Table of contents for VISI 96 in Visi

Latest #visimagazine #visimag, @granddesignsau, and my sketch book with our home ideas and study tools. #interiordesigner #designinglife #backinthebooks #passion #bam – @_two_feet_ We are extremely proud to feature in the @visi_mag with a full feature on our work with @haldanemartin “Head Turner” we couldn’t agree more. #stellenbosch #satravel #satourism #visitstellenbosch #visimag #decor #accommodation #restaurant – @kunjaniwines SA’s most beautiful magazine, in Italy. Thank you for the surprise, @arianbester :) reading about breathtaking places in SA really makes me appreciate my home country even more. See you soon bella! #visi #visimagazine #cuppuccino #coffeetime #reading #relax – @smitpaula05 Me & marmalade doing some planning! @visi_mag #visimag #newhouse #interiordesign – @mandifrost101 Design. Inspiration. #visimagazine #entrepreneurship #lifestyle #inspiration #rainy #joburg – @linel_m This is what we call TOTAL RELAXATION – #visimagazine @creationwines #summer #deckwithaview…

ON THE MORNING OF MONDAY, 10 JUNE 1996, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A BITTER COLD WINTER, I WAS DEEP IN SLEEP WHEN I FELT MYSELF BEING SHAKEN AWAKE. I pulled the covers down from over my head and scrunched my eyes to look at what I found to be my father. The light in my sister’s and my room was not on, but the light from the passage was enough for me to make out his frame and a hint of the colours of his then favourite pyjamas. I glanced down to where the broken wall clock sat and saw it was not yet 5 am, the time my father would wake me up to get me ready for school on weekday mornings. I started to look back at…

Reflections Copenhagen is a range of delicate crystal bowls, vases and other pieces and striking mirrors, designed by Danish duo Hugau/Larsson – jewellery designer Julie Hugau and interior designer Andrea Larsson. They are inspired by art and graphics, specifically the graphic expression of the Art Deco movement. Every piece is made by hand; irregularities add to the hand-crafted character and delicate beauty of the pieces. Casarredo, known for importing top international luxury brands, is the sole stockist in South Africa of the Reflections Copenhagen range. • casarredo.co.za • reflections-copenhagen.com FAST FACT An expo held in Paris in 1925, Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes, gave its name to the style known as Art Deco.…

“IN the current chaotic timeframe where everything is changing, humans feel the need for lightness as well as light in the sense of illumination, enlightenment and serenity. The remarkable lightness encapsulated in Rado’s timepieces is derived from the use of ceramic materials, which, interestingly, are archaic and futuristic at the same time.”So says Li Edelkoort, renowned trend forecaster and one of the many luminaries in the design world that have collaborated with Rado over the years. Rado started to experiment with using ceramics as a watch-making material back in the ’60s, and since then has developed ground-breaking designs that feature both matte and polished finishes and even plasma high-tech ceramic, whereby white ceramic is transformed into a material with a distinctly metallic finish without using any metal at all. The…

The Painting Shed in Wellington is a treasure trove of decorative furniture pieces, and customisation is the name of the game. Owner Cornelia Linnegar merges the practical with the visual by adding eccentric beauty to regular pieces. She is inspired by the Dutch Masters’ famed 17th-century paintings and influenced by elements of the Renaissance and Impressionist periods, but when working on a commissioned piece, she incorporates images and elements according to the brief. A small team does the groundwork for custom pieces, and Cornelia does the decorative paint finishes and final touches. “Art on a furniture piece personalises the space in which it exists, makes a statement and creates a focus,” she says. “A beautiful headboard, for example, can transform the mood of your bedroom completely.” For more information or…

A lunchtime conversation about the shortage of local sheepskins led Emma Shortt to embark on a journey of discovery for superb quality product and the establishment of The South African Sheepskin Company, which specialises in luxurious wool-on-skin rugs, throws and decor accessories. “I was able to find lots of rugs imported from New Zealand and Australia, but it was impossible to find local sheepskins of the quality I required,” says Emma. She turned to hide specialists Richard Kane and Company for advice.“The MD himself very kindly gave me the name of a factory that still produces wool-on sheepskins, and after I met with them they agreed to produce unshorn sheepskins for me.” The collaboration between Emma and the tannery led to the creation of a range of luxurious deep-pile sheepskins…

