Sszsss

www.elledecoration.co.za

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

MODERN FOOD FROM CAPE TOWN’S COOLEST EATERY

Work It ALL THE HOME OFFICE INSPO YOU NEED

SOUTH AFRICA MARCH 2018

N°121 R40,00

N$40,00 NAMIBIA

THE NEW MOOD Big Ideas for Stylish Home Updates

CONTENTS

THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE

SPOTLIGHT MY STYLISH LIFE Nigerian designer and entrepreneur Obida Obioha explores the inspirations that have shaped his life and work

14

DIGITAL The latest on DECO’s digital platforms

16

TRENDS, INNOVATIONS, WORD OF MOUTH Aesop’s earth-hued outlet in London; ultra violet decor; ceramics take centre stage at 100% Design South Africa; clever co-working space Tiny Empire and more

24

IDEAS Leading designers share the latest (and lasting) tips and tricks for a stylish update to any interior

32

REPORT-BACK Photographer Bukunmi Grace explores Miami Art Basel

36

STUDIO VISIT Founder of Senegalese brand L’Artisane, Khadija Aisha Ba, invites DECO into her Dakar boutique and workshops

42

TREND ALERT DECO’s forecast: earthy ochre tones, hot blood orange hues and iridescent shell finishes

48

SHORTLIST Nigerian-Ghanaian writer Taiye Selasi explores the stories behind her favourite things

-

SHOPPING 52

ETCETERA A selection of elegant and unconventional cutlery for any occasion

56

TOOLBOX How to create a home office that makes work a pleasure

24

36 HOMES 68

MODISH IMPERFECTION Old is made new again in architect Barbara Ghidoni’s Milanese apartment

76

DOWN TO EARTH Matetsi Lodge in Zimbabwe takes decor cues from its stunning natural environment

86

HOUSE OF ARTS Artworks, music and books spark joy in this decorative Johannesburg home

94

HOMEWARD BOUND Industrial finishes and curated memorabilia form a unique aesthetic in traveller and chef Paula Nel’s Cape Town apartment

LIVING 114 TRAVEL AUSTRIA Hotels which offer the finest in food, luxury and, of course, skiing

42

118 HOTELS Give in to wanderlust and visit Anantara Bazaruto in Mozambique 119 WEEKEND GETAWAY Ideas for a long weekend away 120 GARDENS Mary Maurel demonstrates how the perfect tree can transform a garden 122 FOOD & DRINK Flavour-forward recipes from Cape Town’s Janse & Co 126 ICON: ATHI-PATRA RUGA Explore the iconic work of this artist 128 PEOPLE Who was out and about at the Cook Like a Pro Masterclass

32

130 LAST LOOK The Cartesio rug by Elena Salmistraro for cc-tapis

PHOTOGRAPHS KHADIJA AISHA BA PORTRAIT BY MAMY TALL; GLOSS SWIVEL CHAIR BY CASSAREDO; ART BASEL MIAMI BY AMY MARIETTA; DYLAN THOMAZ

12

MINOTTI.COM

CAPE TOWN

BY L I M E L I N E WATERWAY HOUSE-NORTH 3 DOCK ROAD, V&A WATERFRONT CAPE TOWN 8001, SOUTH AFRICA T. +27 (0) 87 4700 454 - INFO@LIMELINE.CO.ZA

LAWRENCE SEATING SYSTEM RODOLFO DORDONI DESIGN

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

@khanyidhlomo

Versace dress R21 895 Steve Madden shoes R1 499 Thula Sindi dress Khanyi’s own Roller table lamp R10 000, Studio 19 Legs11 powder-coated stool (excluding fabric) R3 900, Studio 19 Nesting bronze crescent table R9 500, Studio 19 Diamond Shuttle Weave Dhurrie Carpet R2 995, Weylandts

‘I’m always astonished by the enormous impact little touches can make in a room and by the magic we can create simply through a subtle change of perspective’

6 ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE

hile many of us lament the fastapproaching autumn and the prospect of chilly weather for the coming months, it’s a season of colours and light that offer truly exciting ideas for living spaces – and a truly fitting context for this Big Ideas issue.

We’re showcasing wonderfully imaginative, warming ways to incorporate autumnal shades into every room of your home, enhanced by accessories and furniture pieces in equally earthy, natural materials. And when it comes to working spaces, our feature on creating a home office offers inspiring suggestions for creating a practical, but comfortable and welcoming environment without a shred of the traditional austerity and clinical coldness of offices.

Introducing beautiful and familiar objects into a home-based working space also eliminates the disconnect between our jobs and our personal lives, making it far easier to integrate both these aspects of our identities.

We also feature fabulous homes in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Milan and Victoria Falls where ingenuity and creativity make the most of natural elements, limited space and functional requirements.

I’m always astonished by the enormous impact little touches can make in a room and by the magic we can create simply through a subtle change of perspective. Big ideas, it seems, manifest in small details.

We hope this issue gives you plenty to think about and gets you fired up for the fall. Enjoy!

PHOTOGRAPH SHAUN MALLETT; MAKE-UP BY CLARA BANX

@KhanyiDhlomo

Murano by Romo

Rug Collection

Haldon by Villa Nova

Johannesburg 011 262 4167

Cape Town 021 418 3228

Durban 031 303 2739

romosouthafrica.com

Port Elizabeth 041 373 1266

‘Most of us love nothing more than returning home after a busy day to a favourite sofa, a serene study away from the noise, or a lush courtyard filled with trees that attract birdlife’

BUKUNMI GRACE Art Director, photographer, stylist and writer Bukunmi gave us her pick of memorable moments from the 15th edition of the Miami Art Basel.

Currently based in Los Angeles, she frequently expands on her already impressive portfolio in different cities around the world.

8 ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE

rends come and go, and while dabbling with seasonal whims and dipping a toe into the ever-changing global currents of colour moods, materials, shapes and forms, not to mention philosophies in home-making (last year it was hygge, this year it’s death cleaning) can be an energising exercise in creative selfreinvention, it can also be tiring trying to keep up. Most of us love nothing more than returning home after a busy day to a favourite sofa, a serene study away from the noise, a lush courtyard filled with trees that attract birdlife, or a beautifully fitted kitchen that invites its own kind of joyful self-expression. But there’s also something incredibly gratifying about graduating to a larger, roomier sofa, or getting it upholstered in this year’s thick-piled velvet, perhaps in a pale blush or something bolder and brighter. Or ditching those all-white walls to embrace an altogether different look that also significantly alters the ambience of your home.

For this issue, we loved hearing from various interior designers and decorators about the one easy update they’d recommend – without necessarily bashing down walls. There were more ‘big ideas’ than we were able to share here (keep an eye on elledecoration.co.za for the rest) and many that resonated.

I personally related to Hong Kong-based designer Anji Connell’s directive to seek out the beauty in imperfection, in keeping with the ancient Japanese concept of wabi-sabi: ‘It encourages us to move away from the clutter and pressure of modern purchasing patterns, to embrace modesty and restraint,’ she writes. ‘Learning how to appreciate the history of our furniture and matching what we need to buy with what we already own.

Interior design tends to focus on how we can fill a space, while wabi-sabi looks at how we can empty it. Not in deprivation of decoration, but in challenging us to style by the feeling of the room, rather than how we feel it should look.’

We hope you find a wealth of inspiration in the pages that follow.

leigh.robertson@ndalomedia.com x @lil_robertson

ESTÉE KERSHOF A born logophile, Estée’s been wielding a pen for over a decade, working for some of the country's most prestigious print titles. When not nose-deep in a book, the freelance writer loves travelling slowly, planning with precision and cooking with total abandon. Estée wrote this month’s travel feature, which explores the best ski hotels in Austria.

MILA CREWE-BROWN Johannesburg-based journalist and adventurer Mila, who wrote the feature on the Thomas house in Johannesburg, is ignited by the realm of design, having spent a decade penning stories for some of the country’s hottest titles. She once had a blog chronicling her one-anda-half-year backpacking journey through Central and South America.

PHOTOGRAPH ADAM LETCH

ED-IN-CHIEF’S NOTE

KRAMERVILLE

|

PLETTENBERG BAY

www.privatehouse.co.za (011) 465 5600

PUBLISHER & CEO: NDALO MEDIA

Khanyi Dhlomo EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Leigh Robertson ASSISTANT EDITOR

Ntombenhle Shezi DECOR DECOR STYLIST Sanri Pienaar

ART CREATIVE DIRECTOR Marushka Stipinovich DIGITAL GROUP DIGITAL STRATEGIST Kim Garner GROUP DIGITAL DESIGN DIRECTOR Neo Mutuma DIGITAL DESIGNER Precious Mphoreng MULTIMEDIA PRODUCER & DIGITAL DESIGNER Karabo Maboe SENIOR CONTENT PRODUCER: BUSINESS Thandi Skade SENIOR SOCIAL MEDIA PRODUCER Banele Ndala SOCIAL MEDIA PRODUCER Keketso Majoe CONTENT PRODUCERS Phathu Luvhengo & Palesa Kgasane MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST Lufuno Ramadwa

EDITORIAL & PRODUCTION SENIOR CONTENT PRODUCER Alice Inggs COPY EDITOR Gwen Podbrey PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR Farhana Makda

CONTRIBUTORS Bukunmi Grace, Estee Kershoff,

Jessica Spiro, Khadija Aisha Ba, Mamy Tall, Mary Maurel , Mila Crewe-Brown

ADVERTISING SALES & COMMERCIAL CONTENT GROUP SALES DIRECTOR Cilla Thompson. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Zee Ally GROUP DIGITAL SALES MANAGER Hana Schneeberg.

GENERAL MANAGER: COMMERCIAL CONTENT Julia Pretorius. COMMERCIAL CONTENT MANAGER Priya Pitamber COMMERCIAL CAMPAIGN MANAGER Tasneem van der Byl OPERATIONS GENERAL MANAGER: OPERATIONS & ANALYTICS André Brink. OPERATIONS ASSISTANT Sindi Khoza. SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES: Call centre:

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

MANAGEMENT DIRECTORS Khanyi Dhlomo & Lwazi Dhlomo. GROUP BUSINESS DIRECTOR Elaine Chandler. GROUP PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Ingrid Wood.

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO CEO Marinda Brink. FINANCIAL DIRECTOR Cherise Rae. FINANCIAL EXECUTIVE Lientjie van den Heever WHERE TO FIND US ADDRESS: Bryanston Corner, 1st Floor, Building B, 18 Ealing Crescent (off Culross Road), cnr Main Road & Bryanston Drive, Bryanston 2191 POSTAL ADDRESS: PO Box 2077, Lonehill 2062. TEL: 011 300 6700. FAX: 011 300 6767. MAGAZINE WEBSITE: www.elledecoration.co.za COMPANY WEBSITE: www.ndalomedia.com DISTRIBUTION BY RNA, Geraldine Gouws (011 248 3560) PRINTED BY CTP Cape Town

Trademark Notice Elle® is used under licence from the trademark owner, Hachette Filipacchi Presse.

LAGARDÈRE ACTIVE CHAIRMAN & CEO LAGARDÈRE ACTIVE Denis Olivennes. CEO ELLE FRANCE & INTERNATIONAL Constance Benqué CEO ELLE INTERNATIONAL MEDIA LICENCES François Coruzzi. SVP/INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR OF ELLE Valéria Bessolo Llopiz. SVP/DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL MEDIA LICENCES, DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT & SYNDICATION Mickael Berret. ELLE INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTIONS Charlotte Deffe, Virginie Dolata. DEPUTY SYNDICATION TEAM MANAGER Thérèse Genevois. SYNDICATION CO-ORDINATOR Audrey Schneuwly COPYRIGHTS MANAGER & DIGITAL SYNDICATION Séverine Laporte. www.ellearoundtheworld.com. INTERNATIONAL AD SALES HOUSE: LAGARDÈRE GLOBAL ADVERTISING CEO François Coruzzi. SVP/INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING Stéphanie Delattre. Lagardère Global ADVERTISING Postal 124 RUE DANTON, 92300 LEVALLOIS-PERRET, FRANCE WORLD’S LEADING DÉCOR MAGAZINE – 25 INTERNATIONAL EDITIONS

China--Croatia--Denmark--France--Germany--Greece--India--Indonesia--Italy--Japan--Korea--Mexico--Middle-East--Netherlands--Philippines--Poland--Russia South Africa--Spain--Sweden--Taiwan--Thailand--Turkey--UK--US

ELLE (ISSN 1025-9791) March 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.

SOFT FEEL SILKY SHINE 72 HR FRIZZ CONTROL PERFECTLY DETANGLES TAMES FLY-AWAYS

* All tests conducted on 100% human hair vs. non conditioning shampoo.

** TRESemmé Keratin Smooth shampoo and conditioner.

T42549

MY STYLISH LIFE

Pierre Jeanneret chair

x @obida

Valentino store

THE STYLISH LIFE OF OBIDA OBIOHA Nigerian fashion-forward designer, decorator and entrepreneur Obida Obioha expounds on the inspiration that’s shaped his life Founder of Lagos-based architecture and interior design outfit Alistar, Obida Obioha has an eye for beautiful, functional design. Alistar’s network of professionals, ranging from designers to civil engineers, means that the company often develops a space from the ground up, creating a signature balance between slick European modernity and warm African character. Obioha cites himself as the person who‘s most influenced his career. ‘I dance to the beat of my own drum,’ he says. ‘I‘m quite a rebel at heart.’

An artist or designer everyone should have their eye on?

Studio KO. I came across their work for the Parisian fashion brand Ami Paris and absolutely loved the store they did for them in London, specifically the way they kept cohesive control over a number of contrasting textures and materials. They’ve recently completed the YSL Museum in Marrakech.

What’s on your decor wish list? The 196 ROTOR table by Piero Lissoni; the Pierre Jeanneret PJ-SI-28-A office cane chair; one of Ousmane Mbaye’s consoles; tiles from Marrakech Design in Sweden, and art

by Ben Enwonwu.

Decor trend you’re loving?

Afro-minimalism: fusing European clean lines with African accents and warmth.

For me, it‘s evident in the work of 12 ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE

product designers such as Dokter & Misses, Cheick Diallo and Ousmane Mbaye.

Favourite furniture item you own? My work desk. It’s simple and wooden, with X-shaped legs. That’s where I find peace.

The designer you’d most like to have lunch with? This is a toss-up between Miuccia Prada and David Chipperfield. Prada because I find her to be the most intelligent fashion designer, who leaves me in awe of her incredible tenacity.

However, I‘d probably have to go with David Chipperfield. The template store he created for Valentino in Milano is my absolute favourite retail outlet design. To see the work done for Bally, with similar tones, yet executed differently, is incredible. I‘d like to discuss the way he discovers materials that have long been forgotten and brings them back into vogue.

