countertops, Le Creuset accessories in Cool Mint and The Urbanative’s Buumi bar-stools. opposite A cluster of Vackier’s treasured white ceramics are displayed on a dining table from Coricraft.

this page In the main bedroom, a blue reupholstered antique chair is positioned next to a wooden four poster from Tokkara Living, while a wool rug from The Ninevites has been repurposed as a hanging above the bed. opposite (clockwise from top left) Wallpaper from Builders Warehouse creates a sunny focal point in the Vackiers’ son’s bedroom; Vackier and her son Xavier; The Urbanative’s Dondo stool is teamed with Vladimir Tretchikoff wallpaper from Robin Sprong in the guest toilet; a Chair Crazy chair provides seating and acts as a graphic accent in Xavier’s bedroom.

“

My son is both Tswana and Belgian. I don’t have an heirloom to give him, but I have cultural stories to tap into

”

HOME JOHANNESBURG

THE WOMEN IN DESIGN ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 79

this page Vintage bocce balls are strikingly displayed in custom brass rings on the cellar wall of this sleek four-bedroomed house in Killcare, Australia. opposite Sydney-based architects Square Design conceived the commanding building to best offset its arresting natural setting. Here, reclaimed wooden doors at the back of the house lead to the cellar, while on the ground floor, double glass doors maximise the views from one of the guest rooms.

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SEASIDE GLA MOUR This modern beach house on Australia’s Central Coast embodies the dramatic beauty of its natural milieu – with a few sophisticated surprises up its sleeve TEXT SHARON SOROUR-MORRIS PHOTOGRAPHS ANSON SMART STYLING ALEXANDRA GORDON

this page With its Tribu Mood daybed from Cosh Living, the deck on the upper floor boasts a breathtaking view of Killcare Beach. opposite (from top) Upstairs, mesh sliding doors conceal a mini-library where mementos from the home-ownersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; adventures abroad are lovingly displayed, while a door at the end of the passage leads to a powder room; the architectsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; expert combination of glass, wood, concrete, steel and stone is best appreciated from the sophisticated entrance way.

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t’s a picture-perfect setting: great swathes of ocean and a pristine beach bordered by national parkland as far as the eye can see. And in the midst of this rugged landscape, a sleek beach house takes it all in its stride. But this is no conventional seaside holiday home. It’s an enviably elegant abode in a league of its own – not only when it comes to its breathtaking location and modern design, but also in its sumptuous decor. Located in Killcare, a stylish Central Coast village in Australia’s New South Wales on the Bouddi Peninsula, the fourbedroomed house is owned by a cosmopolitan Sydney couple who, with their son, use it as a bolt-hole from the hurly-burly of city life. Here they relax, entertain friends and family, and get close to nature: right on their doorstep is the Bouddi National Park and Killcare Beach. The house, which is 91km north of Sydney, was designed and built for the owners by Sydney firm Square Design. Starkly modern and planned with easy living in mind, it pays homage to its striking natural surrounds, inviting the outside in at every opportunity. Perched on the peak of a small hill, the house is on three levels: the upper one – which incorporates the main en-suite bedroom and the living areas – enjoys unparalleled views of the Tasman Sea and the adjoining protected parklands, and leads onto the terrace, plunge pool and deck. The three guest bedrooms, two guest bathrooms and kitchenette are on the ground level, with a remarkable wine cellar nestling on the lower level. Sydney firm Decus Interiors set out to strip the house of its beach identity without losing sight of its magnificent setting. The aim? To balance potentially harsh and unforgiving space and light with cosy sophistication and ‘purposeful elements of surprise’. The clean, contemporary aesthetic is tempered by generous use of texture throughout – polished concrete meets steel and glass, stone cladding, timber and metal. It’s a heady mix, but banish the thought of the interior falling prey to a soulless space: the dreamy decor, with its calm, but dramatic colour palette of inky blues, obsidian, charcoal, various shades of grey, dusty pinks and leafy greens, gives the abode a luxurious feel that spells only one word: glamour. The owners’ brief was to create a stylish, practical home that lends itself to entertaining, reflects their love of travel and captures the characteristics of historic European houses, while retaining a relaxed ambience and barefoot elegance. Finishes and furniture have been cleverly chosen to soften the depth of colour, and the modern nature of the house is balanced with dramatic tones, tactile touches, striking artworks and vintage pieces sourced internationally: here you’ll find iconic Charlottenborg rattan chairs by Arne Jacobsen, Minotti armchairs and vintage French teak and cane seating. There are also playful, innovative details: for example, the obsidiancoloured, jewel-like powder room on the upper level is hidden behind the joinery of the library (where the owners display their finds from their overseas travels) and wouldn’t be out of place in a James Bond movie; the drama of the wine cellar is heightened by cloaking the door in wall panelling, and the main bedroom cupboard doors are clad in exquisite wallpaper depicting a magical night scene. While the opulent interior decoration ofers serenity, in contrast to the house’s rough and wild environment – especially in the cosy main bedroom, which takes cocooning to a new level – Decus has ensured it enhances the experience of living there by reflecting the vistas through colour choices, soft furnishings and the introduction of myriad textures. It’s incredibly clever, and the resultant richness and glamour are the perfect foil for the competing outdoor drama of nature herself. Here, beauty is never skin-deep. Q decus.com.au

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HOME KILLCARE this page An Old Yarn Pom-Pom Tulu rug demarcates a scenic seating area on the ground floor, which features a Bell table by Sebastian Herkner. opposite (clockwise, from top left) The home‘s architectural modernity is reflected in its myriad textures, as seen in the concrete and timber floor in the open-plan dining room; ‘Dark Wood’, 2010, by Tim Summerton provides an inky accent in the sleek eating area; Lindsey Adelman’s Branching light illuminates a marble-topped kitchen counter on the upper level; antique touches, such as French teak and cane chairs, help soften the interior’s contemporary edge.

