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Ed's LETTER That's not to say I don't appreciate the chilly season. It's a good time to hole up, think, make plans and wear boots … but it seems to have gone on a lot longer than usual this year, right? And I'm tired of lacing up bloody boots. The upside to watching the winter rain repeatedly lash our office windows in the north-wind-driven sheets that have become a new norm in this El Niño-meets-climate change weather pattern is that it's provided the VISI crew with some time to reflect. And the result of all that contemplation is what you are holding in your hands right now. Or, at least, this is Part 1 of the plan. To make VISI even more relevant and useful, we've shuffled some things around,…

I KEEP THINKING of Lance Johnson and the first day he pulled up at our house with his clapped-out Peugeot panel van, filled with wondrous finds from scrapyards and dump sites and obscure pawn shops that he sold to people like us. He used a broomstick to keep the boot of his wagon open, and unloaded a set of three metal bar stools, an ornate wooden picture frame and a globe dining chair without a seat. In those days, we were a mom-and-pop vintage furniture shop with a sanding machine and workbench on the stoep, a few spray-paint cans, a tartaric acid and dishwashing liquid recipe from Ali (my partner's) grandma for cleaning brass, and a living room packed with vintage furniture with potential. Through the years, Lance appeared erratically…

in Black; R55 247 | cremadesign.co.za…

Blow away the winter dust and get your hands a little dirty creating a BEAUTIFUL GARDEN that's ready for the warm weather. The DIY gurus at LEROY MERLIN have assembled some essential gear to help you achieve open-air nirvana.…

AT THIS YEAR'S VENICE ARCHITECTURE BIENNALE, South African architects have had a spectacular showing. Not only is there a South African Pavilion – a spot in a building called the Arsenale, where it's had a national pavilion since 2012 – but another dozen or so of our architects and artists are included in the international exhibition too. The theme for this year's biennale is “The Laboratory of the Future”, and for the first time, it's curated by an African woman, Lesley Lokko. She spent several years in SA: she set up the Graduate School of Architecture at UJ and ran it, so she knows the local architectural scene well. She was also on the panel that selected the South African practice Counterspace for the Serpentine Pavilion in 2021, and brought…

✖ 1. AEGIR PROJECT SPRING ALE SESSION PALE ALE Aegir's newest limited-edition baby is dry-hopped, with fresh spring flowers. It's also super-sessionable (i.e. easydrinking) because it's light, bright and bursting with floral aromatics, and has an ABV of 3.8%. R40 per can | aegirprojectbrewery.com ✖ 2. YOUR ADVENTURE BUDDY UGLY NEGRONI A flawlessly classic bitter cocktail (with 28% ABV) – but in a pouch! Pop it in the freezer before serving, if you can – otherwise a glass of ice and a sunset will pair brilliantly. And the Espresso Martini is worth a try, too. R669 for 12 | pienaarandson.co.za ✖ 3. NIKS Niks is the convenient way to enjoy a 4.5% ABV vodka-soda drink with none of the mixing hassle. Flavours include passion fruit, peach, mango and lime. R100…

IF YOU'RE A REGULAR VISI READER, YOU MAY RECOGNISE THE WORK OF ASHER Marcus and his Hubo Studio crew from the imaginative, colourful interiors they did for the Tshepo Jeans store in Hyde Park and the King David School library in Sandton. The two new spaces on these pages, also for a King David School – The Studios design studio and robotics centre, and The Yards art and drama centre – are all about a progressive educational philosophy that respects and empowers learners, awakening curiosity and sustaining the senses. The Studios is a revamp of two existing buildings and the space between them: two floors of a fairly typical two-storey school block (formerly a hostel), and then behind it, a space that used to be a computer room and library.…

IF YOU WANT TO CREATE a good first impression in your home, there's no better place to start than in the hallway. As the first room you see on entering a house, this space is always worthy of a refresh and a lick of paint on the stairs is a simple update. ✖ MAKE A START. Begin early or when the rest of the household doesn't need access. Factor in time to ensure the paint is fully dry before anyone walks on it. Paint in order: so, begin at the top and work your way down or vice versa, depending on where you want to finish. You don't want to get stuck on the wrong floor! ✖ PREPARE THE STEPS. Remove any old carpet and make sure the surface is…

