PHOTOS Natelee Cocks

It joins Tightline and Tyler’s grill house in eMdloti on Durban’s North Coast as part of restauranter Tyler Loome’s stable. Located below Tightline, it’s simply called The Room … think part bar, part listening room, part 1970’s music scene vibes.

Tristan gave us some insights into the design process behind The Room.

The brief

“The brief was to transform a subterranean space, previously 16 parking bays beneath an existing restaurant in Durban, into Durban’s coolest bar and lounge. With a personality as strong as its owner Tyler Loomes Tightline, Tyler’s) 

The concept

“It drew inspiration from the atmosphere, materiality and cultural excess of 1970s recording studios, aiming to create an immersive, music-driven environment that balances intimacy, energy and a strong, contemporary sense of place.”

Design challenges

“The primary challenge was time. We were tasked with designing and delivering the project within six weeks, requiring the enclosure of existing parking bays while simultaneously developing a resolved design and executing construction.

“This compressed timeline demanded decisive thinking and rapid coordination, but ultimately created a sense of creative freedom, allowing the project to evolve instinctively without over-analysis. It’s a process I likely won’t do again, but it was surprisingly so much fun … just throwing the kitchen sink at the design without time for any second guessing.”

Design results

“The result is a deeply immersive, atmospheric bar and lounge that translates the spirit of a 1970s recording studio into a contemporary experience. It has a soulfulness and it’s a space to be discovered through texture and detail, with some naughtier details scattered throughout [not in any of the print-ready imagery :) ]

“I love how we were given the creative freedom to create an acid trip-inspired (metaphorically) retro-futuristic space with no guard rails,  it has also been so motivating for our studio to create work in South Africa, something which we are allowing more studio time for.” | tristanduplessis.com

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COMPILED BY Martin Jacobs PHOTOS Elton Rocha, Elsa Young, Utkan Gunerkan, Michael Allen, Atelier Photography, Courtesy of Jeeves

Comforting tactile surfaces – marble, plaster, natural stone, textured paint, glazed tiles and raw timber – are key to today’s sanctuary bathroom, while natural and biscuit tones lend an authentic touch.

In a Barcelona warehouse conversion (pictured above), interior designer Noé Prades extends brick paving used on the adjacent patio into the bathroom, connecting the open shower to the outdoors. Exposed brick walls pair with untreated woods for an earthy look, while matt black fixtures nod to the apartment’s industrial beams. Source similar fixtures from Meir. noeprades.com | meirsa.co.za

Ballito-based interior designer Michele Throssell off sets the sleek surface of a freestanding tub with textured whitewashed rock walls in this KwaZulu-Natal project. Other tactile surfaces in the bathroom drive home the look. Source similar bathtubs at Duravit. michelethrossell.com | duravit.com

A fluted stone vanity and hammered sconce add the luxe factor to an already textured bathroom by South Africa’s Gregory Mellor Design. Tactile extremes are exaggerated by off setting these surfaces with a woven grasscloth, cork ceiling and bamboo blind. gregorymellor.com

“We layered raw stone, handcraft ed tiles and natural wood to create a tactile experience that’s both organic and refined,” says Kelsey Boyce of Durban-based Fyfe Boyce Interior Design about this bathroom. “The artwork adds softness, balancing the materiality with a sense of warmth and depth.” For a handcraft ed look, consider tiles from Wolkberg Casting Studio. fyfeboyce.co.za | wolkbergcs.com

Natural stone – like this Persian tumbled red travertine used by architect Utkan Gunerkan in a Milan apartment – applied from floor to ceiling on as many walls as possible will introduce a spa-like element to a bathroom. He paired it with micro-cement flooring. “To keep the look clean, I didn’t want shutters or curtains,” he says, “so the windows are smart glass, frosting at a click.” utkangunerkan.com

In this striking marble bathroom, interior designer Ryan Saghian drives home the cocooning and luxurious drama that using a single material can bring. Natural-stone specialists, including WOMAG, can offer invaluable advice when considering a stone bathtub. ryansaghian.com | womag.co.za

