Table of contents for VISI 141 in Visi

THERE ARE BLESSINGS TO COUNT, LIVING HERE ON THE SOUTHERN TIP OF AFRICA. Especially over December/January. Besides the fact that we’re free of the socio-political turmoil that seems to have engulfed the rest of the world, in Africa, the summer sun is out and the holiday season has a skip in its step. To enjoy it, we’ve compiled the perfect magazine for you to read while you relax – and we really hope that you’re taking a break somewhere, preferably outside, with your feet up on a pool lounger or your toes lightly dusted with beach sand. Because that’s pretty much the theme for VISI #141. There’s plenty to keep you entertained. Our big features are all beach houses and villas, from the lofty heights of the Santorini cliffs to…

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 WE ASKED YOU ONLINE: WHAT WOULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE IN YOUR DREAM KITCHEN? 67 of you took our poll and let us know. Here are the results: 33% Clever, space-saving storage solutions 30% A large and functional kitchen island 22% A roomy, well-organised walk-in pantry 15% Top-quality, high-end kitchen appliances # 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 X with your snap. I’m on the cover of the latest @visi_mag!!! (Okay fine, my name is…) But inside you’ll…

A COUPLE OF TIMES A YEAR, I dream about our family’s old beach cottage. These recurring nocturnal sojourns are fleeting but visceral. I’m in the lounge on the obscenely long ’90s floral-print couch, or looking out onto Sandra Road over the pale-pink-painted precast concrete wall. I always wake up feeling emotional – it’s not unlike a dream where someone who is no longer alive makes an appearance, exciting and sad all at once. In these dreams, the rectangular chocolate-brick house that my mom spruced up with a lick of pink paint and striped awnings is always unimaginably real. I wake up and feel deflated that I’m not in the unmistakably fecund KwaZulu-Natal North Coast garden of this little Ballito escape. SOMETIMES, WHEN THE NEED FOR CALM STRIKES, I CLOSE MY…

DRAWING ON HIS FASCINATION WITH material transformation and the hidden vitality of the everyday, South African artist Chris Soal presented “Spillovers: Notes on a Phenomenological Ecology” – a solo exhibition produced by Fondazione D’ARC in collaboration with Piero Atchugarry Gallery and Montoro12 Gallery. Installed within the Corner MAXXI galleries at Rome’s National Museum of 21st Century Arts, the show unveiled a series of site-specific works that reimagine discarded materials such as toothpicks, beer-bottle caps, cement and sandpaper as living ecosystems. Curated by Cesare Biasini Selvaggi, “Spillovers” invited visitors to immerse themselves in Chris’s sculptural language, where matter itself seemed to overflow its boundaries. We spoke to Chris about the exhibition, his evolving relationship with materiality, and the ecological ideas that shape his practice. ■ Your work often transforms ordinary and…

CAPE TOWN–BASED multidisciplinary artist Jan Ernst is known for sculptural and functional creations that blur the boundaries between art and design. Drawing inspiration from the organic forms of nature – particularly the textures and movements of the earth, ocean and human body – Jan’s work evokes a sense of fluidity and tactility. His pieces – often in ceramics or mixed media – explore abstraction through biomorphic shapes and natural tones, resulting in objects that feel both timeless and contemporary. As his distinctive aesthetic gains international attention, his work has become increasingly sought-after by collectors who value his unique synthesis of form, material and emotion. The latest addition to his body of work is the Cavus Collection, inspired by the landscape of the Karoo. The iconic region’s open plains, shifting light,…

A “VESSEL FOR LIFE” IS HOW Mick Haigh describes each piece in his new collection. Created from clay dug by hand from the riverbank near his home in the KZN Midlands, and fired in a Japanese-style Anagama wood kiln, the pieces are meant to be lived with, used, admired and passed down. Mick views his role as a maker as that of both a guide and a witness: he shapes the clay and sets the kiln conditions, but he allows the materials to respond in their own way. No two pieces are alike – the slow, elemental Anagama process means that fire, ash and heat leave their unpredictable signature across the surface of each item. ■ Tell us more about the Anagama firing process. • “Anagama firing is about learning…

