For a long time, gardening was something we tended to associate with our parents and grandparents: established gardens, inherited knowledge and years spent learning which plants thrived where. Then came the pandemic, a renewed appreciation for nature and the rise of the ‘plant parent’, as a younger generation discovered the joy of filling windowsills, balconies and living spaces with greenery.

Today, the boundaries are far less clear. You don’t need a large garden, years of experience or even a traditional garden to call yourself a gardener.

And as Garden Day returns on Sunday 18 October, the celebration is as much about enjoying the green spaces we have as it is about how we grow in them. This year’s theme, ‘From Garden to Table: Grow, Gather, Celebrate’, embraces the many ways gardens can feed, connect and enrich our lives.

We asked three young South African gardeners what they think the future of gardening looks like and their answers point to a more relaxed, practical and personal approach.

You don’t have to be born a gardener

For Comine Joubert, a horticulturist at Babylonstoren, one of the ideas worth leaving behind is that gardening ability is something you’re either born with or you aren’t.

There may be people who seem to have an instinctive understanding of plants, she says, but gardening knowledge can be developed. The more time you spend observing your plants and understanding their individual needs, the more confident you become.

It is an approach that makes gardening feel much more accessible. You don’t have to know everything before you start, and you certainly don’t have to get everything right.

Comine also believes that gardens don’t need to be perfectly manicured to be successful. Allowing certain areas to grow more naturally can create habitat for insects and other wildlife while taking away some of the pressure to keep every corner immaculate.

For Mosa Seshoene, gardener and founder of Farminist, that sense of individuality is fundamental. A garden should reflect the person who uses it rather than conform to one universal idea of what a ‘good’ garden looks like.

Grow what interests you

That freedom extends to what goes into the garden.

Mosa believes gardeners should experiment rather than automatically return to the same familiar crops every year. If spinach and cabbage are regular staples, why not try Chinese cabbage or different varieties of greens?

It is not only about keeping the growing space interesting. Trying different vegetables can introduce families to new flavours and may even encourage children to become more curious about what they eat.

There is also an opportunity to rethink where the food garden belongs.

Landscape designer Ian Dommisse believes the productive garden deserves to be treated as part of the home’s living space rather than something that has to be tucked away at the back.

A vegetable garden can have attractive pathways, seating, a pergola, a water feature or somewhere to eat. In other words, the place where you grow food can also become one of the places where you spend the most time.

Small spaces can still grow plenty

The younger generation of gardeners is also challenging the idea that you need a large plot of land to grow your own food.

Hydroponics, vertical growing systems and containers all make it possible to produce food in smaller spaces, while microgreens can be grown quickly with very little room.

But growing food doesn’t have to become a complicated project. Mosa points out that a simple container filled with good potting soil can be enough to get started. A bucket, planter or suitable recycled bag can all become growing space. For people living in apartments or homes with limited outdoor areas, movable planters offer another option. They can be moved around as the seasons change or as the gardener’s needs evolve.

The same principle applies to ornamental plants. Containers, rocks and other unconventional spaces can all provide opportunities to grow.

The lawn doesn’t have to disappear

The traditional lawn is another gardening convention being reconsidered.

Neither Ian nor Comine believes lawns need to be eliminated. They have an important role to play when children need somewhere to run around or a family regularly uses the space for recreation.

The question is really about how much lawn you need and what the rest of the garden could be doing.

Ornamental grasses can provide movement and texture without needing to be mown, while groundcovers and other planting can introduce colour and habitat. At Babylonstoren, Comine has experimented with Roman chamomile, creeping thyme and alyssum as alternatives to conventional grass.

The result can be a garden with more variety and more opportunities for plants, insects and people.

Work with your garden, not against it

There is also a growing emphasis on understanding what a garden actually needs before reaching for the hose, fertiliser or secateurs.

Comine suggests checking beneath the surface of the soil before watering. What looks dry on top may still be moist underneath, and getting into the habit of checking can make gardeners much more conscious of how much water their plants really need.

Ian recommends starting with the soil itself. Adding compost and mulch builds organic matter and improves the soil’s ability to retain water. Matching plants to the conditions they naturally prefer can also reduce both water use and maintenance.

And sometimes, doing less can be beneficial.