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Sydney interior firm Decus Interiors set out to strip the house of its beach identity without losing sight of its magnificent setting

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HOME KILLCARE this spread Thanks to its location on the peak of a small hill, the home has enviable views of Killcare Beach, which is just a five-minute walk away. Large steel-and-glass doors create a seamless indoor-outdoor flow from the living room to the deck and terrace on the upper floor.

this page In one of the ground-floor bedrooms, ‘Moonee Beach’, 2016, by Alan Jones mimics the surrounding parklands. opposite (clockwise, from top left) A jewel-toned powder room on the upper level includes a vintage brass Borsani mirror from Nicholas & Alistair; navy grasscloth wallpaper from Phillip Jeffries is enhanced by Serge Mouille’s Antony lights in the main bedroom; ‘Vivid Blue’, 2008, by Martine Emdur greets visitors in the entrance hall; Grant Featherston’s Scape chair provides a bright pop of magenta in one of the guest bedrooms.

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The clean, contemporary aesthetic is tempered by generous use of texture throughout

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THE WOMEN IN DESIGN ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 89

this spread Inspired by its location in the urban Parc de la TĂŞte dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Or, interior designer Claude Cartier used a base palette of varying shades of green in the living area of this apartment in Lyon, France. Gold notes illuminate the decor, as seen in the textured Hello Sonia wall hanging by Studiopepe for cc-tapis, Chandelier floor lamp by Dan Yeffet for Private Collection and Loren coffee table by Baxter.

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A Past Well Present Interior designer Claude Cartier worked her palettes to give colour to a beautiful apartment in Lyon, France, balancing a range of retro green hues and bold terracotta notes to masterful effect TEXT CLÃ&#x2030;MENCE LEBOULANGER PHOTOGRAPHS VINCENT LEROUX

this page Cartier framed each room by painting the door surrounds an accent colour, creating the effect of virtual artworks. opposite (from top) As the founder of Claude Cartier DĂŠcoration, Cartier is known for her creative use of colour and immediately recognisable aesthetic; designer lighting in the form of a Blade wall lamp from Baxter and a Mediterranea floor lamp by NoĂŠ Duchaufour-Lawrance for Petite Friture highlights two Redondo chairs by Patricia Urquiola for Moroso.

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nterior designer Claude Cartier’s first contact with the owner of this apartment was when she entered her shop, Claude Cartier Décoration, in Lyon, France having spotted a green couch in the window. The two didn’t know it at the time, but the thread of a project was formed. ‘When I saw that this apartment was nestled in the grounds of the Parc de la Tête d’Or, the khaki palette was an obvious one,’ says Cartier. In the two main rooms – the living room and the dining room – the designer juggled the shades, six in total: here to emphasise moulding, there to enhance a door, a decoration with gold leaf or the detail of a wallpaper. In the living room, Cartier moved away from the overall look by keeping some parts of the interior white. ‘It was absolutely necessary to avoid the excesses and bring a sea of calm. On neutral walls, the paintings are much stronger,’ she explains. In comparison, the choice of monochrome was more impactful for the entrance hall. ‘When I saw this surprising checkerboard floor that was somewhere between salmon and mortadella, I immediately thought of an Italian palazzo. Rather than working around it, I found it more fun to delve deeply into it,’ Cartier says, which she did not only by painting the walls, but by choosing Rubelli Venezia’s Madame du Barry fabric for the Chandigarh bench by Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien for Moroso, and adding a Rotazioni carpet by Patricia Urquiola for cc-tapis. The result? A successful contrast of green and terracotta that gives power to the hues – evidence, if it was necessary, that Cartier hasn’t finished making us see all the colours. Q claude-cartier.com

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When I saw that this apartment was nestled in the grounds of the Parc de la Tête d’Or, the khaki palette was an obvious one

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this spread Offsetting the opulent gold leaf panels by Roseyma Marion in the dining room are natural details such as wooden herringbone floors and a Ybu table by Jean Pierre Tortil for Christophe Delcourt, as well as an abaca fibre Chanpen suspension light by Anon Pairot for Forestier. Playful additions include two Motherboard mirrors by David/ Nicolas for Private Collection and an After Party carpet by Garth Roberts for cc-tapis.

THE WOMEN IN DESIGN ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 000

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The entrance hall’s colour scheme was inspired by its original checkerboard floors

HOME LYON this page The entrance hallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s colour scheme, which includes shades of salmon pink, bisque and coral, was inspired by its original checkerboard floors, upon which lies Patricia Urquiolaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rotazioni B carpet for cc-tapis. opposite Between the entrance hall and the kitchen is an informal eating area complete with Beetle chairs by GamFratesi and Multi-Lite pendants by Louis Weisdorf, all for Gubi. The paintings are by Jean-Paul Meiser.

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Cartier is known for her creative use of colour and immediately recognisable aesthetic

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this page In this small bedroom, Cartier created a headboard effect by running geometric fabric from Larsen along the wall, using a wooden batten as a shelf for further works by Meiser. A white marble and metal Salute table by Sebastian Herkner for La Chance stands next to the bed, with its crumpled washed linen from Maison de Vacances and Riviera hand-stitched embroidered cushion from Lindell & Co.

