Inside the Playful World of DEFT Studios

DEFT Studios founders Martin Tallie and Zani Alberts open up about their collaborative process, their design philosophy and their bold new Melkman Project.

WORDS Jo Buitendach PHOTOS Suppled

Eastern Cape duo Zani Alberts and Martin Tallie are the design obsessives behind DEFT Studios, a small designer-maker studio they founded in 2020. Focused on handmade contemporary furniture, they champion thoughtful processes that ensure each piece provides long-term functional and emotional value. We caught up with them to learn more about their craft.

After completing our master’s degree in architecture, our first professional year coincided with the pandemic. We realised employment opportunities would be scarce and decided to forge our own path. Furniture design felt like a natural fit, sharing many principles with architecture. We headed to the nearest hardware store, bought a drill, and the rest is history.

Our creative chemistry stems from a shared goal and drive. We have a magical unspoken understanding, and share the same vision and values. This collaboration makes the design process seamless, with all ideas nurtured through mutual input.

We are both hands-on in the workshop every day. Martin tends to approach things pragmatically and thrives in a clean, structured environment, so he leads production. Zani, on the other hand, thrives in a bit of chaos, always seeking new opportunities and risks. She focuses on the creative projects and marketing.

DEFT sets out to “delight + excite”. We approach design playfully, craft ing each piece with intent to deliver an experience worth having and keeping.

We don’t actively seek inspiration, or force it. For us, inspiration is a by-product of doing the work and committing to our craft . Sometimes it comes from nostalgia, or from discovering new materials and techniques. We are constantly drawn to details, shapes, textures, patterns, angles, colours – endless possibilities that the eyes can see, and the hands can touch.

We always document our ideas and observations. Every so often, the urge to create something new strikes – and when it does, we revisit these ideas. This process often uncovers hidden gems amid the chaos. As designer-makers, we have a sense of which ideas are truly worth pursuing.

Over the past five years, design has been at the heart of all our decision-making. Looking ahead, we plan to focus more on operations, management and productivity within the workshop. But we would also love to embrace a more multidisciplinary creative approach, including getting involved in gallery projects and functional art – and perhaps even a return to our architectural roots.

We’re excited about the release of new pieces, and the exhibition of the first edition of the Melkman Project (which took place at ICTAF’26). A milk stool is a humble piece of practical furniture, characterised by its three legs. The Melkman was our own take on it. The Melkman Project began as a creative challenge and has grown into a playful, exploratory series – a way to experiment exploratory freely with various ideas, materials and techniques. It draws inspiration from nostalgia, life experiences, pop culture, art, food, heritage and design. Each piece tells its own story and carries a unique personality. What we love about this collection is that there’s bound to be at least one stool that resonates with you. It’s a collection for everyone. | deftstudios.co.za

Don’t forget to sign up to our weekly newsletter for the latest architecture and design news.