Table of contents for VISI 135 in Visi

It was a wonderfully balmy Sunday afternoon, the air coming off the cold Atlantic calming the heat radiating from the Twelve Apostles. Everyone was happy. Families, kids, mates, couples of all colours and backgrounds enjoying the last hours of the weekend together. Sneaking a glass of wine; playing beach bats; shrieking as freezing foam washed over tiny toes; lovers sitting close, heads touching. It felt like the best of us. This was how South Africa can and should be. Of course, Camps Bay beach wasn't always like this. I grew up here; went to high school on the hill above; spent many days surfing and hanging out on these warm sands. Back then it was way quieter, and altogether whiter. Our infamous apartheid segregation laws meant that the majority of…

NEW YEAR'S EVE is the most delulu day of my year, and I love it. When we were younger, we'd commemorate the energy of hope with fireworks. If we happened to be together during the festive season, my cousins and I improvised by setting steel wool alight. The image of us running down the dark streets of Zwelitsha swinging our arms in a circle while burning steel wool that glints red then fizzles out back into night is a vivid one. That's the delulu part. It is also an apt image for how fast I can lose optimistic energy when the reality of what it takes to fulfil my annual goals sets in. The mundane drudgery of the daily tasks is soon abandoned – like a lump of burned-out steel…

“GOOD DESIGN ISN'T JUST SEEN AND USED; IT'S FELT. AUTHENTICITY, INTEGRITY, COURAGE, CRAFTSMANSHIP, QUALITY – THE COMPOUND RESULT OF THESE FEARLESS ESSENTIALS IS DESIGN THAT CONNECTS DEEPLY, AND ENDURES.” – ADAM COURT, DIRECTOR AND LEAD DESIGNER AT OKHA…

FROM ELEGANTLY FURNISHED LIVING AREAS to tranquil patio retreats, Cielo has combined virtual convenience with real-world luxury in its commitment to merging e-commerce with brickand-mortar retail. With 14 retail locations across South Africa, it offers an immersive shopping experience, where the brand's slogan of “Inspiring Spaces” really comes to life. Cielo showrooms are designed to engage all the senses, with each carefully curated space highlighting the brand's sophisticated aesthetic, and the quality and comfort of the pieces on display. The stores' design prioritises sensory engagement to create an environment where homemakers can experience the premium nature of Cielo's products. ✖ SOURCING Cielo's product offering goes beyond functional furnishings: it's a celebration of comfort and refined craftsmanship. The brand balances contemporary and traditional styles, pushing the boundaries of local design while…

THEY NATURALLY VENTILATE AND CONTROL temperature, so breeze (or screen) blocks are a perfect addition to any South African abode. Plus, they provide privacy and transform a space with their eye-catching patterns. Whether you like the cool contemporary look or you lean into a more retro aesthetic, this is our roundup of the best blocks for all tastes. Owned by the De la Hunt family, Klay has been making bricks in the Western Cape since 1970. Its blocks are made from natural clay, and in addition to aligning with eco-conscious building practices, they also highlight local crafts smanship. Klay offers a wide range of products, including a comprehensive selection of superchic breeze blocks. There are 17 styles in total, available in several colours, including Chai, Espresso and Latte. The company's…

AT POETRY, WE ARE ONE PART TREASURE HUNTERS and one part diligent navigators of our brand vision. While our commitment to local production is paramount, India has been an important sourcing region since our inception, adding layers of magic and whimsy. The handmade quality and artisanal craftsmanship that are synonymous with India are in perfect harmony with our values. One of the most important qualities of a skilled buyer is matching the desired outcome with the right artisan – someone who can achieve the brief with ease, and even joy. This alignment is important from a practical fit-for-purpose perspective, but also in a spiritual sense. Each touchpoint in a product's life cycle is a transfer of energy, crafting a final item that's positively charged. It's kind of karmic. Factory visits…

HAVING SPENT A LARGE PORTION OF THEIR TEENAGE YEARS SURFING ALONG THE OVERBERG COASTLINE, Nathalie Ammann and her husband John Blignaut know Pringle Bay very well. Just over an hour's drive from Cape Town, in a pristine, protected natural area, this tiny coastal hamlet is where they chose to build their recently completed holiday cottage, dubbed the TinTin Cabin. The couple have always enjoyed exploring the area on holidays away from their daily routine, where John is a fractional business developer and Nathalie manages her family's farm, Rozendal, and makes an award-winning range of botanical vinegars. In 2018, after a weekend of hiking the nearby Kogelberg mountains, they decided to look at properties in Pringle Bay “on a bit of a whim”, says Nathalie. “It started with a list of…