Home accessories everyone needs right now? A yoga mat, a light dimmer switch and good-quality speakers.

We need to be conscious of tuning out and letting our minds free.

The design book you swear by?

Neufert Architect’s Data. It’s my bible for technical details as I’m not a trained architect.

Your favourite city in the world?

Paris, because it’s beautiful and makes you seek it out; it holds back and you have to keep working at discovering it.

Marrakech Design tiles

Yves Saint Laurent museum

Ousmane Mbaye console

GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES/ ISTOCKPHOTO/ALAMY

alistar.space

At Nedgroup Investments, we think that the

The new tax year has begun.

Many happy returns.

see money differently

new tax year is a reason to celebrate. There’s no better time to optimise your investments by opening a tax-free investment. With 0% tax and no admin fees, it’s the perfect way to start the new tax year with a bang.

OPEN A TAX-FREE INVESTMENT

www.itsanobrainer.co.za Nedgroup Collective Investments (RF) Proprietary Limited is an authorised unit trust manager in terms of the Collective Investment Schemes Control Act. For full details on tax-free investments and further information please visit www.nedgroupinvestments.com. Performance cannot be guaranteed and past performance is not necessarily a guide to future performance.

DIGITAL #TR AVELTUESDAYS DECO is big on Japan! Explore this extraordinary country through its art, culture and cuisine.

WHAT’S COOKING? DECO dishes on the latest local restaurants and most appetising Insta feeds.

ELLEDECOR ATION.CO.ZA A SCROLL IN THE PARK From landscaping to lighting, DECO’s Instagram feed is filled with design inspiration from around the globe.

BIG IDEAS Take a look at the most ambitious new concepts in decor, art and design.

KEEP CONNECTED Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news in art, design and more.

TREND ALERT Decor shines with an iridescent shell finish this season.

x @ELLE_DECO b ELLEDECORATIONSA d ELLE_DECOSA a @ELLE_DECO

SPOTLIGHT SEREY BAG BY L’ARTISANE; PHOTOGRAPH MAMY TALL

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

Cape Town co-working space Tiny Empire has enviable interiors (p19); Ága Concept previews a new design (p20) and photographer Bukunmi Grace reports back from Miami Art Basel (P32). Dakar-based designer Khadija Aisha Ba invites DECO into her studio (p36)

PHOTOGRAPHS (FROM TOP) DELFINO SISTO LEGANI; PAOLA PANSINI

COOL CAVE Design-lovers and oenophiles have good reason to venture to the southern Italian city of Matera (the European Capital of Culture in 2019), where they can try a sublime collection of local wines in the fascinating Enoteca dai Tosi. The new, three-level winery, built into the area’s famous limestone grottos, was designed by Belgian architecture firm Architecten De Vylder Vinck Taillieu and invites visitors to descend a staircase to a dramatic stone cave housing the tasting area and bar. Ancient and modern intersect with the inclusion of terracotta tiles, bold pops of green in furniture pieces and handblown Venetian glass lights. enotecadaitosi.it

ROSE-TINTED Cult beauty brand Aesop is renowned for pushing the boundaries when it comes to its uniquely designed boutiques and its latest retail space – Aesop Duke of York Square in London’s hip Chelsea – is a case in point. Norwegian architects Snøhetta married classic and futuristic elements in its design, which is characterised by a series of sweeping arches clad in the same pink-pigmented, clay-based plaster as the walls and ceiling. It imbues the space with a rose-gold glow that’s pleasingly reflected by custom polished-steel elements such as its central, circular sink. aesop.com

SPOTLIGHT: TREND

Ultra violet Pantone's colour of the year burns up the spectrum this season, a perfect pairing for yellow tints and gold accents

clockwise, from top left Raviolo chair R11 725, Créma Design; Dibi chair

by Cheick Diallo R46 600, Southern Guild; Optic cabinet with door by Kartell R6 080, True Design; Movida in col 38 by Elitis R4 073/m, St Leger & Viney; Amethyst R50, Top Stones; Irna 2,5-seater in purple velour R10 299, sofacompany.com; Song on the Radio mohair blanket by Hinterveld R2 183, Linen Drawer; Amethyst druse R760/ kg, Top Stones; Disc and amethyst pendant necklace R750, Matter of Fakt; Kikoi R260, Mungo; La Bohème vases

by Kartell R3 570 each, True Design; Polished Tower R1 640/kg, Top Stones

THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 17

TALENT WATCH

Brothers Matthew and Mavric de Beyer run their young architecture and interiors practice not from one of the country’s urban centres, but from the Western Cape coastal village of Yzerfontein. But don’t be fooled: there’s nothing small about their thinking. Working on commercial and residential projects as well as designing furniture, De Beyer Design Studio draws on Matthew’s design background and Mavric’s experience as a cinematographer respectively in its creative executions. Their philosophy is ‘to create beautiful, long-lasting and meaningful design that draws from sustainable values and the understanding of human behaviour’. ‘Our inspiration is derived from an African soul, that feeling of home,’ says Matthew, ‘merged with the functionality of contemporary European design.’ The brothers’ goal is to create ‘enduring, liveable spaces that delight’. dbds.co.za

100% CLAY Ceramicists such as Clementina van der Walt and rising stars Vorster & Braye will be among the 20 artists whose work will be on show at 100% Clay, the theme of this year’s 100% Design South Africa pavilion at Decorex Cape Town (27 April-1 May). Each was commissioned to present a bowl, jug, cup and plate, which will be curated by Cathy O’Clery of Platform Creative Agency. ‘I’ve chosen everyday objects so that visitors can engage with the endless possibilities of what working with clay can achieve,’ she says. 100percentdesign.co.za

SPOTLIGHT: WORD OF MOUTH Smart work In a city that’s long embraced the co-working office phenomenon, options for hot-desking in Cape Town abound. But Tiny Empire is the sort of environment that might have you dreaming of relocating your entire enterprise to its slickly designed private nooks and communal areas. Housed in a 100-year-old tea warehouse on Buitenkant St, Tiny Empire impresses not just with its array of solutions to accommodate professional teams as well as lone freelancers, but also for its considered interiors, which draw on bespoke furniture and other pieces from top local designers and artists, under the curation of co-founder Marco Simal. There’s seating for impromptu meetings as well as a formal boardroom, along with private work suites, a reading room stocked with current media and a café for networking.

Tiny Empire, 37 Buitenkant St, Cape Town, 021 286 2117, tinyempire.co.za

THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 19

Q&A DOUNIA TAMRI - LOEPER The founder of lighting company Dounia Home, Moroccanborn Tamri-Loeper, explains the inspiration and processes behind her designs What’s the story behind Dounia Home? I started it two-and-ahalf years ago. The premise of this line was to bring handmade lighting to market while empowering artisans. What’s the core inspiration and goal of your designs? Marrying modern shapes with centuryold Moroccan designs. We set out to create a product that’s versatile and can complement various interiors. How has your heritage shaped your work? Everything we design is based on my Moroccan heritage, from the designs and materials to the techniques. I draw my inspiration from monuments that have been part of the Moroccan cityscape for centuries and have shaped the art and culture in that country. The materials we use are locally sourced. We take great pride in the craftsmanship and the techniques we use have been passed down through generations. douniahome.com

Land hoe!

The ingenious Oko chair by Ága Concept pays tribute to a traditional farming tool used widely in Africa – the hoe. @theagaconcept

NEW TO THE 'HOOD Woodbender’s new Jo’burg showroom in Parkhurst is an inspiring space in which to view the home-grown brand’s artisanal furniture ranges in a series of beautifully styled home settings. Spanning two storeys, the ground floor comprises masterfully crafted lounge and dining room pieces, while the upstairs space is a loft setting complete with bedroom and other Woodbender furnishings. Perfectly located in the lively suburb for a post-brunch or lunch browse, there’s also plenty of parking. 15 6TH St, Parkhurst, woodbender.co.za

SPOTLIGHT: WORD OF MOUTH

AFRO POP Don’t miss a chance to shop a small, but concise collection of pieces by New York-based sustainable designer brand EDUN at its first retail pop-up shop in Africa. In collaboration with Wild Olive Artisans, the special selection of EDUN ready-to-wear apparel and handbags features alongside Wild Olive Artisans’ own organic candles and perfumes. Until 16 March.

29 Pepper St, Cape Town, wildolive.eu, edun.com

JAZZ IT UP Zoffany’s ‘The Muse’ collection of fabrics, wallpapers, velvets and more epitomises the extravagant spirit of the Jazz Age. From St Leger & Viney. stleger.co.za

BLACK MAGIC DECO loves the luxe, all-black range of products by Douglas & Co (including its iconic drinks trolley and credenza), exclusive to Guild Studio. theguildgroup.co.za

SPIN A YARN Famed textile company Mungo has opened its striking new mill in Plettenberg Bay, the result of years of planning. The mill was conceptualised by architect Andrea Cristoforetti, with its design referencing elements from old Yorkshire mills – a nod to founder Stuart Holding’s origins in a small Yorkshire town. While heritage and timehonoured processes underlie the production of quality fabrics and products at Mungo, the artisanal brand is clearly looking to the future as well. mungo.co.za

THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 21

www.belgotex.co.za

Tapping into everything from indoor jungles to the Italian concept of ‘studied nonchalance’, DECO asked leading designers and decorators to share their inspo and tips for a stylish, but attainable interior update

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF ATELIER INTERIORS

THE BIG IDEA EDIT

INSPIRATION

Adopt sprezzatura as your decor motto

The Italian concept of sprezzatura refers to a kind of studied nonchalance, where perfect imperfection is necessary for living a richer life. Gone is the need for Pinterest-worthy ubiquity and perfection: instead, the aim is a design that reflects real people and their real lives; homes designed for living in, not just for looking at. Ditch the rule book! Copy-and-paste interior design is so boring.

Liam Mooney, liammooney.co.za, x @liammooneystudio

I must admit I love to style vignettes and tablescapes. I feel these pockets of arrangements can tell guests a lovely story about you and they're a beautiful reminder of your travels or the origins of a particular trinket. An extra I always include is some form of greenery or flowers. As a city dweller, it's important to bring the outdoors in.

Greenery evokes a sense of calm and delight in any space. Changing and updating your vignettes is a cost-effective way to breathe new life into your home without a complete and sometimes costly overhaul. I often feel the need to restyle my home in the different seasons.

Heather Boting, heatherboting.com, x @heatherboting THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 25

By making simple, albeit dramatic changes to the surfaces of a room, you can completely transform its look and feel – even better, you can do this in a cost-effective way. We added a sense of grandeur and glamour to this old Victorian dining room through considered use of the following three techniques: Dramatic paint Don’t be afraid to go dark - or to paint the whole room. We used a floor-to-ceiling matte black finish combined with simple, but striking iconography to make the walls stand as a bold statement on their own.

Refurbish your furniture There are a host of incredible paint finishes that will completely modernise dated furniture. Throw in some interesting textiles and a pop of colour (such as a gold velvet) and you’ve got an entirely new piece to play with.

Bespoke wallpaper You can scan and print almost any image onto any surface these days, so there’s no excuse not to create wonderful wallpaper of your own. Find an image that you love, print it large- scale onto your desired texture and apply it to any feature surface, such as above a fireplace or behind your bed.

ACCENTUATE YOUR Adri & Vincent, Atelier Interiors, SURFACES atelierinteriors.xyz, x @atelieradri

Use wallpaper to play with the volume of a room Unlike a painted surface, the patterns or textures of wallpaper can directly alter a room to appear larger or smaller. Go for textured wallpaper like metallic or plain grass cloth and woven linen to add depth or sheen. A bold graphic pattern will add instant volume to a space.

Mumtaz Dasoo, Mumtaz 'D' Interiors

INSPIRATION

Blend old and new for timeless style

I’m a strong believer in blending contemporary with classic to create something that’s ultimately timeless. When mixing the old with the new, one often makes the other seem more beautiful.

You can get much higher-quality products if you buy antiques, rather than going to a cheap furniture store, often at a similar price, if you go to a good market. A classic old Empire chest of drawers, for example, looks amazing with a bold modernist lamp and a colourful contemporary piece of art hanging above. Similarly, don’t be afraid to buy and collect art. Adorn the walls with pictures, photos, postcards and paintings; frame anything that means something to you. I always ensure I pick up unique pieces on my travels which will remind me of a wonderful experience, so that I can capture that moment in my interiors.

PORTRAIT BY JON CORRIGAN; INTERIORS (FROM TOP) THE COLYER AND SOHO 13 BY PHILIP DURRANT

Sophie Ashby, studioashby.com, x @studioashby

MIX PATTERN WITH A MONOCHROMATIC SCHEME A Clifton home, in which I used wallpaper to add a pattern to a mostly monochromatic scheme, is proof of what a difference it can make. Use different patterns in open-plan areas: they don’t need to match. Keep the colour scheme the same and see how windows, architraves, cornices and panelling just pop when wallpaper’s added.

Sue Bond, Sue Bond Interiors, x @suebondinteriors

THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 27

There’s a growing need for cosy and inspiring interiors that have a joyful, lived-in atmosphere. This can be achieved through the layering and juxtaposing of colours, themes and patterns. Introduce a very comfortable and ample armchair in a luxurious upholstery fabric. The use of heirloom yarns of varying thicknesses, together with finishing treatments such as embossing embroidery, laminating and ageing, is essential for obtaining the depth of relief, the contrast between iridescent and matte, and the sophisticated, subtle shading of colour tones. Low lighting is preferable when creating an intimate feeling.

Emiliano Salci & Britt Moran, Studio Dimore, dimorestudio.eu, x @dimorestudio

INTRODUCE SURFACE INTEREST Use wall panelling for a dramatic effect; it’s a timeless way to update any space. Panel detailing also works well to add interest to ceilings.

Velvet is currently big and will stay around for a while, so use on scatter cushions, a couch or even curtains in a moody mineral- colour way. It mixes well with other textures like leather and linen.

Dylan Thomaz, dylanthomaz.com, x @studio.dylan.thomaz

STUDIO DIMORE COURTESY OF SEMAINE

Create a cosy, layered interior

INSPIRATION

PHOTOGRAPH SERGE ANTON / LIVING INSIDE

ADD A TOUCH OF GREEN SERENITY The cool, new ‘indoor room’ challenges us to get creative with houseplants, to release our inner jungle and adorn our homes with fiddle-leaf figs, hanging kokedamas, Xerographica air plants, terrariums, aquatic plants, succulents and moss balls. Discover new and imaginative ways of greening up your home. Plants not only look good, but can foster wellness by absorbing chemicals, reducing stress, regulating humidity and helping you sleep better.