Black fixtures, including a Spartan F heated towel rail by Jeeves, pair well with concrete for a Zen-like industrial look. The material used for the flooring is sculpted into a bath, its curved lines introducing softness to an otherwise austere space. For a similar effect, contact Cemcrete about the brand’s RenoCrete. jeeves.co.za | cemcrete.co.za

The grey colour of this freestanding bathtub makes it a point of focus in Australian interior stylist Tim Neve’s tone- on-tone bathroom. “It’s the textures that really enliven this space, introducing a comforting and earthy ambience,” he explains. “Adding matt bronze tapware makes it even more luxurious.” timneve.com

An oversized wooden tub is a statement-making addition to this rustic bathroom by Gregory Mellor Design. Placing it in the centre of the room not only draws attention to its uniqueness, but also connects it with views of the outdoors. The tub is half of a large oak wine barrel, procured by the client on a whim. It had to be sanded very smooth to remove all splinters, and then thoroughly sealed with a waterproof product. Unlacquered brass tapware elevates the look. gregorymellor.com

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WORDS Steve Smith PHOTOS Marijke Willems, Sarah de Pina, Supplied

Joburg-based design studio TheUrbanative is known for contemporary furniture and products that mix modern, minimalist shapes with rich African stories. Mpho Vackier and her team create designs that feel rooted, fresh, stylish – and deeply personal. Read the stories behind her most treasured objects, and you’ll understand exactly why.

My grandmother’s 1960s Coffee pot

“This coffee pot belonged to my grandmother Lydia, who I am named aft er. It is the only piece of hers that I have. The spout once broke, and we repaired it with glue and a touch of gold leaf, which feels fi tting because her strength always shone through the cracks. I oft en look at it and wonder when she bought it. Was it from the time she lived in Sophiatown before she was forced to move? Did she pack it carefully and take it with her because it mattered to her? I used to think it was such an odd and slightly ugly thing, but as I have grown older, I have come to love it more – and I’m grateful that I held on to it.

“My grandmother was gentle but sure of herself. I did not always understand her, but I learnt a great deal by watching how she moved through the world. This coffee pot reminds me of where I come from, and of the woman I learnt so much from about showing up as your most authentic self, every single time.”

Haberdashery Warrior by Anastasia Pather

“This artwork is one of my most treasured. Anastasia’s work explores the balancing act women are expected to perform. We must be everything to everyone all at once while navigating a world shaped by patriarchy. In her ‘Pretty Face’ collection, she plays with the idea of confidence as a kind of armour. She wraps strength in beauty. Prettiness becomes a shield that allows us to move through spaces that are not always kind to us. There is a quiet resistance in that approach.

“Haberdashery Warrior was one of the first artworks I ever purchased for my own collection. Buying it felt like a declaration that I was starting a life that would hold beauty, art and intention. It still brings me joy every day, and it holds pride of place in my home as a reminder of feminine power, creativity and the parts of ourselves that deserve to be seen and celebrated.”

My telescope

“When I was young and proudly nerdy growing up in Soweto, I dreamed of being an astronaut. Before engineering. Before design felt possible. I was obsessed with space, the idea of seeing worlds beyond our own. I wished I could have a telescope so I could feel a little closer to the stars.

“When I met my husband, I told him about that childhood dream of nerdy little Mpho who wanted to explore far away galaxies. While we were still dating, he remembered that story – and, on one of my birthdays, he surprised me with this telescope. He delivered a dream I had carried for decades. This telescope represents the way he supports every idea I dream up – even the ones that seem wild, unlikely or sometimes forgotten. He shows up with his whole heart, and he has done that since the beginning. When I look at this telescope, I think of the girl who wished for the stars, and the love that reminds her she can still reach for them.”

Moeke’s knitted baby toy and birth announcement bear

“When my son was born, my mother- in-law, and his Moeke’chocolat as she’s fondly known, brought a handmade wool baby toy and a customised birth- announcement bear filled with Belgian- chocolate-covered almonds (suikerboon), which is a traditional way of celebrating a baby in Belgium. The almond symbolises new life and fertility and, since the almond tree blooms early and its kernel is hidden inside its shell, it became a metaphor for the promise of growth. It was thoughtful, and personal.