WHEN IT COMES TO A PLAIN ROOM without a natural focal point, use paint to create a bold, look-at-me feature that will add another dimension to the space. And if you want to zone a space to create a separate work-from-home or vanity area, a colourful painted arch will make the perfect backdrop for a desk or dressing table. ✖ START WITH A PLAIN, PALE BACKGROUND. If you have plain walls painted a fairly light colour, you're halfway there. If not, or if your background could do with a touch-up, give walls a fresh coat of paint. Pale background colours work best, with a bolder contrast colour on top. ✖ SIZE IT UP. Decide on the width and height of your arch before you begin. Cut a long length of…

✖ WHAT COLOUR TO PAINT A ROOM Because some rooms are bigger than others. There's a correlation between room size and paint colour – and paint colour and tone certainly have an influence on the perception of a room's size. To create the perception that a room is larger than it actually is, use cool colours, whites, neutrals and pastels. If you'd like to make a large room appear more intimate, use strong, warm colours. The effect is caused by warm colours seeming to advance, and cool colours seeming to recede. ✖ KNOWING HOW MUCH PAINT TO BUY Because you either have loads left over, or not quite enough to finish the job. The volume of paint required depends on a number of factors, including the nature of the surface…

✖ MARC HELDENS CREATIVE DIRECTOR, PRODUCER AND PUBLICIST As we move into the change of season, what is the biggest change you made to your life in the last couple of years? I just completed and moved into my new Amsterdam lo, which I designed together with architect Hans Oudendorp. It's our third house/project together in the last 20 years – it definitely feels like our 2.0 personal space. Marc writes about a spacious Maastricht loft with an interesting history on page 100. ✖ FATIMA MABULU FOUNDER OF NURTURED SPACES SOUTH AFRICA As we move into the change of season, what is the biggest change you made to your life in the last couple of years? One of the best decisions I ever made was to become a runner. I have…

“THIS FLOOR WASN'T DONE properly,” Sam said. There was a crack in the kitchen floor where a wall had been removed prior to me moving in. I'd had it removed to add cupboards and open the space. The floor had been screeded and painted. Sam said the builders had not used the correct procedure to fix the expansion crack. Sam is an artist and an architect. He cares about structural integrity. All I cared about at that point was that I could finally stop making tea on the floorboards in the entrance hall of my flat. He and I weren't living together yet. I didn't follow up with the builders about the floor because I was so glad to wave goodbye to them after weeks of dust and noise. And…

THE AFRICAN JACQUARD STORY started just under a decade ago, in 2014, when founder Christine Daron was inspired to create textile keepsakes for visitors to South Africa. Her initial idea was rather simple: to produce tea towels with cityscapes, nature scenes and wildlife woven into them. Adamant that they needed to be created from jacquard fabric, Christine discovered a mill in South Africa that had a few non-operational jacquard looms standing about, and set out to revive them before beginning production. From there, things grew steadily, and the range now includes throws, cushions, towels, table linen and other accessories, all created locally and inspired by travels around the African continent. “I am proud of our consistent growth year on year,” says African Jacquard MD Donna Allin. “Apart from our local…

ACDC Express is always searching for fresh talent and innovative design concepts, and the Switch Design Competition provides a platform for local designers – professionals and students alike – to gain recognition and experience. In VISI #126 we spoke to Ryan McCallum, winner of the 2022 competition, about the inspiration behind his winning entry; now we hear from runner-up Jacobus Kai about the desk lamp he designed. Born in Lotus River in Cape Town, Jacobus moved to Johannesburg to complete a three-year National Diploma in interior design at the Technikon Witwatersrand, and has gone on to build a career as a designer. ✖ How did you hear about the Switch Design Competition, and what motivated you to enter? My sister sent me a newspaper article with the competition details. At…

II CREATE A COMFORTABLE FAMILY LOFT” was the brief given to Dax and Joyce Roll of Nicemakers. At least, that was the easy part of it; the rest requested “a home where furniture designer Jean Prouvé meets interior designer Joseph Dirand; where Bauhaus architecture meets the glamour of the Chrysler Building; where interiors specialists Roman and Williams meet the series Mad Men; and where minimal architect Peter Zumthor meets The Wolf of Wall Street's Jordan Belfort”. It must've made for an interesting mood board for the Amsterdambased interior design studio – but in their favour was a portfolio of successfully completed projects that includes a city-centre canal house, a country farmhouse, a 19th-century mansion, a 1960s bungalow, and the re-styling of De L'Europe hotel in Amsterdam. The starting point for…