Anji Connell, anjiconnellinteriordesign.com, x @anjiconnell_acidplus

Having travelled in Japan and most recently in Sri Lanka, it’s clear the two Asian countries have much in common and I’ve returned with a rekindled non-verbal message hovering poignantly in my aesthetic and mental consciousness. It’s the powerful resonance of clarity and calm; the potent hum of simplicity, the mutating expression of natural materials and the exoticism and mystery of pure form, light and space.

This fusing of a considered and nature-inspired minimalist design approach in a modernist context and located in exotic, tropical climes has simply been called Tropical Modernism and seems relevant to us in South Africa. The effect is easily achieved: create a shell of simple, white-painted walls and polished cement floors. Use natural materials and work with natural light, keeping decor on the minimal side; look to simple repeat patterns and designs, and bring exotic flora indoors for a lush jungle effect.

Adam Court, OKHA, okha.com, x @okhadesign THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 29

Find beauty in darkness

On a recent trip to Italy, I experienced something that really grabbed my attention; in a moment associated with the unknown and unfamiliar, I encountered the beauty of darkness. Overlooking Lake Como, I saw a full moon appearing over the Alps. The low-lit villages framed a perfect picture for the reflection of moonlight on the dark water surface. I was inspired to design a space where dark hues, deep colours and sophisticated elements complement light and vibrant details. I was able to apply this to a project in the Cape Winelands, a bright, white apartment, which I envisaged as glamorously moody. Rather than trying to make the space appear bigger, I wanted it to feel intimate and warm – a mood created by using charcoal and grey tones. All wall and ceiling surfaces were painted in these hues, enhanced

by Portoro Silver Marble wall cladding, high-gloss charcoal joinery and smoked mirror details.

The dark ‘shell’ created the perfect backdrop for furniture to pop. Soft blush pink and turmericyellow details add colour and vibrancy to the space, the same hues experienced on the lake in Italy.

Hendre Bloem, hendrebloem.com, x @hendrebloemdesign

Add a jolt of glamour Bring in the essentials: big canvas art, enlarged black and white photography, an oversized chandelier or floor lamp and one wall of wallpaper or mural.

Yvonne O'Brien, The Private House Company, privatehouse.co.za, x @privatehouse.yvonneobrien

INSPIRATION

Try colourblocking with built-in fixtures Use colour on built-in cabinetry to accentuate it as a feature. When used on shelving, for example, it creates a canvas against which to exhibit your objects, ultimately working to pull the collection together. Bear in mind that darker tones recede, making a space feel more intimate, while brighter tones advance and have the opposite effect. So ensure you know what effect you’re trying to create.

Kelly Adami, Copperleaf Studio, copperleafstudio.co za, x @copperleafstudio

Handmade clay tiles are making a wonderful comeback in adorning various surfaces within a space. I recently used a handmade clay tile from Spain to clad the front of a bar counter and create the inset table-tops for steel frame tables. The reason I love the use of these handmade tiles is that they’re non-uniform in shape, colour and finish, and therefore add an authentic quality to a surface. When light hits these kinds of surfaces, it creates a beautiful patina versus a flat-coloured surface. If you’re working on a project with a long lead time and generous budget, there’s also the option of designing your own tiles, which is a really fun process. Choosing the glaze, shape and size is another way to add your signature to a space. I love the work of local clay tile design and manufacturing company Southern Art Ceramics, based in Hermanus in the Western Cape.

Incorporate handmade clay tiles

Aimee Henning, x @ aimeehenning

THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 31

HYDRA CORNER COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND GALERIE CONRADS, DÃœSSELDORF; PHOTOGRAPH BY ELAD SARIG

Guy Yanai, Hydra Corne r, 2017 oil on linen 130x100cm

WELCOME TO MIAMI

Californian-based photographer and stylist Bukunmi Grace joined a melting pot of artists, collectors, gallerists and critics at Miami Art Basel 2017 in the appreciation of contemporary art from around the globe TEXT BUKUNMI GRACE PHOTOGRAPHY BUKUNMI GRACE & AMY MARIETTA

REPORT-BACK: MIAMI ART BASEL

Sarah Bahbah’s art display at the W

The Museum of Ice Cream

A Bacardi neon sign at No Commission

The Polaroid wall at Wynwood Walls

HWV8 gallery boasted a stunning collection of Piet Parra works and 3D still lifes

iami Art Basel, now in its 15th year, is one of the most star-studded events in the US city.

In a flurry of art and style, you can easily find yourself mesmerised by Piet Parra’s graphics at HWV8 Gallery by day and then brush shoulders with the likes of A$AP Rocky and Frank Ocean at well-curated parties by night.

For the one week in which Miami transforms into an endless frenzy of gallery shows, exclusive parties and first-class activations, it can get a bit tricky hashing out a proper schedule for the ideal number of experiences.

With that in mind, we recap some of our favourite art shows and artists from the 2017 event.

Starting in Miami’s Little Haiti, we attended the Prizm Art Fair, one of the few events focused on works from the African Diaspora – a mix of under-represented and well-established artists. For its fifth edition, Prizm brought in innovative contemporary artists such as Renée Cox and Elliot Mansa. This fair is particularly special as it spotlights the diversity in contemporary visual art through painting, sculptures and mixed-media installations.

Viewing Cox’s sensual and sharp images there was the perfect prelude to sunrays at SOBE, where another one of Art Basel’s most popular shows, SCOPE, was held.

Here we viewed pieces ranging aesthetically from hyperrealism to Afro-futurism.

With a diverse range of exhibits and eclectic pairing, this six-day fair has been a hub of innovative emerging artists for the past 17 years. It featured installations by Amar’e Stoudemire and Felipe Pantone, while celebrating a variety of African artists (including the famed Laolu NYC). With over 140 international exhibitors and art talks from various brands including Def Jam, plus its beautiful location on the beach, SCOPE wasn’t to be missed.

Pulse Art Fair was another must-see, boasting an impressive number of galleries from all over the world. At the USA-based Jenkins Johnson Gallery, we found the work of Delphine Fawundu, Blisa Butler and Art Basel darling Kennedy Yanko. Sculptural painter Yanko had several showcases during Art Basel, but chose to début her latest piece, 33, which comprised her signature paint skin and backed sienna-painted plywood.

THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 33

Los Angeles producer Joe Hodges admiring an installation at Prizm Art Fair A colourful work at SCOPE Art Fair

On Yanko’s opening night at the art fair, one of the many fans who showed up to preview her work was legendary producer Swizz Beatz. He followed a hectic schedule, all while entertaining artists, buyers and revellers at Soho Studios in Wynwood at his No Commission art show.

In its sixth iteration, this year’s theme was ’Island Might’, highlighting emerging artists from North America and the Caribbean, fusing painting, photography, installation, video and prints. Power producer and creative influencer Beatz has paved the way for emerging artists to showcase their works and retain 100% of their sales.

Off the beaten path of gallery shows, we found one of our favourite photographers of the weekend, Sarah Bahbah. W Miami hosted her first ever-solo exhibition entitled Sex and Takeout. The Palestinian-born, Australian-raised artist made her viral breakthrough with her 2014 series on Instagram and swiftly acquired a cult following for her signature edits which explore female voices. Bahbah was a favourite during Art Basel, with works interrogating love, hatred, heartbreak and anger in the minds of dynamic women. Besides her exhibition, her work was propped confidently in the lobby of the Nautilus Hotel for guests to enjoy all weekend.

For tech enthusiasts, Es Devlin was their girl. The EDITION hotel pulled out the red carpet for the celebrity stage designer, collaborating with her to present Room 2022, an activation regarded by street and online critics alike as one of the most genius interactive installations during Basel week. The 650,3m2 digital installation was constructed to explore the ways in which, according to Es, travellers ’take part in a heroic act of collective imagination’. Attendees were taken through a replicated hotel, with trick doors that further explained Devlin's theory. In conjunction with the hotel, at the end of the experience, an elliptical mirror maze was present to symbolise disorientation and dislocation.

After spending almost five days in Miami to experience the totality of Art Basel, one can still become frustrated, overwhelmed by the feeling that there are more works to see and more places to be seen. The event is indeed an art-lover’s playground and will undoubtedly remain one of the hottest art happenings in town every year.

A work from Prizm Art Fair

A still life at Scope Miami Beach Art Fair

Swizz Beatz x Bacardi’s No Commission lit upSoho Studios for three consecutive nights

REPORT-BACK: MIAMI ART BASEL

Isiswenya (Dried Corn Seed) , Andile Dyalvane

LALA Limo Lips , Dokter and Misses

SOUTHERN STARS

ISISWENYA BY ADRIAAN LOUW

Graphic silhouettes, compelling textures, the interplay of colour and form, layered cultural references and environmental motifs characterised collectable works by Southern Guild’s artist-designers at Miami Art Basel 2017. Highlights included creations by Andile Dyalvane, Dokter and Misses, Porky Hefer and Madoda Fani, among others.

The Prowler, Trevor Potter

‘Among the exceptionally high standard of design at Design Miami, the authentic narratives of our artists’ work continue to delight and inspire audiences. It’s clear to international audiences that the continent is growing into a key player in the design – and, more specifically, the collectable design – sphere.’

Mighty Ndebele Special, Justine Mahoney Iziphunga, Madoda Fani

– Trevyn McGowan, Southern Guild Tocco Toucan, Porky Hefer

Tropism Mensa Altum I , Charles Haupt

KHADIJA AISHA BA: AT WORK The designer behind Senegalese brand L’Artisane takes us on a tour of her Dakar boutique and workshops PHOTOGRAPHS MAMY TALL

STUDIO VISIT from left Struck bronze accessories; Fulani bracelets and gold dress shoes; Serey bags and jewellery on display; Aisha Ba models a handcrafted cuff; a distinctive L’Artisane look

Khadija Aisha Ba’s distinctive style provides an evocative foretaste of the unique, meticulously crafted wares for which she’s become well known in both her home city, Dakar and the fashion world at large. Dressed in her signature colourful boubou, headscarf and Converse sneakers, her look signifies the fusion of past and present so evident in her L’Artisane label. With covetable pieces ranging from slouchy bags to scarves, jewellery and apparel in a dazzling array of saturated hues and textures, she’s recently added home decor items to her creative repertoire.

Aisha Ba runs her business in partnership with her aunt, Serey, whom she considers something of an icon for her ‘one-of-a-kind, unpredictable’ fashion sense (and in whose honour the brand’s eponymous, celebrated bag was named). She’s also deeply inspired by her family elders. ‘They’ve always been a big influence. Their style, as well as the stories they tell about Dakar in the Seventies, from fashion to architecture and lifestyle, all find their way into my work, which is mostly concerned with bringing that sort of “golden era” back to life in a modern, relevant way.’

When she’s not in her boutique, an inspiring space where ‘ideas usually come to me at night when it’s calm’, she divides her time visiting the workplaces of the various local artisans with whom the label collaborates, ‘checking execution, working on details and just bringing those ideas to life’.

Craftsmanship and the creation of rare designs are the essence of the brand. ‘We really strive to stick to these,’ she notes, adding that her customers are drawn to specific L’Artisane pieces because they know they won’t be seen on anyone else. An integral part of this process comes from working with Senegalese artisans using techniques that have been passed down through generations. ‘Nowadays, it’s increasingly difficult to find young artisans pursuing their elders’ business. I think it’s also because perceptions have changed and youngsters no longer see it as valuable. That’s where local designers come in and have a serious role to play in putting that side of our culture back on the map,’ she says.

‘My ultimate goal is to show a different face of Africa to the world: the vivid, hard-working, creative Africa that looks to tradition to create our own modernity,’ says Aisha Ba. ‘If, in the process, I can help the local economy by working with artisans, it’s a home run!’ lartisane.shop x @lartisane.shop

L’Artisane displays Aisha Ba’s nonchalant, yet elegant approach to design and style

The SIDY collection is named after Aisha Ba’s grandfather, whose stories and style are key influences in the brand’s aesthetic HOW HAS YOUR HERITAGE SHAPED YOUR WORK? I was born into a

family of women (especially both my grandmothers) with a high sense of fashion. Looking at their pictures today, I can still see and feel their love for it, but also for interior design and the culinary arts.

DESCRIBE YOUR OWN STYLE It’s timeless, because I like pieces that have had several lives before I wear them, but which somehow still make perfect sense in my very urban, modern lifestyle. I like to think that I’m an old soul because I’ve been wearing my grandfather’s outfits for two decades now. My style’s also unique: in a crowd, people usually spot me right away because of my colourful headscarves. And it’s comfortable: I’m running a business – literally running. Wearing Converse is first and foremost a matter of comfort!

HOW HAVE TECHNOLOGY AND GLOBALISATION AFFECTED YOUR WORK? They’ve affected it a lot, but in a positive way. Now you can

reach thousands of people around the world in a click. There are endless business opportunities. Creatively, there’s also positive impact as we allow ourselves to be influenced by different cultures.

WHAT DEFINES THE DESIGNERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS AND OTHER CREATIVES WITH WHOM YOU COLLABORATE? A certain sense of

aesthetics, but – above all – common values: I like working with creative people who respect others and their work and are passionate about what they do.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU? Anything and everything – and, very often, the

most random things, like the fruit and vegetable market, Dakar’s street life, religion, my grandfather’s closet and the women in my family.

TELL US ABOUT THE GENESIS OF THE SEREY BAG It came to life in 2014, but had been in the pipeline for a couple of years before that. We’d been asking ourselves what would make our signature bag. The shape?

The handle? The inside? We wanted a unique piece that would still be able to evolve. We started with the medium size and then became bolder with the XL version. Get ready for the new design, out now!

CREATIVE NAMES TO WATCH? I believe Mamy Tall represents the future of architecture for her open-mindedness, vision and holistic view of the arts. Fashion designer Selly Raby Kane is also way ahead of the game.

Her universe is quite amazing.

BEST-KEPT SECRET IN DAKAR? The Madeleines Islands, a few kilometres

off the coast.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR L’ARTISANE? In addition to L’Artisane Home, we’re

collaborating with Alara for a men’s babouche collection.

Curated objects highlight the continuity between past and present in L’Artisane

Nebu l a

P 426

Ubl o O46 4

Ti t a n B2 70

Berson FL 203

I M A G I N E

M O R E

FOOL-PROOF FAMILY FEASTS COOKING FOR CROWDS MADE EASY

If the thought of cooking for a crowd gets you in a sweat, stock up on cookware and kitchen tools from @home and turn challenging into a cinch. Crisis averted, the hottest thing to come out of your kitchen will be the hot cross buns you serve for dessert.

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

Sculpted platter R9 658, Okha

Butter glass mosaic R21/sheet, Douglas Jones Harvest tassels in gold R1 900, Pichulik

Warm

IT UP

Earthy ochre tones will ground a space, infusing it with warmth.