✖ KOREAN BBQ OCTOPUS You’ll love it because… The flavour balance of salt, sweetness, spice and smokiness is beautifully pronounced in this dish. BRUTALISM: WHAT IS IT? Prominent from the 1960s to the 1980s, Brutalism is a style of architecture that emphasises materials, textures and construction, producing highly expressive building forms. And it’s not everyone’s bag of cement: the polarising style appears aesthetically crude, with minimalist, unadorned buildings characterised by unfinished concrete and monolithic shapes. The word “Brutalism” is derived from the French béton brut – “raw concrete”. ✖ DENVER STEAK CARPACCIO You’ll love it because… Served with Viking salt and caper butter, this bold cut of beef promises juiciness and the perfect texture. ✖ FERMENTED BLACK GARLIC BONE MARROW You’ll love it because… Visually a showstopper, the bone marrow…

✖ ROBYN ALEXANDER FREELANCE EDITOR, WRITER AND LIBRARIAN It's not a festive celebration without quiet time. I'll take mine on a lounger in the shade with a pile of magazines and books, and a large Campari and soda, thanks. In addition to writing two of our main features (on page 102 and page 114), Robyn also curated the special Outdoor Living section on page 145. ✖ PHENDU KUTA WRITER, MULTIDISCIPLINARY CREATIVE AND ENTREPRENEUR It's not a festive celebration without physical, spiritual and emotional wellbeing – and, of course, people to celebrate with. A regular VISI contributor, Phendu takes a tour of the holiday town of Plettenberg Bay on page 78. ✖ KATE OTTEN AWARD-WINNING ARCHITECT It's not a festive celebration without friends, panettone and bubbles! Widely published in her field…

MAY THE YOUNGEST CHILDREN be safely asleep in a distant house, watched over by a book-reading babysitter, so we need not worry about the volume of our enthusiasm. But may the oldest children join us, the ones for whom midnight is still new and exciting territory. May they run between us unnoticed, having their own party beneath our eye-line, sneaking sips from our half-finished drinks and learning valuable lessons the next morning. May there be old friends, and friends who have not met before tonight. May there be an open playlist so that we can discover music that will remind us of this moment later, but may no-one force their obsessions on others. May many accents be unified by gut-busting laughter around wine boxes and plastic cups and empty snack…

IT WAS A PIECE COMMISSIONED for Southern Guild's “A New Wave” exhibition in 2016 that kicked off Ashlee Lloyd's career. As part of a show that featured talented local designers under the age of 40, Ashlee created a light sculpture called “Molecular” by crocheting polypropylene multifilament rope of varying thickness into a voluminous chandelier-meets-sculpture. The scale, originality and organic feel of her piece drew media attention – and another light sculpture for what was then the Skotnes Restaurant at the Norval Foundation in Steenberg cemented her reputation. Some eight years later, Ashlee and director of operations Anne Halbedel, who joined in 2020, are Studio Lloyd – a design brand that's renowned globally for its lighting, seating and objects. We visited Studio Lloyd's Paarden Eiland premises, and spoke to Ashlee about…

✖ HELLO, YELLOW… Soleil d'Hermès tableware encapsulates the elegance and craftsmanship of Hermès La Table. The convivial yellow shades are an ode to the sun and to summer dining, with abstract patterns creating a kaleidoscope of light-reflecting shapes. A full Soleil d'Hermès set includes everything from butter plates and platters to cups, saucers, mugs, storage/tea tins and even a fully equipped picnic basket – all you'll need to bring some sunshine to your mealtimes. hermes.com | apsley.co.za ✖ MODULAR FREEDOM The super-comfortable, geometrical Extrasoft sofa system features cosy seats, which can be arranged next to each other in a variety of combinations. The modularity of this Piero Lissoni design allows for easy customisation of its irregular contours, making it hugely versatile, both indoors and out. livingdivani.it ✖ OVERSIZED COMFORT An evolution…

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 IS YOUR FAVOURITE KITCHEN STYLE? 428 OF YOU TOOK OUR POLL TO LET US KNOW. HERE ARE THE RESULTS: 38% MODERN MINIMALIST: Sleek, with simple lines 30% COASTAL: Light, breezy and relaxed, with soft hues 25% RUSTIC: Cosy country vibes 7% INDUSTRIAL CHIC: Concrete with metal accents #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. What you can look forward to at Cape Town Furniture Week 2025… Meaningful engagement with design, production,…

