Table of contents for VISI 108 in Visi

So. Quite a lot has happened since the last issue of VISI. That one was made pre-lockdown. The issue that you’re holding in your hand, however, was created without any of the VISI team being in the same building. Not that you can tell, right? In terms of production, it was completely doable – and in terms of quality, I think we’ve put together an issue that would make its predecessors nod in appreciation. Which all points to one of the trends that has been on the lips (and in the tweets) of modern soothsayers: “Our enforced isolation shows that the work environment has changed forever, and that we can look forward to a future where we spend much of our time working from home.” This sentiment is often conveyed…

The importance of home has never been as apparent as in the past few months. Isolated and hibernated, we’ve been engulfed by the things that decorate our dwellings. If you’ve noticed a mark of your personality emerging in the way you brought vintage silk cushions and soft woollen throws out of storage, painted feature walls in striking hues, and mounted artworks and photos to imbue your rooms with some true-to-you oomph, then you’re living proof that Maximalism is back in business. The more-is-more approach – or, as US designer and ceramicist Jonathan Adler puts it, “glamour upon glamour” – is pretty much the direct opposite of Minimalism. While that Scandinavian/Japanese style advocates the bare necessities in the most neutral tones, Maximalism champions a riot of colour, multitude of textures and…

Hi my name is Mohale and I am anxious. I am here because… well, you know why. There has been a lot of talk about being okay with not being okay. Fair enough. I live with Generalised Anxiety Disorder, so that’s how I’ve been navigating the world for most of my life. People are saying “things will never be the same again”, and we are heading into a “new world”. In the pre-lockdown world, I spent a lot of time working: to pay bills, on maintaining relationships, on improving my mental health (therapy, boxing, medication, journalling). My days were planned down to the “random” messages organising drinks with friends on Fridays. I was, as Twitter folk say, booked and blessed. When the president announced that the whole country would go…

Architecture is the thoughtful making of space,” declared the legendary American architect Louis Kahn. In other words, it’s not always so much the “look” of the exterior of a building that is important, but how it organises space: the manner in which a house separates domestic life from the rest of the world, for example. Perhaps even more vital are the ways in which the area inside the walls of that house is used by its occupants; in short, it’s all about how it makes them feel. A case in point is this recently renovated home in a densely developed part of Green Point in Cape Town. The original building – a semi-detached cottage dating back to the late 1800s – had some heritage features and the sort of charm…

LILY PATINATED BOWLS BY CONRAD HICKS FOR SOUTHERN GUILD, POA These unique, hand-forged copper bowls are made using traditional blacksmiths’ methods. southernguild.co.za UFO COFFEE TABLE BY DOKTER AND MISSES, R8 500 The way in which the obelisk pierces through the tabletop gives this piece an otherworldly yet sculptural feel. dokterandmisses.com SLAB LIVE EDGE DINING TABLE BY EGG DESIGNS, R71 800 Each Slab table created by Durban-based Egg Designs comes with a one-of-a-kind African mahogany top and solid cast-brass legs. eggdesigns.com HOURGLASS GLASSES BY DOKTER AND MISSES, R195 EACH Handmade by expert glassblowers at Ngwenya Glass in Eswatini using recycled glass, these covetable vessels are all reversible. dokterandmisses.com FANTASIA MIRROR BY DOKTER AND MISSES, R10 400 Named after the fantasy land in the film The Neverending Story, this sculptural mirror tests…

Made with bamboo and powder-coated mild steel, the Thulani loveseat for two is a multifunctional seat with integrated side tables. I always design with function in mind, and never let the aesthetics dictate such function. This seat was a marriage of my technical background with the fact that I was still learning what kind of a designer I was. I realised then that I really like symmetry – it’s calming, and offers a certain balance and mood. I used to work as an engineer, but I left my career in mining several years ago to study design. I had always wanted to do product and furniture design. I launched my first collection of four pieces on my birthday in September 2016. The Thandeka server was one of these – it…

MOHALE MASHIGO, STORYTELLER What’s the newest skill you’ve learnt, and why did you learn it? I’m learning to speak French. I’m going to France for a residency, and I thought I’d learn the basics because I’ll be there for a few months (once the world is less scary). I love languages, so it’s been fun – I’m learning via an app and YouTube. An acclaimed writer whose novel The Yearning (Pan Macmillan) won the 2016 UJ Debut Prize for South African Writing, Mohale explores anxiety and lockdown living in her essay on page 33. WARREN HEATH, FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER SPECIALISING IN INTERIOR, LIFESTYLE AND FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY What’s the newest skill you’ve learnt, and why did you learn it? To play the guitar. It’s something I never thought I’d do – but…

One of the highlights of this prestigious annual trade fair is the Ambiente Trends exhibition, which this year was researched and curated by trend forecasters Stilbüro Bora Herke Palmisano for Messe Frankfurt. The Trends show is always the first stop at Ambiente for buyers, journalists and bloggers, because it provides an overview of the shapes, colours and materials that will inspire consumers around the world in the year to come. These were showcased in the form of overarching conceptual trends, using the exhibitors’ products. LIGHT MY FIRE… …with these lighters and candelabras. 1. FIREBIRD 2.0 by GUIDO VENTURINI for ALESSI: This is a reissue of Alessi’s original Firebird electric arc lighter, whose witty and playful phallic lines made it an instant icon. alessi.com 2. ROOTS by JAKOB WAGNER for MORSØ:…