Pick rich yellows and golden browns for a sun-baked feel

Bellini moss velvet upholstered chair R8 990, LIM

Jellie coat hanger by Kartell R807, True Design

No 8 footrest in mustard velour R1 999, sofacompany.com

U-turn chair from R17 130, Roche Bobois

Safi fabric in Carat from the Velvet Kingdom Collection R1 135/m, Home Fabrics Curved tumbler R19, @home

Kettal Clal outdoor table R93 900, Casarredo

Abeille rug from R61 780, Roche Bobois

Gamma Gloss armchair R74 400, Casarredo

Y

Brown castor granite slab R3 192/m2, WOMAG

Utopian Fairy Tales rug by Noortjie van Eekelen for Moooi R67 173, CrĂŠma Design

TREND ALERT

Orange gloss tile R171/sheet, Douglas Jones

Phaidon The Story of Architecture R800, Maison Mara

501 GĂśteborg 1 Chair

by Cassina R32 127, True Design

Take lamp in metallic orange by Kartell R5 150, True Design

The Boulder Votice R3 200, Okha

D

Orange

Tall sideboard locker by Mother City Hardware R12 500, Design Store

Inject your living spaces with a hit of this citric hue. Deep orange, a h Tembo stool by La Chance from R20 389, Establishment

Toy vase by La Chance R23 930, Establishment

Giselle armchair

by Gamma R37 600, Casarredo

Hees coffee table in orange R4 150, Design Store

Mandarin fabric from the Blockbuster Collection by FR One R719/m, Home Fabrics

Colour Me Bright ramekin R180, Clementina

Shield earrings R800, Pichulik

Chandelier glass leaves antique brass R14 900, Cécile & Boyd

Meteor rug from R60 830, Roche Bobois

Vase belly mother-ofpearl R329, @home

Ultra White organic vase R3 200 (high), R2 500 (low), La Grange Interiors

The Bejmat in Argile tiles 10 x 5cm R2 470/m2, Opia Design

Bandaska vases by Dechem Studio R5 456 each, Ligne Roset

Diapo dining table

by René Bouchara from R43 920, Roche Bobois

Veneto hairpin R299, Witchery

Reflex Transeo 72 Craquele R176 400, Casarredo

Mabula (F6241) from the Sabi Collection by Osborne & Little R6 336, Home Fabrics

Seashell

SHIM MER

Soldier stool R1 750, Dokter and Misses

Pearl blue velvet cushion with dusty pink piping R520, Cécile & Boyd Eva earrings R449, Witchery

Round stool in brown and black honeycomb R4 200, Cécile & Boyd

Cindy pearl clutch R1 499, Witchery

Armel rug from R62 480, Roche Bobois

GALLO IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCK/ALAMY

Comb for decor with a delicate lustre that recalls the soft colours of a shell-strewn shore or the sparkle of sun on water

SHORTLIST

TAIYE SELASI

1. LOU MOON LODGE IN AXIM, GHANA

Nigerian-Ghanaian writer Taiye Selasi explores the stories behind her favourite things

It’s my favourite place to stay on a weekend away.

Axim is about six hours from Accra and moves at a pace of its own.

2. ON MY DECOR WISH-LIST

3. RICHMOND CAFÉ & ROOMS, SOUTH AFRICA

I discovered this impossibly chic B&B on the marvellous ‘Rare Routes’ tour. We drove from Jozi to Cape Town, unearthing hidden gems, from Richmond (the city in South Africa with the highest concentration of bookshops) to the Book Hotel in Bethulie.

4. GUANGZHOU DREAM FACTORY

This documentary about African immigrants in China was the most recent thing to capture my imagination visually.

5. DREAM DINNER PARTY GUESTS

Toyin Ojih Odutola, Sisonke Msimang, Lynette YiadomBoayke, Zanele Muholi, Nana Oforiatta-Ayim, Zina Saro-Wiwa and Njideka Akunyili Crosby. All artists, all African, all women. x @taiye.entirely

Taiye Selasi is the author of the best-selling Ghana Must Go, as well as the critically acclaimed essay What is an Afropolitan? In 2013, she partnered with Sir David Adjaye in developing the Gwangju River Reading Room, an open-air library that’s part of the the Gwangju Biennale Foundation. Selasi currently calls three places home: Accra, New York and Lisbon. ‘Accra’s magical at the moment, bursting with creative energy, transforming itself daily. New York feels a bit quieter to me, a city in hibernation. If my last two places of residence, Berlin and Rome, had a city-child, it would be Lisbon,’ she says.

'The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born’ Might Not Hold True for Much Longer

6. AN ALEXANDER McQUEEN COAT AND AN AMERICAN APPAREL TANK

Were my last splurge and budget buys.

7. ‘THE BEAUTYFUL ONES ARE NOT YET BORN’ MIGHT NOT HOLD TRUE FOR MUCH LONGER, 2013

Nigerian visual artist Njideka Akunyili Crosby does with colour and image what I aspire to do with words: translate the density, rhythm and emotion of music into another medium. Her pieces are entire short story collections; entire worlds.

8. ELTA MD SUNSCREEN

This is the one skincare item I can’t live without. I also appreciate deeptissue massages.

Alexander Mcqueen coat

9. SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY & CULTURE

The newest Smithsonian museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, art, history and culture was designed by my dear friend David Adjaye.

Smithsonian Museum

48 ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE

NJIDEKA AKUNYILI CROSBY IMAGE COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND VICTORIA MIRO, LONDON/VENICE; PHOTOGRAPH JASON WYCHE

A full set of gorgeous pillows by xNasozi [left], a custom-made couch by DAAR Living (the brilliant designer for the hit series An African City) and mud cloth ottomans by Indego Africa.

6/*26&-: 4065) "'3*$"/

infinite

possibilities.

Creative Assembly - Fades

086 166 7242 www.douglasjones.co.za VISIT OUR SHOWROOMS CAPE TOWN B1 Prime Park, Mocke Road, Diep River 021 706 7251 JOHANNESBURG 1SIXTY Jan Smuts Avenue, Rosebank 011 447 4199

Douglas Jones the tile décor collection

singh&sons 4TH/7774

R2500 EACH CHECK 4th STREET PACKS IN MARCH AND APRIL FOR DETAILS

www.4thstreetwines.com

Not for Sale to Persons Under the Age of 18.

SHOPPING RODOLPHE PARENTE APARTMENT BY OLIVIER ANSELLEM

DE TAILS • DECOR • TRENDS • TIPS • PALE T TE • SURFACES

Have fun with unconventional cutlery (p52). There are scores of options for creating a home office that fits seamlessly into your aesthetic, or reflects your greatest ambitions through cutting-edge design and carefully curated decor (p56)

1

2

5

4

6 3

7 8 20 9

10 11

19

13

12 14

18

15 17 16

OUT TO LUNCH Have fun with quirky cutlery. Gold-plated servers, elegant wood or steel sets, novel shapes and dual-utility designs elevate a dining experience PHOTOGRAPHY SARAH DE PINA PRODUCTION AND STYLING SANRI PIENAAR ASSISTANT ELLIETTE FRANSMAN

1. Birodo Velvet in Mimosa by Zoffany R3 108/m, St Leger & Viney 2. Lavender Veil by Plascon R549/5 litres 3. Stone serving board by Tom Dixon R1 310, Créma Design 4. Glass candlestick R210, Inappropriate Décor 5. Jellies Family plate by Patricia Urquiola R715, True Design 6. Palace Torre glass R3 671, Generation 7. Stoneware platter in Neutro R250, Haus 8. Anka napkin (pack of four) R249, Country Road 9. 24-piece Keytlery cutlery set in Gold by Seletti R6 817, Generation 10. Contemporary steak knives (set of four) R149, @home 11. Milano plate R170, Woolworths 12.

16-piece Flatware set in Matte Black R1 600, Haus 13. Meera wine glass R75, Woolworths 14. Caravaggio in Cedar from the Vatican Velvets collection R527/m, Mavromac 15. Palace Fontana salt 'n pepper cellar R1 619, Generation 16. Blume spreader R69, Country Road 17. Sogo side plate R70, Woolworths 18. 16-piece Flatware set in Old Gold R1 600, Haus 19. David Jones gold cake set R550, Woolworths 20. Stoneware plate in Neutro R155, Haus

ETCETERA

Sleek 16-piece cutlery set in matte gold R599, @home

Tiro salad servers R229, Country Road

Teaspoon (set of six) in matte black R550, Haus

Green salad servers R79 by Maxwell & Williams, Home Etc

Sydney black and gold titanium 24-piece cutlery set R3 699, Yuppiechef

Matisse two-piece serving set R255, Culinary Equipment Experience

Slimline steak knives by Eetrite R346, Banks Kitchen Boutique

Form cake slicer R1 109, CrĂŠma Design

Deba Hongasumi Nihonbashi short blade knife R6 995, Weylandts

Wooden spoons (set of four) R220, Knus

Malta 24-piece cutlery set by Nicholson Russell R3 185, Stable

Salt salad servers R349, Country Road

THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 53

HOUSE TOU R

Edgars and Boardmans are the perfect places to indulge your flair in homeware HOTEL COLLECTION VELVET CUSHION R699.95

BOARDMANS MIRROR R399.95

HOTEL COLLECTION RIMMED VASES FROM R149.95 EACH

TH E HAVE N Designed to perfection, this room is simple yet striking – which creates the ultimate ambience for rest and relaxation.

HOTEL COLLECTION TOWELS FROM R169.95 EACH BOARDMANS MARBLE-LOOK TOILET BRUSH R169.95 BOARDMANS MARBLELOOK BATHROOM TUMBLER R79.95 BOARDMANS MARBLE-LOOK BATHROOM DISPENSER R99.95

BOARDMANS ‘BEACH STORM’ ARTWORK R649.95 BOARDMANS WOVE LAMP H DE (MADE IN SA) R269.95 BOARDMANS ACRYLIC LAMP STAND (MADE IN SA) R899.95 BOARDMANS 45CM ARTIFICIAL ALOE PLANT R499.95 BOARDMANS CEMENT-DIPPED VASE R219.95 BOARDMANS SMALL MAPLE BOX FRAME R69.95 BOARDMANS MAPLE CERTIFICATE BOX FRAME R99.95 HOTEL COLLECTION VELVET SCATTER CUSHION (MADE IN SA) R199.95 HOTEL COLLECTION THROW (MADE IN SA) R649.95

BOARDMANS CANVAS LAUNDRY BASKET R399.95

HOTEL COLLECTION VELVETTEXTURED BLANKET R999.95

TH E SAN C TUARY extra attention to detail and move beyond ctionality to make your bathroom space comfortable and peaceful.

TEL LLECTION MORY-FOAM THROOM TS FROM 99.95 EACH

BOARDMANS LEAF-PATTERNED UTENSIL HOLDER (UTENSILS INCLUDED) R99.95 RUSSELL HOBBS URBAN 12-CUP MUFFIN PAN R129.95

HE HEF HOTEL COLLECTION BLACK CUTLERY SET R499.95

Use these items to help you create delectable, mouthwatering treats.

BOARDMANS BAMBOO ROLLING PIN R79.95

HOTEL COLLECTION CERAMIC CANNISTERS FROM R69.95 EACH

EE CO PLU R2

TH E E NTE RTAI N E R Be the envy of your guests as you host in style b ll ll h

HOTEL COLLECTION CUP AND SAUCER SET R119.95

TPP 201803 ED

HOTEL COLLECTION MUG R99.95

HOTEL COLLECTION GOLD CUTLERY SET R499.95 BOARDMANS CHARGER PLATE R39.95 BOARDMANS DINNER AND SIDE PLATES SET FROM R39.95 EACH GALECTIA CHAMPAGNE GLASSES (SET OF 4) R299.95 BOARDMANS DAMASK TABLECLOTH R269.95 BOARDMANS NAPKINS (SET OF 4) R79.95 All products available at Boardmans stores. Some products may only be available at selected Edgars outlets.

Shop online at boardmans.co.za

PRODUCTION AND STYLING SANRI PIENAAR; PHOTOGRAPHY SARAH DE PINA; ASSISTANT ELLIETTE FRANSMAN; LOCATION MEZZANINE

1

1. Large print R6 931, Mezzanine 2. Dual floor vase R2 130, Mezzanine 3. Medium tindel sculpture R355, La Grange Interiors 4. Table lamp 41 by Egg of Columbus R1 398, Generation 5. Retro desk R18 098, Mezzanine 6. Pin can R80 and paper clip can R75, both La Grange Interiors 7. A5 blank buffalo notebook R149, Typo 8. Kyoto server R23 262, Mezzanine 9. Three-layer desktop tray R2 149 and steel paper clip R295, both La Grange Interiors 10. Morris cane and upholstered chair by Wiener GTV Design R12 995, Generation 11. Martini lacquer round tray in Niagara Blue R1 895, La Grange Interiors 12. Brew stovetop coffee-maker by Tom Dixon R2 946, Créma Design 13. Sculpted vase well R920, Mezzanine 14. Bureau floor lamp R7 890, Mezzanine

14

2

3

9

13 8

12 10 4 7 6 5

11

TOOLBOX

HOME OFFICES:

Good job PHOTOGRAPH SHARYN CAIRNS

PRODUCTION SANRI PIENAAR

Having an office at home provides scores of options for productivity-boosting decor: create a space that fits seamlessly into your home’s overall aesthetic, or go out on a limb and kit out a room to reflect your greatest ambitions Balwyn House by Fiona Lynch, fionalynch.com.au

THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 57

DECO TIP >>> A masculine aesthetic with classic statement pieces works best with wall-to-floor shelving in dark wood combined with natural fibre rugs for added comfort when working.

Home office by Sergey Makhno Architects, mahno.com.ua

IN THE BLACK Monochromatic spaces produce a serious mood – ideal for making important business decisions or coming up with creative concepts. Choose surfaces that polish to a high shine – like marble, aluminum, leather and enamel – to reflect your bright ideas

TOOLBOX

Marble pens (set of four) R50, MRPHome

Quilted office chair R1 299, @home

DYLAN THOMAZ STUDIO DYLAN THOMAZ dylanthomaz.com

Giardinetto

by Michael Koenig R1 328 (small), R6 720 (medium), R9 648 (large), Ligne Roset

Phaidon A Taxonomy of Office Chairs by Jonathan Olivares R500, Maison Mara

KEEP A DESK LOOKING SLEEK AND TIDY BY COLOUR-CODING ACCESSORIES AND STATIONERY. FOR A MORE DECORATIVE EFFECT, TOP STACKED BOOKS AND PAPERS WITH A GLASS PAPERWEIGHT Desk accessories and stationery by Monograph, housedoctor.dk

What are the key elements when designing a home office?

