Table of contents for VISI 140 in Visi

WE'VE GOT SOFT AT VISI. Round, and a bit curvy. For this issue, at least, we've left behind the rigid geometry and form-follows-function minimalism of Neo-modernist design for something altogether more organic. Yes, we've taken off our shoes and reconnected with the earth. But not in a hippie way. Obviously. The “Shaped by Nature” theme of VISI #140 is rooted in fluid forms, natural materials, and an appreciation for the landscape and its asymmetry. From the homes and lodges we photographed to the interior design we feature, we're celebrating nature's balance of function, beauty and organic flow. Okay, that does sound hippie-ish – but it's less about tie-dye, drum circles and topknots, and more about design that reconnects with nature in our very uncertain world. Our features on Suyian Lodge…

JAN HENDRIK VAN DER WESTHUIZEN RETURNS TO THE CAPE WINELANDS for a new season of JAN Franschhoek, the acclaimed culinary pop-up hosted on the historic grounds of La Motte wine estate. Now entering its fourth year, this refreshed experience marks an exciting chapter in his ongoing celebration of South African culinary artistry. When he's in town, Jan Hendrik is found behind the wheel of a Lexus – a fitting companion for someone who appreciates thoughtful design, refined performance and meticulous attention to detail. Jan Hendrik alternates between the Lexus RX and the Lexus GX. The RX is sophisticated, versatile and innovative, making it ideal for navigating bustling city streets with ease and style. The Lexus GX presents the perfect infusion of luxury and rugged capability, bringing status, comfort and convenience…

TODAY, TIME PASSES SLOWLY. It trickles through an end-of-winter, rosy and orange, sun-drenched day on the coast of KwaZulu-Natal. Spring is close; I see it in the flowering aloes and the bursts of white-petalled, pink-based jasmine. The sea spray, sand and humidity mingle, and the smell is such a contrast to my usual Joburg-dry, sweet-highveld accompaniment that it's both startling and pleasant to my senses. I have lost track of calendar days. It could be Monday or Wednesday. I tell time by the sun in the sky and my appetite. I become young again. “I WALK BAREFOOT, LET MY HAIR BE GROOMED BY THE WIND. I HAVE BEACH HAIR. I ENJOY THE DEEPENING COLOUR OF MY SKIN. HERE, NOW, I REJUVENATE.” I have driven away from the imperatives of normal…

MILLENNIAL BEIGE is not something you could ever associate with Cape Town-based interior designer Roxanne Ferreira. Her Arrange Studio designs – and, as you can see, the clothes she wears – are all about colour. “We believe colour can make you happy,” she says on her website, reaffirming the brand's mission “to transform surroundings into somewhere that exudes joy”. We paid Roxanne a visit to get a sense of the personal objects that have informed her aesthetic. Many of her traditional keepsakes are in storage – “We've moved quite a lot during the past few years, including onto a sailboat!” – but these are the everyday keepsakes she holds dear. “MY COLLECTION INCLUDES FANCY STICKERS BOUGHT IN JAPAN – BUT ALSO SOME CUTE ONES FOUND AT LOCAL STATIONERY SHOPS.” ■…

RIALHEIM HAS NEVER PLAYED IT SAFE. The South African ceramic studio is known for bold, stylish homeware and art pieces, long popular with home-decor lovers, interior designers and art collectors. And at Decorex Johannesburg, the brand raised the bar with an eye-catching stand, and the launch of sculptural lamps, 3D tiles and a striking new range of breeze blocks. Founded in 2012 by creative director Rial Visagie, Rialheim was built on the belief that South African clay could hold global relevance not just as a craft but as an art form. What began with functional gifts for community initiatives has grown into a leading voice in contemporary ceramics, blending playful design with meticulous craftsmanship. Rialheim, meaning “Rial's home”, reflects family heritage and a spirit of welcome – and each piece…