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(clockwise, from top left) White granite terrazzo tile R486/m², Union Tiles; Cordovan wallpaper in 106/4055 by Cole & Son R1 555/roll, St Leger & Viney; European FSC oak herringbone flooring in Natural Oil from the Legno Living collection R730/m², Oggie Flooring; Siva gold granite tile R1 380/m², Union Tiles; Montblanc 5043 quartz slab R2 400/m, Caesarstone; Banana Leaf fabric in Jungle Berry R561/m, T&Co; Tanglewood Forest wallpaper in WPLA0206 R570/m², Lemon; Jaspe wallpaper in 106/3050 by Cole & Son R1 555/roll, St Leger & Viney; Rojjo Alicante marble slab R3 450m², WOMAG; Crema Rosita granite slab POA, Rudi’s Choice

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this page For the interiors of their Green Point apartment in Cape Town, Alex and Andy van der Velde employed the help of interior designer Amy Mitchell to create an aesthetic that was ‘textural, comfortable and utterly chic’. opposite An animal-print armchair by Egg Designs mimics the graphic nature of the artwork by Kurt Pio above the fireplace, while a gold side-table from Cécile & Boyd is one of many metallic accents in the home.

JEWEL BOX Inside this seriously sophisticated Green Point apartment, a daring opaque backdrop lets the rich emerald-and-gold palette sparkle TEXT JESSICA ROSS PHOTOGRAPHS INGE PRINS

this page In the downstairs TV lounge, a custom-made couch by Leon at CCXIX is positioned beneath Michael Chandler’s Phases of Fortune series of prints, which reflects the couple’s love of the moon. opposite The abode’s brief was inspired by a vibrant emerald velvet sofa, whose hue is echoed in pops of green in a gilded artwork by Kurt Pio.

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itting in the living zone of the Green Point apartment she shares with her husband Andy, Alex van der Velde says: ‘It all started with the idea for an emerald velvet couch.’ That couch is now the star piece of the room and Alex runs her fingertips absent-mindedly over its silky surface as she recounts her inspiration for the abode. It’s the kind of room-defining, sink-in sofa into which you’d nestle in the heart of winter, and is characteristic of the style of home the couple wanted to create: textural, comfortable and utterly chic. The desire to buy property in Cape Town grew out of Alex and Andy’s respective careers in logistics, which saw them spending more and more time between the city and their house in Zimbali, KwaZulu-Natal. ‘We’re also in a situation where all our kids have grown up and left the nest,’ says Alex, ‘so finding a smaller place made sense.’ While much more compact than their Zimbali home, this three-bedroomed bolt-hole spread over three storeys is splendidly spacious, with generous proportions and a solid architectural frame for the interior work that the Van der Veldes set out to do with Durban-based interior designer Amy Mitchell. Having worked with the couple on a previous project, Mitchell immediately took to her clients’ vision for this interior gut job, which blended practical living with a glamorous, Kelly Wearstler-like sensibility. ‘She’s my style icon,’ notes Alex, and whispers of the references to the American interior designer – known for her daring use of patterns, vibrant colours and eye-catching feature pieces – that can be found throughout the space, from the geometric gold wallpaper in the master bedroom to the animal prints and scatter cushions in the living area, suitably covered in Wearstler’s fabric. Along with the emerald sofa, Alex sought a dark, moody look for the interior walls. ‘This was the beginning for the colour scheme,’ explains Mitchell. ‘I mixed the green with black and gold for a dramatic efect, and the darker colours really accentuate those hues. Both the living areas have really high ceilings, so they were able to carry the darker colours well.’ Against the moody walls, key design pieces by local talent are given an opportunity to shine, like the outsized dining-room table by Kevin Frankental of studio Lemon and an Andrew Early timber cofee table. For Mitchell, good light was key to success: ‘An integral part of the design was the use of lighting and mirrors. The house really comes to life in the evenings when all the levels of lighting come into play and it’s reflected in the mirrors, making it really striking.’ While the home’s textural and colour palette is consistent throughout the space, each of its three levels has a unique ambience. On the topfloor kitchen-dining-living zone, it’s all about open entertaining, whether the Van der Veldes are enjoying dinner at the dining-room table with custom-made banquette seating, playing cards with their kids in front of the fireplace or taking in the spectacular sunset from the balcony. In the bedrooms, Mitchell wanted to create a cosy sanctuary, so she turned the tone right down to a calming mix of gold, midnight blue and white, letting the vista shine in its own right. ‘Alex really wanted the bed in the master bedroom to face the glorious view,’ says Mitchell, ‘but the wall that backs onto the bathroom area just wasn’t generous enough to accommodate a king-sized bed, so I designed a headboard on hinged wings to circumnavigate this obstacle.’ Guest bedrooms follow suit, while the guest bathrooms are bursts of vivid tropical style. ‘Because they’re usually a fraction of the size of other rooms, guest loos should be striking and dramatic,’ says Alex. Andy and Alex’s love of local art is evident throughout the home, from the Kurt Pio abstracts in the living area to the Victoria Verbaans in the bedrooms. The bottom-level TV-living space – a thoroughly intimate zone in deep blue with emerald accents – features a wall of moon prints entitled Phases of Fortune by local artist Michael Chandler, referencing the couple’s love of all things lunar. ‘We’re both fascinated by moons,’ says Alex. And when they’re not looking at the moon’s phases in the downstairs TV room, they can catch the live show out on the balcony, where they’re treated to the dazzling panorama – right from Bantry Bay to the Cape Town harbour – that initially sold the couple on the property and leaves them slack-jawed every time they step outside. ‘I knew when I first walked in the front door and saw that view that I was done,’ says Andy. ‘It’s just magnificent.’ Q studiomitchell.co.za THE WOMEN IN DESIGN ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 103