“These two keepsakes sit where motherhood, heritage and belonging first came together for me. They remind me that, from his very first day, my son belonged to more than one world – and both were ready to love him.”

My son’s bracelets

“When my son was in Grade 9 and 10, he travelled to Nepal and Japan on school trips, and each trip came home with two bracelets. He chose them himself, carefully, and handed them to me with a mix of pride and awkwardness that made it even sweeter. That small moment was the beginning of a tradition. When he travels, he brings me a bracelet; when I travel without him, I bring him cheesy touristy keepsakes that crack him up. It has become our inside joke and our way of staying connected.

“I cherish these bracelets because they carry a piece of him. They remind me that even when he is on the other side of the world, he is thinking of me. They hold the feeling of watching him grow more independent while still wanting me to be part of his adventures. Whenever I wear them, which is oft en, they keep him present in my day-to-day life, even when he is far from home.”

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

“My favourite book and the one I return to almost every year is The Night Circus. It inspires my imagination in a way few other stories do. Every time I open it, I’m transported to a world that is magical and mysterious, but also somehow familiar. I know the characters and the scenes vividly in my mind, like they live there. It feels like stepping into a space where creativity is allowed to run free.

“I tell everyone about this book because it reminds me of the power of storytelling. It explores big themes like love, sacrifice, creativity, time and community, which continue to resonate with me each time I reread it. The story unfolds visually and emotionally, and I fi nd myself imagining the circus in my own way. That feels close to the way African stories are oft en told, where you build the characters in your mind and the magic exists partly in what is left unsaid. It reminds me to stay curious and to keep imagination at the centre of what I do.”

The kilted skirt

“I grew up in a matriarchal family filled with strong women. All my aunts and my mom have worn this kilted skirt. As a girl, I used to watch them heading out into the world in it, and I would wonder when it would be my turn. Now it is mine and I treasure it.

“The fabric is worn down in places, and the pleats do not sit quite as sharply as they once did, but that makes its history feel even richer. I have no idea who it belonged to first, but each woman who’sworn it has added something of herself to it. Some of the strongest women I know chased their dreams in this skirt. They made big decisions. They built families. They found their voices. And now it has become part of my story too.

“Every winter I bring it out and put it on. It feels like an heirloom passed down through generations, even though it was never formally declared as one. When I wear this skirt, I feel all of them with me. It reminds me of where I come from, and of the women who raised me to stand firm in who I am.”

My thrifted Vivienne Westwood boots

“I fell in love with these boots the first time I saw them. Thrifted, slightly worn and bursting with personality, they are joy in shoe form. I love how whimsical they are. Whenever I wear them, I feel a little spark of freedom. Vivienne Westwood believed fashion could be a statement. She used design to challenge norms, stir imagination and celebrate individuality. Her work was rooted in craft , heritage and a touch of rebellion. These boots feel connected to that same spirit in their own way.

“They take pride of place in my dressing room. They reflect how I see creativity – bold yet grounded, playful yet real. They remind me to embrace whimsy in my work; to trust my ideas and stay curious about what design can become. I wear them for the style… and for the story they carry, one of discovery and fearless expression.”

The Nyika overcoat

“The Nyika overcoat is the result of a collaboration between TheUrbanative and Romaria Knitwear. It’s part of the Kusafiri collection, which opened a new creative door for me. It allowed me to explore clothing design, something that has always been close to my heart. My mom was a seamstress, and for many years I believed I would become a fashion designer. This piece feels like a quiet nod to that early dream.

“The name Nyika is a Swahili word meaning wilderness or hinterland. The design draws from the patterns and textures found on the Nyika Plateau in Malawi, known for its wildlife and rolling whaleback hills. Anyone who knows me knows that I love a good kimono-inspired silhouette, so this piece feels like the perfect fit for my personal style and for my creative journey. The Nyika overcoat represents the power of collaboration, the joy of storytelling through fashion, and the belief that old dreams can evolve into new realities.”

The Wambo pod chair

“The Wambo pod chair is part of our Outdoor Collection, yet its story and roots reach into both the African Crowns Collection and my grandmother’s garden, where I spent my childhood summers. Its woven mesh reminds me of her world – the textures of outdoor living, chickens roaming and afternoons under the trees. The form, with its long, curved ribs, draws from the remarkable eembuvi plaits worn by the women of the Mbalantu people of the Ovawambo tribe in Namibia, where hair could grow into elegant lengths that became a symbol of beauty and identity.