IN THE QUIET COUNTRYSIDE OF WARWICKSHIRE sits one of the UK's most enigmatic homes: the Invisible House. A deconstructed single-storey dwelling with eight separate pavilions, it gets its name from the fact that it's completely clad in smoked, mirrored glass that reflects the foliage from the surrounding single-stem birch trees, creating the illusion of a house that ceases to exist. Properties like this seldom come on the market – and when this one did in 2023, it understandably made headlines. Its new owner – an international sports personality – wasn't that enamoured with the original stark and minimalist interior, which was more like a gallery than a place to live, and subsequently commissioned DKT Interior Design Studio to redo it. DKT, founded by South African-born Dhilnawaaz Khan Trotman with Iranian-born…

WHETHER IT'S COGNAC OR CRAFT GIN, alcohol brands are enlisting artists to create striking bottles and labels, turning drinks into collectables and packaging into a canvas. It's more than decoration: with advertising restrictions tightening and shelves crowded with lookalike bottles, design has become a way to stand out, spark conversation and borrow cultural clout. Hennessy's collaborations with street artists such as Faith47 and Shepard Fairey have become iconic, while craft distillers commission illustrators and designers to give small-batch spirits a distinct identity. The trend speaks to a new kind of drinking culture, where what's outside the bottle matters as much as what's in it. ■ MOËT & CHANDON IMPÉRIAL BRUT ● Moët & Chandon's collaboration with Grammy winner and Louis Vuitton men's creative director Pharrell Williams reimagines the house's historic…

IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT TOKYO, once a modest 12th-century fishing village, has grown into one of the world's most dynamic megacities, with its wider metropolitan area housing more than 37-million people. Neon lights blaze above buzzing streets, and fashion tribes flock to Harajuku, Shibuya and the flagships that line Ginza. In this city of infinite energy and contrasts, design is everywhere, from jaw-dropping architecture to museums, hotels and shops. ■ CHECK IN, BLISS OUT ■ From traditional ryokan to futuristic capsule hotels, Tokyo knows how to offer a spot to lay your head. For total luxury, check out Bulgari Hotel Tokyo, which opened in 2023. Occupying floors 40 to 45 of the Tokyo Midtown Yaesu building, it's the brand's first property in Japan, bringing Bulgari's signature contemporary Italian style…

TRENDS & EXPERT ADVICE Designed by architect Jan-Heyn Vorster, this kitchen is a showcase of subtle texture, with natural timber offset by black accents and grounded by concrete. The bespoke fitted cupboards are by Valcucine, with work surfaces made from hammered granite, and the pendant lights are by Czech lighting brand Brokis, available locally from Créma Design. malanvorster.co.za | valcucine.com | brokis.cz | cremadesign.co.za ALL THE INSPIRATION YOU NEED TO CREATE YOUR DREAM KITCHEN…

KERRYN FISCHER, JOURNALIST AND STYLIST I'd save all the little artworks, letters, cards and notes my sons have given me, along with the ones my husband and I have written to them over the years. They hold memories and moments that are priceless to me. Kerryn writes about a contemporary farmhouse-style family home in the Cape Winelands on page 148. NOZIPHO MBANJWA-TSHABALALA, CEO AND AUTHOR I have a framed picture of me with my mom and dad, taken on my mother's graduation day. She went back to high school at 48, registered for university at 50, and graduated at 53. It's my constant reminder that nothing is ever too late. Nozipho contributed one of the Voices essays in this issue, on page 28. GREG COX, PHOTOGRAPHER The obvious answer would be all…

AS WOMEN, WE'RE FED A NARRATIVE that having children is instinctive, that the process will feel natural, that we'll “just know” what to do. Neatly bundled into that same idea is the “bounce back”, the expectation that our body should quickly return to its pre-baby state. I won't dive into the messy details of this unhinged perception (my rage couldn't take it), but I will share my own experience of it, and how it shaped my introduction to motherhood. Because of that narrative, I carried two wildly unrealistic ideals into postpartum life: that I'd always know exactly what to do, and that my body and mind would swiftly return to “normal”. As if I'd have a baby and life would simply… go on. Reader, how we laughed. “I WISH I'D…