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Against the moody walls, key design pieces by local talent are given an opportunity to shine

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this page A dining table by Kevin Frankental from Lemon is surrounded by a banquette and chairs by Leon at CCXIX in the top-floor living zone. opposite (clockwise, from top left) As per the home-owners’ brief, the interiors blend ‘practical living with a glamorous, Kelly Wearstler-like sensibility’; in the kitchen, a luxurious marble surface contrasts with black cabinets and gold finishes, such as a faucet by Lavo Bathroom Concepts; the bar area features a display cabinet by The Kitchen Studio that’s home to an array of collected glassware and objets.

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THE WOMEN IN DESIGN ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 105

this page (clockwise, from top left) Calm and inviting, the expansive en suite bathroom boasts a dressing table and chair by Leon at CCXIX; all three bedrooms are serenely opulent and include ubiquitous gold detailing; tropical wallpaper from United Wall Coverings adorns the walls of the guest bathroom; in the guest bedroom is a pouffe by Leon at CCXIX and a mirror from Dark Horse.

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(clockwise, from top left) Palm Springs wallpaper in PS40114 by United Wallcoverings from R2 062/roll, Constantia Interiors; White Attica 5143 quartz slab R2 400/m, Caesarstone; Verde Guatemala granite slab R2 300/m², WOMAG; Palm Jungle wallpaper in 95/1004 by Cole & Son R2 323/roll; Oblique wallpaper in 105/11046 from the Geometric II collection by Cole & Son R2 252/roll; and La Traviata fabric in Gold R482/m, all St Leger & Viney; Verde Bianco marble slab POA, Rudi’s Choice

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Update a neutral space by introducing new hues, pattern and texture

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1. (from left) Emerald velvet in 700 R825/m, Halogen International; Centro Florentine blue glazed ceramic decor tile, R590/m2, St Leger & Viney; Marseille fabric in 600, R342/m, Halogen International 2. Blue velvet scatter cushion R249, @home 3. Tribal kelim R2 800/m2, Gonsenhausers Fine Rugs 4. Mangbetu/Lupita floor lamp R3 950, The Urbanative 5. Natural book-holder by Bofred R4 850, Design Store 6. Halo vase R950, Chandler House 7. Hexagonal wall mirror R1 350, Design Store 8. Bonolo Helen Chepape COLAB scatter cushion R180, MRP Home 9. Series 1 armchair R20 000, Anatomy Design 10. Dondo stool R2 500, The Urbanative 11. Chevron bone inlay stool R4 300, Cécile & Boyd 12. Beat pendant lights by Tom Dixon R8 297 each, CRÉMA

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Sumptuous materials meet inky tones in this sleek and sophisticated interior 3

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1. (from left) Alhambra fabric in Teal R480/m, St Leger & Viney; Moorland Fog 6046 marble slab from R2 400/m, Caesarstone; Nero Marquina marble slab R3 450/m2, WOMAG 2. X console from R8 999, JVB 3. Livingstone wingback armchair from R38 100, Egg Designs 4. Bash vessels by Tom Dixon from R4 766 each, CRÉMA 5. Gold platter R2 700, Anatomy Design 6. Orbit garden stool R1 957, Esque 7. Topaz vase R740, Cécile & Boyd 8. Memphis three-seater velvet sofa in Peacock R10 999, @home 9. Bamileke stool/side-tables R3 490 each and 10. Black and copper pill stool R1 120, all Jenny Roberts Exclusive Décor 11. Chamber pendant lights from R25 899 each, CRÉMA 12. Twins mirror R3 300, Design Store 13. Lamp Disc lamp in Black R4 995, La Grange Interiors

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Pair similar shades with a selection of contrasting pops for an eclectic yet balanced aesthetic

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1. (from left) European FSC oak herringbone flooring in Natural Diamond Oil from the Legno Living collection R730/m2, Oggie Flooring; Alice fabric in Coral Reef R1 081/m, Hertex; Chromatics fabric in Blue R413/m2, St Leger & Viney 2. Nut lounge chair by Marcel Wanders for Moooi R24 150, Weylandts 3. Sospiro glasses by Natuzzi from R1 180 each, Bitalian 4. Chroma lamp on base by Arturo Erbsman R51 980, Roche Bobois 5. Mayor sofa by &tradition R88 142, CRÉMA 6. Cubicle Cube mix tiles R105/sheet, Douglas Jones 7. Multi-Lite pendant light by Louis Weisdorf for Gubi R13 722, CRÉMA 8. Aphrodite scatter cushion in Mint and 9. Antheia scatter cushion in Blush, both R680, Design Store 10. Diaph table lamp by Vincent Blouin and Julien Legras R28 480, Roche Bobois 11. Lab floor light R15 000, Anatomy Design 12. Pintxada dining chair from R10 200, Egg Designs 13. Salute side-table by Sebastian Herkner for La Chance from R22 200, Establishment.co.za 14. Satellite pendant light from R6 000, Studio 19

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The addition of shimmering gold accents will play up the elegance of a dark and moody colour palette 5