Natural light, giving yourself a view that inspires you and having furniture pieces that are both beautiful and functional.

Revolve lamp series by Bert Frank from R7 600, Establishment

How should one choose an office chair?

Ergonomics are key, as you must be comfortable. Having said that, an iconic design Eames chair is always a winner. They’ve been around for decades for multiple reasons.

Three must-haves for a home office? A sophisticated lamp, an iconic chair, greenery and art that inspires you…. Sorry, that’s four must-have items!

Cog Pen Hex in brass R747; Tool the Golden Rule R320, both by Tom Dixon for Créma Design

What home automation should one include in a home office? Wireless electronics are very helpful and reduce limitations on where furniture should be placed when setting up your office. La Grange and other brands provide great multi-purpose electric wall sockets that will reduce the adaptors-onto-adaptors situation.

How should one choose the perfect desk?

A desk should be the statement piece, as it’s the anchor piece of furniture. I believe the desk needs to represent you.

Stationery storage ideas? Your desk should have pieces on it that inspire you and possibly items you’ve acquired on your travels or that have been passed from generation to generation. These could be wooden boxes in which you can store stationery or a beautiful vase in which to keep your pens.

THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 59

NTABI TAUKOBONG | DITAU ditau.com

Key elements when designing a home office?

• Make sure it’s a space slightly away from the daily happenings in your home, so that you’re less distracted and more focused there.

• A home office can have a lot more of a home feel than a work office – design and decorate it to work with the rest of the home, so that it still feels more like a part of your house than an office which is intruding on your living space.

•Ensure you have all the basic items you need to function properly: a desk, a chair and a laptop. Working from home needn’t mean sitting on the sofa with a laptop literally on your lap!

•Introduce personality in the form of memorabilia.

Latest trends in home offices? Minimalistic comfort. Gone are the days of being surrounded by thick black files and old, tattered books to show that the home office was also a space meant for serious business. An organic natural wooden desk, mixed with a modern chair and a high-tech light, are on trend, made funky with natural touches. This is the way future design is heading.

How should one choose an office chair? My guiding principle is that ‘form follows function’. In this case, comfort and use are more important than the style and look of the chair. There are days when you have tons of office admin to get through and that fancy chair just won’t cut it. You need something that will support your back and height, with adjustable armrests and a tilt-and-swivel mechanism. If possible, the chair should still complement your overall decor, but your first priority must be comfort.

YOU CAN AFFORD TO BE EXTRA-CREATIVE IN A HOME OFFICE AS IT'S REALLY AN EXTENSION OF YOUR PERSONAL SPACE; UNLIKE A FORMAL, CORPORATE ENVIRONMENT, AT-HOME STORAGE SPACE CAN BE LIGHT-HEARTED AND FUN.

TOOLBOX

OLD MADE NEW A classic home office needn’t be staid. Get adventurous with its decor. The most important pieces of furniture are the desk and chair. Think big and choose contemporary designs that will stand the test of time

PHOTOGRAPH PAOLA PANSINI

DECO TIP >>> Customised shelving adds instant drama to your home office. Opt for an open wall-to-floor metal structure that doubles as a room divider. Personalise it with your favourite pieces, beautiful books and ambient lighting.

Lugano apartment by Dimore Studio, dimorestudio.eu

THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 61

THABISA MJO | MASHT DESIGN @mashtdesignstudio

What are the latest trends in home offices?

Less is more. Consider scanning documents and saving them on a USB instead. Why not swap that big stage unit for floating shelves mounted on the wall, or put old shoe boxes to use? Create a more refined-looking space by adding beautifully framed photographs.

Can you suggest storage ideas for a home office?

Floating shelves can be mounted on the wall, saving you space and adding a modern, clean look. Putting greenery on these shelves will also make your office look more alive.

Glass jars and decorative boxes are inexpensive, economical on space and great for storing stationery. Storage ottomans are also a good choice because they double as seating.

Can you suggest unique design ideas for a home office? A chalkboard wall means you can write your schedule on it immediately after brainstorming sessions. A gallery wall is ideal for displaying beautifully framed photographs, inspiring quotations and other things. A statement chandelier lends a bit of glam to a home office and a glass table is always very sophisticated.

Contempo metal desk lamp R1 220, Eurolux

Civic desk R2 899, @home

Metallic paper tray R60, MRPHome

Clear stapler R70, MRPHome

iPhone cover R190, Chapel

CONSIDER USING SIMILAR PATTERNS AND PRINTS IN A BEDROOM OFFICE. A FLOATING DESK WILL TAKE UP LESS SPACE. Classic double room at Hotel Panache in Paris, hotelpanache.com

Glass paperweight R149, H&M Home

Sound rack by Kartell

by Laufen R12 060, True Design

Mercer occasional chair R8 795, Mobelli

Traditional glass teapot R599; warmer R179, Yuppiechef

TOOLBOX

PRODUCTION AND STYLING SANRI PIENAAR; PHOTOGRAPHY SARAH DE PINA; ASSISTANT ELLIETTE FRANSMAN; LOCATION MEZZANINE

1. Ferm Living Print R3 509 each, Mezzanine 2. Sullivan Bed in Queen R22 286, Mezzanine 3. Seri tumbler (set of four) R299, Country Road 4. Navy glass vase R920, Mezzanine 5. Boxy Perspex holder in Crystal by Kartell R790, True Design 6. Wall-mounted desk R10 480, Mezzanine 7. Take lamp in metallic blue by Kartell R5 150, True Design 8. Rose hexagonal vase R690 and More grey/brown vase R680, both Mezzanine 9. Blue vase R860, Mezzanine 10. Correre tall vase R360 and Correre bubble vase R280, both Mezzanine 11. Medium air candle

by Tom Dixon R1 708, Créma Design 12. Plant box in light blue/grey R1 220, Mezzanine

12

11

10

9

8

1

7 4 2

5

3

6

DOUBLE OR NOTHING There’s no need to divide bedroom and office if you’ve got a cool collection of objects to display on a desk which also serves as a shelf. Achieve a seamless effect by using furniture that looks appropriate in a bedroom, but is also functional THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 63

W&Y1536_04

HOME IS WHERE THE MASTER CHEF COOKS The premium range of ovens ensure the best gourmet meals, right at home. The beautifully designed 70cm Multi-Function Double Oven turns up the heat on sophisticated convenience. With its cool touch, triple-glazed glass doors and built-in meat probe for cutting-edge cooking, GRUNDIG creates culinary perfection where it’s needed, making your home the best place to be.

southafrica.grundig.com

HOMES

PHOTOGRAPH CHIARA DAL CANTO

MIL AN • VICTORIA FALLS • JOHANNESBURG • CAPE TOWN

A Milanese home breaks modern design rules (p68), while a luxury lodge in Zimbabwe shows off an aesthetic inspired by its surroundings (p76). Art is used to great effect in this Jo’burg home (p86) and a stylish Cape Town space is shaped by a curatorial impulse (p94)

this page In the living room, the leather sofa and iron table were designed

by Ghidoni. The yellow velvet armchair is by Martin Eisler & Carlo Hauner for Forma Italia; the gold Atollo lamp is Oluce. The framed photograph is by Nobuyoshi Araki opposite Ghidoni with her husband Renato Corazzo and their son Ludovico

HOME MILAN

MODISH IMPERFECTION Architect Barbara Ghidoni’s home on a tree-lined Milanese boulevard might break all the rules of modern design, but it’s nonetheless one of the most beautiful houses in the neighbourhood TEXT, STYLING AND PHOTOGRAPHS CHIARA DAL CANTO

this page The floors date back to the late 1920s. Above the console in the foreground is an 18th -century painting. The candles and ceramic doll are from Puglia; the Buddha comes from a market in Hong Kong and the horn is

by Seletti opposite Three small oil paintings by Italian artist Greta Frau hang against the exposed wall

HOME MILAN

t was supposed to be a short-term stay in a transition home, but with time, this Milanese apartment owned by Storage Associati studio architect Barbara Ghidoni was transformed into a permanent residence for her and her family, husband Renato Corazzo and young son Ludovico. Moving in allowed Ghidoni to discover all the home’s positive aspects – its strategic position on a tree-lined boulevard, its Parisian feel and a layout that works very well for the three inhabitants, for example.

Ghidoni’s architectural approach to the apartment wasn’t very different from the approach she takes when planning the interior design of other people’s homes: she looked for traces of the building’s history. In what is now the living room (created by knocking down a wall between two rooms), she removed layers of wallpaper and has chosen to keep the walls bare, with all their imperfections visible: glue traces, pencil-written measurements and uneven plaster.

What intrigues Ghidoni most is the layering of history – the act of baring an interior, celebrating its origins and reinterpreting it with a contemporary spirit. ‘It makes no sense to make a clean sweep,’ she says, ‘except when the story’s completely missing. In our projects as architects, we love to find out if there’s a relationship with the past, bring it to light and make sure it’s visible. Here, I chose not to touch the size [of the apartment] and the ceiling height, which exceeds 3,5m.’

Ghidoni was born in Reggio Emilia, in northern Italy, where she attended the School of Applied Arts. She graduated with a degree in architecture in Milan, whereafter she spent some time in France, attending an École des Beaux-Arts. This artistic background has acted as a temper for the more technical aspects of architecture, making Ghidoni very sensitive to decoration. An artistic sensitivity combined with sophisticated spatial knowledge is also the style signature of Storage Associati studio, which has conceived several interior design projects for well-known luxury brands, including the Ceresio 7 gym and spa for Dsquared2 and the Neil Barrett headquarters in Milan.

In terms of furnishings in Ghidoni’s apartment, the architect initially chose the furniture quite quickly, mostly updating existing pieces, ‘always with the idea that we wouldn’t live here for a long time’.

She designed the leather sofa without armrests and the suspended storage that occupies the entire bottom wall of the living room. Made of raw, strong and minimalistic iron, it acts as a contemporary counterweight to the 1950s furniture and design pieces, such as the wooden and yellow velvet armchair by Eisler & Hauner, the coffee tables by Gio Ponti, the vintage pieces found in flea markets and travel souvenirs.

During the renovations, the existence of fake marble in shades of grey was revealed in Ludovico’s bedroom; it created a band on the walls, which played off the design pattern of the floor. This was a treasure well-received by Ghidoni: something, along with the tiled corridor floors and beautiful original doors, that belonged to the birth of the house at the end of the 1920s.

Each room in Ghidoni’s home is a stand-alone space, with its own personality. This never comes across as affected, though; on the contrary, each has a strong and consciously crafted appeal. Q

THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 71

this page In the dining room is a white metal Lloyd table

by Serener. The chairs are by Harry Bertoia, Knoll Int. The Italian production rattan chair is from SG Gallery Milano.

The chandelier has been reedited by Storage Associati in homage to a vintage edition opposite The kitchen furniture was made in a design project by Barbara Ghidoni

HOME MILAN

“ ”

In our projects as architects, we love to find out if there’s a relationship with the past

THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 73

“ �

Each room is a stand-alone space, with its own personality

HOME MILAN

this page The Chinese lacquer screen and vintage chair come from two different markets. On the vintage Fifties desk is a vase signed by Fornasetti opposite The pale pink linen and petrol blue blanket are made of wool and hemp, both by Society Limonta. The reading lamps are

by Storage Associati THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 75

LODGE ZIMBABWE this page Architect Kerry van Leenhoff incorporated a distinctly homegrown aesthetic, working with local designers and crafters. The woven screens are a collaboration between Jane Taylor and Judith Ncube of Matabeleland Weavers in Zimbabwe opposite Wooden boats used to ferry people across the river make for a striking decorative element

DOWN TO EARTH Rustic textures meet a chic, but distinctly homegrown palette of clays, ochre, lustrous copper and cobalt in the considered interiors of Matetsi Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe’s most stylish luxury nature retreat TEXT KERRYN FISCHER/FRANK FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHS ELSA YOUNG

“ ”

There’s an ever-present connection between spaces indoors and out

LODGE ZIMBABWE this page The surrounding bush is mirrored in the structure of the hidelike buildings opposite (clockwise from top left) The suites were designed to have unadulterated river views; a pair of giraffe spotted on a game drive, a reminder that the wild is ever-present; a lounge area for sundowners and gamespotting; contrasting textures feature prominently, from the rustic latte ceiling to the smooth polished floors

oing all the way to the Unesco World Heritage Site of Victoria Falls – a must-do on any savvy traveller’s bucket list – only to hole up for days in the big-hearted, soulful surrounds of Matetsi Victoria Falls would be a shame. But we wouldn’t blame you one bit. For although this ultra-luxurious nature retreat re-opened a little over a year ago (it was formerly known as &Beyond Matetsi River Lodge), in that time it’s become the luxury destination here as it pioneers a whole new way of experiencing ‘the Falls’, scooping up a number of design awards and travel accolades in the process.

And one can see why. Just 40km upriver from Victoria Falls on the mighty Zambezi, Matetsi Victoria Falls is more than just a bush and bucket-list attraction. It’s a destination in itself, defined by generous architectural spaces and contemporary interiors where earthy latte screens, blond basketry, the warmth of wood and the lustre of copper have hit the spot with those who come for a few days of much-needed downtime.

The visionary behind the development of Matetsi is John Gardiner, an Australian who came to Africa in the late Seventies and never left. He met his Zambian-born wife Carolyn and settled here, where their twins, Charles and Sara, were born and raised.

Despite the country’s troubled political and economic landscape, the family’s belief in Zimbabwe has never wavered and they share a common goal: to contribute to the country they call home. When Gardiner discovered Matetsi, he knew he’d found a project that could combine the family’s experience of hospitality with their passion for conservation.

His brief to local Zimbabwean architect Kerry van Leenhoff of Harare-based firm, Form Studio Design, was simple: ‘Build the best lodge in Africa and use local talent.’ Van Leenhoff more than rose to the challenge. Matetsi Victoria Falls comprises two intimate river-facing camps, each consisting of nine suites spread

out along 20km of private river frontage, offering privacy and unadulterated river views underpinned by generosity of space and absolute comfort. ‘We wanted guests to observe and connect with the Zambezi River, which lies at the heart of the property,’ says Van Leenhoff, ‘so we used large timber columns to mirror the immense trees beneath which the buildings sit, thus holding guests in a large hide-like, luxury space.’

When it came to the internal elements of the buildings, Van Leenhoff expertly combined Zimbabwean culture with Western comforts in a way that tells the story of daily life along the river.

‘Whether it’s the boats that hang like wind chimes in the entrances which are used to ferry people across the river, the twisted legs on the dining room tables that reference the fish traps laid here, the copper used as adornment in jewellery or the weaving of screens from the self-same methods used to make fishing baskets, every piece in the lodge is designed to relate to Zimbabwe in some way,’ she explains.