Two Italian masters once again collaborate to transform everyday rituals into timeless expressions of art and design. Evocative of the beauty of the sea, Blu Mediterraneo recalls the shades of the waves – the purity of whites, and the serenity of blues. The intricate detailing of each appliance is inspired by Dolce&Gabbana's beloved Sicily, creating a story that celebrates culinary tradition and craftsmanship. Paying homage to the iconic maiolica patterns of southern Italy, the new collection is a tribute to fatto a mano (handmade values) and the priceless heritage to be preserved for future generations. Spanning both large and small appliances, the collection includes the world-famous FAB28 retro refrigerator, a matching range cooker with coordinating hood, and a series of countertop icons. The breakfast set brings together a kettle, a…

CAMOUFLAGED BEHIND FLAME-LIKE ALOE SPIRES, the dark-green facade of Très Nagual's Cape Point studio appears, much like the fynbos surrounding it, to grow from the earth. The corrugated-metal-and-wood structure, adjacent to founders Florian Baumann and David Plenderleith's cosy home, serves as a weekday laboratory, and as a retail space from Fridays to Sundays. As far as workspaces go, with its gentle footprint in the soil, its architecture couldn't be more aligned with the perfumery; and, once inside, it's an evocation of all things analogue. “I WOULD RATHER MAKE LESS AND FILL IT WITH INTENTIONALITY AND INTEGRITY, THAN DILUTE, MASS PRODUCE AND LOSE THE ESSENCE OF IT.” DAVID PLENDERLEITH, TRÈS NAGUAL CO-FOUNDER Underplaying Très Nagual's successes, which include global clients and the recent opening of a shared retail space in De Waterkant,…

WHEN IT COMES TO COLOUR, organic hues are perfect for creating a calming atmosphere – but if you're looking to turn the volume up, richer shades might be your answer. Enter Plascon‘s 2025 Colour Forecast, with its intense collection of stand-out colours. The new Dark family of seven tones is striking, and refined – they're perfect as bold accents or for bathing an entire room in dramatic colour. “Whether used as details to add depth, or full-blown statement features, the colours in the Dark family infuse a space with a sophistication that's deeply connected to the evolving design sensibilities in South Africa,” says Kristel Dreyer, brand marketing manager at Kansai Plascon. ■ SHADES SETTING THE TONE Nuance is the defining characteristic of the Dark family's hues, with each one designed…

CELEBRATIONS OF THE BRAND'S 20TH birthday have started with the launch of Cara Saven as a brand on its own – in other words, no more “Cara Saven Wall Design” or “CS4D”, which was the decor arm of the business. It all now falls under one name, Cara Saven – and Cara and her team are adding something exciting to the mix in the form of custom printed fabrics. ■ You've been considering fabrics for a while now… • “As with wallpapers, where we saw a gap in the market for designs that were unique – different from what you could buy offcatalogues – so too we can see the opportunity for our interior design clients to have access to custom printed fabrics. They will be able to buy any…

NOW IN ITS 10TH YEAR, GARDEN DAY INVITES SOUTH AFRICANS to wear a flower crown and gather with loved ones to toast the joys of the garden – whether it's a lush backyard, a stoep filled with pots, or a single flourishing herb on a windowsill. Few understand this magic more deeply than Constance Stuurman and Gundula Deutschländer, two of the green-fingered minds at Babylonstoren and longtime ambassadors of the Garden Day movement. They were involved in the inaugural Garden Day a decade ago, and this year they formed part of the team that brought a little piece of the Karoo to the UK, creating a first-of-its-kind South African succulent showcase at the 2025 Chelsea Flower Show. We caught up with Constance and Gundula to chat about their earliest garden…

■ ABSOLUT HARING ARTIST EDITION ● Absolut launched a limited-edition bottle celebrating the late Keith Haring nearly 40 years after the pop artist first reimagined the iconic Absolut bottle. In 1986, Haring, encouraged by Andy Warhol, created four lithographs, one of which became the face of Absolut's campaign. Absolut Haring Artist Edition revives Haring's bold lines, electric colours and dancing figures, bringing his joyful style to a new generation. The launch also includes Absolut Haring Fizz, a signature cocktail blending apple, orange, toasted sesame and ginger, with a golden-yellow hue that mirrors the vibrancy of Haring's artwork. The bottle is currently available exclusively at airport duty-free shops worldwide, with a broader release planned for October 2025. absolut.com ■ IZINYEMBEZI ZENKOSIKAZI: TEARS OF THE QUEEN ● When Queen Victoria learnt of…