WHETHER YOUR KITCHEN IS DATED and needs a speedy overhaul while you save up for a new one, or you simply fancy a fresh makeover, painting the cabinets will completely transform the heart of the home. ✖ HOW DO I PREP CABINETS FOR PAINTING? Remove any handles and hinges from the cabinets and drawers to have a clear surface to work on, and clean the surfaces with a degreasing detergent. Next, lightly sand or “key” the surfaces with fine-grit paper to help the paint grip. Once finished, wipe the dust off with a damp cloth and let surfaces dry. ✖ DO I NEED TO USE A PRIMER? Yes! Primers create a base coat for the paint; they help prevent blemishes or knots in wood from showing through, and will make…

SIGN UP FOR THE VISI NEWSLETTER Have you signed up for VISI's weekly newsletter? Receive a curated selection of local architecture, design, decor and art news in your inbox every Monday. Visit visi.co.za WE ASKED YOU ONLINE: WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE KITCHEN DESIGN TREND? 630 of you took our poll to let us know. Here are the results: 44% Classic, with a contemporary twist 28% Farmhouse chic 21% Ultramodern and sleek 7% Industrial, with high-shine metallics #READERLOVE If you're enjoying the latest issue, we'd love for you to take a pic of your mag and share it with us. Simply tag VISI on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter with your snap. A sublime combination to ease into the day. Coffee coming in hot, @visi_mag to inspire creativity, and a morning snack…

THEY SAY MONEY CAN'T BUY TASTE, but I grew up in a family with the opposite problem: much better taste than we could afford. When you're broke but you appreciate beautiful things, you learn to be resourceful. My family has a knack for spotting a good piece of furniture destined for the dump, sprucing it up and giving it a second life. Everything we owned was patched, recycled, repaired, upcycled, handed down, used until it literally fell to pieces… and then those pieces would be re-woven into something new. My mom is still using a Kirby vacuum cleaner that is entering its fifth decade of service. It once stopped working, and we took it apart to discover that it had the intestines of a dead bat wrapped around its roller.…

WHILE IT'S NEVER REALLY GONE OUT OF FASHION, wallpaper's popularity is at a high once again. You might favour a natural palette of khaki and camel, tactile options begging to be touched, or beguiling botanical prints – but irrespective of your paper prerogative, you're bound to find something to covet in our round-up of wall coverings that take inspiration from the natural world. Wallpaper's POPULARITY is AT A HIGH once again.…

It's time to prep for GARDEN DAY. Here are easy, practical tips to get your own FLORAL KINGDOM ready for the celebration. OCTOBER 15TH IS GARDEN DAY – the perfect opportunity for the green-fingered to celebrate their favourite pastime. What began seven years ago as a small South African intervention is becoming a global movement that encourages plant fanatics to celebrate green spaces in their own way. This could mean a delightful high tea on your rolling lawn, intimate sundowners on a tiny patio, or even just reading a book in your top plant-bedecked spot. In the spirit of this plant fiesta, we asked two of Garden Day's greenery-loving friends for easy gardening tips to get you started. ✖ SUMMER INDOOR PLANT TIPS WITH FATIMA MABULU Tech analyst, long-distance runner…

A MAN STEPS ONTO THE STAGE, his face covered in white clay. He looks around before crouching down and lighting the dried plant he is holding. Rhythmically sweeping the lit imphepo (African sage), he begins to cleanse, protect and connect. You glance around at the rest of the audience. They are entranced. This isn't the norm for Decorex. Hell, you'd come to see the latest trends in flooring. Yet here you are, having stumbled across “Future Talks” – a programme of design-focused dialogues – and this fascinating performer. Meet Del Mar: a creative lead, conceptual and performance artist, and brand architect. He may not be what you expect from the design world, but his story is worth hearing. Del Mar studied art direction and conceptual design before working at a…

WITH THEIR VINTAGE AESTHETIC, there's an undeniable coolness to these retro-inspired timepieces that seamlessly blend nostalgia with modern functionality. It's all about chunky casings, old-school straps, and dial designs that evoke that intoxicating smell of racing rubber and high-octane fuel. It's basically like wearing a piece of history on your wrist……