Instead of automatically removing fallen leaves, gardeners can allow them to decompose naturally or incorporate them into mulch. The organic matter can enrich the soil and help it hold onto moisture, while also supporting the small organisms that form part of a healthy garden ecosystem.

Think beyond the season

The next generation of gardeners is also looking at the garden as something that should support life throughout the year.

Ian would like to see more thought given to what is available for pollinators during autumn and winter, when there may be fewer flowers for bees and other insects. Mosa expects to see increasing interest in indigenous and South African plants, many of which are naturally adapted to local conditions.

There is also growing interest in rain gardens and wetland-style soakaway gardens, which can slow rainwater down and allow more of it to soak into the ground rather than being rapidly channelled away.

It is a shift from simply asking what looks good to considering how the garden functions within its wider environment.

Make the garden work for you

Perhaps the most noticeable difference in the way these young gardeners approach gardening is that none of them seems particularly interested in creating a garden simply because they think they are supposed to.

If you love vegetables, grow vegetables. If you only have space for a few containers, make the most of them. If you have children who need somewhere to play, keep the lawn. If you prefer a slightly wilder garden, allow it to develop that way.

As Mosa puts it, “Your garden should fit into your life, not become another obligation.”

That may be the most useful lesson of all. Gardening doesn’t have to look a certain way, happen in a certain kind of space or belong to a particular generation.

It can be a balcony full of herbs, a collection of houseplants, a productive vegetable garden, a lawn surrounded by planting or a slightly wild corner where insects and plants are allowed to do their thing.

And perhaps that is what makes Garden Day such a fitting celebration. On 18 October, there is no particular kind of garden you need to have and no particular kind of gardener you need to be. The invitation is simply to notice what your green space gives you, share it with others and enjoy it.

Join the Garden Day celebration

On Sunday 18 October, gardens and green spaces across South Africa will become places to grow, gather and celebrate as Garden Day returns for its 11th year.

Its theme, ‘From Garden to Table: Grow, Gather, Celebrate’, invites South Africans to enjoy what their gardens provide – from food and flowers to the simple pleasure of spending time among plants.

For practical inspiration, the new Grow Guide offers month-by-month planting and sowing advice for South Africa’s different rainfall regions. Find it along with more Garden Day inspiration online. | gardenday.co.za

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WORDS Lori Cohen/Bureaux PRODUCTION Sven Alberding/Bureaux PHOTOS Greg Cox/Bureaux

You don’t expect to find a building that doesn’t quite behave like a house on an ordinary suburban street. Yet behind a high wall and the canopy of an old tree, Jonty and Lee-Ann Olmesdahl discovered a space that followed none of the usual rules. Once a sculptor’s studio, it opened in a single sweep: six metres of glass, a pitched roof and a tapering footprint that pulled the garden indoors.

“When we first opened the gate, it was like walking into a secret garden,” says Jonty. “You look up at a huge expanse of glass and roof, then back at these massive trees. It was spectacular.” The scale was irresistible, though almost everything inside needed undoing and rethinking. The floors were buried under years of paint and oil. The mezzanine cut awkwardly into the height. Two structural protrusions sat squarely in the fl ow of the room. “It was beautiful… and completely chaotic,” Lee-Ann recalls. “The light was incredible, but nothing worked.”

Both Jonty and Lee-Ann have 20-plus years in the fashion world under their belts, and across the house, it shows: this space is all about layering, harmony, the instinctive pairing of materials until something clicks. “It’s like styling an outfit,” says Lee-Ann. “You’re mixing textures, colours, proportions – until it just feels right.” Which is why the building’s unusual proportions didn’t unsettle them; they simply read the shape and added what made sense. Along one side, this instinct led to a full-height mirror wall. Timber slats cut to the exact dimensions of the facade’s mullions frame the mirror and bring the rhythm of the exterior indoors. The reflections soften the long, narrowing plan and create quieter moments in the tall space.

Opposite this, the main wall plus the two structural protrusions are clad in repurposed terracotta roof tiles sourced as damaged job lots. Jonty trimmed each tile by hand: intact edges for the fl at surfaces, smaller offcuts for shallow relief. Working with the tiles became a kind of puzzle, he says. Because each pallet of tiles came with different flaws, he had to sort through every piece, finding ways to use chips, variations and odd edges. The inconsistencies ended up giving the surface its texture and depth – a material that began as salvage became one of the most distinctive architectural gestures in the house. “Once those tiles went up, I knew I was committed to not going with a minimalist white space,” he says.