The craft, patterns and colours are among the most defining features in the lodge and have all been influenced by tribes from the surrounding regions. ‘Zimbabwe has 15 different languages and many more tribes, so while we didn’t strive to follow a particular style, we used whatever materials were available locally, opting for the more neutral (and traditional) Zimbabwean colour palette of raw clays, oxides, ochre and blue.’

Designed to be in perfect harmony with its surrounds, there’s an ever-present connection between spaces indoors and out. One might choose to wallow in the 20m rim-flow lap pool, head down to the river for a spot of canoeing or fishing, or explore the 50 000ha of unbridled and pristine wilderness on a game drive. Or you can do as I did when I found myself alone with my thoughts in this incredible setting and simply make the most of the stellar five-star service and surrounds for which this family-owned luxury nature retreat is fast becoming known. Q matetsivictoriafalls.com, formstudiodesign.com

THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 79

LODGE ZIMBABWE

this page Large timber columns echo the trees that encompass the building, and with the latte ceiling and liberal use of woven screens, there’s a sense of privacy as well as complete connection to the natural surrounds THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 81

this page The scalloped copper bar was a collaboration between Zimbabwean furniture designer Adam Seager and Copperwares in Harare, while the pottery pendants are by artisanal local ceramics company Chart Pottery opposite (from left) Darker hues contrast and anchor the raw natural elements; a boma, protected by screens employing traditional basketry techniques, for dining under starry skies

LODGE ZIMBABWE

“ ”

Every piece in the lodge is designed to relate to Zimbabwe in some way

this page Luxurious bathing with a view from an egg-shaped tub, while suites include indoor and outdoor rain showers as well as a private plunge pool and deck opposite Organic shapes interplay with natural textures, from the timber headboards and other pieces by Adam Seager Furniture to the bamboo lights from Zimbabwean NGO STEP Trust

LODGE ZIMBABWE

“

The craft, patterns and colours are among the most defining features in the lodge

”

THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 85

HOME JOHANNESBURG

HOUSE OF A RTS This historic Johannesburg home has been reborn and brims with its owners’ collections of art, music and books TEXT MILA CREWE-BROWN PHOTOGRAPHS ELSA YOUNG STYLING SANRI PIENAAR

this page A server from La Grange Interiors in the entrance hall keeps company with a Triboa Bay Living chair and set of artworks by Sam Nhlengethwa opposite In keeping with the homeowners’ love of art, an entire wall in the lounge is dedicated to Blessing Ngobeni’s Auctioned African Currency THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 87

this page A Hoffmann & Kuhne piano takes pride of place in the affectionately named piano room, which features a kilim from Pezula Interiors and a shelving unit from La Grange Interiors opposite Kholisa Thomas relaxes in her lounge, which is animated by Mongezi Ncaphayi’s Age of Inner Knowing and home to a Future Classics walnut book case and Donald Nxumalo coffee table

HOME JOHANNESBURG

or art advisor and founder of The Art Talks, Kholisa Thomas, opening her house up to clients and hosting small exhibitions and talks in her salon means that her home plays a pivotal role in her work. ‘I’m always saying that I want to sell art by way of experiencing it and this house allows for just that,’ she says.

She casts her mind back to the day she and husband Ciko came to view the Grade C-listed Art Deco home in Parktown West, describing a scene that captivated them. ‘It was owned by a filmmaker-musician and his family. We arrived before the first show day opened and found him still around, tinkering with his collection of vintage projectors and playing the piano.’ The home’s history and energy prompted them to put in an offer at once. That the offer included said piano, but no-one in the family played it (at that time), is testament to how the experience moved them, as well as to their love of culture.

While they were in awe of the home’s history, they were keen to part with its pink and turquoise bathrooms and rudimentary kitchen, and for that they contacted Future Classics’ Heidi Arenstein. Her advice was to consider a more cohesive renovation and to get in touch with architect Bryan Dunstan of BD Studio.

Retaining the best of the home’s Art Deco and Prairie Style characteristics, its kiaat and wenge parquet floors, horizontal language and original entrance, Bryan focused on knocking down internal walls, opening the home up to the garden and eliminating needless passageways.

He also built in an atrium, which has become a locus of calm. ‘The scale of the house made it possible to fit the new additions below the level of the existing eaves, leaving the pure geometry of the slate roof untouched,’ Bryan explains. He point outs that this approach distinguished new from old, allowing valuable original features (like the front entrance canopy and door) to be honoured. Among other expressions, newness is captured in concrete ceiling slabs that break through from outside, extending into the living areas.

The change to the living space has made the most marked difference to the way the Thomases live. Thanks to a bank of glazed doors that edge the living area and a newly covered wrap-around veranda, the family shares a bond with their natural surroundings, with ample opportunity to entertain al fresco, and a broadcast of the changing seasons.

Quietness is a concept that crops up regularly in the Thomases’ description of their home and manifests in Bryan’s economical use of line and marked restraint, with minimalism a calling card of his studio. ‘Bryan believes that if it doesn’t need to be there, don’t put it there,’ Ciko points out.

Their walls reveal artworks that reflect the past, present and future of South Africa, with a collection that’s intentionally local and features old masters George Pemba and Gerard Sekoto, as well as pieces by Sam Nhlengethwa, Blessing Ngobeni and of-the-moment artist Mongezi Ncaphayi.

Ciko’s beloved collection of vinyls keeps company with a vast anthology of books on politics, poetry, magical realism and more, housed in a contemporary wall unit. ‘We both came from art-appreciating, book- and music-loving families; culture is a huge part of Xhosa heritage,’ he explains, detailing an upbringing in New Brighton that was filled with jazz, house visits from musicians and daily sightings of a pre-famous George Pemba at work on his paintings.

‘The house is a beautiful outward expression of who we are, representing all our passions and collections,’ Kholisa says. ‘We can share with people here.’ Q bdsa.co.za ; futureclassics.co.za THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 89

this page An atrium marries indoor and outdoor spaces opposite clockwise Future Classics designed a discreet kitchen to meet the home’s lean, contemporary design language with handleless ducosprayed cabinets, a volakas marble backsplash and a separate scullery; the bench is from La Grange Interiors.

A curated drinks display in the dining room; a La Grange Interiors dining table is paired with re-covered Hartmann and Keppler chairs; the fireplace has built-in storage space

“ �

We both came from art-appreciating, book- and music-loving families

HOME JOHANNESBURG

HOME JOHANNESBURG

“

The house is a beautiful expression of who we are, representing all our passions and collections

this page The veranda features tables and chairs from La Grange Interiors opposite clockwise The bedroom side table is from La Grange Interiors, the photograph featuring Nelson Mandela was taken by Alf Khumalo; Future Classics designed the bathrooms, the bath is from Linea Brigio; fresh plums; the sun loungers are from Plaisir du Jardin

”

THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 93

this page On entering Nel’s double-volume, loft-style apartment, it’s clear that this is the home of someone who has a distinct knack for careful and eye-catching display.

The palette of cement screed floor, industrial fittings and worn wood contributes to a comfortable and inviting aesthetic. opposite As a chef, Nel is a consummate entertainer, and her openplan kitchen and living spaces allow for a sociable gathering of friends and family while she cooks

HOME CAPE TOWN

HOMEWARD BOUND

For globetrotting chef Paula Nel, her Cape Town home is where her art, collectables and lucky travel finds are. It’s also where she flexes her interior design muscles. The result is a welcoming space brimming with modern industrial touches and timeless appeal TEXT VICKI SLEET PHOTOGRAPHS WARREN HEATH STYLING SVEN ALBERDING / BUREAUX

THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 95

this page The latest renovation of the loft led to the creation of a second sitting area, where a beautifully worn leather Chesterfield has pride of place.

Floating picture shelves create a novel way in which to display some of Nel’s favourite prints and original artworks. The sculpture is an antique found in Bali

HOME CAPE TOWN

t’s no surprise that Paula Nel, a private chef who spends most of her time between a galley kitchen and a cabin on a luxury yacht, cruising between a myriad of ports and exotic destinations, dreams of wide open spaces and her own capacious home back in Cape Town.

It’s a glamorous and exciting life, particularly considering that Nel spends some of her time between stints heading for far-flung destinations in search of adventures that feed her soul. But when the adventure box is ticked after a back-to-back stint on board, she heads for home. Her loft-style apartment is situated in the heart of Cape Town’s CBD and is testament to this intrepid traveller’s fascination with global cultures, art and exotica.

Nel purchased her apartment five years ago and spent the better part of two years transforming it into a space that reflected her style. ‘When I bought it, it looked like any other city apartment, right down to the granite kitchen surfaces, so my first priority was to get the basics right,’ she says. She replaced the catalogue finishes with a palette of polished cement screed floors, painted brick and industrial steel touches.

When the opportunity to purchase the neighbouring apartment arose, she leapt at the chance to expand her home’s overall footprint and re-imagine its interiors. The result is a home blessed with double-volume heights, two living rooms (one for late-night movie fests and another for chilling with guests), a central cooking and entertaining area, a butler’s kitchen and, most importantly, a huge bedroom with a custom-built dressing room and bathroom.

‘You can imagine that living in a cabin for a significant part of the year means I fantasise about a beautiful and big bedroom space, so this takes up most of the extension – and I absolutely love it,’ says Nel. An enormous, custom-built, galvanised steel sliding door is used to screen off the bedroom, both a dramatic design gesture and a way of creating an extra sense of privacy.

While her home brims with larger furniture items, such as a cherished worn-leather Chesterfield sofa, it’s the collections of global finds and interesting artworks that are instant focal pieces and talking points. From a curious collection of Egyptian scarabs found on her North African medina missions to framed vintage botanical art prints picked up in New York, a gallery wall of LP covers and a taxidermy armadillo, Nel has a curator’s eye for unusual, storied items.

The apartment’s kitchen is understandably the hub of the space and where she loves to entertain. Here you’ll find her collection of handmade Japanese knives sourced on a trip to Tokyo and open shelves bursting with platters and bowls ready to be filled for the next meal.

The new renovation meant the kitchen could be shifted into the middle of her space and thanks to its customised central island, complete with gleaming Carrara marble top and the dramatic black cabinetry below, it really does make a statement. Another welcome addition was the butler’s kitchen, dressed for the part with floor-to-ceiling steel windows and polished white tiles. ‘Much as I love the look of open-plan kitchens, I really liked the idea of a slick butler’s pantry and scullery where dirty pots and pans can be stashed out of sight,’ she notes.

‘I’ve almost always got something in my mind’s eye that needs sorting; maybe it’s a specific corner that feels as if it needs something, or a spot that’s looking for some art. I love lying in my cabin after a busy day, planning and scheming,’ she laughs. ‘My next career choice might well involve me helping other people to tell their stories in their spaces.’ Q

“ ”

When I bought it, it looked like any other city apartment, right down to the granite kitchen surfaces, so my first priority was to get the basics right THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 97

this page The kitchen area consists of two zones – a prep, serving and dining counter and a butler’s kitchen where dirty pots and pans can be spirited away. The monochromatic palette throughout the apartment is reflected here beautifully – with plenty of worn wood to soften the look. opposite Nel had the oversized mirror custom-made. It bounces light beautifully around this stylishly comfortable space

HOME CAPE TOWN

THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 99

“

Nel’s loft-style apartment is testament to this intrepid traveller’s fascination with global cultures, art and exotica

”

this page A custom-made galvanised steel door lends a gritty industrial edge to the space, while also providing a practical divider between zones. On the table, a display of baseballs found at the Brooklyn flea market in New York in a bowl from India. opposite Nel designed her bespoke dressing room herself – it features three banks of open shelving and hanging space, as well as enough drawers to keep things from looking and feeling cluttered. The all-black palette helps create a sense of calm and order

HOME CAPE TOWN

THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 101

“

You can imagine that living in a cabin for a significant part of the year means I fantasise about a beautiful and big bedroom space

”

this page A penchant for global treasures and timeworn textures plays out beautifully in Nel’s bedroom. The grass side table is from Ashanti Design and the hanging glass pendant was found at Weylandts. opposite The luxury of Nel’s bathroom lies in its beautiful simplicity – here, an industrial-style cube is the shower, while loose items like the ladder and bathroom vanity fashioned out of old oak help cement the unaffected look and feel. The mirror is from Block & Chisel

HOME CAPE TOWN

THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 103

HOME MILAN

shop the look .

1

Re-animate the history of a house by accentuating its original features with modern decor

2

8

7

3

6

4

9

1. (from left) Bella fabric in Lagoon R442/m, St Leger & Viney; Authentic Herringbone flooring in Walnut R570/m², Fin Flooring; Emerald fabric R760/m, Halogen 2. Issima porcelain candle-holders by Sam Baron for Bosa from R2 215, Limeline 3. Dixie footrest velour navy R5 199, sofacompany.com 4.

Doco Luxe E1027 credenza R74 100, Douglas & Co 5. Dreamscape bedlinen set from R950 (Queen), Haus 6. Oskaka occasional chair R12 999, Sedgars 7. Progression wall art R13 900, La Grange Interiors 8. Twelve XL coffee table from Gallotti & Radice R51 000, Casarredo 9. Jambi Basketware Grande R1 850, Strelitzia Botanic R2 000, both SHF 104 ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE

5

LODGE ZIMBABWE

shop the look .

1

Channel luxe lodge chic with textural pieces that convey an idea of travel, calm and craftsmanship

10 2

8

7

3

9

4

5

6

1. (from left) Calcutta fabric in Natural R1 212/m, Halogen; Grasscloth Kuba Black R938/m, St Leger & Viney; Kloof Silverstone R105/m2, Tile Africa 2. Ashanti chair with natural rope R6 995, Weylandts 3. Votive amber tealight R180, Cécile & Boyd 4. Geruime Tottang R8 900, NM Design 5. Figs and leaves soap R50/100g, Lush 6. Large black stone bowl R690, Cécile & Boyd 7. Pendant 09 Terracotta R600, NM Design 8. Cowhide R6 995, Weylandts 9. Tray L design black and white bone R2 200, Cécile & Boyd 10. Tonga stools R1 500 each, Klooftique

106 ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE

HOME JOHANNESBURG

shop the look .

1

Choose decorative art that draws on an individual, yet worldly approach to interior style 2 4

3 5

8

6 7

9 11 13 10

12

1. (from left) Marron Emperador Marble price on request, Rudi’s Choice, Bleached Panama in grey from R5 500, Voke Rugs, Timbuktu fabric in Sky R1 505/m, Hertex. 2. Solid walnut bench R10 690, LIM 3. Barrel drum side table in antique copper from R1 995, La Grange Interiors 4.

