WORDS Michaela Stehr PHOTOS Sean Gibson, Claire Gunn, Andrea Van Der Spuy
VISI speaks to female-led multidisciplinary South African design collective Bone Studio about their six favourite projects, which span the commercial, residential, retail and hospitality sectors.
When selecting our top six projects – a ‘bone of contention’ in the studio because our designers all had different selections – what we love is that they are so vastly different in style and vision. We know that, just as each client has their own personality, so does each building, site or home,” says Bone Studio co-founder Nicola Orpen.
Co-founder Hayley Turner agrees. “We do not have one consistent ‘Bone’ stamp that blankets our projects,” she says. “We spend time and attention ensuring that each client’s project is one of a kind, and the common threads are devotion to detail and focus on the implementation of the client’s vision.”
HOUSE FRIARS
Selected by Hayley Turner
“A curated display of both local and international design pieces: in this house, we explored how imported Italian fittings, paired with custom-made local pieces, elevate the home experience for the client.”
TRYN RESTAURANT
Selected by Nicola Orpen
“The heritage of Catharina [Ras, Steenberg’s iconic 17th- century founder] was so tangible within the walls of the restaurant that we could not wash away the story with a new, unrelated aesthetic and a few disconnected furniture pieces. We allowed the base – floors and walls – to remain untouched and honest, paying homage to the past, while splashing Tryn’s strong personality into the private dining areas with bold and gutsy ruby and jade accents.”
HOUSE PV
Selected by Nicola Orpen
“We stripped down this home, once clinical in its finishes and colours, and layered in warmer materials such as white oak flooring, soft-toned kitchen and bar joinery, textured custom pendant lights and earthy linens. The brief from the client was ‘Jamie Oliver in character – humble yet refined’, so it was important to reconfigure the internal layout and move the kitchen to a more central entertaining position that’s linked to the outdoor area.”
APARTMENT MARCUS
Selected by Gill Deneys
“The discerning owners wanted to set their Airbnb rental apart from the other available units within the building. The revolving clientele – from all over the world, and ranging in age and tastes – was the starting point for conceptualising a space that was neutral enough to have broad appeal but with a level of design to set it apart. Inspired by what was already there – some subtle classical details – we crafted an elegant, contemporary apartment.”
RAIN OFFICE
Selected by Gill Deneys
“Rain, South Africa’s mobile-only data network, required us to conceptualise a unique working environment in a heritage building in Cape Town. The brief was to source mostly locally, and implement while they were working in the space from temporary furniture. We envisaged a quirky ‘museum’ of local talent. And because the building consisted of completely separate spaces, we treated it like a home, with different personalities created for each space. Embracing bold colour, we curated furniture pieces and custom-designed bespoke elements to reflect personality while remaining functional.”
MARROW PROCUREMENT
Selected by Hayley Turner
“Marrow is the furnishing procurement and styling division of Bone, offering solutions customised to each building’s aesthetic, and whether the apartment is intended for owner occupation or to let. Marrow is invested down to the last detail, from the freshly cut flowers on the entrance table to the bottle of Champagne waiting in the fridge, allowing you to move into a perfectly styled apartment. We offer two visual schemes – Light and Dark – and clients or developers can select the Base package (furniture only) or the Layered package (with linen, towels, crockery, cutlery and so on).”
For more on info about Bone Studio visit bonestudio.co.za