I don’t know where you are right now, or where you were when I wrote this. I’m not going to spin platitudes on the new normal, motivate you to embrace your altered state, or say it’s okay to hate it. I don’t know how your life has changed, or if it has. Instead, I am going to tell you a story: one that has no ending. T’was the Ides of March. My 40th birthday. We danced on a stoep at a house in Kommetjie; the best playlist, my favourite friends, all the laughter. It was perfect. Almost. Three of us – including me – are specifically immunocompromised. We didn’t know if Covid-19 was at the party or not. A year before, I had created a List for Life (yes, that’s…

Uhen architect Lisa Rorich and her partner, Garth Robinson, bought their iconic home on Durban’s Berea four years ago, it was the realisation of a long-held dream.“I’d put the word out that we were looking for a mid-century modern home,” says Lisa, who felt they had outgrown the Victorian semi-detached they’d lived in for years. Now, standing in the spectacular courtyard of her Hans Hallen-designed home, she recalls the old adage,“be careful what you wish for”.“It’s powerful stuff,as not long afterwards I got a call from interior architect Mario Rodrigues, who had heard this house was on the market.” By a stroke of serendipity, Lisa realised that she not only knew the owners but had been into the house – and had loved it. “It was the childhood home of…

My vision was to create a place of happiness, love and wellbeing for our extended family,” says co-owner Boyd Ferguson, founder of Cécile & Boyd, the design studio that single-handedly revolutionised the safari-lodge aesthetic 25 years ago. Located in Scarborough, a seaside hamlet near Cape Point, his creation is a multi-generational retreat for himself, his sister Geordi De Sousa Costa, and their families. Named Abraça – the Portuguese word for an embrace or hug – it’s a weekend home where equal consideration has been given to everyone, from tweens, teens and singletons to family groups and oldies. The family bought the property in 2018 for its generous double plot and inherent potential. Despite its awkward flow, an inelegant subterranean lower level with little light, and an enormous main en-suite –…

A plush new range from The Mill Fabrics, Hygge is a versatile upholstery collection with casual yet sophisticated elegance. It features a natural-cotton base weave contrasted with a tightly constructed chenille, and a textured slub yarn that further adds to its charm by creating a textured linen look down the length of the fabric. Whether you’re dressing up a slick Scandi piece or a deep-buttoned antique, you’ll love the versatility Hygge has to offer. The range is available in an array of 39 delicious colours that take their names from popular alcoholic beverages, so you can set your imagination free as you drink in Hygge’s irresistible shades. There’s everything from Martini and Prosecco to Double Jeopardy and Mimosa – and at just R491/m (excluding VAT), they’re budget-friendly too. themillfabrics.co.za/hygge…

1. Location, location Consider your working style, and the needs of the people you live with. How much storage do you require? How much time do you spend in Zoom meetings? If you can’t dedicate an entire room to your office, answering these questions will tell you whether you could set up in the living room or repurpose a corner of the bedroom. 2. Furniture fix Cecil Nurse has sitting and standing desks to suit a variety of styles and budgets. If you need storage, mount shelves or document holders above the desk. And having an ergonomic office chair or a wobble stool is very important – it really is best not to use a dining chair. 3. Light fantastic Position your desk so you benefit from as much daylight…

Standing out in a crowd is easy for the Kardashians, but can be difficult for modern cars. Save for variations in the grille/headlamp combo, modern vehicles in each segment tend to have a similar silhouette. And it’s not because automotive designers lack imagination – it’s more about the aerodynamic and safety parameters they have to work within. Occasionally, though, despite the constraints, a car brand comes up with a strand of design DNA that has a distinct personality. I’d argue that Lexus is one. Another is that flag-bearer for Gallic idiosyncrasy, Citroën. A stroll through its history shows a timeline punctuated by bold, innovative, outright maverick designs that have become bona fide automotive classics: the Traction Avant, the “Deux Chevaux” 2CV, the stately DS and the futuristic SM. Of late,…

NEW VISI ONLIE SHOP! IN THE FIRST OF OUR VISI COLLAB SERIES, WE HAVE COLLABORATED WITH LOCAL DESIGN STUDIOS SKINNY LAMINX AND PEDERSEN + LENNARD ON TWO EXCLUSIVE PRODUCTS. WE’RE STARTING SMALL, WITH BIG THINGS TO COME! VISIT SHOP.VISI.CO.ZA TO BUY ONLINE NOW. WIN WITH OBBLIGATO ONE LUCKY READER WILL WIN AN OCTAVE PLANTER FROM LOCAL FURNITURE AND ACCESSORIES BRAND OBBLIGATO, VALUED AT R7 800. MADE FROM 430-GRADE MIRROR-FINISH STAINLESS STEEL, THIS CONTEMPORARY INDOOR PLANTER, MEASURING 965MM X 482MM, COMES COMPLETE WITH A PLANTING LINER. VISIT VISI.CO.ZA/WIN TO ENTER. WE ASKED YOU ONLINE WHICH HOMEWARE ITEMS DO YOU LIKE TO BUY ONLINE? More than 600 of you took our poll to let us know what you most enjoy adding to your cart. Here are the results: #READERLOVE Are you a big…