“Ironically,”says artist and airline pilot Ricardo Pinto Jorge, “flying keeps me grounded.” The 29-year-old has been a commercial pilot for five years, but he has been an artist for a great deal longer. “As a child I would record my favourite cartoons and then replay them, pressing pause and tracing images straight from the TV screen.” His most recent exhibition, Bits of Maputo, is “an audio-visual project that includes a soundtrack by some of Maputo’s finest musicians and a catalogue of a wide array of texts by a diverse set of people”. This kaleidoscopic series of photographic and video works inspired by his childhood memories of Maputo architecture surged organically, says Ricardo. “I never meant for Bits Of Maputo to be a project until a very close friend suggested it.”…

In the 1920s, a professor of viticulture at Stellenbosch University (and a chemist by training), Abraham Perold, got it into his head to cross Pinot Noir and Cinsaut (then known in South Africa as Hermitage). And that’s how the Pinotage varietal was created. Here are a few of our favourite Pinotage wines. SPIER 21 GABLES PINOTAGE 2013 Spier has been making wine for more than 300 years. The Spier 21 Gables range of single-varietal Pinotage carries flavours of black cherry, chocolate and spices. Enjoy it with springbok pie or a robust risotto. • R260 • spierwines.co.za ANGELS TEARS LE CHOCOLAT PINOTAGE 2017 This smooth, easy-drinking medium-bodied wine has toasty notes and a ripe fruitiness enhanced by hints of chocolate. Have a glass or two with freshly caught game fish or a bowl…

BOUTIQUE HOMES Handpicked Vacation Rentals, Cool Escapes and Avedition, R865 This coffee-table book by the founders of the Cool Escapes Boutique Homes brand is for world travellers looking for vacation rentals that are cool, stylish and sophisticated, with all the amenities of modern living. The idea is that you download the interactive app by the same name on your phone, so you can point your smartphone camera at any page in the book showing a home and the app will connect you to the property page to watch videos, look at extended galleries, listen to soundtracks and visit related websites. The book features a collection of about 60 homes for rent, sorted into the chapters Seaside, Country Living, Cabins, Extra Large and Urban. They include a renovated 18th-century…

As the dire drought in the Cape dragged on, I was convinced this was the year we were going to experience that elusive endless summer… But then, at the beginning of May, I took a road trip to Prince Albert with photographer Jan Ras to photograph Jonno Sherwin and Johan Hugo’s charming cottage. As we drove through De Doorns I noticed all the vines had turned a light shade of aubergine; at Matjiesfontein there was a distinct nip in the air; and the next morning before sunrise I was longing for my warm velvet coat that was, sadly, back in Cape Town. Winter has finally arrived here in the Western Cape, and with it our focus has shifted indoors. This issue is all about playing with scale. Here at VISI…

I Today, the house on the hill wrestles for air. Pile upon piles of tree branches, bark and dry leaves clutter the driveway. At night it is dark, a ghost house. It wasn’t always like that. II Squeezed between coloured Sydenham and Sparks Estate to the east, Sherwood to the south, Westville to the west and the more illustrious Indians in Reservoir Hills to the north, Clare Estate had everything it needed to be forgotten. Indian sugar-cane farmers settled here under the stewardship of one Ralph Clarence in the late 19th century. Those who lived here subsequently moved on from indenture to build colonial-style mansions made of brick. Those less fortunate remained in shacks made of tin, plastic and broken rubble. During the week they were teachers, doctors, mechanics. On…

What began as a hobby for Alexis Christodoulou – winemaker at Ambeloui Estate in Hout Bay and artist in his spare time – has turned into a portfolio of works featuring imagined architectural spaces. His renderings recently featured prominently at the Belgotex stand at Decorex Cape Town. Drawing inspiration from the digital world and a childhood spent playing video games, Alexis noticed a lack of modern aesthetics represented through this medium. He uses the buildings around him in South Africa as starting points for his pieces. “I usually get my inspiration from modern architecture or buildings that I see around Cape Town, or wherever I go,” he says. As he has gained experience, the process has become second nature. “I used to rely quite heavily on photos, but now I…

THE collaboration came about when Frances van Hasselt, founder of the hand-woven rug company Frances V.H, reached out to Karu’s founders on Instagram. She had noticed familiar influences in Alexis Barrell and Fiona Mackay’s line of artisanal home textiles, sleepwear and clothing: a reverence for natural fibres, artisanal textile production and the evocative beauty of the Karoo. Alexis, who is Karu’s creative director, worked with Frances on the designs. The two launch designs are Patchwork, which references vintage quilting techniques, and Blok Huis, which pays homage to the simplicity of Karoo farmhouse architecture. Part of the rugs’appeal is the entirely local supply chain. The Van Hasselt family’s angora farm in Prince Albert supports ethical, sustainable mohair practices. After the washing and combing process, the mohair is hand-spun and -woven by skilled…