Where the mirror wall moves horizontally, the green-glazed bathroom tiles that wrap the protruding columns draw the eye upwards. They run floor to ceiling, and visually link the lower level to the mezzanine. The colour echoes the courtyard planting and adds a small lift of energy. “It was about creating layers,” says Lee-Ann. Together – mirror, roof tile, green tile – they give the space a structure it never had before.

With that rhythm set, the kitchen found its natural position. Originally tucked into the narrowest end of the plan, it was moved to the widest section to allow the living and dining areas to fl ow. Low cabinetry and open shelves keep the surfaces calm so the larger architectural elements remain the focus.

The staircase carries this language upwards. The original pine was stripped back and rebuilt, then finished with the same timber slats as those used on the mirror wall. Between them, narrow mirror panels catch the lines of the tiled walls below. From the mezzanine, the vertical system reads as one composition rising into the pitch of the roof.

Upstairs, the bedroom has a gentler feel. With glazing at both ends and skylights above, the light was intense through the day, and curtains were impossible. Jonty built a canopy bed from leftover timber to create a soft enclosure. Drapes can be pulled around it to temper the morning glare, and the air-conditioning unit is hidden above the frame. “It’s got a bit of that treehouse feel. It’s very serene,” says Lee-Ann. And the bathroom further extends the bold approach to materials: thick stone offcuts cover every surface, including as shelving across the window.

Outside, the courtyard echoes the proportions of the interior without repeating its finishes. Heat-treated pine clads the walls and decking, its warm tones picking up the terracotta used inside. A white perimeter wall shares dimensions with the internal slats, creating a subtle link when the doors are open. The planting is intentionally loose – monstera, palms, jasmine – and kept wild enough to soften the architecture.

The couple’s furniture choices follow the same instinctive mix. Jonty designed the outdoor table, stools and an indoor plinth from off cuts of stone and timber. Vintage chairs, reupholstered finds, and ceramics collected in Japan and Bali and on coastal weekends give the rooms personality without overwhelming them. What began as a paint-splattered workshop has become a home shaped by confident material reuse and brave decisions. And despite all that has changed, Jonty says the spirit of the place remains. “It had this creative energy from the moment we walked in. That part never left.”

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The post Cape Town House appeared first on Visi.

WORDS Neyani Mphephu PHOTOS Slater Studio

At the corner of Alpha and Lower Loop Streets in Cape Town’s CBD, a daily commute has become an encounter with African photography. The Mission for Inner City Cape Town has unveiled Alpha Street Gallery, a free, open-air exhibition that transforms one of the city’s busiest pedestrian routes – travelled by 8 600 people each weekday – into a space for pause and discovery.

The gallery presents two collections, curated by Ruby Schalit of ICLEI Africa and Shani Judes of SJ Artists. Unsung Heroes, developed through AfriFOODlinks’ #AfricanCITYFOODMonth photography competition, features winning images selected from more than 180 submissions by photographers across the continent. The collection celebrates the often-unseen individuals who sustain urban food systems – informal traders, community growers, researchers, educators and custodians of traditional food knowledge. City in Motion, a retrospective drawing on six years of RISE Africa’s annual photography competitions, offers perspectives on how people experience, shape and reimagine cities, capturing the movement and complexity of African urban life.

SJ Artists and Orms bring a track record of outdoor photography to the project, having staged similar displays along the Sea Point Promenade. “Our vision has always been to create an Inner City that feels vibrant, welcoming and alive every day of the week,” says Brad Armitage, co-founder of Mission for Inner City Cape Town. “Every artwork, every activation and every investment in the public realm gives people another reason to walk, explore and reconnect with Cape Town.”

“Cities are remembered because of how they make people feel,” says Brad. “Public spaces should do more than simply move people from one place to another. They should spark curiosity, encourage people to stop, connect and experience the city differently.”

For Ruby, displaying the images in the heart of the city carries its own significance. “Bringing these images together helps us see African urban life in all its diversity and displaying them in the heart of Cape Town means those stories can now become part of thousands of people’s everyday journey through the city,” she says.