The Vuti Chair, named after a quiet settlement in Zimbabwe, reflects the understated beauty of its African namesake. A designer's choice and one of Woodbender's best sellers, it balances refined aesthetics with everyday practicality. woodbender.com Sybaris Interiors creates bespoke furniture that blends timeless materials and modern design. With a striking oak veneer, leather and metal bar to custom kitchen cabinetry, they turn visions into reality sybaris.co.za The Dornbracht Kitchen Mixer and spout with pull-out rinsing spray hand-shower offers precise control. It's beautiful, it's durable, and it's practical – everything you need a good fitting to be. flushbathrooms.co.za A minimalist haven, a family-first hub, or an entertainer's dream, BIBO's hydration solutions are a must-have for any kitchen. Integrate convenience, sustainability, and style into the flow of the room and the rhythm…

As far as site-responsive architecture goes, the designers of &Beyond Suyian Lodge could hardly have asked for a more captivating muse than the Laikipia Plateau in Kenya. The 17 000-hectare Suyian Conservancy – where architects Nick Plewman of Nicholas Plewman Architects and Alex Michaelis of UK-based Michaelis Boyd,together with interior designers Fox Browne Creative, were tasked with creating the luxury hotel – comprises five diverse habitats, including grass plains, riverine areas, acacia woodland, granitic inselbergs and a phonolite escarpment.The lodge perches on a ridge overlooking a rock sanctuary, its design DNA undeniably evocative of its diverse surroundings, yet singular in execution. The main lodge is situated at the heart of the development,its composite, stratified form echoing the granite outcrops of the rock sanctuary. Fourteen domed clay-and-stone-clad suites fan out across…

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER? RECEIVE A CURATED SELECTION OF LOCAL ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN, DECOR AND ART NEWS IN YOUR INBOX EVERY MONDAY. VISIT VISI.CO.ZA READER POLL We asked you online: WHICH NEO-MODERNIST STYLE INSPIRES YOU THE MOST? 160 of you took our poll and let us know. Here are the results: 38% Hybrid Heritage: a blend of classic modernist elements with local motifs 33% Minimalist Revival: ultra-clean lines, open spaces and a serene colour palette 12% Organic Futurism: flowing, sculptural forms and natural materials integrated with smart tech 9% Brutalist Rebirth: all raw concrete, exposed structures and dramatic geometry #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,…

FOR MOST OF MY LIFE, control was my survival tool. Growing up in Pietermaritzburg during political violence and township struggles, my parents taught me to hold on tightly. Discipline, order and vigilance kept us safe. That lesson carried me through school and into adulthood. At university, control meant working multiple jobs, excelling academically and hiding my struggles. Later, in my career, it meant meticulous preparation, relentless performance and believing everything rested on my shoulders. Control worked – until it didn't. The cracks appeared when life handed me challenges I couldn't master. My mother's death shook the ground beneath me. Corporate battles left me questioning whether control, in the hands of others, could ever be fair. And my fertility journey became the hardest lesson of all. No matter how carefully I…

MEETLO FURNITURE DESIGNS ARE BOLD, resonant, and focused on preserving South Africa's heritage, transforming interiors and celebrating identity. And head designer Oageng Manana, co-founder of the brand with his partner Tshegofatso Ramothibe, knew that he wanted to express himself through design at a young age. His earliest influence was his father – “a naturally curious man who loved figuring out how things were made, and just fixing anything”, he says. Oageng himself is a scientist at heart, with an honours degree in physics from the University of Johannesburg and another in medical physics from the University of Pretoria – and he eventually realised that he wanted to fuse creativity with material science. Design became that bridge. “I WANTED TO USE MY WORK TO PRESERVE HERITAGE, CUSTOMS AND HISTORY WHILE TRANSLATING…