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1. (from left) Sasha fabric in Emerald R1 495/m, Ashford Tropics wallpaper in AT7055 R1 904/roll and Regale fabric in Rock Ridge R552/m, all Hertex 2. Monkey Leaf tealight holder R720, Jenny Roberts Exclusive Décor 3. Hands ceramic and 24k gold-painted vase by VG New Trend R22 600, Casarredo 4. Round mild steel side-table from R2 390, LIM 5. ‘Quasar Two’ print R950, Design Store 6. Wabi Sabi deep salad serving bowl by Clementina R2 399, The Storer 7. Lux floor lamp R5 250, Design Store 8. Velvet scatter cushion in Green R249, @home 9. Trivet Dew pot stand by Skultuna R4 035, Esque 10. Onda bowls by BS Collection R24 500 for set of two, Casarredo 11. Light blue Vito dining chair R3 799, Sofacompany.com 12. Black swirl glass paperweight R930, Cécile & Boyd 13. Haven mirror R5 995, Block & Chisel

Furniture showcases your personality, style and taste, however planning a harmonious space a isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always as easy as it looks. The new furniture collections from Mobelli are perfectly curated to create a blended, cohesive interior scheme. Call into one of our stores where you can simply shop the entire look. 1. Denver three seater sofa with chaise R 39,995 2. Burlingham arm chair R 9,595 4. Chester occasional swivel chair R 8,445

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Everything you need to know about the architecturally rich city of Chicago (p118), Cape Town’s new crêperie Swan Café (p122),Barceló Torre de Madrid hotel in Spain (p126), growing indoor plants (p129) and the pieces our decor stylist is loving right now (p130)

MY KIND OF TOWN Famed for its bold architecture, plethora of museums and overall laid-back feel, Chicago is a diverse destination like no other TEXT AND PRODUCTION KERSTIN ROSE PHOTOGRAPHS CHRISTIAN SCHAULIN

Chicagoans love their skyscrapers. So much so that it’s become fashionable to move from the suburbs back to the Loop, the centre of the city, and to reside in the newly constructed buildings around the Chicago River – or in the 74-storey-high Water Tower. But the jewel in the crown for locals with an affinity for architecture is getting an apartment in one of the two skyscrapers by German-American architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe on Lake Shore Drive, with their panoramic views across the expanse of Lake Michigan and its long beaches. Chicago’s downtown area has really spruced itself up in the past decade, with large-scale works of public art now nestled among the shiny steel, glass and granite façades. But the main change to the cityscape is provided by the many new green spaces that have sprung up in recent years and make the city so liveable and laid-back. Examples of these are the Riverwalk, a waterside promenade on both sides of the river that extends all the way to Lake Michigan, and the magnificent Millennium Park, which opened in 2004. In summer, the grass lawns of the adjoining Grant Park are host to a number of first-class events, such as the Chicago Blues Festival, while free symphony concerts, yoga festivals and dance events are held in the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, an extravagant open-air concert house designed by American-Canadian architect Frank Gehry. At lunchtime, office workers from the nearby skyscrapers come to Millennium Park and sit at the long tables directly opposite ‘Cloud Gate’, a 4m-high reflective stainless steel sculpture by British artist Sir Anish Kapoor. The entire glorious gamut of modern architecture can be seen from many corners of the city. However, the loveliest view of Chicago is afforded by the observation floor of the Hancock Tower and the most vertigo-inducing can be had from the enclosed glass balconies of the Skydeck on the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower). Outside the downtown area, the cityscape flattens out to two storey-high buildings – as seen in Bucktown, Chicago’s new hotspot that’s home not only to the most popular restaurants and stores, but also to the city’s friendliest people. cityofchicago.org, jhochicago.com ‘Cloud Gate’ by Sir Anish Kapoor in Millennium Park

DECO TRAVEL TOURS Architecture Foundation River Cruise, architectural boat tour 112 East/Wacker Drive

This 90-minute architectural boat cruise on the Chicago River is an excellent and relaxing way of gaining an overview of the city’s most important buildings and skyscrapers. The Chicago Architecture Foundation’s knowledgeable guides conduct several of these tours each day and tickets entitle passengers an open-air deck seat on a boat operated by Chicago’s First Lady Cruises – thus guaranteeing the best possible view. It’s a good idea to book in advance via the Internet, as tours are often sold out, especially in summer. cruisechicago.com Go Wright, foundation, museum, bookshop 951 Chicago Ave, Oak Park

Wright built his first house for himself and his family in the green suburb of Oak Park. Although this home wasn’t designed in the Prairie style that Wright influenced (it doesn’t feature the typical horizontal lines and flat roof), it bears the hallmarks of his architectural principles: an open fireplace as the focal point of life in the house, the symbiosis between light, interior, art, nature and the architecture, and the use of natural materials. As well as tours of Wright’s first residence, the Go Wright Foundation organises visits to other historic landmarks in Oak Park, such as the Rookery Building in the centre, which can’t be viewed from the inside without a guide. gowright.org Chicago Blues Festival

Architecture Foundation River Cruise

ART AND DESIGN 6018 North, art dealer/gallery 6018 North/Kenmore

For more than 13 years, Tricia Van Eck curated exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, until she gave up her job to set up a non-profit art project. She‘d already bought a dilapidated mansion in Edgewater, an area in the north of the city dominated by six gangs. Her aim is to give artists a platform and to bring together different artistic disciplines at the mansion, such as music, literature, the fine arts, dance and theatre. A number of temporary events also take place at the house, in which Van Eck sometimes involves the local community. ‘With this place, I want to make art more expressive, alive and understandable,’ she explains. ‘People from all kinds of different social backgrounds can meet here and exchange views.’ 6018north.org