DESIGNING A SPACE IS AN EXERCISE IN IMAGINATION. You’re putting aside where you are right now and creating an environment that reflects the kind of person you want to be, or the life you want to have. While this process doesn’t change, the gap between the real and the ideal most definitely can. And although the various design styles trending at the moment may look different on the surface, many of them share the same root impulse: a need for escapism. Buzzy trends like cottagecore or Japandi are great examples of this. Their appeal lies less in the visual cues that make them up and more in the kind of lived experience they represent – calmer, slower, less tied up in a frantic, always-on culture. It’s a particularly Gen Z…

FOR WAWA WOODEN SURFBOARDS founder Cobus Joubert, the ocean has always been both playground and teacher. His earliest memories are of bodysurfing the waves of Plettenberg Bay – carefree days that sparked a lifelong connection to the sea. “They were the happiest place for me as a kid,” says Cobus, “and a welcome escape from working holidays involving the harvest of pears, apples and peaches on our family farm under a hot Klein Karoo sun.” That rhythm of water and wave would shape his outlook and his craft. While studying at Stellenbosch, a sports injury nudged him from windsurfing to surfing, igniting a fascination with the surfboard as an object of design and emotion. By 2000, he shaped his first board – a challenging but formative experiment that led him…

Bring nature’s diversity into your home with the new Masana Slate EcoTec Grès porcelain tile. It captures the look of natural slate, so you can create seamless transitions between indoors and out with matte and slip-resistant finishes. tileafrica.co.za Revive Castellated Cladding adds sleek sophistication to walls, as well as reliable resistance against stains, moisture and the elements. It’s simple to install, stylish, low-maintenance and environmentally friendly. eva-last.co.za Sage InFizz Fusion lets you carbonate juice, tea, cocktails and wine – and even re-fizz flat soda – with the innovative FusionCap. Create refreshing, flavour-packed drinks that go beyond ordinary bubbles. athome.co.za/brand/sage A magnum is a symbol of generosity and celebration. Twice the size, these limited-edition bottles create cherished memories and shine as striking centrepieces. A magnum of Vilafonté Series C or M…

THERE ARE BUNCH OF REASONS to visit the Riebeek Valley. With its twin towns of Riebeek-Kasteel and Riebeek West established at the foot of the Kasteelberg, this verdant valley of vines, olive groves and wheat fields is less than an hour from Cape Town. It’s a distance that makes it a perfect weekend or day-trip getaway when you’re looking to escape the throng and bustle that has become the Mother City. The two towns are a stone’s throw apart – five kilometres – thanks to a congregational dispute that led to the creation of two separate churches when the villages were originally laid out between 1858 and 1861. They’ve developed distinct personalities in the ensuing years, particularly in the last few decades. Riebeek-Kasteel is the more visitor-forward of the two…

Carolina Castiglioni, owner of the eccentric fashion brand Plan C, has collaborated with Belgian design brand rand Serax to create a range of cylindrical candleholders with chunky handles in geometric shapes and bold colours. The vessels are an homage to vintage design and the Italian Memphis movement of the 1980s – a time when design was playful, colourful and humorous. plan-c.com | seram.com…

MPHO PHALANE, CREATIVE FORCE BEHIND CONCEPTUAL FOOD STUDIO FOOD I LOVE YOU The beach? No need to ask me twice; I live for it. Nothing resets me or makes me feel more alive than being near the ocean – not even the endless sand, salty water and persistent crabs can keep me away. It’s where I go to remember myself. Mpho contributed one of this issue’s Voices essays, on page 32. DANIELLE WEAKLEY, WRITER, EDITOR, SUBSTACK CONTENT CREATOR Summer is both my season and my default setting, so the beach is my favourite place to be – sun-drenched with a book, or wild and windy and wrapped in a jersey for a walk. Maybe it’s the Umhlanga of every Jozi holiday growing up in the ’90s, or the smugglers’ coves from…

I WAS 25, wide-eyed and reckless, travelling with my equally unhinged 28-year-old boyfriend, now my husband. We had no plan, no budget, and even less sense. Just two dreamers in love, matching each other’s madness like it was our love language. My salary barely lasted a week, but that didn’t stop me from declaring that we needed a proper holiday, the kind you imagine when you still believe life will catch you if you fall. Our list? Brazil. Japan. India. How’s that for audacity? The budget was whispering local road trip, but our hearts said global adventure. In the end, India won, maybe because my mother, a travelling yogi and collector of incense sticks, always spoke of it like a poem. Or maybe because the book Eat,Pray,Love by Elizabeth Gilbert…