Shani sees the work as a means of strengthening how people relate to their surroundings. “When our cities celebrate local stories and lived experiences, public spaces become places of pride, connection and belonging,” she says.

Free to visit, Alpha Street Gallery invites commuters, residents and visitors alike to encounter African photography in an unexpected setting – proof that some of Cape Town’s most inspiring galleries have no walls at all. missionforinnercity.org | africa.iclei.org

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For 25 years, @home has been part of that story. The couch that draws everyone closer. The table around which friendships deepen. The bedding that welcomes you at the end of the day. Every piece becomes part of a home that is not simply styled, but truly lived in.

What began as a vision for inspiring homeware has evolved into a destination for homeware, furniture, decor, bedding and gifting, bringing together considered design, enduring quality and exceptional brands for every room.

Made to Gather

Homeware

For every meal that became a memory, @home has brought functional design and purpose to the table. Its kitchen and entertaining collections span cookware, appliances, dinnerware and hosting essentials, with sought-after and exclusive brands including Sage, Robert Welch, GreenPan, Cuisine::pro, Haden, Sur La Table as well as well-loved brands such as Le Creuset, Nespresso and KitchenAid.

These are pieces designed not simply for the kitchen or table, but for the moments that happen around them.

Made for Living

Furniture

The best furniture does more than complete a room. It becomes part of how that room is lived in. From the couch everyone gathers on to the dining table at the heart of celebrations, @home offers quality furniture for living, dining, bedroom and outdoor spaces. Each collection combines function and considered design to help create spaces that feel curated, personal and made for living.

Rest, Reimagined

Bedding

Late-night conversations, breakfast in bed and the simple pleasure of coming home. The bedroom holds some of life’s quietest moments.

@home brings together bed linen, duvets, pillows and protectors in quality materials including Egyptian cotton and cotton percale. Trusted and exclusive brands include Granny Goose, Grace Collection and Guesthouse Collection, alongside Fortywinks SleepSync mattresses, creating a considered destination for better rest.

Worth Giving

Gifting

For 25 years, @home has helped make every gesture feel more meaningful. From home fragrance, vases, candles or picture frames to cookware, coffee essentials and elegant pieces for entertaining, @home offers gifts that feel considered, elevated and just indulgent enough. Whether it is a wedding, housewarming, milestone celebration or a small gesture, an @home gift turns the occasion into something worth remembering.

The story of home continues

Homes change. Families grow. Styles evolve. Yet the desire to create spaces that reflect who we are remains.

For 25 years, @home has helped us cook, host, rest, furnish, decorate and celebrate with intention. As the next chapter begins, it remains a destination for the pieces that shape how we live and the memories we create around them.

Here’s to the rooms still to be transformed, the tables still to be gathered around and the memories still to be made. Here’s to the next 25 years, @home. | athome.co.za

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WORDS Palesa Mohola PHOTOS Courtesy of Gallery MOMO

Gallery MOMO is no stranger to the American art scene. It has exhibited at art fairs such as EXPO CHICAGO since 2019 and at Navy Pier in April 2026, and maintains an artist residency with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. The Atlanta Art Fair is the next American chapter of that programme and marks Gallery MOMO’s first appearance at the fair.

Representing the gallery are two South African artists whose practices, though distinct in medium and approach, share a deep engagement with identity, memory and heritage.

Fhatuwani Mukheli is a Johannesburg-born multi-disciplinary artist whose work often centres on the relationship between parent and child. Working in acrylic paint, charcoal, fineliner and spray paint, he gravitates towards earthy reds drawn from his Venda heritage.

Blessing Blaai is a Johannesburg-based visual artist and muralist trained in painting, drawing and printmaking. He works across oil, acrylic, watercolour, ink and mixed media.

The works that will be showcased at this year’s fair comprise paintings and mixed-media pieces, including Fhatuwani’s A Study of Freedom, a large four-panel painting, and Blessing’s Surmount, a mixed-media artwork.

We spoke to both artists, who gave us insight into the creative process behind their works for the Atlanta Art Fair:

Can you walk us through your creative process, from planning your piece to the final product, and what was your favourite part of making your exhibition piece?

Fhatuwani Mukheli: “My process is quite layered and can be lengthy because I find inspiration everywhere. I read a lot of art books, Renaissance books and art history, looking at the stories artists were telling at the time and imagining my own life and reality within them. I’m also constantly collecting references, colours, compositions, clothing, poses, light, music and things I see in everyday life.

