What to See at Decorex Joburg 2026

Decorex Joburg returns to the Sandton Convention Centre from 30 July – 2 August 2026, giving design enthusiasts four days to explore fresh ideas, new designers and local products.

WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Supplied

A much-anticipated highlight on the decor and design calendar, Decorex Joburg offers design lovers a chance to engage with the best in local and international decor and its makers.

Throughout the four-day exhibition, visitors will encounter designer-led installations, thought-provoking showcases and carefully considered spaces that invite a slower, more intentional way of engaging with design.

Over recent years, Decorex has explored the forces reshaping our environments, from sustainability and technology to the systems and cultural shifts influencing how we live and work. This year’s theme – Soft Life – builds on this thinking, turning attention to the human experience within those spaces that prioritise wellbeing and clarity as the new markers of contemporary design.

A number of installations at this year’s showcase directly echo this broader shift towards design that speaks softly, yet with conviction. Here are our must-see highlights:

Kitchens defined by a quietly luxurious way of living

For nuuma, the contemporary kitchen is no longer defined by function alone. It’s an immersive space where materiality, atmosphere and daily ritual come together with quiet intention.

Rather than relying on excess, the brand works with refined proportions, layered finishes and subtle detailing to create luxury kitchens that feel calm, warm and deeply resolved.

Each space is designed to support the way people live, gather, cook and connect. Here, considered materials – stone, satin lacquer, textured glass and curated finishes – are chosen not only for their beauty, but for the feeling they create.

As modern interiors continue to move towards more immersive and personal expressions of design, the kitchen has become central to the experience of contemporary living.

nuuma’s work reflects this shift: bespoke kitchen design that is sophisticated, liveable and quietly luxurious for refined homes across South Africa and the African continent. nuuma.co.za | @nuuma_sa

Designer-led spaces exploring comfort

The Soft Life Pods bring this year’s theme into physical form through a series of intimate, designer-built micro-interiors that explore comfort, tactility, atmosphere and the future of wellness-driven living.

Each pod offers a distinct interpretation of intentional living, showing how thoughtful design can shape experiences, enhance functionality and create environments that feel both restorative and inspiring.

Local luminaries who shine

A new feature at this year’s Decorex, FloodLight celebrates some of the best local lighting design, brought together within a showcase shaped by the 2026 theme. At its heart is the idea of light as soft power: not simply as function, but as atmosphere, emotion and a tool for wellbeing.

Developed as a collaboration between Decorex and spatial lighting designer Martin Döller, the feature adds an experiential layer to the installation, using light to create mood, depth and theatre across the space.

New work from fresh talent

100% Fresh – Rising Talent shines a spotlight on the next generation of creative voices. Dedicated to emerging designers and makers, the platform showcases original work that explores new material narratives, evolving craft traditions and innovative approaches to contemporary living.

Reflecting the principles of Soft Life, the feature highlights designers whose work prioritises meaning, tactility and emotional connection, offering a glimpse into a future where design is not only innovative, but also more considered, adaptable and deeply relevant to the way we live.

Objects designed for living

TenxTen presents Soft Life as object-language – tactile, considered pieces that upgrade the everyday through detail and intention.

The immersive installation brings together 100 of the most compelling design objects of 2026 across 10 categories that map design from floor to ceiling. Objects have been selected by Decorex co-creative directors Alan Hayward and Garreth van Niekerk, along with a panel of category experts.

Dates & Times

30 July – 2 August 2026 | Sandton Convention Centre | Open daily 10am–6pm | decorex.co.za

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