For more than two decades, family-owned brand Melvill & Moon has been making safari equipment such as canvas seat covers, luggage and accessories right here in South Africa. These are two of the VISI team’s must-haves from its latest collection. • melvillandmoon.com DJINN BAR Designed in the style of campaign furniture (pieces made for travel), this drinks cabinet consists of separate parts that can be used individually – the removable base is also a tray; and the leg stand, which has leather straps at the top, is a handy luggage rack. • R14 150 GROGAN BACKPACK Inspired by the rucksacks of early mountaineers, the Grogan is a classic design with a modern twist. It is made of washable canvas with leather trim and brass buckles. The two zipped side pockets are large…

Skinny laMinx has teamed up with Fechters of Knysna, one of the country’s oldest and most trusted furnisher manufacturers, to create three chairs upholstered in a variety of Skinny laMinx fabrics.“This partnership is not only about a shared aesthetic, but also about shared values: Both Fechters and Skinny laMinx are proud to be made in South Africa, we prioritise quality materials and construction, and we value the people who work with us,”says Skinny laMinx owner Heather Moore. Order your chair in any Skinny laMinx fabric online or in-store. Manufacture takes up to six weeks and chairs are delivered countrywide. • fechters.co.za • skinnylaminx.com GIFTS FOR YOU We have an Oslo chair from the Skinny laMinx Fechters range, worth R7 250, to give away. Visit VISI.co.za/win for details.…

With the use of their 3D food printer, Studio H aims to find solutions around challenges in the food system, or at least create a buzz around certain pressing topics. In the near future, 3D food printing could allow us to print food with customised nutritional content. So, instead of eating something mass-produced, you could soon consume something designed for your particular dietary needs and preferences, on demand. Imagine the next ready-to-eat meals as cartridges of food printed into shapes determined by downloadable designs. “3D printing could be the perfect vehicle to reduce food waste,” says Studio H founder Hannerie Visser. “To experiment with the medium, we designed Salad 2.0. We cooked down a batch of unconventional-looking fruit and veg, which would normally have gone to waste, into purées and…

CLINTON FRIEDMAN, DESIGNER AND PHOTOGRAPHER Are you a winter or summer person? Summer. Is there anywhere else in the world you would like to live? I’m quite happy in KwaZulu-Natal, which is where I live now. Do you have a weekend or holiday bolthole or a dream location? Mostly my garden or the sea. What’s the winter meal you make for friends? Durban curry with fresh fish. What’s on your seasonal reading list? The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell. What kicked off your love of design? It was sparked when I found my true passion for creating art at the age of 11. If you were a famous building, which one would you be? Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater. What’s your favourite…

THIS HOUSE HAS GROWN UP WITH MY FAMILY OVER THE PAST 18 YEARS. IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK, THEY’D BE SQUEALING. I don’t think they were properly prepared for the pre-adolescents that invaded their space back in 2000, along with the 18-year-old preparing herself for varsity, accompanied by two parents working full time and a dog with the character of a black Lassie. (She really was black – a crossbreed Alsatian/Rottweiler whom we named Onyx). We were the second black family to move into the neighbourhood at the time, and there was a definite air of“There goes the neighbourhood” when the moving trucks pulled into what still is our driveway. We were excited, my brother, sister and I: We were each going to have our own bedroom for the first…

BEFORE WE’D MOVED INTO OUR CURRENT HOME, THE HOUSE HAD STOOD EMPTY FOR FOUR YEARS. It had been completed to builder’s finish, the wooden floors and dishwasher were in place, but there wasn’t a tile anywhere. Electric cables protruded from walls. The fireplace was a cavity where birds chimney-dived. It smelled unfinished. The grass had grown to a level where no lawnmower could cut through it. I’d fallen in love with this house even before we viewed it based on the location alone: close enough to the city yet in a quiet location near a lake and a quaint historical village. And when we first visited, I knew I’d found a forever home. One of those rare places that my restless heart, always moving, always seeking new places, would find…