‘Flamingo’ sculpture by Alexander Calder

Art Institute of Chicago 111 South/Michigan Ave

As well as its comprehensive collection of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and North American works, the museum is home to an architecture collection whose main focus is the structural history of Chicago. Mies van der Rohe and American architect Frank Lloyd Wright are two of the most famous names represented here, while the Modern Wing, which opened in 2009, was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano. artic.edu Lake Shore Drive apartment blocks

RESTAURANTS AND BARS The Signature Room, restaurant 875 North/Michigan Ave, Hancock Tower, 95th Floor

The lift operator takes guests non-stop up to the 95th floor of the Hancock Tower, where they‘re faced with an amazing choice: eat on the left-hand side of the restaurant and look down on the beaches of Lake Michigan, or opt for the right-hand side and admire the skyline. Both views are dizzyingly beautiful, the food on the white-clothed tables is good and the wines – available by the glass – are commendable. As The Signature Room is a popular attraction, it’s advisable to book for Sunday brunch or weekend evenings – and expect to queue for the lift. signatureroom.com The Charleston, bar 2076 North/Hoyne Ave, Bucktown

This is the place to experience the feeling of the Roaring ’20s: red-brown brickwork, a golden-coffered stucco ceiling and lots of patina. The Charleston‘s been the most laid-back bar in the neighbourhood for years now. Choose from more than 50 kinds of beer and a wide range of cocktails. Or drink a mixture of both, such as the Dark and Stormy (dark beer poured from the keg, lemon and rum). charlestonbarchicago.com

The Signature Room

The Rookery Building

The Charleston

SHOPS Asrai Garden, flower shop 1935 West/North Ave, Bucktown

Illinois Institute of Technology

Why would a tourist want to go to a flower shop? To buy an attractive gift that won’t wilt. Asrai Garden offers a fine selection of these – handcrafted flowers made of velvet, porcelain, wool or wood. And if you still can’t find a suitable present, you can let yourself be inspired by the lovingly created, original decorations and curiosities. asraigarden.com Greer, stationery shop 1657 North/Wells St

Chandra Greer only opened this exquisite stationery shop a few years ago, yet some of the things on offer here seem – by American standards – to belong to another era. Handmade writing paper, diaries, old American fountain pen brands and individually designed invitation cards are rarely found in the ‘land of opportunity’. greerchicago.com Frank Lloyd Wright architecture

DECO TRAVEL

Jay Pritzker Pavilion

SLEEP The James Hotel 55 East/Ontario

Situated in the heart of downtown Chicago, the James Hotel is the ideal starting point for shopping and sightseeing on foot. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a pleasantly luxurious establishment with a spa, a bar and everything else you would expect from a four-star hotel. The rooms have very comfortable beds and are fitted in the lounge style: pure fabrics, warm light and real wooden floors create an atmosphere of ease and comfort, while works of art on the walls add a cosmopolitan touch. Guests can hire bikes free of charge. jameshotels.com Reservation portals for private apartments Hotels in Chicago are comparatively expensive. A good alternative are Internet portals that advertise private houses and apartments to let. We recommend airbnb.com. Chicago Board of Trade Building Chicago Riverwalk

BEACHES North Avenue Beach There are a large number of beaches and coves in Chicago, and swimming in the crystal-clear water of Lake Michigan is an unalloyed pleasure. In the north of the city, many head for the fine-sanded North Avenue Beach, which is so long and wide that you can easily find a quiet spot and admire a perfect view of the Chicago skyline â&#x20AC;&#x201C; even when the nets of the 20 or so volleyball courts are put up. Other activities here include surfing, jet-skiing, kayaking, stand-up paddling, frisbee and suntanning.

North Avenue Beach

VIVE LA CRÊPERIE! Jessica Rushmere opens another charming French café in Cape Town TEXT HILARY PRENDINI TOFFOLI PHOTOGRAPHS ADAM LETCH

DECO EATS

onjour!’ is the greeting you get from the waitron at Rushmere’s new crêperie Swan Café. We’re in Cape Town’s Buitenkant Street, but Rushmere has the glint of a Parisian crêpemaker on the banks of the Seine whipping up featherlight treats on hot plates for you to eat right there. In France, crêpes are a national dish and sold everywhere. They can be savoury too, made with buckwheat flour and a variety of fillings, in which case they’re called galettes. Swan Café serves both. The farm in France where Rushmere grew up is on the other side of Brittany, where the crêpe was invented in the Middle Ages, and after completing a master class in crêpes in Rennes, she’s passed her knowledge on to her Cape Town staff. Their thin, lacy-edged crêpes are so delicious that the city’s French community has been flocking to Swan Café. Perhaps the wall murals of the Greek princess Leda and her lover the swan have something to do with it. This is Rushmere’s second French café in Cape Town, with La Petite Tarte in De Waterkant being her first. This time she approached interior designer Haldane Martin, and together they produced a riot of blues with touches of white and red, while a swan logo created by graphic designer Heidi Chisholm pops up on everything from trays to the floor tiles. Martin’s range of mainly beechwood furniture is complemented by copper-hued birdcages on the ceiling containing Hoi P’loy’s vintage lightbulbs, while the Leda wallpaper custom-designed by Cara Saven using famous paintings is the pièce de résistance. Ultimately, though, what counts most at Swan Café is the food. Rushmere’s menu is full of tantalising combinations. Her Out of the Blue galettes have a mix of blue cheese with red wine-poached pears and prosciutto, a classic taste sensation heightened by sprinkles of Emmenthal and Gruberg cheese and kicked up by the delicious crunch of candied walnuts. Another satisfying choice is the aptly named Lili La Gourmande crêpe, served with caramelised apples in a sublime, salted-caramel sauce strewn with toasted flaked almonds. And for beverages, there’s an array of inspired speciality teas, each with its own provocative ingredients and blended for Rushmere by Nigiro tea merchant Mingwai Tsai. Also on board is Kalk Bay micro-roastery Damn Fine Coffee. Swan Café is open Monday-Friday from 8am-4pm and on Saturdays from 8am-2pm. Cnr Buitenkant & Barrack Sts, Zonnebloem, Cape Town. swancafe.co.za x @ swancafect