“From there, I sketch and build compositions, sometimes reimagining historical works and sometimes creating completely new stories rooted in my upbringing and where I come from. My favourite part is when all those different references finally come together and the work begins to feel like my own world.”

Blessing Blaai: “Process starts from a collection of drawings and references (new and old) which basically form my “library”. I take cut-outs I’ve made, drawings and other motifs and combine them to form the base of the artwork, which is done as an underpainting. Once happy, I start the next step where I section each part of the work using masking tape (which has become both tedious but very satisfying at the end), then paint.

“Once dry, I pull off the tape, which has become my favourite part as I get to see the results for the first time.”

What new ways of creating did you experiment with when putting together this piece, and how did they improve the quality of your work?

FM: “I’ve been experimenting more with how I build compositions and how different references can exist within one image. Instead of simply recreating a historical composition, I take elements from different places, Renaissance imagery, photography, contemporary African life, clothing and my own memories, and reconstruct them into something new.

“This has allowed the work to become more layered and intentional. I’m thinking beyond just making a beautiful image and asking what every gesture, object, pose and compositional decision contributes to the story.”

BB: “In my recent works, I’ve approached them as if I’m doing a multicolour linocut, which has allowed me to place elements harmoniously, giving a nice uniform look while creating depth.”

What story do you hope to tell with your art piece?

FM: “I want the work to feel like a reflection of my life, my upbringing and the people and communities that shaped me. At the same time, I’m interrogating art history, particularly Renaissance art, and asking what those images might have looked like if people who looked like me had been given the same dignity, beauty and monumentality.

“In many ways, my work is about deconstructing history and reconstructing it through my own perspective, placing Black people at the centre of stories where we were historically absent.”

You are trained in painting, drawing and printmaking, and work across oil, acrylic, watercolour, ink and mixed media. How did you ensure that your different ways of creating were represented and still balanced in your piece?

BB: “Within the different mediums that I’ve learned to use, each has come with a certain principle that I keep. For example, when working with ink on paper, all works had to be clean even if the process was messy (which is very aesthetically pleasing). This is one of the rules I’ve applied to the final look of my works.”

How does the surrounding environment and natural landscape influence or inspire your work?

FM: “My environment is a huge part of my work. I grew up in Soweto, but my family history and Venda heritage are also deeply connected to how I see the world. I’m inspired by landscapes, homes, family spaces, people, clothing, textures and even the colours around me.

“But environment for me isn’t only physical. It’s also the music I’m listening to, conversations I’m having, things happening around me and memories from my childhood. Inspiration is everywhere; I’m constantly looking.”

What feeling do you hope audiences get when they view your artwork?

FM: “I hope there is an immediate sense of beauty, dignity and presence, but I also want people to stay with the work long enough to question what they are seeing. I want them to recognise something familiar while also seeing history from a different perspective.

“Ultimately, I want the work to feel human. Even though I’m having a conversation with art history, the people in my paintings come from my world. I want audiences to see Black people represented with tenderness, strength, beauty and the same sense of importance that has been given to figures in classical art for centuries.”

BB: “I want the audience to feel an array of emotions (depending on the piece they are looking at), but the overall purpose is for them to feel like they fit into the piece despite the emotions they’re experiencing.”

The Atlanta Art Fair continues to be a platform for cultural enrichment and artistic exchange. Now in its third edition, the fair takes place from 1–4 October 2026 at Pullman Yards in Atlanta, bringing more than 70 galleries from around the world. gallerymomo.com | theatlantaartfair.com

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In the heart of Constantia Upper, a collection of six private homes is taking shape in one of the Southern Suburbs’ most outstanding locations.

The Collective comprises six individually conceived residences – Grove, Oak, Glen, Vale, Steen and Terra – each carefully designed around its position within the landscape. Set at 22 Ou Wingerd Road, the estate is tucked quietly towards the end of a peaceful cul-de-sac, with mature trees, layered gardens, mountain views and the vineyard valley beyond forming an integral part of the setting.

Priced from R34.5 million including VAT, the residences range from approximately 544m² to 589m² and have been conceived with an emphasis on proportion, materiality, natural light and the relationship between the home and its surroundings.