VISI / PARTNER An exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the transformation of QUOIN ROCK's QSUSHI BAR, an exciting lunch and dinner experience in the heart of Rosebank, Johannesburg. ✖ THE IDEA It was CEO Denis Gaiduk who inspired Quoin Rock's new gastronomic adventure, and architectural designer Yuliya Gaiduk who guided a design that's offers counterpoint to the richly opulent aesthetic of the existing wine lounge. In creating the sushi bar, Yuliya's mission was to champion local artisans and creators, showcasing their materials and cra smanship. The grand vision was executed and realised by In Colour Renovations. ✖ INSPIRED BY JAPAN Guided by the tenets of Japanese interior design, the QSushi space embodies a union of nature and artistry. It embraces organic textures and elements in a serene, muted colour palette that…

SIGN UP ANY INTERIOR DESIGN FIRM that cites Dadaism as its primary influence, and you are pretty much guaranteed something a little left of centre. The early 20th century avant-garde art movement was born out of a response to the savagery of World War I, with its proponents questioning every aspect of a society capable of starting and then prolonging it – including its art. The Dadaists fervently crumpled up traditional values and launched a three-pointer into the bin. So a brave choice, then, for the owner of this Parisian duplex to hire Thomas Dariel and Maison Dada. On the plus side, Delphine Moreau did have some insider info on her choice of interior designer – she's a partner in the business. And that means that playful and quirky forms,…

CEILINGS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART of our decorating scheme - they can affect light, atmosphere and the overall professional finish of the room. If you're planning to decorate, learning how to paint a ceiling properly will make all the difference. Make sure you tackle the ceiling first to prevent drips on newly painted walls. ✖ PREPARE THE ROOM. Remove furniture from the room (or move it away from the walls), and cover the floor with dust sheets. Remove lampshades and all light fittings so you can get right into the edges easily. ✖ MASK THE EDGES. Using decorator's tape, mask off the edges. You might want to paint the coving at the same time, in which case mask off the area where the coving joins the wall. ✖ CLEAN THE…

PAINTING THE GARDEN FENCE can be the instant makeover your garden is crying out for - and it doesn't cost the earth. Unsure how to paint a fence? Don't worry, we have all the know-how you need to tackle this satisfying job. Set aside a day to get the task done - although another pair of hands will make it go quicker! ✖ CHOOSE THE RIGHT DAY. This is key. The wood has to be dry, so tackle the job when no rain is forecast for a few days. Avoid hot days, though, as the sun will dry out the paint before it's had time to penetrate the wood ✖ PREPARE THE SURFACE. Use a stiff brush to remove dirt and flaky bits. Scrub away any algae with a diluted…

✖ CHOOSING THE RIGHT COLOUR PALETTE FOR A SPECIFIC SPACE MIA When selecting a colour, I look at what the space needs to hold. What is the feature of the room? If it is the walls, then I would go for a bold accent colour - but if it is the furniture pieces, then I'd prefer to use a neutral palette for the walls. JEREMY Although the use of colour is fairly subdued in my designs, I tend to involve the client in the process at an early stage. The use of colour can be so personal, and the psychology behind how a person interacts with the design plays an important role. As a rule, however, I tend to avoid colour trends because they usually date over time, and rather…

Vision ✖ CLASSIC BLACK AND WHITE The re-issue of the original, ‘70s-inspired black-and-white wave-pattern Flowerpot lamp designed by Verner Panton is available online from &Tradition. andtradition.com “OUR BRAND FOCUSES ON OFFERING PLAYFUL AND UNIQUE APPAREL.” SARAH DIOUF “THIS ICONIC, FUNNY AND DYNAMIC OBJECT PROVIDES A GREAT SENSE OF FREEDOM.” LUDOVICA+ROBER TO PALOMBA ✖ ROCKING IT Rider (above) – a rocking daybed by Ludovica+Roberto Palomba for Zanotta – is the synthesis of a chair usually made up of several components, now expressed as a single unit. Its rigid core is padded with polyurethane of variable thickness and hand-upholstered in natural leather, with the resulting saddle shape made even softer by a quilted cushion. zanotta.com Vitra's classic decorative Eames Elephant, which often doubles as a child's toy, now has the ability to rock courtesy…

neriandhu.com | moooi.com “MY FAVOURITE IS THE THREE-LEGGED MILKING STOOL.” – ANNEMARIE MEINTJES Be inspired – and share your results with us on Instagram by tagging visi_mag and am_visi…