“The Wambo pod is special to me because it shows how stories can live in material things. It carries the memory of the women who shaped me, and a celebration of African heritage that continues to inspire my work. It proves that design can be functional and rooted, contemporary and full of history, personal and proudly communal all at once.” | theurbanative.com

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COMPLIED BY VISI PHOTOS Elsa Young/La Grange Interiors, Supplied, Francis Dzikowski/OTTO/v2comnewswire (New York Apartment), Warren HeaTH/Bureaux (Mossel Bay House), Paris Brummer (Camps Bay Villa)

The Essential Elements

Tiles have long been a great choice for bathrooms because of their hard- wearing and easy-to-clean qualities – but somewhere along the line, the rather ubiquitous use of glossy 20cm squares or beige rectangles with white grouting meant they weren’t always seen as the most appealing from an aesthetic point of view. Over the past few years, however, that’s all changed. Tiles are now beautiful and versatile as well as practical, making them the ideal bathroom material pick.

The current trends in tiles are so wide-ranging that you’re sure to find something that appeals to you among them. As seen on these pages, from wood-effect, stone-effect and the latest concrete-effect finishes to swathes of colour – or colour-blocking – created using sheets of mosaic, the possibilities are endless when it comes to both texture and colour.

Also worth noting is the plethora of boutique tile studios that have sprung up locally. If you’re looking for a truly special tile to form the focal point of your bathroom, check out the current offerings from Wolkberg Casting Studios, Veelvlak, Akashic Tiles and Rialheim.

Using well-established tile shapes in eye-catching patterns is also big right now: think a classic subway tile laid vertically rather than in the more conventional horizontal manner, or herringbone tiled walls and floors. KitKat tiles, old-school penny tiles and large-format tiles all work well in the right context too, especially when combined with other types of tiles (or natural materials such as stone or glass) to create textural and visual contrast. This is an area where advice from an expert will be especially valuable, so consider consulting an interior designer or specialist tiling store before making your final selection.

Make a Plan

“Ensure you have a designer, to assist with the placement of fittings,” says director of Victorian Bathrooms Jonathan Goodale. “Water supply and waste are very particular, so plotting them correctly in your space is vital, especially for the plumber to work from.”

His other key piece of advice? “Make sure you have a good plumber. I have seen stunning products installed shockingly. So many plumbers ignore the installation guides and assume they know better, then when it all goes wrong, we (the supplier) are blamed. All that headache can be avoided by having a competent plumber.”

Overall, planning a bathroom is a complex undertaking. Asked by international sanitaryware manufacturers Duravit for her step-by-step approach, Ulrike Fantoli-Senn of leading prefab home-building company WeberHaus recommends the following process.

1. Do an honest requirements analysis. Do you really need the bathtub, or do you prefer to shower?
2. Be flexible about your idea. The most beautiful bathroom ideas can fail due to structural circumstances or prevailing standards. Keep an open mind.
3. Stay decisive about the floor plan. It defines the entire project and cannot be fundamentally changed. Be realistic!
4. Trust your expert consultant. You don’t build or renovate a bathroom every day, but the experts do.
5. Think about tomorrow, today. A bathroom that meets your requirements today and in the future will support you in a wide range of life circumstances. A multigenerational, accessible bathroom design today ensures that you’ll be able to live independently and autonomously later.
6. Follow trends with proven staying power. A bathroom is built to have a useful lifespan of about 20 years – which means not every current fad is worth following.
7. Consider what is always “current”. For Ulrike, a timeless and classic design is the central factor – and she makes sure to instil this idea into everyone involved in the construction or renovation project. victorianbathrooms.co.za | duravit.com | weberhaus.co.uk

Go Bold

“I’m seeing bold patterns on bathroom tiles, and textured tiles too, which is a trend I love. Some even feel like velvet,” says Bilala Mabuza, founder and creative director at Cocoon Lifestyle, of tile trends. As the entirely different bathroom spaces on these pages demonstrate, whether you’re keen to transform your shower into a slice of sunshine or create artfully patterned monochrome eff ects, the right tile to help you realise your chosen look is definitely out there.