THE WOMEN IN DESIGN ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 123

Jessica Rushmere

LILI LA GOURMANDE CRÊPES X Makes about 10 crêpes

Caramelised apple slices • 10g salted butter • 11g brown sugar • 266g Granny Smith apples, peeled

Melt butter and sugar in a hot saucepan. When they start to caramelise, toss the sliced apples into the pan and shake occasionally to ensure they don’t stick to the surface. Don’t overcook the apples.

Salted caramel sauce • 133g castor sugar • 2g Maldon salt • 58g salted butter, cubed • 85ml pouring cream, heated

Dissolve the sugar and salt in a hot pot, stirring constantly until they’ve melted and turn a golden oak colour. Remove from heat and stir in the butter cubes, bit by bit. Return the pot to a medium heat and add the heated cream immediately while whisking vigorously until combined. Whisk until smooth.

Sweet batter • 4 free-range eggs • 500g cake flour • 750ml full-cream milk • 300ml water • 125g castor sugar • 5g salt • 5ml vanilla paste

Combine all the batter ingredients, leave for 20 minutes to stand, then cook crêpes on a fairly hot greased pan. Serve with caramelised apple slices, salted caramel sauce and toasted flaked almonds.

DECO EATS

FRESH FINDS South Africa is a smorgasbord of dining and drinking options, as these new offerings prove TEXT FIONA DAVERN

W VAN DER LINDE Sunlight streams through the wraparound windows of Van Der Linde, whose pared-back decor is peppered with potted Fiddle-leaf figs throughout. Offering bistro-style fare, it’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The French toast with rhubarb, crème anglaise and lemon, and the sea bass with beurre blanc, Brussels sprouts and fried leeks are must-tries. 50 4 th Ave, Linden, Johannesburg. vdl.restaurant x @vdlrestaurant

SCHOON CAFE PHOTOGRAPH LIZELLE LÖTTER

SCHOON MANUFACTORY CAFÉ X Run by well-known husband-and-wife team Fritz and Chanelle Schoon of Schoon de Companje fame, this new café has a dedicated team of bakers who create artisanal loaves using stone-milled grains, natural fermentation and woodfired ovens. Try their famous brioche French toast or classic scrambled eggs on sourdough toast. The Bird Precinct, 91 Bird St, Stellenbosch. schoon.co.za x @schoon.eating

THE COURSE X The Course at SLOW in the City offers chic city dining in lush interiors created by Tonic Design. The palette of deep red, sage green and rich mustard paired with marble and gold accents signals that this brasserie-type eatery is bang on trend. Offering a wide array of dishes, from tapas plates to Florentine T-bone steak cut right at your table, the emphasis is on fresh, seasonal ingredients. Located near the Gautrain Station, it’s the ideal setting for a stylish business lunch or a pre-commute cocktail. Cnr West St & Rivonia Rd, Sandton, Johannesburg. slow.co.za x @slow_sa

DESSERT COMPANIONS Tokara Reserve Collection Sauvignon Blanc Noble Late Harvest 2016 This rich, golden Sauvignon Blanc has ginger-nut spice, quince jelly and dried fruit on the palate and boasts a clean, fresh finish. Great with berries and crème anglaise. From R350. Ageing potential: 3 years.

Neethlingshof Short Story Collection Maria 2017 Expect concentrated fruit cake and honey on the palate from this textured offering, which is made from 76% Weisser Riesling grapes. It works brilliantly with a tangy, creamy dessert like granadilla crème brûlée. From R230. Ageing potential: Another decade.

Haute Cabrière Pierre Jourdan Ratafia 2016 A Chardonnay fortified with the estate’s potstill brandy (it’s the only ratafia made in South Africa), this fortified wine is excellent served chilled as an aperitif, or with a rich dessert like fudgy chocolate tart. From R90. Ageing potential: 10-15 years.

Best of BOTH WORLDS A luxury hotel by Jaime Hayon reveals how Spanish culture and heritage can be successfully combined with international trends and designer influences TEXT KAREN TENNENT PHOTOGRAPHS KUNDERBIE

DECO HOTELS

BARCELÓ TORRE DE MADRID, SPAIN Located in the iconic Torre de Madrid (Tower of Madrid), Barceló Torre de Madrid is a five-star luxury hotel that fuses design and international trends with influences from local culture, fashion and art. Its statement interiors are courtesy of Spanish designer Jaime Hayon, whose playful use of colour and shape results in an arresting Mid Century Modern-type feel. Matte walls in a muted palette of powder pink, sage green and slate grey provide a complementary backdrop for a range of vibrantly-hued custom furniture – much of it designed by Hayon himself – and artworks depicting men and women in Spanish dress. Each of the hotel’s 258 rooms is fully equipped and features sumptuous details such as gilded mirrors and floorto-ceiling windows that offer guests unrivalled views of the city. Complete with a health centre and spa, a stylish bar and a restaurant that serves Asian- and Spanish-inspired dishes, Barceló Torre de Madrid is a world-class destination ideal for design aficionados and the aesthetically inclined. barcelo.com