1. DRESS THE WINDOWS People think you can save money buying ready-made curtains, but you just don’t get the same effect, ever. 2. LOOK DOWN Select one floor finish throughout. There are a lot of attractive, durable and reasonably priced wood-grain vinyls to choose from nowadays. Look for end-of-range deals. 3. FINISH WELL In the bathroom, choose one finish for the walls, shower and floors. Digitally printed marble-look ceramic tiles are practical, offer the same on-trend effect, and come in at a fraction of the price. 4. INDULGE IN SOME LUXURIES Good towels and linen are essentials for me, and I chose Mungo. You’re supporting a local company, and their real linen and cotton products actually get better the more you use them. 5. PLAY WITH SCALE Don’t be afraid…

VARIOUS AREAS ARE LINKED BY A SERIES OF BRIDGES.! “THE FORM EVOLVED INTO SOMETHING SERPENTINE, WHICH GENERATED A MORE INTERCONNECTED SPACE.” “THE GLAZING IS A COMBINATION OF REFLECTIVE! GLASS SPANDRELS! AND VISION GLASS.” THE UNIFICATION OF SASOL’S CORPORATE CULTURE was the primary driver behind the company’s decision to move its business units and activities from a scattering of locations across Johannesburg into a single purpose-built building. Paragon Group, led by principal architect Anthony Orelowitz, studied the Sasol logo closely to interpret it as a built form, and used the company structure as the departure point for the conceptual design of the building. “The concept was initially set up as a straight line linking the various units,”says Anthony.“This was, however, seen as spatially too linear, so the form The concept of…

IT’S HARD TO AVOID CLICHÉS TO DESCRIBE AIYANA’S SETTING.! – far, far away – the fantasy vision of a tropical Indian Ocean island destination seems idyllic, but chances are you’ll run into an acquaintance there. Ever since Thomas Cook organised his first “package tour” in the 1840s, travel has become accessible to many more of us. The downside is that the “ideal” holiday destinations have become so popular that they no longer offer solitude, personal attention, and rest for body and soul. Okay, when most of us dream of getting away from it all, we don’t really mean it in the sense of forgoing all our comforts. This is where a resort like Constance Aiyana on Pemba Island pulls off a remarkable feat, offering an isolated retreat complete with all…

The Bulgari B.zero1 Labyrinth ring, created in 1999, became one of the most celebrated designs of the decade. It’s modelled on the Colosseum, Roman Emperor Vespasian’s architectural statement of power. Designed as an expression of strength and character with quintessential Italian flair, the ring’s innovative shape and form are purposefully architectural. In 2010, British sculptor Anish Kapoor lent his vision to the ring in a pink-gold and steel execution with a mirror-like finish. For a more recent incarnation, Bulgari joined forces with Zaha Hadid. The B.zero1 Design Legend was launched in 2016 at Design Miami. Wallpaper* described the renowned architect’s redesign as “a sumptuous, spiralling ripple of gold”. The wave-like shape of the ring creates a feeling of movement reminiscent of her architectural masterpieces, like The Serpentine Sackler Gallery in…

With a background in graffiti and action board sports, Matt W Moore relishes applying his design principles to commercial and personal projects. Here’s what he had to say about his recent collaboration with Rémy Martin. What was your brief? This project has a bunch of different components and deliverables, such as bottle and package designs, displays, videos, and the amazing augmented reality experience. My role was to translate the essence of the brand, bringing my colourful abstract graphic styles into the mix to create many design compositions for bottle, box and display. I developed a library of all the elements: grapes, leaves, vineyards, centaur, sunshine, rain, the flow and energy of Cognac. This series of illustrations comes to life in the videos and augmented reality app. What is your approach…

Having previously worked as a retail buyer at Woolworths, entrepreneur Cara Saven has a well-trained eye for what works where. Her custom-designed wall art business is blooming. Where do the designs come from? All over. Many motifs are designed from scratch, some are sourced and then given a different spin. I often see a design or photo shoot that inspires me; I then source the various components or have my designer draw them. What inspires you? Instagram (I’m an addict!), nature (I get a daily dose of it, so it’s bound to influence my work) and my clients. I am a buyer by trade, so I create and design with clients in mind. What are the wallcovering trends for winter 2018? Chinoiserie – the influence of the East – is…