A word of warning in terms of falling in love with a look you see online: as with every element of an interior decor scheme, it’s important to see the bathroom finishes and fixtures you have your eye on in person before taking the plunge and placing an order. “I always advise my clients to touch and feel the product they are interested in purchasing,” says Kirsten Stigling, interior designer at Lavo Bathroom Concepts. “Going to showrooms to touch and try products will give you a better sense of the product quality and proportions, which you don’t get with online purchases. Everybody is different, with unique requirements – which makes lying in bathtubs and sitting on toilets essential before making a purchase.” cocoonlifestyle.co.za | lavo.co.za

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WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Gina Dionisio; Cape Town Furniture Week / Hannah St Clair 

A totemic field is not merely a collection of objects but a charged system organised around symbols that carry presence and gravity. Meaning emerges through proximity, repetition, and exchange. In The Totemic Field – a collaborative exhibition by Joburg-based furniture designers Mash.T Design Studio, TheUrbanative, and multidisciplinary design studio Hoven – these ideas found compelling material expression.

Curated by Nisha van Hoven, the showcase was an artful exploration of the contemporary totemic – where waste, error, and experimentation are not by-products of design but generative forces, producing functional forms that quietly hold collective meaning. “They are definitely not static objects, they are very much adaptive systems. So you will see part lamp, part structure, part object. They refuse fixed identities,” says Nisha.

Featuring new pieces and prototypes, the exhibition positioned modularity not only as a functional strategy but also as a philosophy grounded in circularity, collaboration, and expressive African design. Each piece became a vessel of memory and intention, shaped by material, labour, and the many hands involved in its making.

For Thabisa Mjo of Mash.T Design Studio, the showcase highlighted the brand’s continued journey of generational artisanship, collaboration, and learning. “This story revolves around our metal spinner, Grandpa Jackson. We asked him to teach one of our young artists how to spin. And so this is the result of a year-long apprenticeship,” she says, pointing to the prototypes.

As the apprentice worked towards mastering the spinning process – a technique that resulted in the new Axis Collection – many components naturally didn’t make the cut. These were assembled into imperfect prototypes, such as the Mad Hatter, a standing lamp that embraces the imperfections of its materials, revealing a new aesthetic in which waste tells a story.

Mpho Vackier, founder and designer of TheUrbanative, presented new and reimagined pieces from the African Crowns, Homecoming, and Ndebele collections. “We wanted to push the materials and push ourselves,” she says. Among the pieces on display was the Fula Chair, upholstered in Mungo double-cloth fabric with a blue-stained natural ash seat – a progression from the Fulani Chair. “This chair has lived many, many lives. I think there are five versions. It was first made in steel, then charred red oak, and now we’ve revisited it in colour,” explains Mpho.

Crafted from solid kiaat and stained a deep rosewood, the Phondo Mirror is another addition to the 2018 African Crowns Collection. “This piece is exciting for us because we are known for working in steel, not timber,” says Mpho. “As novices in timber work, we wanted to push ourselves to see if we could integrate the things that we’ve learned from metalworking into working in timber.”

Each piece on display in The Totemic Field reflected the fluid and negotiated nature of contemporary making and collective life. Through time, labour, and exchange, the exhibition revealed the totemic field not as a fixed object to be observed, but as a living practice shaped collectively. mashtdesignstudio.com | theurbanative.com | hoven.co.za

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The moment you realise a space is beautifully designed is rarely the moment you notice the individual materials. It is the quiet rhythm of grout lines across a floor. The way a basin sits naturally against a wall. The way light moves across a surface and catches the finish of a tap.

This is where design reveals itself. Between the lines.

In a thoughtfully designed interior, the visible surface is only part of the story. The real character of a room lives in the relationships between materials: tiles accented by paint, basins paired with tapware. Using texture and lighting to create a space that feels calm, balanced and considered.

The Styling Between the Lines promotion from Stiles celebrates these subtle design moments. Launching on 25 March 2026 across eleven showrooms nationwide, this event offers up to 40% off a curated selection of tiles, sanitaryware and tapware.