■ RETRO RESORT ● A riot of sunny hues, sculptural curves, breeze-block charm, patterned textiles and retro furniture make this the perfect selection for fans of playful design and sun-drenched ’70s style. ■ BRUTALIST BLUEPRINT ● A greyscale glimpse of the iconic French seaside town La Grande-Motte, where concrete meets raw modernism, inspires gifts for ultra-cool devotees of perfect proportion and functional simplicity. ■ DECO DAYDREAM ● Straight from South Beach, Miami, where the cocktails are colourful and the Art Deco architecture curves, these gifts are for the pastel romantic who knows that vintage glamour never goes out of style.…

IT MUST’VE BEEN ABOUT THREE EDITIONS OF DECOREX JOBURG AGO that we first noticed Kipekee Studio. They had a small stand tucked away among the heavy hitters of the 100% Design showcase, and on it were a couple of outdoor pieces – a lounger, maybe a small table. There was a simple, relaxed and slightly playful element to the clearly very-well-made furniture that made me stop to find out more. And that name was intriguing too. Cut to 2025, and the profile and reputation of this Ballito-based studio, founded by husband and wife Kylie and Michael Bornman, has moved way beyond the confines of that little stand. We’re seeing their pieces pop up in more and more properties featured in VISI – high time, then, for an in-depth profile on…

■ BELLVILLE TO BOURGEOIS AND BACK AGAIN ● It’s 2005 and I’m well into my first internship at the studio of a well-known South African architect. The office specialises in highly detailed luxury residential architecture, of the kind that populates the mountainside along the Atlantic Seaboard, all meticulously crafted manually on drawing boards. As a kid from Bellville, I’d never been exposed to this level of wealth before, and I never knew that people in South Africa built houses like these. Beyond the boerewors curtain, our spaces were shaped by various tones of face brick topped with Double Roman roof tiles. As part of our coursework during the internship, we had to analyse one of the firm’s past projects, and I end up choosing a slick little house composed of…

■ VOAARA, MADAGASCAR ■ This is barefoot luxury at its finest and most toes-in-the-sand, with tropical-style thatched bungalows scattered along the northern tip of the island of Sainte-Marie off the coast of Madagascar. The island is renowned for its swashbuckling pirate past (Captain Kidd’s loot was said to have been buried here), and is one of the best spots in the world to view the humpback whale migration. With just seven stripped-back but quietly luxurious bungalows and one stunner of a three-bedroom villa, Voaara – designed by South African-Chilean architect Luis Mira – boasts a rustic, unbuttoned style thanks to the inclusion of local artisanal furniture and a wholly unpretentious energy. Do not miss the private dining experience of Bird’s Nest – it offers 360-degree views from its elevated top…

NAMIBIA is basically the continent’s best-kept secret. The VISI team has travelled through Namibia several times in the last year and can highly recommend this amazing neighbouring country. The diversity of natural beauty, the friendly locals and the excellent infrastructure make a road trip through Namibia pretty memorable. So we’ve collaborated with leading lodge group Gondwana Collection – and its car-hire arm, Namibia2Go – to put together an epic 13-day safari that takes in two of Africa’s great deserts – the Kalahari and the Namib – the iconic coastal town of Swakopmund, and the wildlife haven of Etosha National Park. ■ DAY 1: The Weinberg Windhoek Fly into Windhoek to begin your Namibian journey in comfort and luxury, as you embark from the exquisite Weinberg hotel in Windhoek. ■ DAY…

“WE WANTED TO FEEL AS IF WE WERE ON HOLIDAY AT HOME,” says Nina Stewart of her and husband Alastair’s new home. Situated on the lush yet temperate Garden Route, Plettenberg Bay’s pristine beaches and a nature reserve in close proximity are among the attractions that have made living here with their daughter Chloe – and at various times of the year, Nina’s parents too – a pleasure. However, the beautiful surroundings aren’t the primary reason why Nina and her family spend most of their time at home. Rather, it’s down to the fact that their house was conceptualised from the start to perfectly suit their needs. Planning a move to Plett from Johannesburg in search of a more laid-back lifestyle, the Stewarts purchased a plot of land shortly before…