IT comes as no surprise that Joburgbased furniture designer Sifiso Shange was chosen as one of Design Indaba’s Emerging Creatives this year. The self-described Afri-Modern designer draws inspiration from African art and cultural heritage to tell stories of pride, honour, excellence, celebration, everyday life experiences and love. “Afri-Modern is an expressive design and art movement that aims to preserve African culture and produce items that have symbolic meaning,” he says. Sifiso’s Muhle Muhle collection, comprised of a server, cabinet and coffee table in a range of finishes, is inspired by traditional motifs found in Zulu beadwork. “The motifs express the essence of women through the three elements of mind, body and soul, which relate to the three points of a triangle that represent a woman,” he says. His latest piece…

The fashion accessory brand Verse is the brainchild of Shelley Lee, a Design Indaba 2018 Emerging Creative. She makes leather bags using patterns cut straight from the hides, which she sources from local tanneries – first scrutinising every hide’s texture, weight and colour. Her process involves saddle-stitching hand-punched holes with blunt needles. “The Haiku tote from my new collection is a response to having observed people’s concerns around keeping their belongings safe,”she says. “By not being precious about the traditional tote shape, I found that by simply tucking the corners, the bag is made secure.” The brand name pays homage to Shelley’s openness to adaptation and the versatility of her creations. To add a unique signature, each bag is embossed with a poem or a piece of prose. Shelley will…

IN THE KITCHEN 1 The KitchenAid Artisan Cook Processor boils, fries, steams, stews, roasts, purées, emulsifies, whips, flips and stirs, and even has its own smart app and microsite. • R17999 • kitchenaidafrica.com 2 How fabulously loony are these Croc Moonlight wooden place mats from Ardmore? • R600 per pair – you can win a pair • Shop 17, Hyde Park Square Centre, JHB • ardmore-design.com 3 This Ant espresso set of two cups and saucers embodies warm minimalism. • R476 for a set of two – you can win a set • lovemilo.com 4 We’re crushing on this Smeg Retro Espresso coffee machine, now stocked by Woolworths. • R6599 • woolworths.co.za IN BED 5 100% cotton bed linen from The T-Shirt Bed Co never needs ironing. • From R2 040 (double duvet cover set and fitted sheet) – you…

Built around a sheltered private cove that faces north onto the Indian Ocean, LUX* Grand Gaube in Mauritius is a place of generous proportions – it is ultra-sophisticated yet blissfully informal. I say the resort has been reimagined rather than revamped because (literally) no stone was left unturned by architect Jean-Francois Adam – a UCT graduate, no less – who was tasked with designing a contemporary space that paid homage to the comfortable tropical setting while preserving the natural setting. Known for designing spaces with generous volumes, precise lines and an unpretentious feel, Jean-Francois is of the belief that architecture has a heart and a soul, an ethos that is evident in the way the resort hugs the sheltered cove, dipping in and out between lush pockets of horticultural magic…

THE Siemens EQ.9 s500 coffee machine with its stainless steel body is a covetable addition to any caffeine connoisseur’s kitchen. A number of features stand out, among them the sensoFlow System, which ensures a constant brewing temperature; and the fact that the milk system is automatically steam-cleaned every time it’s been used. Two notable settings are oneTouch DoubleCup, which allows you to fill two cups simultaneously, picking your coffee and milk preferences with the help of just one button; and baristaMode, which allows finer and individual calibration of aspects like coffee strength and the coffee/milk ratio. Better still, the superSilent setting makes this design the quietest fully automatic espresso maker in the Siemens range. • siemens-home.bsh-group.com/za To stand a chance to win this fabulous prize, go to VISI.co.za/win to enter. FAST…

• VISI competitions are open to all South African residents excluding employees of New Media Publishing, employees of the companies supplying the prizes, associated companies and advertising and promotion agencies, and their immediate family members. • The winner will be chosen at the sole discretion of the judges, whose decision will be final. No correspondence will be entered into. • Winners will not be eligible for other prizes for three months after winning a competition. • The prize is not transferable or redeemable for cash. • Neither New Media Publishing nor any of its partners can be held responsible for disputes in connection with prizes or for any loss, damage or injury that may be suffered or incurred by prize winners. • Entrants will be deemed to have accepted these…

Humble benches and utility stools can be great finds, but their honest lines are often spoilt by a lunch guest’s demand for a cushion – which often ends up on the floor anyway! A quick fix is to use Sellotape Hook & Loop, a length of hook-and-loop fastening tape that comes in a handy dispenser – it will keep the cushion from slipping to the floor and can be removed after the meal. It does the job and it looks good. We bought Sellotape Hook & Loop (20 mm x 2 m) for R55 at Builders Warehouse and the utility stool is from Amatuli (R880).…