Whether you are renovating a bathroom, refreshing a kitchen or planning a new build, this promotion offers an opportunity to bring thoughtful design into every surface of your home.

Beautiful interiors are rarely accidental. They are built one careful decision at a time.

Products to Explore

For bathrooms, discover selected Duravit sanitaryware, including the refined D-Neo Counter Top Basin and the Happy 2D rimless wall-mounted toilet pan, available in both white and anthracite finishes.

Tapware options include the sleek Blutide Neo stainless steel basin mixers, available in tall and standard formats, alongside concealed shower mixers, diverter mixers and bath mixers. The Blutide Sage accessory range adds practical elegance with brushed stainless steel robe hooks, shower shelves, soap baskets, towel rails and towel rings.

In the kitchen, the Blutide Neo sink mixer and the pull-out sink mixer combine clean design with everyday functionality.

The promotion also includes exceptional value on the Hansgrohe Talis E range, featuring basin mixers, bath diverter mixers and shower arms, together with co-ordinated accessories.

As cooler months approach, the Jeeves Spartan Heated Towel Rail and the Etienne Sanware Oval LED Demister Mirror offer thoughtful comfort and convenience.

Tiles remain at the heart of the collection. Discover special pricing on Etienne Tiles Highveld Greige and White, as well as Griqua Stone Grey and White tiles. Inspired by South African landscapes and crafted in durable porcelain, the Etienne range brings calm texture and natural elegance into the home.

Further highlights include the AB Tiles Industrial Hall range, Enon Conglomerate, selected designs from the exclusive Funky Tiles collection, and large-format Florim slabs including the I Classici and Les Origines options.

Discover the full Styling Between the Lines promotion at Stiles showrooms nationwide, or explore inspiration and product selections online.

Beautiful spaces are created in the details. Sometimes, the most important design decisions happen between the lines.

The post Styling Between the Lines appeared first on Visi.

WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Supplied

Amura by Ángel León is an immersive experience that showcases the ocean’s depth, texture, and mystery through the art of food. Marking his first venture beyond his native Spain, he takes the helm as culinary director of the restaurant.

“To cook in Cape Town is to feel the ocean from another angle, another culture, another heartbeat,” says Chef Ángel León. “Here the sea speaks with a different salt, a different light. Amura is born from the desire to celebrate those nuances… We didn’t come to impose; we came to learn.”

The marine-led restaurant has been named as the winner of this year’s Eat Out VISI Style Award – an accolade that celebrates spaces where design and dining exist in complete harmony. The award exemplifies how intelligent design choices can elevate ambience, create memorable moments, and complement the chef’s vision on the plate.

Designed by internationally acclaimed South African interior architect Tristan du Plessis, Amura is inspired by the poetry of the sea and the romance of grand ocean liners from a bygone era. Crafted timber, rich leathers, rattan, and curved forms translate into a contemporary, luxurious, and cinematic design.

Deep greens and kelp-forest shadows set the tone, warmed by timber and burnished bronze. Intimate lighting echoes the filtered glow of underwater forests, while gentle curves and tactile surfaces evoke the hull of a ship gliding through deep water. A double-height wine library anchors the room, its Champagne, red, and white selections accessed by a classic library ladder. It is theatre and cellar in equal measure – functional yet deeply artistic. | belmond.com

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WORDS Jo Buitendach PHOTOS Paul Croes, Studio Leyssen, Courtesy of Joe Kram, Pline, Bellomente, Kansallisarkisto, Henry Townsend, Supplied

Swirling lines, whimsical florals and golden flourishes have been reimagined, with AI and 3D-driven design giving the century-old Art Nouveau style a sleek new twist. Decorative, daring and unashamedly curvy, this revival proves that excess, when done right, never goes out of fashion.

The essentials

Art Nouveau broke the rules long before breaking rules became cool. Between 1890 and 1910, it rebelled against the prevalent industrial sameness with flowing curves, organic forms and lush motifs pulled straight from nature. Known as Jugendstil in Germany, Sezessionstil in Austria and Modernisme in Spain, it shaped everything from buildings and furniture to jewellery and glassware. Think Hector Guimard’s Paris Métro entrances, Victor Horta’s sinuous staircases, Antoni Gaudí’s Barcelona dreamscapes, Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s geometry, and Alphonse Mucha’s romantic posters. Art Nouveau was about dissolving the boundaries between art and life, and making everyday beauty the ultimate luxury.