FROM STATEMENT LOUNGES TO THE ULTIMATE IN RIVIERA CHIC In this Los Angeles home, American interior designer Jamie Bush introduces next-level fantasy at the pool. Bullion-fringed umbrellas, their undersides in a palm print, complement dusty pink terrazzo paving and striped loungers. That the umbrellas stand in custom slots in the pool cleverly provides shade for those in it, and adds a touch of camp to this Hollywood Regency design. jamiebush.com…

■ “There’s a move towards the luxurious outdoor shower room as a private retreat that blurs the line between nature and indulgence,” says Italtile’s marketing manager Nicole Russell. If space allows when designing a home, plan for a dedicated shower room that harmonises with nature. Tonal similarities in the travertine, gravel and stone pathway of this Terremoto-landscaped garden (left) result in a cohesive, considered experience. “It’s about creating a serene, spa-like space that feels both open and intimate,” says Nicole. italtile.co.za | terremoto.la ■ “It’s fun to shower outside. You’re at one with nature, and that’s very freeing,” says Sheldon Harte, Californian interior designer and author of the newly published The Refined Home: Sheldon Harte. “But it’s not for everyone. You need to find a location with privacy, no wind, and…

WHEN I STILL LIVED with my parents, December holidays were for the big festive season family gatherings, so we always went on our annual camping holiday in winter. June was when we escaped, just the seven of us, in search of sunshine. Every winter holiday, the Jonkers from Hennenman would pack the old Gypsey 5 caravan and hitch it to the Volkswagen Kombi before setting off towards one of the country’s warmer regions. Our journey started in the early hours of the morning, and my parents would fold down the Kombi’s back seats and improvise a bed for the kids – four boys and a baby sister – so that we could sleep while we drove through the icy Free State night. I can still remember the sound of that…

SWIRLING LINES, WHIMSICAL FLORALS AND GOLDEN FLOURISHES have been reimagined in 2025, with AI and 3D-driven design giving the century-old Art Nouveau style a sleek new twist. Decorative, daring and unashamedly curvy, this revival proves that excess, when done right, never goes out of fashion. ■ THE ESSENTIALS • Art Nouveau broke the rules long before breaking rules became cool. Between 1890 and 1910, it rebelled against the prevalent industrial sameness with flowing curves, organic forms and lush motifs pulled straight from nature. Known as Jugendstil in Germany, Sezessionstil in Austria and Modernisme in Spain, it shaped everything from buildings and furniture to jewellery and glassware. Think Hector Guimard’s Paris Métro entrances, Victor Horta’s sinuous staircases, Antoni Gaudí’s Barcelona dreamscapes, Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s geometry, and Alphonse Mucha’s romantic posters. Art…

JOBURG-BASED DESIGN STUDIO TheUrbanative is known for contemporary furniture and products that mix modern, minimalist shapes with rich African stories. Mpho Vackier and her team create designs that feel rooted, fresh, stylish – and deeply personal. Read the stories behind her most treasured objects, and you’ll understand exactly why. ■ MY GRANDMOTHER’S 1960s COFFEE POT ● “This coffee pot belonged to my grandmother Lydia, who I am named after. It is the only piece of hers that I have. The spout once broke, and we repaired it with glue and a touch of gold leaf, which feels fitting because her strength always shone through the cracks. I often look at it and wonder when she bought it. Was it from the time she lived in Sophiatown before she was forced…

PARIS-BORN INTERIOR DESIGNER LAURA GONZALEZ is known for a creative universe where classic, maximalist and contemporary influences meet, guided by a respect for craftsmanship and a passion for art, sculpture, photography and painting. Her spaces are curated, soulful and unmistakable. She works her magic from a studio that occupies a six-storey Belle Époque mansion in Paris’s 16th arrondissement; more a country estate than a traditional office, it exudes warmth and elegance through patterned carpets, printed fabrics and curated details at every turn. It is from here that Laura collaborates with artisans such as cabinet makers, ceramicists, sculptors and decorative painters to transform spaces into poetic, one-ofa-kind interiors. NOT CONTENT WITH INTERIOR DESIGN WORK ALONE, LAURA GONZALEZ HAS EXPANDED INTO FURNITURE, LIGHTING AND OBJECT DESIGN. For Laura, design is about storytelling…