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@HOME 086 057 6576 home.co.za AMATULI 011 440 5065 amatuli.co.za ANATOMY DESIGN 010 594 5397 anatomydesign. co.za BILLY MOON 011 788 9950 BITALIAN bitalian.co.za (10) BLOC OUTDOOR FURNITURE 021 461 3506 blocoutdoor. co.za (12) BLOCK & CHISEL 011 442 0809 blockandchisel.co.za BOFRED 082 563 5640 bofred.co.za (2) CASARREDO 011 786 6940 casarredo.co.za CÈCILE & BOYD 021 405 1880 cecileandboyds. com CHANDLER HOUSE 021 424 4810 chandlerhouse.co.za CLEMENTINA 021 447 1398 clementina.co.za (3, 11) CRÈMA 021 448 7775 cremadesign.co.za (1, 7) DESIGN STORE 082 940 9200 designstore. co.za DOKTER AND MISSES 011 403 1024 dokterandmisses.com DOUGLAS JONES 011 447 4199 douglasjones.co.za EGG DESIGNS 011 268 2378 eggdesigns.co.za ESQUE esque.co.za (5) ESTABLISHMENT 021 462 6492 establishment.co.za FUNDI LIGHTS 072 391 9029 fundilights. co.za GENERATION 011 325 5963 generationdesign.co.za GOLD BOTTOM POTS 081 519 8146 goldbottompots. co.za GONSENHAUSERS 021 425 8998 finerugs.co.za (13) H&M HOME 086 069 0707 hm.com/za/department/HOME HALOGEN INTERNATIONAL 011 448 2060 halogen.co.za HAUS AT HERTEX 086 043 7839 hertexhaus.co.za HERTEX 021 461 7420 hertex.co.za JAMES MUDGE 079 448 1683 jamesmudge.co.za JENNY ROBERTS EXCLUSIVE DÈCOR 082 462 3395 jennyroberts.co.za KIM SACKS GALLERY 011 447 5804 kimsacksgallery. com LA GRANGE INTERIORS 021 447 3508 lagrangeinteriors.co.za LIM 021 423 1200 lim.co.za (6) LIMELINE 021 424 8682 limeline.co.za MERVYN GERS 021 510 2385 mervyngers.com MEZZANINE 011 778 1200 mezzanineinteriors.co.za MRP HOME 011 728 2168 mrphome.com OGGIE FLOORING 021 510 2846 oggieflooring.com OKHA 021 461 7233 okha.com ROCHE BOBOIS 021 286 0793 roche-bobois.com/en-za (4) SHF 010 492 5455 shf.co.za SOFACOMPANY. COM 021 200 5904 sofacompany.com SPILHAUS 087 809 2500 spilhaus.co.za STAY EVIL KIDS stay-evil-kids.com ST LEGER & VINEY 011 444 6722 stleger.co.za STUDIO 19 010 023 0071 studio19.co THE RUG COMPANY therugcompany.com THE TILE GALLERY 011 312 5038 tilegallery.co.za THE URBANATIVE 012 004 1747 theurbanative. com TONIC DESIGN 011 262 4513 tonicdesign.co.za TRUE DESIGN 010 594 5109 truedesign.co.za WEYLANDTS 021 914 1433 weylandts.co.za (8, 9) ZARA HOME zarahome.com/za

DECO GARDENS

LIVING WITH PLANTS During the recent dry spell in the Cape, outdoor plant sales have declined as plant-buyers have turned their attention to more realistic indoor projects with fewer water demands. Now’s the time for tough, undemanding indoor plants to take centre stage in the home

PHOTOGRAPH INGE PRINS

TEXT MARY MAUREL

(from left) Large Zenith planter R2 250 and tall Zenith planter R1 150, both in Black, Dark Horse

Whether or not you have green fingers, there are many undemanding indoor plant varieties that thrive on neglect. If anything, one needs to be careful not to over-water them or smother them with love. Asparagus fern (Asparagus densiflorus) Zanzibar gem (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) Philodendron (various species) Chinese money plant (Pilea peperomioides) Fiddle-leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) Snake plant (Sansevieria)

Previously, I’ve been loath to recommend some of these varieties because they’ve been impossible to find. However, I’m pleased to note that with the recent surge in popularity of the indoor houseplant, I’m seeing more Zanzibar gems, Chinese money plants and Fiddle-leaf figs around. As greenery becomes ubiquitous in homes, more accessories involving the display of plants are becoming available too – much like ‘tulip mania’ in the 17th century, which led to the rise of the tulipière to showcase tulips. I was recently delighted to find the Zenith planter from Dark Horse, having searched for a local modern stand for my indoor plants for a while.

DECO SELECTS

Ozenezulu rug from the Imitha collection from R4 500, The Ninevites

The Silo lamp R7 600, Studio 19

Het Bos wallpaper in Spinnerag Skin Cream by Sarah Corynen R752/m2, Robin Sprong

Have a Seat chair in Black R2 500, Monique Vee

Youth planter in Grey and Spear planter in Charcoal, both from R3 699 each, Gold Bottom Pots

For the love of women Small Series II mirror R1 800, Stay Evil Kids

ELLE DECORATION Decor Stylist Sanri Pienaar selects her current favourite pieces by female South African furniture designers

Upholstered chairs with bolster backs and single arms from R7 500 each, LIM

Half-mirror from R3 500, Bofred