The comeback kid

Fast-forward to 2025, and Art Nouveau is having a major moment. Driven by a cultural swing towards maximalism and organic form, designers are rediscovering its curves, craftsmanship and character. Vintage finds are colliding with modern lines to create interiors that feel layered and personal; signature shapes and stylised florals are being reworked through new materials and tech; and AI and design apps spin out digital versions of Art Nouveau buildings and furniture that haven’t existed until now. The movement’s sensual energy is thriving in an era of remix culture, where experimentation meets luxury and nostalgia gets a bold new edge.

Modern makers and muses

Stained glass and Art Nouveau have always been soulmates. The movement’s flowing lines and organic motifs suit the glow of coloured glass perfectly. That influence lit up Oscar de la Renta’s 2024 autumn collection, where acrylic appliqué mimicked the shimmer of stained glass on fluid gowns. | oscardelarenta.com

In Dorset, artist Flora Jamieson restores historic stained glass but makes her mark with work inspired by nature, geometry and bold colour. Her pieces marry traditional technique with graphic clarity – old craft , new mood. | florajamieson.co.uk

Street artist Shepard Fairey, of Barack Obama “Hope” poster fame, frequently borrows Art Nouveau’s ornate borders and integrated lettering to frame his political messages, giving modern protest an elegance of a bygone era. | obeygiant.com

Belgium’s Peter Donders fuses traditional craftsmanship with 3D tech in his Cyber Art Nouveau series, echoing Victor Horta’s flowing lines in sculpted digital forms. His pieces, which feel both handcrafted and futuristic, are proof that craftsmanship isn’t going anywhere – it’s just upgrading its tools. | peterdonders.com

Across the Atlantic, Chris Wolston’s exhibition “Gilding the Lily” at The Future Perfect in New York turned Art Nouveau’s ornamentation into sculptural modernity, with sand-cast metals, woven tapestries and upholstered curves coming together in exuberant form. His first museum show opened at the Dallas Contemporary in November this year – the perfect stage for Art Nouveau’s next act. chriswolston.com | thefutureperfect.com

The new Nouveau style edit

Ornate. Organic. Overflowing with personality – the new Art Nouveau is confident, not coy. Think lush wallpapers, statement lighting and sculptural forms that flirt with nostalgia but live in the now. Start with the standout Fleur cabinet by Kare, with its floral motifs and jewel tones; add the Gloria table’s playful, almost organic presence; and finish with a Glitter Dragonfly scatter cushion – a subtle wink to the era’s fascination with iridescence. kare-design.com

The Flora 2-seater couch nails the balance of then and now. Its curvy, sculpted upper sits lightly on slim legs, the contrast between soft padding and cool metal layering modernity over unmistakable Art Nouveau curves. sofacompany.co.za

Light the scene with a Corrientes chandelier by Eichholtz – its flexible arms and sinuous silhouette bring an industrial touch to an otherwise romantic form. corefurniture.co.za

Channel Liberty-era glamour with St Leger & Viney’s collection of Liberty & Co fabrics, from peacock feathers to curling vines – perfect for anything from a scatter cushion to a statement sofa. stleger.co.za

And for walls? Cara Saven’s Guest List wallpaper is a subtle Asian nod, complete with golden cranes and serene greenery – a quiet kind of drama. carasaven.com

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WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Supplied

Designed by K2 Space Design, the Boys of Soweto store in Braamfontein marks a confident evolution for the community-based brand, recognised for its bold, graphic garments. Here, the architecture is intentionally restrained, allowing the clothing to become the primary focus.