IN DECEMBER 1999, my life got rewired. The '90s were the ideal decade to be in my 20s. I travelled, I studied, my career took off. Electronica was revolutionary, design was minimal, the underground was still underground, and the new South Africa was no longer a toddler. In 1999, the Mandela presidency ended, and apart from a few issues, most of us were relatively optimistic. But as we edged towards the new millennium, the world got its first collective digital anxiety disorder: Y2K. For the unversed, the problem began with rumours that computer systems would collapse at midnight on 1 January 2000, because they'd see the year “00” as 1900, causing software errors and system failures. It's a pity there were no memes back then; the potential fallout from Y2K…

A GROUP ART SHOW is by no means a new concept, but Cynthia Edwards, Olivié Keck, Danielle Clough and Andrew Sutherland have given the concept a particularly colourful spin. And a clever one: in music-world parlance, “coda” refers to a melody that's distinct from the main score, yet still exists in harmony with the overall composition – and the word CODA happens to include the first letter of each artist's name. “The idea grew from the way we felt about one another's practices and work, and realising the myriad opportunities for collaboration and a more communal creative experience,” says Cynthia. “One tends to get a little stuck in one's own ways, especially when working from home, so delving into another artist's way of making has been insightful and inspirational.” The…

WITH THE CHAMPAGNE LANDSCAPE IN SOUTH AFRICA dominated by generic, mass-produced offerings of the big brands or Grandes Marques, you'd be forgiven for not knowing that Champagne is among the most dynamic categories in the world of wine. And much of this dynamism is encompassed by the growers themselves: family-owned businesses that produce wine exclusively from their own vineyards, placing emphasis on site and individuality, and farming for quality rather than quantity. Better yet, as the cost of each bottle of top grower Champagne goes into production rather than marketing campaigns, sponsorships or celebrity endorsements, the grower category represents some of the best value to be had in Champagne. This is the cool swag – the insiders' Champagne. ✖ Monmarthe Ludes 1er Cru Secret de Famille Brut NV The Monmarthe…

CHOOSING THE RIGHT OUTDOOR FURNITURE can be tricky. You need something stylish, durable and capable of standing up to various weather conditions. Thankfully, aluminium boasts all these qualities… ✖ DURABLE Aluminium is naturally rust-resistant, making it ideal for coastal areas or regions with high humidity. It won't corrode, meaning you can enjoy your furniture for years without worrying about rust damage. With Mobelli's AluOak® – an exclusive woodlook aluminium finish – you get style and durability in outdoor furniture that withstands the elements. ✖ LIGHTWEIGHT – AND TOUGH TOO! One of the major advantages of aluminium is that it's incredibly light compared to other materials, which means you can easily rearrange your furniture as needed. Whether you're chasing the sun or adjusting for shade, you'll appreciate how easy it is…

MY STUDIES OF ARCHITECTURE STARTED at the then-University of Natal, Durban in 1982. While there may have been a few people of colour in my class, and several women, the history and theory of architecture were clearly taught from a white, male, Western standpoint and recording. I wanted to learn about African architecture and culture; about sun-baked mud-brick structures and carefully handcrafted details. Physical library searches – how we did things before the internet! – offered little information on African architecture in general, but they did bring me to beautifully illustrated and well-documented books on Islamic architecture. And so began my research into this rich alternative offering. Egyptian architect Hassan Fathy soon became my idol. I pored over whatever drawings, photographs and writings of his I could find, marvelling at…

IT'S HARD NOT TO FEEL LIKE A PORTUGUESE JAY GATSBY WHEN A GUEST AT BELA VISTA HOTEL & SPA. There's increased confidence in your step, an inexplicable need to descend the lobby's grand staircase in the most statement-making of fashions, and a sense that you've arrived – matched equally by a desire never to depart. If ever there was a building along the sunny Algarve, Portugal's southern coastline, that celebrates – both then and now – the decadence of the Roaring Twenties, it's the hotel's palacete. Its backstory begins with its construction at the onset of the 20th century, on a clifftop overlooking Praia da Rocha, today Portimão's most popular beach. Skip ahead to 1918, and the triple-storey mansion – with its Gothic edifice complete with arched windows and turret…