South African Home Owner

it’s holiday time

Are you happy that the holidays are finally here? I am glad that we are nearing the end of a rather difficult year and I’m looking forward to some much-needed quality rest. Now that we are all spending more time at home, I am sure some of you, like me, have spotted a few home improvement tasks you’d like to focus on to make the house a bit more comfortable and enjoyable. For me, I plan on spending a lot of time outdoors these holidays, and I’ve realised that my patio could do with a touch-up here and there. On page 162, I speak to experts on what you can do to improve your outdoor space, looking at the latest outdoor furniture designs, umbrellas and fire pits. Guinevere Davies talks to…

oageng manana

Founder of CityBirds Craft Co. Oageng Manana is a trained medical physicist whose interest in furniture design started in 2016. “Anyone from the field of science will tell you that it is a very intense career path, so now and then you have to wear a different hat to get your mind off the intensity. Another side of me is being a creative,” he says. What inspired you to start CityBirds Craft Co.? I used to sketch a lot, but also felt like I needed to branch out into something that I could share with people – something that could connect people, and I tried with furniture. Well, I ended up giving up my career to join the creative world, and that is how CityBirds was born. What excites you most about local design? For…

home for the holidays

NAOMI SCOTT-DUNNE Owner of Scott-Dunne Interiors My home is an extension of my personal style: I’m passionately eclectic and my personal décor style echoes that. I layer my home by creating depth and intrigue, always adding unexpected curiosities and showing my love of global travel. One of my favourite spots in my home is my suspended collection of globes. I enjoy exploring innovative materials, unpredictable colour combinations and different forms, while juxtaposing contemporary and vintage pieces: honouring a place’s heritage is crucial. I can’t resist a bit of seasonal glitz (I have a mirrored disco ball up in my dining room all year round!), but what COVID-19 has revealed to so many of us is that our home needs to be a cocoon-like sanctuary, a place where we can feel safe and protected. Creating an…

talent watch

MAD Design Studios is run by husband and wife team Mholi and Nqobile Mthembu. Mholi is a qualified principal architect with over 15 years’ industry experience. Nqobile is an interior designer with a business studies background who worked as a marketing professional at a leading fast-moving consumer goods company. Their skills and passions form the foundation of this multidisciplinary studio. MAD Design Studios is an architecture, interior design and furniture studio based in Durban. The MAD factor lies in our ability to bring our clients’ unique dreams for their spaces to life. We call this transformation process the “MAD-formation process”. It relates to the innovative way we find design solutions as well as the sophisticated result that gives birth to spaces our clients fall in love with. “South African design is evolving…

home essentials

Light up your wall space with the Pixelsoda Umuhle wall-mounted mirror. Framed by two slim bands of solid walnut, the Umuhle mirror is an expression of modern geometric elegance. victor.vezi@pixelsoda.co.za Turn your couch into a luxurious centrepiece with Crelo Couch Covers, whose endless designs can transform any old couch into a new favourite. www.crelocouchcovers.co.za Sweet Savannah’s designs are derived from well-known traditional African fabrics such as Shweshwe, Kente, Mud Cloth and Ndebele, with the aim of offering luxury and quality while eliminating issues of longevity and rub count for its upholstery products. www.sweetsavannah.africa For simply gorgeous handpicked luxury designer décor, look no further than online store Jenny Robert Exclusive Décor. Offering an array of classic contemporary and African-inspired items, this one-stop shop will become your go-to for any sumptuous styling requirements. www.jennyrobert.co.za The Jenna…

living it luxe

With a sought-after address in Johannesburg, this home evokes a high-end contemporary feel complementing its surrounds. Having purchased into a development with a predetermined external aesthetic of a modern farmhouse, this home owner wanted to personalise the property to his own style and taste. With the assistance of an architect, the house was designed to accommodate these requirements and made to exude luxury and sophistication. “The luxury of a hotel with the familiarity and comfort of home.” – David Carr “The exterior of the development was conceived as a modern farmhouse originally, but the owner and I added a few features such as the horizontal timber cladding and horizontal steel screens to give the house a more contemporary feel. Neutral marble and light oak flooring were complemented by dark oak clad cabinetry…