AS HUMANS, WE'RE INTRINSICALLY WIRED TO ENJOY BEING IN NATURE. Studies show that exposure to greenery, fresh air and daylight has a meaningful effect on both increasing positive feelings and decreasing negative emotions. At a time when life seems continually disconnected from the world around us, the recent rise of biophilia in design was inevitable. Loosely defined as the incorporation of natural elements into the built environment, it's been seen by many as the go-to solution for our ecological alienation. Except, in so many applications, it isn't. Although well intentioned, biophilia has to be one of the most fundamentally misinterpreted design trends of the last decade. Rather than sparking discussions around how to integrate natural materials and systems into design, it has simply become shorthand for putting a potted plant…

IF YOU READ VISI #137, you'll know Bonolo Chepape from the profile we did on her interiors brand, Lulasclan, famed for its bold, geometric-patterned, Afro-modern aesthetic. Lulasclan has a new range out – the Milala collection – so we spoke to Bonolo about this vibrant continuation of her journey. ■ What inspired the Milala range? “The collection takes its name as an eponym derived from the film The Lion King. We reimagined Milala not as a fictional landscape, but as a utopia – an imagined place celebrating both Africa and its people. At the heart of the collection lies a deep appreciation for African design and architecture, which became both an anchor and a point of departure for our creative journey. Through this lens, we sought to construct a world…

OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, Peter van der Post and his brand Indigenus have collaborated with international designers to create some very desirable planters. Their latest project is with Uruguayan-born American artist and designer Fernando Mastrangelo, who is known for his sculptural pieces – handmade using natural or repurposed materials such as sand, salt, silica and powdered glass – that draw inspiration from ecological issues and cultural symbols. His designs for Indigenus showcase and emphasise the contrast between geometric precision and organic textures. We spoke to Fernando about how he and Peter met, and about the inspiration behind the Petra range. ■ How did the collab come about? • “We met at Dubai Design Week back in November 2019, where Peter showcased his beautiful planters. Peter and I struck up…

■ JEWELRY GUIDE: THE ULTIMATE COMPENDIUM by Fabienne Reybaud (Assouline, 2022) ● With the air of seemingly effortless luxury and glamour that Assouline's publications invariably exude, this book includes atelier images, design sketches and photographs, covering pretty much everything a jewellery aficionado needs to know – including “the club of five” and “the four Cs”. French author and editor Fabienne Reybaud documents the world's most mythical stones and magnificent pieces, from the Hope Diamond to Elizabeth Taylor's La Peregrina pearl; the guide also includes a glossary of jewellery terms, lists the best museum collections to visit around the world, and suggests up-and-coming designers to follow. assouline.com ■ CARTIER edited by Helen Molesworth and Rachel Garrahan (V&A Publishing/ Abrams & Chronicle Books, 2025) ● Published to accompany the Victoria and Albert…

“THE FRENCH DISPATCH COMPANY started as a bit of an experiment. My business partner and friend Charlotte lives in France, in a village called Entrecasteaux, and the idea was that she'd source antiques from the many flea markets or brocante around Provence and ship them to me, and I'd sell them here. Which is what we did. Of course, we had no idea what we were doing when it came to things such as customs, import duty and timelines. But ignorance was bliss – we got away with murder. And that was the start of our shop. “After that first container landed, we weren't dabbling any more; we were hooked. So when Charlotte phoned me and said there was a three-day antique trade fair coming up in the south of…

Ekipa looks nothing like its siblings. While the other two pods that architect Sven Staby designed for the Gondwana Collection tread gently in the desert sands of the Namibian landscape (see VISI #136 and #138), his latest structure is metal-clad – and far more imposing. From a distance, seeing it glint in the Etosha sunlight above a forest of gnarled mopane trees, you'd be tempted to reach for sculptural metaphors. Depending on your angle of approach,you could describe it as an abstract great anvil, the prow of a warship, a warrior's helmet. Sven's designs for the Desert Whisper and Reverie pods were softer, more feminine, sympathetic to their surrounds – and the armour-clad Ekipa seems anything but. Yet when you hear him describe its inspiration, and his interpretation thereof, you…