Roxanne Ferreira, founder of playfully colourful interior design brand Arrange Studio, shares some of her personal items and the accompanying stories that hold meaning for her.
WORDS Steve Smith PHOTOS Jan Ras
Millennial beige is not something you could ever associate with Cape Town-based interior designer Roxanne Ferreira. Her Arrange Studio designs – and, as you can see, the clothes she wears – are all about colour. “We believe colour can make you happy,” she says on her website, reaffirming the brand’s mission “to transform surroundings into somewhere that exudes joy”.
We paid Roxanne a visit to get a sense of the personal objects that have informed her aesthetic. Many of her traditional keepsakes are in storage – “We’ve moved quite a lot during the past few years, including onto a sailboat!” – but these are the everyday keepsakes she holds dear.
My ring
“This ring belonged to my husband’s grandfather – he found it in the glove box of a second-hand car he had just bought. He tried his best to find the original owner, with no luck. It was then passed on to my husband’s mom, but it didn’t fit her. And then my husband (then boyfriend) gave it to me for my birthday 10 years ago. It fits perfectly; I’ve been wearing and cherishing it ever since.”
Set of chairs
“My parents were gift ed these for their wedding more than four decades ago. I love them – they’re light and foldable, so we’ve had many picnics in the garden on them. They’ve travelled to three different cities with us, and hopefully we can pass them down to our daughter one day too.”
Missibaba bag
“Chloe Townsend of Missibaba custom-made this hold-all baby bag for me just before our daughter was born, and I’ll cherish it forever. The colours make me so happy! There are compartments inside for bottles, and even a custom striped changing mat.”
Hats
“These are just some of the hats my friend and milliner Albertus Swanepoel made for me. He passed away last year and I miss him every day.”
My mom’s jeans & dungarees
“I’m so lucky that my mom kept many of her clothes from the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s, and that my sisters and I get to wear them now. These jeans and dungarees are some of my all-time favourites – how great is the striped lining on the hem of the jeans?”
Sea shells
“I’ve been collecting shells since I was little. The rush of finding a whole sea urchin in a rock pool is unmatched! As I’ve grown older, the collection has grown to include shell-shaped bowls and plates too.”
Stickers
“My love for stickers started when I was young, and my sticker book was one of my prized possessions. My collection includes fancy stickers bought in Japan – but also some cute ones found at local stationery shops. I’m always adding to this collection because I love using stickers when making birthday cards for friends. My daughter recently discovered them too, so the stash will soon get depleted if I don’t store them somewhere safe!”
Small plates
“These are a few of the many small plates and painted ceramics I bought in Japan. I try to use them often, not just keep them for ‘one day’ – they bring back wonderful memories of that country with each use.”
Pins
“Some were gifts, some used to belong to my parents… They’re such a fun way of personalising your wardrobe.”
Prototype of an Arrange Studio light
“This is the original prototype for Arrange Studio’s Paradise light. I’ll always be thankful to this light and its design, and the joy and pride it’s brought me.”
Crocheted blanket
“My mom crocheted this for me years ago – it reminds me of a Missoni pattern. There’s something about a gift that took many hours and lots of love to create that makes you cherish it even more.”
Bracelets
“I inherited these from my mother-in-law after she passed. She loved dressing up and had the most incredible jewellery collection. I’ll keep these for my daughter.” | arrangestudio.co.za
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