These are some of the things I bought online during lockdown, “for delivery later”: a vintage sequinned jacket with high shoulders; a bronze signet etched with a pincushion protea flower; an antique men’s ring with an onyx face and a large gold “B” on the front. Who was I buying them for? What after-lockdown life was I imagining that would require wearing sequins and a pinky ring? What was the sudden importance of shoulder pads in a post-pandemic world? After the great wars – well, not “great” but Great – of the 20th century, fashion and society made deliberate transitions from utility to frivolity, even levity. The overdressed fantasy of the 1920s, the beads, gauze, fringe, shimmer and dazzle, were a marked response, a middle finger, to the melancholy of…

HIDDEN FROM VIEW BEHIND HIGH RAMMED-EARTH WALLS, this two-hectare estate offers a welcome respite from the tumult of the “Red City” – a nickname Marrakech has earned thanks to its red sandstone buildings and city walls. Villa Ouidane is a short drive east from Morocco’s fourth-largest city, and offers views of the Atlas Mountains in the distance. Through a field of olive trees, you get the first view of this rather unique interpretation of a riad – a traditional Moroccan house with an interior garden or courtyard – and a glimpse of its distinctive design. Rather than the colourful, geometrically patterned tiles, ornate metalwork and arches that are the usual hallmarks of a riad, this four-bedroom home mixes in more Modernist inspiration in both architecture and decor. Designed by Belgian…

Above the front door to Stefan Rupperti and Alexander Yazdi’s Victorian villa in Cape Town is an inconspicuous brass plaque that reads, “At this site in 1860 nothing happened.” This declaration is as comforting as it is intriguing. In the 160 years that have passed, much has happened. For one thing, the surrounds have wholly transformed. Once farmland bordering the edge of town, today this area is the vibrant suburb of Gardens, and the house is set amid properties that neighbour Orange Street. A busy artery that lies under the shadow of Table Mountain, the road courses into the City Bowl, bustling with trendy bars and eateries. “Because our stays were getting longer, we wanted a second home in an environment that would make us feel integrated rather than transient,”…

Great lighting design has the ability not only to uplift an environment, but also to inspire all those who are present in it. Which is why local lighting company DARK has a mission guided by a single-minded assertion: give light the room to shine, and life is instantly made better. Innovative by nature as well as by name, DARK offers a wide range of lighting solutions, each with its own creative potential. Whether a room is large or small, the company is able to illuminate it with world-class lighting created specifically to meet any project requirement, no matter the size or complexity. Able to collaborate on commercial, residential or retail projects with the aim of creating spaces filled with possibility, DARK’s dedicated team are masters of light. getdark.co.za…

1. CREATE A HUB “People tend to gravitate towards the centre of the house, and children don’t like to feel left out – so we’ve constructed dedicated ‘creative hubs’ in which mom, dad and kids can all work together,” says architect Wynand Wilsenach. “A hub such as this would have plenty of charging and plug points, with drawers for stationery and project material – and it would normally be close to the kitchen or the family room.” w2.co.za 2. REPURPOSE AND REIMAGINE “Update an old desk or tabletop by painting it – or cover it with a print or an attractive upholstery fabric and a thick pane of glass,” says architect Ernst Frame-Tolmie. “With wireless connectivity being the standard these days, printers and other devices can live remotely if space…

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of fresh bed linen from local textile company Mungo – one of the few remaining linen weavers in South Africa. Their European-grown linen can be traced from seed to spun yarn, before making its way to Plettenberg Bay, where it is woven at the Mungo Mill on the edge of the Tsitsikamma forest (hence the name “Kamma Linen”). The newest addition to Mungo’s bedding range is Melange. In keeping with the word’s origins (melange is French for “mix”), the fabric’s flecks of colour result in a beautiful textured look that is reminiscent of materials created by nature. The effect is attained through a unique dyeing process, in which differently coloured fibres are mixed together before being spun. As a bonus, the more this heirloom-quality…

Hub – a new tile range by Italian brand Naxos – is all about original graphic elements, natural inspiration and eclectic visual impressions, combined in clean, sometimes asymmetrical patterns. With Hub, Naxos has created a versatile collection that reflects the bold colours of the modern age as well as our desire to create spaces that reflect our individuality. The range is ideal for anyone wanting to move beyond the whims of fashion to create new trends. Hub is available to order countrywide from Stiles – email info@stiles.co.za to find out more. stiles.co.za 1. Wall: Brume 312mm x 797mm, R713/m2 ; backsplash: Geometry Emerald 312mm x 797mm, R713/m2 . 2. Wall: Jade 312mm x 797mm, R713/m2 ; feature wall: Comp Jungle 624mm x 797mm, R2 070 per set (2 tiles); shower: Mos. Decò Jade,…