CAPE TOWN-BASED ARCHITECTURE STUDIO THE MAAK is all about social impact architecture. Founded by Ashleigh Killa and Max Melvill, its mission is to use design as a tool for dignity, connection and positive transformation. The practice specialises in public, cultural and community-oriented projects, which have included early childhood development centres, performing arts spaces, libraries and testing clinics. With a mission to bring “world-class architecture to those who need it most”, The MAAK’s work is rooted in materials, process and participatory practice, integrating research, community consultation and innovative construction methods. And the latest example is the Rahmah Library at Rahmaniyeh Primary School in Cape Town’s District Six – a vibrant new facility that celebrates how architects and learners can work together to build user-oriented educational spaces. THE MAAK’S WORK IS ROOTED…

FOR TODAY’S COFFEE LOVERS, a caffeine fix isn’t enough. A new wave of functional blends combines the ritual of coffee with the science of wellness, enriched with adaptogens, collagen, mushrooms and probiotics for added focus, calm or glow. In short, it’s coffee with benefits! ■ GO GOOD ● New Zealand wellness brand Go Good blends performance and flavour in its Plant Protein Isolate + Organic Coffee. Made from pure European golden peas and organic Colombian coffee, it delivers a protein hit, a caffeine kick and a boost of antioxidants, all in one smooth shake. Formulated to build lean muscle, boost metabolism and support recovery, this clean blend fuels the body with fast-absorbing nutrients while remaining gentle on the stomach. The organic coffee adds chocolatey undertones and natural anti-inflammatory benefits. gogood.co.za…

THERE IS NO BETTER STUDY IN RESTRAINED DRAMA than the traditional architecture on the Greek island of Santorini. Half of it comes courtesy of the geography – living on the lip of what’s still an active volcano tends to add some spice; the other half is the whitewashed cubic volumes, soft barrel vaults and terraced retaining walls that seem sculpted from the volcanic escarpment itself. Perch that on the edge of a blackened cliffwith the deep-blue Aegean stretched out before you, and it’s all pretty dramatic. Yet there’s an oasis of serenity among this that goes by the name of Aenaon Villas. Built between the villages of Imerovigli and Oia on the caldera’s northern horn, the villas are situated on an ancient connecting path overlooking the beaches that span the…

IT’S SAFE TO SAY THAT MOST OF US WANT OUR OWN SLICE OF PARADISE. What that slice looks like, however, is up to the individual. For one single-minded woman, the ideal spot was beside the ocean – on the rocks, next to the high-water-level mark, above a 20-metre drop into its swells, to be specific. “The site is on a smallholding in the Kogelberg Biosphere between Pringle Bay and Rooi-Els, and required extensive environmental impact assessment,” says the owner. “We finally got permission to build on two sites, so I took my folks and brother on a walk to decide on one of them. It was spring tide, and the waves were crashing spectacularly against this specific rock in the ocean, and we said, ‘Clearly, this is it!’” A design…

■ Expect the old-timers of outdoor furniture – wicker, rattan and all things woven – to receive a well-earned makeover in the year ahead. Wicker pieces embrace lighter shades and ever more contemporary forms, their shapes drawing from 20th-century design classics and the trend towards curvilinear contours. Designers and craftspeople, when weaving, are also increasingly colour-curious, as can be seen in these Colombia-inspired handwoven fique agave tabletops and PVC-string chair for Ames Vibrant Living, founded by Colombian-born Ana María Calderón Kayser. amesliving.de…

■ We’re advocating for more colourful pools, like this Palm Springs stunner designed by New York-based Studio Proba. Founder Alex Proba conceptualises such bespoke pools – either painted or in custom-made tiles – many of which draw aesthetic inspiration from the landscapes in which they’re sited. Here’s a checklist of what to keep in mind: consider how water alters colour (reds and oranges distort most dramatically). While all shapes are suited to rectilinear pools, stick to organic forms in curvilinear pools. Always consult paint specialists when choosing materials. Paint on days with low humidity, and wait at least four days for the paint to cure correctly – following which, add water, inflate lilos, and enjoy! studioproba.com…