Jamison mirror R4 995, Block & Chisel 5. Grace lounge chair R7 995, Weylandts 6. Borgillio white table lamp R1 110, Eurolux 7. Drop bottle vase R79, MRPHome 8. Fat yellow vase R790, Cécile & Boyd 9. Contemporary black stripe kelim from R2,800/m², Gonsenhausers 10. Felt storage basket R329, H&M 11. Papyrus boxes from R923, Madwa 12. Monaco napkin in Blanc R300, Haus 13. Baobab Malachite Rose Skin Tonic R420, Skin Creamery 108 ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE

HOME CAPE TOWN

shop the look .

1

Curate a home of carefully chosen curiosities intimating impeccable taste that diverges from convention

2 3

12

13

11

4 10 9 5

7 8 6

1. (from left) Sahara fabric in 801 R510/m, Halogen; Wool jute thick black and cream 2m x 3m R11 500, Voke Rugs; Sahara fabric in 901 R510/m, Halogen 2. Midway vase from R3 300, Roche Bobois 3. Oliver outdoor crossback chair R1 295, Block & Chisel 4. Pansay table R13 000, SHF 5. Vertic rug R1 999, SHF 6. Janco accent table R2 000, SHF 7. Teakroot coffee scoop R85, Weylandts; Teakroot serving spoon R125, Weylandts 8. Lanterns R1 400 each, Klooftique 9. Wabi Sabi shallow salad bowl R1 300, Clementina 10. Wrigley four-leg sofaconsole table R9 995, Block & Chisel 11. Double greenhouse light R5 850, Pezula Interiors 12. Chameleon print from R950, Pezula Interiors 110 ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE

*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 :[ 1VOU»Z (]LU\L Â&#x2039; ;LS! .OHUH! :WPU[L_ 9K (JJYH Â&#x2039; ;LS!

Well-known international reality TV show

is coming to SA. 12 DESIGNERS, 1 BIG BREAK! Do you have what it takes to be SA’s next hot fashion designer?

Do you have a flair for design and the sewing skills to back it up?

Do you dream of showing your work on the Project Runway catwalk?

We want YOU! CRITERIA OF ENTRY: Contestants must: Be able to design and make their own creations. Be legal South African residents. Be 21 years of age or older.

Not be in public office. Be available during all stages of production and be willing to travel. Agree to background and medical checks.

Neither they, their relatives nor any members of their household may be connected to the network, sponsor or production company.

They must not have had gross sales of their own lines of fashion designs totalling more than R100 000 per year over the past three years.

They may not have appeared on other TV reality shows whose interests conflict with those of Project Runway.

ENTRIES NOW OPEN! Don’t miss out – go to: www.projectrunwaysa.co.za.

Entries close on 28 March 2018.

Brought to you by

In association with

Ts&Cs apply. No under-18’s.

LIVING JANSE & CO PHOTOGRAPH ADAM LETCH

TR AVEL • FOOD • DRINKS • GARDENS • PEOPLE

Escape the heat to snowy Austria (p114), or plan a getaway to an island resort off the Mozambican coast (p118). The perfect tree can transform a garden (p120); Janse & Co prepare flavour-foward dishes (p122) and Athi-Patra Ruga creates iconic art (p126)

PE K PERFORMERS Previously overshadowed by its glossy neighbours, France and Switzerland, Austria has become a luxe ski destination in its own right, with Lucullan accommodation and stellar pistes (and some of the best guaranteed snow coverage in Europe), at much more affordable prices. Here are the best hotels for the season TEXT ESTEE KERSHOFF

The glassy surface of the indoor pool at Haus Hirt

BEST INTERIORS Haus Hirt, Bad Gastein This beautiful little hotel packs a mighty design punch. Hotelier Evelyn Ikrath bought it years ago and renovated the interiors to eccentrics’ delight: the restaurant features a delicious candy-coloured, striped ceiling; retro leather booths and clementine-hued walls in the bar lounge make for snug socialising; cerulean blue paint on the walls in the indoor pool area creates a dizzying reality-reflection daze that makes you feel as if you’re in a giant fish tank, and pops of electric blue green and yellow enliven the rooms.

All this might leave the impression that it’s uptight, but Haus Hirt is decidedly relaxed, with dedicated activities for children and dog-friendly rooms. The hotel overlooks the Gastein Valley with its waterfall, thermal springs and 220km of slopes which are popular among cross-country skiers.

Haus-hirt.com

The dining room at Haus Hirt features a candy-coloured ceiling

TRAVEL BEST VIBE Mama Thresl, Leogang Young, hip and happening urbanites feel especially at home at Mama Thresl, a relatively new Alpine hotel. There’s a wooden swing seat at the island bar (in fact, the entire place is smartly decked out in untreated pine, yet somehow it manages to avoid the clichéd ski chalet look), a trapeze duo from Cape Town tumbling through the air above it, DJs, hammocks on the balconies and a superb restaurant where you can squeeze your own juice from Spanish oranges every morning whilst the cook fries your organic eggs… in short, a hipster’s powdercovered dream.

Grab a GoPro and explore the magnificent pistes just metres from the front door, where the area connects to the Skicircus – Austria’s largest linked resort. Directly opposite the Asitz mountain station you’ll find sister restaurant Hendl Fischer. Not to be outdone, it boasts spectacular panoramic views and more wonderful carved wooden accents. Hotel guests can enjoy their breakfast up top, party here after sunset or book a fabulously OTT experience in a Champagne ski gondola. Perched on the edge of the piste, the private gondola is, of course, the perfect spot in which to sip your Moët. mama-thresl.com

Hendl Fischer restaurant boasts incredible panoramic views THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 115

A warm, wood-hued suite

Delicate plating and modern flavours set Aurelio’s dining experience apart

Dishes at Aurelio are inspired by the best local ingredients

BEST VALUE FOR MONEY Bergland Design & Wellness Hotel, Solden With prices inclusive of half-board (breakfast buffet, afternoon snack and gourmet dinner), this four-star hotel promises great bang for your buck. The authentic rooms are comfortable and streamlined with everyday conveniences such as free wifi and bath products. If you want to splurge, book the Summit Suite where actor Daniel Craig stayed during the filming of Spectre. There’s also a convenient in-house sports shop and a direct connection to the ski resort. If you’re not into high-altitude sports, try one of the off-piste activities on offer, such as ski touring, tobogganing or a guided snowshoe hike. bergland-soelden.at

BEST FOOD Aurelio, Lech A luxury ski hotel that can rival the best, Aurelio’s set on the slopes of Lech, Austria’s most exclusive resort and a favourite among skiers and snowboarders for its manicured slopes (305km of them, thanks to the lift that connects to Ski Arlberg). It consists of a hotel with 10 stylish suites and a budget-blowing chalet to rent for private use with its own spa, pool and butler, linked to the hotel by an underground tunnel.

However, what really sets Aurelio apart is the food. Winner of the 2017 Luxury Gourmet Hotel Award, the restaurant, under chefs Christian Rescher and Markus Niederwanger, serves modern dishes inspired by only the best local ingredients. The ‘Natural Art Cuisine’ menu features delicate plates such as ‘Lech Fishpond’.

Contrary to what the name might suggest, it’s no muddy mess, but a tender exploration of trout, kohlrabi and cucumber. Then there’s a venison, cherry and parsnip dish inspired by a hunt, a dainty plate of wild-growing edibles, such as boletus, spruce and woodruff (a forager’s delight!) and a silly-good baked apple with walnut and tangerine. It all makes for a fittingly glamorous end to the day. aureliolech.com

The rooms at Bergland are sleek and streamlined

TRAVEL

BEST DESIGN Wiesergut, Hinterglemm It’s hard to believe that this contemporary building – all glass façades and minimalist modern lines, with a white-painted elevation that gives the impression of a snow cap sitting atop the hotel – was built on the footprint of an old guesthouse on farmland that belonged to the same family since 1350. Today, Wiesergut attracts a creative crowd who come to catch their breath. Just like the architecture, the interiors are clean, almost purist – bare stone, untreated wood and unbleached linen make up most of the palette of the 25 rooms, including the seven glassy suites, each with its own rooftop garden. A tranquil spa area invites guests to slow down and unwind, while the superb slow-food restaurant serves a lot of produce from the farm alongside natural Austrian wines. wiesergut.com Wiesergut is housed in a contemporary building

The organic curves of Naturhotel Waldklause pay homage to the surrounding natural environment

A pared-back palette characterises the interiors

BEST GREEN CREDENTIALS Naturhotel Waldklause, Langenfeld A member of Green Pearls – a collection of sustainable holiday destinations strung across the globe – this award-winning eco-hotel meets the highest ecological standards as a low-energy building and looks pretty fine doing so. The modern construction, with its gentle, organic curves and unobtrusive sweeps of timber, blends quietly into the landscape. And so it should, as the owners and architect took great care ensuring that as little as possible of the surrounding forest was disturbed, at times working around the trees.

The harmonious interiors are permeated by the sweet smell of fir, larch and spruce used for construction, and each room has its own spring-water fountain.

Of course, there’s skiing too at nearby Solden – the Alpine glacier pistes draw an international crowd and play host to many top events. The hotel’s on-site Nature Spa offers soothing respite afterwards: try the tree sauna. waldklause.at THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 117

HOTELS

BON VOYAGE It’s about the beauty, the vibe, the fun and the luxury at a hotel on a misty Mozambican island where adventure awaits ANANTARA BAZARUTO Ilha do Bazaruto (‘island of the mist’) rises out of the Indian Ocean, roughly 80km off the Mozambican coast. Here the five-star Anantara Bazaruto resort offers luxury island living. Long, wooden walkways lead from Club Navale, the resort’s beach club (where a welcome party of dancers greets visitors) to various facilities – including a spa, restaurant and gym – before branching off to private beach villas, which are designed to reflect the island’s tranquil beauty.

Wood is the main decorative feature in the villa – almost all the furniture has been created out of dark timber, making it feel as though you’re living outdoors. Dark bedside lamps and exquisite vases contrast with lighter interior pieces in tans and creams. On the deck, woven seats perch before the ocean. If you’re feeling adventurous, snorkel the Neptune reef (a stone’s throw from the resort’s beach); you might spot an eel, possibly a ray and perhaps a few parrotfish, if luck’s on your side.

Lesser-known regions of the island can be viewed from the saddle – horse-riding tours take place along the beach. bazaruto.anantara.com

GETAWAY BEST FOR... A ROMANTIC BEACH STAY Abalone House Pool Villas WHERE Paternoster, Western Cape, 022 752 2044, abalonehouse.co.za WHAT If you fancy more private and spacious lodgings but with all the luxurious trappings associated with Paternoster’s famed boutique hotel, Abalone House, this pair of stand-alone, self-catering villas – perched above the beach – is just the thing. Each sleeping two couples or a family of four, the villas can also be rented together if there’s a bigger party. It’s all about layered comfort here, from the plush sofas to the Persian carpets, and there’s an indoor fireplace for chilly evenings.

Summer stays invite lazing in the rim-flow infinity pool when you’re not out exploring the charms of the fishing village. Importantly, good coffee and complimentary wifi are included.

BEST GUIDE Now in its second edition, and featuring more beautiful homes than you could ever imagine, Perfect Hideaways’ latest hardcover book is a must for both decor inspiration and when contemplating getting away from it all.

R 475. perfecthideaways.co.za

Aella bucket bag R2 900, Mia Mélange x Ilundi Maison Labiche Boys Don’t Cry Marinière T-shirt R1 100, Maison Mara

PERSONAL TOUCH Make a hotel room feel less impersonal with a scented candle that resonates with home.

DECO loves the Lalesso x Yswara candle and tea set, created by Yswara founder Swaady Martin. lalesso.com

EASY RETREATS Help is at hand to start planning your Easter break or long weekend escape THE TR AVELLER Q&A: Cherae Robinson Robinson is the founder of Tastemakers Africa, a web and mobile application that connects travellers to locals in African cities to create and host unique travel experiences. tastemakersafrica.com Go-to spot for a romantic escape? I’m so swamped with work that I have little time for romance. But if I were to do a getaway, it would be an overnight stay in the winelands or a couple of days at Montusi Lodge at the foot of the Drakensberg mountains.

Luxe resort or off the beaten track? I tend to go boutique – a hotel with luxe touches, good products and lots of culture and style. No big-box hotels for me: I definitely prefer places with fewer than 50 rooms.

Are you an over-packer or under-packer?

Over-packer.

What do you never travel without? MAC lipstick, black eyeliner, my Jambox mini-speaker, a gold watch and my DJ equipment.

THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 119

THE PERFECT TREE Whether you want a leafy canopy, seasonal fruit, tactile bark or visually beautiful blossoms, there are types of trees to fill these functions TEXT MARY MAUREL

Every garden needs a perfect tree. Depending on what type of tree it is, it can offer shade in the summer, provide autumnal leaf colour or seasonal flower colour, screen a neighbour’s house or even provide fruit in the summer. Or it could be that tree that defines a space: the tree in the lawn, deck or courtyard, with a gnarled form and a canopy overhead, which invites you outdoors and offers refuge. You can have just a tree and not much else around it, and yet this could be a perfect garden. We all have memories of such trees. One of my favourite trees is Ulmus parvifolia. Commonly known as a Chinese elm, it’s deciduous and a great tree for gardens where wind is an issue. Despite being tough, it has a lightness to its leafy canopy, offering dappled shade. It also has interesting bark.

Trees for dappled shade Celtis africana, Ulmus parvifolia Trees for interesting bark Caesalpinia ferrea Trees for autumnal colour Liquidambar styraciflua Trees for screening Apodytes dimidiata, Curtisia dentata, Ilex mitis, Nuxia floribunda, Syzigium guineense. Trees for flowers Erythrina lysistemon, Calodendrum capense, Jacaranda mimosifolia, Dais cotinifolia, Magnolia spp. Trees for blossoms Almond Trees for fruit Pomegranate, fig, lemon trees

Courtyard cover A space-defining courtyard tree can provide a sense of a roof, thereby grounding the space. The Celtis is a lovely, medium-sized deciduous tree, meaning it will lose its leaves in winter and shoot new leaves each year. It drops its leaves relatively quickly in autumn, which is better than protracted, messy leaf-shedding that may require extra effort to keep your courtyard clear of debris. The new spring growth is fresh and particularly attractive.

There's an indigenous version, Celtis africana , as well as an exotic version, Celtis sinensis.

Lawn ornament The jacaranda puts on a spectacular display in early summer, only to drop its flowers and create a beautiful lilac carpet. There’s an old jacaranda in my garden, the only plant I kept from the inherited garden. Old trees like this add a sense of establishment to a garden. It also offers a shady canopyfor pleasant outdoor seating.