Stepping through the door, your eye is immediately drawn inward, as the ceiling establishes a strong visual presence – a signal that this is something other than a typical retail interior. “The idea for the ceiling came straight from the brand’s visual language,” says Ivan Kirstein, owner and creative director of K2 Space Design. Rather than receding into the background, the ceiling becomes an active element of the store’s identity – expressive yet carefully controlled. “Boys of Soweto is graphic, rhythmic and bold, so we used a brand motif to create a signature gesture you can read from the street. It is not just decoration. It pulls you into the store and anchors the interior around one clear identity move,” he adds. Executed in durable, replaceable vinyl panels, the ceiling balances visual impact with the practical demands of a high-traffic retail environment.

Inside, oversized angled mirrors reintroduce the ceiling from shifting perspectives, catching it in reflection as you move through the space. “We treated the mirrors as architectural tools, not effects. The angles were measured and tested on site so the reflections sit at the right height, pick up the ceiling clearly, and avoid any funhouse distortion,” explains Ivan. As visitors move, the ceiling reappears in reflection, visually extending the depth of the space. Positioned where visitors naturally pause, the mirrors also frame the interior for photography and shared moments without feeling staged.

Reflection recurs throughout the store. Steel clothing rails follow gentle browsing arcs rather than rigid aisles, softening circulation while subtly echoing the ceiling’s graphic energy. The custom-designed couch grounds the space, translating the brand’s visual identity into a tactile, inhabited form. Together, these elements create a layered environment where bold gestures are balanced by warmth and restraint.

At the heart of the store sits a sculptural centrepiece that doubles as a point of sale and DJ counter. Acting as both social anchor and wayfinding marker, it naturally draws visitors together without enforcing a formal queue. “Boys of Soweto is a community brand, so we wanted a clear gathering point that feels like part of the culture of the store,” says Ivan. Cantilevered, it appears to float within the space, anchoring the interior while allowing the brand’s performative social energy to unfold naturally around it. “The rounded form softens the space and lets people gather around it from multiple sides without creating a hard ‘queue line’,” he adds.

The store’s intentionally quiet material palette and Japanese-inspired lighting play a key role in shaping the atmosphere. Rather than competing with the strong natural daylight entering the store, artificial lighting is layered to balance shifting conditions from day to night. “Our lighting strategy was about restraint and softness, in the same way Japanese interiors use calm, paper-like diffusion rather than harsh brightness,” notes Ivan. “We kept the overall ambience warm so the space feels unhurried, then used a slightly cleaner accent light on the clothing so colour and texture read true.” Ambient glow, soft wall washes, and focused spotlights work in layers, keeping the space warm while ensuring garments read clearly.

The effect is deliberately unhurried, shifting retail from transaction toward cultural experience – a space designed to slow the pace, inviting visitors to pause and become immersed in the brand’s world. k2spacedesign.com | boysofsoweto.co.za

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WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Supplied

For the show, the Cour Carrée of the Musée du Louvre was transformed into a neo-landscape evoking an imagined natural world. The space dissolved boundaries between interior and exterior, setting the stage for a journey suspended between reality and speculation.

This isn’t the first time the natural world has inspired the Maison’s scenography. For the Men’s Autumn/Winter 2026 Collection, Pharrell Williams centred the show on a wooden house – DROPHAUS – set amid a sprawling garden, proposing a vision of timeless living rooted in nature. Together, these scenographic gestures signal an ongoing dialogue within the Maison among the environment, architecture, and imagination.

Devised by production designer Jeremy Hindle – known for his work on Severance – the scenography for the Women’s Autumn/Winter 2026 Collection presented nature as an abstraction, seen through the prism of tomorrow. Models moved through a fluctuating pastoral environment, a living painting infused with a subtle sci-fi sensibility.

The garments echoed this tension between familiarity and otherworldliness. Shaped as if by wind, rain and sun, the silhouettes suggested lives in motion across vast terrains. Flora and fauna left their imprint: reinvented animalier patterns appeared on canvas and denim, while imagined flowers sculpted in leather functioned as both ornament and armour.

The collection ultimately became a celebration of hyper-craft. Through three-dimensional printing and resin techniques, the Maison reinterpreted natural materials – leather grained to resemble wood, mineral-like buttons, and heels shaped like antlers. Rather than imitation, these transformations proposed a sublimation of nature, where advanced technology met the enduring ingenuity of human artisanship, reframing the natural world within a future-forward digital reality. | eu.louisvuitton.com

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