TEN London Opens a Studio in Cape Town

Award-winning interior design studio TEN London expands its global footprint with the opening of its fourth international studio in Cape Town.

WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Supplied

With its headquarters in the UK and boutique studios in Saudi Arabia and Dubai, TEN London has worked with some of the biggest names in the hospitality, residential and commercial sectors.

Founded by South African Managing Director Sameer Mahomed and Creative Director and Co-founder Anya Sokoloskaya, TEN London is bringing its global design expertise to South Africa with a studio in the Mother City. The new studio, led by Studio Director Marike Cronje, strengthens TEN London’s long-standing ties to South Africa and supports its ambition to elevate residential and hospitality design standards locally.

We spoke to Marike about TEN London’s South African launch, the studio’s design philosophy and what to expect locally.

Can you give us some insight into the studio’s formative influences and milestones that shaped its approach to interiors?

“TEN was founded by Sameer Mahomed & Anya Sokolskaya, who bring experience from opposite ends of the design and real estate sectors. The approach to our studio’s design was born from a combination of Sameer’s experience as a real estate and hospitality consultant and investor, and Anya’s experience as a multi-faceted and award-winning interior designer.

“Similarly, our studio’s approach is influenced by the diversity of our design team, who hail not only from SA, but from 8 other countries, each bringing unique and diverse cultural, design and creative flair.

“Over the past two years, key milestones have included developing a new residential interior brand for retail giant John Lewis in the UK, working with the largest national residential developer in Saudi Arabia and working on luxury hotel projects across the Middle East. We are also delivering a number of high-end residential projects closer to our new home in Cape Town.”

How would you define the studio’s aesthetic and design philosophy?

“TEN’s studio approach to design is eclectic and agile – designing at the intersection of residential and hospitality. We bring the sophistication and luxury of hospitality into residential design, and the homeliness and comfort into hospitality projects.

“High-quality international & timeless modernism, paired with local flair, underpins our aesthetic. All our work involves creating via a multi-sensory approach, invoking all senses. Wellness and sustainability form a great part of our intentional and conscious design for spaces.

“We begin by maximising the interior architecture through timeless principles of light, proportion, and form, then layer in thoughtful design details that shape the experience we want to create for those who inhabit the space. We believe every project should be truly unique, and we rarely repeat the same detail twice.”

TEN London emphasises designing for place, culture and audience. How does that principle guide your process, from research and narrative-building to material choices and detailing?

“One of the reasons behind establishing local offices across three regions was our desire to gain a deep, first-hand understanding of the challenges and opportunities unique to each place. As a result, on-the-ground research often forms the starting point for our projects.

“We also study the local competitive landscape to identify any opportunities and what may be missing in the local market. All of the above allows us to shape a clear and distinctive narrative, to develop clear USP’s and, most importantly, differentiation for our clients who are always looking for something new and exciting.

“Emanating from the UK, we are exposed to a great diversity of design influences, and we are constantly challenged to push the boundaries of design, creativity and innovation, where clients demand a lot, and competition keeps us on our toes – we are well placed to bring the best of the latest global design trends, innovation and creative inspirations to South Africa.

“We are enthused to collaborate with local makers and craftspeople in South Africa and explore what can be produced locally. Through our international work, we’ve also identified opportunities for products that are currently lacking in the South African market, and our team is now developing a collection set to launch in Cape Town in spring next year.”

Why South Africa now, and what is the goal for the studio within the local market?

“South Africa has always been in the crosshairs of its South African founder, Sameer, and it feels like the right place at the right time for TEN.

“There’s a residential and development boom happening, particularly in Cape Town, alongside growing international interest. With more international visitors entering the market, consuming hospitality and buying real estate, expectations are shifting for design aesthetic and quality.

“We’re very conscious of the intelligence of the local market – its demographics, budgets, and commercial realities. Our approach is practical and solution-driven, always focused on what works best for the project and the client, while still challenging existing trends and bringing a fresh, diverse perspective.

“Our local team will ensure that while the studio aesthetic brings world-class design, it will be deeply rooted in South African culture and context.”

Can you highlight a South African project currently in progress that best expresses TEN London’s approach?

“We’re currently working on a number of local projects across a range of scales, from apartment refurbishments to hotel renovations. In the UK, much of our work is developer-led, so it’s been a refreshing shift to engage with more intimate, boutique projects in South Africa. That said, with Cape Town’s buoyant development landscape, we’re also keen to bring our experience in delivering high-impact, large-scale residential schemes to the local market.

“In Franschhoek, we’re working on the refurbishment and rebrand of a nine-bedroom hotel housed within an existing Cape Dutch property. The project weaves local narratives with a more elevated, luxurious, and internationally minded approach than is currently prevalent in the market. Our design intervention will not only transform this tired property, but it will set new standards for design in the local area, creating experiential design and a wellness concept currently lacking in Franschhoek.”

What is your take on the South African interior design landscape right now?

“South Africa’s interior design landscape is in a really interesting place right now. Hospitality, in particular, is excelling – especially within the luxury safari sector, which has done an exceptional job of elevating design standards and promoting South Africa to a global audience. As travellers become more discerning, expectations around quality, storytelling, and experience continue to rise, and that’s where strong interior design really comes into play.

“Where there’s still room to grow is within the city-based hospitality and commercial residential sectors. Central locations haven’t yet received the same level of design attention, which opens up exciting opportunities over the next few years. We see real potential in hotel renovations, adaptive reuse and conversions within central suburbs, and more considered mixed-use urban living concepts – spaces that blend hospitality, residential, and commercial in a way that reflects how people want to live and travel today.” | weareten.co

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