PHOTOGRAPHS GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO/ALAMY; RYAN HAFEY UNSPLASH.COM

GARDENS

info@purecupcoffee.com | +27 (0)11 608 2372

Available at Select Retailers Nationwide: Clicks, Pick n Pay, Checkers, Spar and @home

FRESH DIRECTION Take inspiration from these flavour-forward dishes created by the husband-and-wife team behind Janse & Co restaurant PHOTOGRAPHS ADAM LETCH LOCATION JANSE & CO

Sublime interiors complement the beautifully plated dishes at Janse & Co. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all in the details, with a bespoke table by James Mudge

FOOD AND DRINK

There are magic things at play in the kitchen of Janse & Co, a new spot in Cape Town’s Kloof St offering a seasonal tasting menu with an emphasis on locally sourced produce. With an elegantly cool interior layering black with verdant hues and botanical imagery, along with a profusion of living plants and herbs, the space offers a teaser of the kind of dishes crafted by chefs Arno Janse van Rensburg (formerly of Maison) and Liezl Odendaal. ‘Our menu is a tasting menu where dishes focus on the ingredient itself – it’s not about over-complicating the flavours, but about enhancing the ingredients,’ Odendaal explains. ‘We use South African produce and try our best to find and work with the best ingredients that the region and country have to offer.’

Fermentation features prominently among some of the techniques the chefs employ, from kimchi to the kombucha that forms the base of some cocktails. Diners can choose from a three-course up to a seven-course menu of masterfully executed tasting plates, complemented by a thoughtfully curated drinks menu and chic décor elements by Mardre Meyer of Source IBA. 75 Kloof St, Gardens, Cape Town 021 422 0384 janseco.com x janse_and_co

Husband-and-wife team Arno Janse van Rensberg and Liezl Odendaal

Houtlander’s Coronation bench, which debuted at last year’s 100% Design South Africa

‘Our menu is a tasting menu where dishes focus on the ingredient itself – it’s not about over-complicating the flavours, but about enhancing the ingredients’

– Liezl Odendaal

A star dish on the menu comprises crispy, apricot-spiced potato chips with lemon dressing, crème fraîche and an umami-rich sprinkling of bottarga, a dried fish roe

FOOD AND DRINK

ASH GOAT’S CHEESE, APPLE, SHISO, BLUEBERRY 4 x 40g slices ash goat’s cheese (we used Belnori, sourced from Culture Cheese Club in Bree St) · 1 Granny Smith apple · Bunch fresh shiso leaves Serves 4 Make a gastrique using 100g brown sugar and 300ml green tea vinegar (we used Rozendal). Caramelise the sugar in a pot over a low to medium heat. Once it turns an amber colour, deglaze the pot with the vinegar, slowly dissolve the sugar and reduce until it becomes slightly thick.

To make the blueberry seasoning: Dehydrate the blueberries until dry (it takes about 24 hours). Blend with 1t citric acid, a pinch of salt and pepper, 1t honey crumiel (dried honey) and the zest of one lemon (dried). Keep in an airtight container until ready to use.

To serve, place the ash goat’s cheese on a plate. Top with apple ribbons and drizzle with gastrique. Garnish with ripped shiso leaves and 1T of the blueberry seasoning powder.

SALMON TROUT, PLUM, GR APE, VER JUICE 4 portions salmon trout (80-100g) · 160ml verjuice · 160ml fish sauce · 4T trout roe · Fresh mustard leaves · 1 plum and a handful of red grapes, thinly sliced Serves 4 Place the verjuice and fish sauce in a pan and reduce.

Season with salt and pepper. Place each trout portion on a plate, topped with 3T of the sauce. Finish with 6 mustard leaves on top, 1T trout roe and cover with the thinly sliced plum and red grapes.

DECO ICON: ATHI-PATRA RUGA By excavating collective memory, Ruga’s work is an attempt to patch up inconvenient holes in the historical record of our national identity. The result is a land of many queens, lost, found and forgotten TEXT: NTOMBENHLE SHEZI

ver a decade ago, at the age of 17, Athi-Patra Ruga found himself at Johannesburg’s Park Station, having recently moved from East London, after winning a scholarship to study fashion design at the Gordon Flack Davidson Academy of Design.

Born in the former Transkei in 1984 – during the final years of the apartheid regime – he was encouraged from an early age to pursue his love for art by his political journalist father and midwife mother. His father worked for Radio Transkei and his parents produced radio dramas together. ‘I used to do the sound effects in the studio, which is where I learnt about performance: how to be on cue and how to create a reality by just using a board to create thunder, for example. The theatre of the mind. Growing up literally in a radio station ignited my imagination,’ he says.

Ruga’s early days in Johannesburg saw him opening his own studio at the age of 18. He went on to establish a name for himself on the South African fashion scene when he was nominated for the ELLE New Talent Award in 2004, which led him to show a collection at SA Fashion Week the following year.

His designs have always involved performance art. ‘I’d wear my own clothes and go to places like the Noord St taxi

rank and other urban hubs to which people attached specific stereotypes. It was an attempt to dispel such myths by telling a story through my body,’ he says.

Ruga is one of a generation of artists whose work engages with the trauma of seeing the principles of South Africa’s Constitution and the ideal of the ‘Rainbow Nation’, with which they grew up, disintegrating before their eyes. ‘We haven’t dealt with much, especially not redress, be it in relation to land, race or aesthetics. We were disposed of and made to feel that we could never do anything but craft. It’s still like that,’ he says.

He deals with all these forms of trauma by creating characters (or avatars, as he prefers to call them) and tapestries that document their lives. The avatars have somehow become parodies of belonging, of nationalism and of community, while paying tribute to the avatars of queens, who are radical characters.

The first one, Miss Congo (embodied by Ruga himself), wove tapestries in different public locations around Johannesburg. This performance was extended in a film series shot in Kinshasa. His second queen avatar, Injibaba, made out of 250 Afro wigs, was a parody on xenophobia, specifically in response to a widely circulated poster depicting a white sheep kicking three black sheep out of the Swiss confederacy.

‘In this performance I wanted to be that black sheep, flying in the face of that discrimination and hypocrisy.’

IMAGES COURTESY OF ATHI-PATRA RUGA/WHATIFTHEWORLD

Queens in Exile, video still, 2017

ICON Athi-Patra Ruga

Miss Azania 2019, 2015

Two events in 2008 – the widespread xenophobic attacks around the country and, specifically, the assault and public humiliation of mini-skirted Nwabisa Ngcukana at the Noord St taxi rank – led Ruga to create the avatar Beiruth. For this performance, he assumed hyper-feminine dress, walking to the rank to travel to Atlantis. ‘This was me working with the idea of Utopia, specifically in relation to the dystopic lives we live,’ he explains.

His work continued with Future White Women of Azania, in which he again engaged with the concept of Utopia, exploring its flipside. This included interrogating the experience of exile and the many ways it translates for him as a street performer and a South African citizen. The result of these initiatives is his current work, Queens in Exile, named after queer pioneer Sylvia Rivera’s eponymous essay.

One part of the series sees the memorialisation of LGBTIQ UDF cadre Simon Tseko Nkoli, whom Ruga describes as ‘a queen exiled from the hyper-masculine founding myth of the new South Africa’. Another part of the series has him renaming Robben Island Nongqawuse Island, in honour of 15-year-old Nongqawuse, who wasn’t a political prisoner on the island, but an exile from the ravaged Eastern Cape.

Other exiled queens in the series include Ruga’s maternal grandmother. The only image of her he’s ever seen was found in an apartheid-era pass book, or dompas; she was eventually exiled to the Ciskei after she’d stopped working in Port Elizabeth. ’She didn’t look happy in that dompas, her freedom bound between its two covers. I wanted to release her by taking her off the document, reproducing her image and putting her in a museum,’ says Ruga.

This is just part of the redress work he’s performing.

Another element of it is his tapestries, recreated through a femme-based perspective and offering new ways of communicating queerness. On a creative level, the tapestries manifest with colour, intuition and craft, principles usually rejected by high art. ‘By kicking those things out of high art, you’re still creating a very masculine perception of what art should be made. That,

for me, is very un-African. I believe in craft circles, telling stories and people imbuing their sweat in the threads,’ says Ruga.

Last year he won the Seydou Keïta Prize and his work is collected by various galleries and institutions around the world, including Paris’s Fondation Louis Vuitton and Cape Town’s Zeitz MOCAA. Despite these achievements,Ruga declares that he’s still waiting for his ‘big break’. ‘In the meantime, I get the greatest pleasure out of knowing that through sophisticating my story and those of my allies, I’ve built a studio which expands my functions as an artist to those of master craftsmxn, diplomat, mentor and showmxn.’ Q

THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA 127

PEOPLE

Avocados and their leaves were the culinary stars of the show Andrew Kisuule and Maddie Mutati, ELLE DECORATION winner Sharon Gaehler: Head of Office of the Deputy Minister - General Cele, Pastor Vanessa Hlatshwayo and Bonnie Buthelezi, Market Development Manager: Saaga

Paulo Santo, Khanyi Dhlomo, founder and CEO of Ndalo Media (publisher of ELLE DECORATION), Anna Weylandt and Bonnie Buthelezi

COOK LIKE A PRO MASTERCLASS Date: 7 December 2017 Venue: Weylandts Kramerville, Johannesburg

Khanyi Dhlomo with Relationship Consultant Anele Ngwenya and Marketing Manager Thobile Dlamini, both of Brand South Africa DECO readers enjoyed a stylish evening of food and wine, with a cooking demo by Gemelliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Head Chef, Paulo Santo and a trends talk from Anna Weylandt, furniture buyer at Weylandts, in partnership with the SA Avocado Growersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association

Table settings fit for the feast that was prepared

The tasty starters included Norwegian salmon, ceviche pickled cucumber with cured pimento, avocado mousse, Vietnamese dressing, coriander and avocado oil

Paulo Santo

NOTES

54

61

47 4

53

6 31

38

21 46 33

53 6

3

1. @HOME 086 057 6576 | home.co.za 2. BANKS KITCHEN BOUTIQUE 021 433 2448 | bankskitchenboutique.co.za 3.

CASARREDO 011 786 6940 | casarredo.co.za 4. CÉCILE & BOYD 031 303 1005 | cecileandboyds.com 5. CHAPEL 061 426 4270 | chapelgoods.co.za 6. CLEMENTINA 021 447 1398 | clementina.co.za 7. COUNTRY ROAD 0860 022 002 | woolworths.co.za 8. COVET DESIGN 082 560 8691 | covetdesign.co.za 9. CRÉMA DESIGN 021 448 775 | cremadesign.co.za 10. CULINARY EQUIPMENT COMPANY 011 701 2200 | culinary.co.za 11. DESIGN STORE designstore.co.za 12. DOKTER AND MISSES 011 403 1024 | dokterandmisses.com 13. DOUGLAS & CO douglasandco.co.za 14. DOUGLAS JONES 086 166 7242 | douglasjones.co.za 15 EUROLUX 021 528 8400 | eurolux.co.za 16. ESTABLISHMENT 021 462 6492 | establishment.co.za 17. FACTORY TILE SHOP 011 791 0451 18. FINFLOOR 0860 346 356 | finfloor.co.za 19. GENERATION 011 325 5963 | generationdesign.co.za 20. GONSENHAUSERS 021 462 4819 | finerugs.co.za 21.

H&M HOME 0860 690 707 | hm.com/za/department/HOME 22. HALOGEN INTERNATIONAL 011 448 2060 | halogen. co.za 23. HAUS 021 461 7420 | hertex.co.za 24. HOME ETC. 012 368 1557 | homeetc.co.za 25. HOME FABRICS 011 262 3492 | homefabrics.co.za 26. KLOOFTIQUE 021 424 9458 | klooftique.com 27. KNUS 021 825 9908 | knus.co 28.

LA GRANGE INTERIORS 021 447 3508 | lagrangeinteriors. co.za 29. LIGNE ROSET 011 262 5055 | ligne-roset.com/za 30. LIM 021 423 1200 | lim.co.za 31. LIMELINE 021 424 8682 | limeline.co.za 32. LINEN DRAWER 021 872 0108 | linendrawer.co.za 33. LUSH za.lush.com 34. MADWA 021 423 0785 | madwa.com 35. MAISON MARA 021 418 1600 | maisonmara.co.za 36. MATTER OF FAKT matteroffakt.com 37.

MEZZANINE 011 778 1200 | mezzanine.co.za 38. MOBELLI 021 512 2662 | mobelli.co.za 39. MRP HOME 011 728 2168 | mrphome.com 40. MUNGO 021 201 2374 | mungo.co.za 41. NM DESIGN nmdesign.co.za 42. NEW PORT LIGHTING 021 447 0049 | newport.co.za 43. OKHA 021 461 7233 | okha.com 44. OPIA DESIGN 079 050 4741 | opiadesign. co.za 45. ORMS DIRECT 021 465 3573 | ormsdirect.co.za 46.

PICHULIK 021 461 2474 | pichulik.com 47. ROCHE BOBOIS 021 286 0793 | roche-bobois.com/en-za 48. RUDI’S CHOICE 011 822 1350 | rudischoice.co.za 49. RUBIO MONOCOAT 011 466 0273 | rubiomonocoat.co.za 50. SEDGARS 016 422 3804 | sedgarshome.co.za 51. SHF 010 492 5455 | shf.co.za 52. SKIN CREAMERY 082 563 7928 | skincreamery.co.za 53. SOFACOMPANY.COM 021 200 5904 | sofacompany. com 54. SOUTHERN GUILD 021 461 2856 | southernguild. co.za 55. ST LEGER & VINEY 011 444 6722 | stleger.co.za 56.

STABLE 021 426 5922 | stabledesign.co.za 57. TILE AFRICA 021 511 5815 | tileafrica.co.za 58. TRUE DESIGN 010 594 5109 | truedesign.co.za 59. TYPO 011 268 0124 | typo.com 60.

VOKE RUGS 083 297 0589 | vokerugs.co.za 61. WEYLANDTS 021 914 1433 | weylandts.co.za 62. WITCHERY 0860 022 002 | woolworths.co.za 63. WOMAG 021 447 6161 | womag. co.za 64. WOODBENDER 021 854 6034 | woodbender.co.za 65. WOOLWORTHS 0860 022 002 | woolworths.co.za 66.

YUPPIECHEF 021 702 4969 | yuppiechef.com

LAST LOOK

MAGIC CARPET

Cartesio by Elena Salmistraro for cc-tapis Lose yourself in the fantastic geometry of Elena Salmistraroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hand-knotted Himalayan woollen rug.

Inspired by a 19th-century novel about a world of shapes, Cartesio emphasises relational forms and the craftsmanship involved in its creation. cc-tapis.com

130 ELLEDECORATION.CO.ZA THE BIG IDEAS ISSUE