With only six homes, The Collective offers an unusually private expression of contemporary Constantia living.

Where Constantia Becomes Part of the Home

Constantia has a character that has been shaped over generations: tree-lined roads, mature gardens, vineyards, mountain views and a sense of permanence that is increasingly rare within Cape Town.

The Collective is deeply embedded within that landscape.

Positioned towards the end of a quiet cul-de-sac on Ou Wingerd Road, the homes enjoy a secluded setting while remaining close to the neighbourhood’s schools, vineyards, restaurants and everyday conveniences. Pedestrian access to Groot Constantia, directly opposite the estate, places one of Constantia’s most established landmarks within immediate reach.

The position also gives the residences an unusually strong relationship with the landscape beyond. Views extend across the vineyard valley, while mature planting and carefully positioned gardens create privacy around the homes.

Here, the setting is not an afterthought to the architecture – the setting was the guiding force behind the architecture.

Six Homes Shaped by Architecture, Landscape and Light

Each home has its own architectural character, while sharing a cohesive design philosophy.

Individually conceived and carefully positioned across the site, Grove, Oak, Glen, Vale, Steen and Terra each have a distinct relationship with the landscape. Generous openings draw natural light and greenery deep into the interiors, while carefully framed outlooks connect the homes to Constantia and beyond.

Covered terraces extend the living spaces towards private gardens and pools, creating a continuous relationship between indoors and outdoors. A considered landscape of mature planting and layered gardens gives each home its own sense of privacy and connection to the surrounding environment.

Together, the six homes form a considered composition – distinct residences brought together by a shared approach to architecture, materiality and an exceptionally attractive setting.

Designed Around the Way Life Unfolds

The Collective has been designed around how the homes will actually be lived in – from the way in which residents arrive, to where people gather, how light moves through the homes and how living spaces transition towards the garden.

Kitchens sit at the heart of each residence, with bespoke cabinetry and concealed sculleries supporting both everyday living and entertaining. Generous living and dining areas open onto covered terraces, landscaped gardens and private pools, allowing the homes to move naturally between indoors and outdoors.

Bespoke joinery, natural materials and carefully considered detailing continue throughout the residences, creating a material palette that feels warm, refined and enduring.

The intention is evident in the details: the positioning of an opening to frame a view, the relationship between a kitchen and garden, the transition from one material to another, or the way a room is proportioned for both intimate family life and larger gatherings.

All elements has been considered as part of the whole.

A New Build in Constantia – A Rare Occurrence

Newly built homes of this stature within Constantia Upper are incredibly scarce. The opportunity to acquire one within a private setting, with the scale and specification of The Collective, is rarer still.

The estate comprises just six residences, each offering five bedrooms and five bathrooms, with an additional guest cloakroom, generous entertaining areas, private gardens, swimming pools and double garages. Gated access with 24-hour monitoring provides an additional layer of security and peace of mind.

Completion is scheduled for Q1 2028.

A Developer Rooted in the Southern Suburbs

The Collective is being developed by Urban Space, whose portfolio of residential developments has focused particularly on security estates in some of the most exceptional locations within Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs.

Founded by Brendan O’Brien, Urban Space has built a niche around considered residential projects shaped by their setting, with a focus on proportion, context, long-term appeal and classic design.

The Collective marks O’Brien’s return to property development in Cape Town following five years spent in Ireland, during which time he worked closely with the Irish Government, to provide over 150 social housing units. His return to Cape Town – the place he considers home – makes The Collective particularly significant for O’Brien.

“I have, over the years, developed a deep passion for creating homes in Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs and to be launching a project that ties in very well with this passion, gives me an equally deep sense of gratitude,” remarks O’Brien.

The Invitation

The Collective will be released to the wider market on Wednesday, 21 October 2026 at 12pm, with sales taking place through Connect, Revo Digital’s interactive sales platform.

The development is brought to market by Revo Digital and sold exclusively by Revo Property.

With homes priced from R34.5 million including VAT, The Collective represents a rare opportunity to secure a newly built home within one of Constantia’s most established and sought-after settings.

Six residences. One private setting. A considered approach to every detail.

The post Urban Space Return with The Collective: Six Exceptional Homes in Constantia Upper appeared first on Visi.

WORDS Jo Buidendach PHOTOS Ilan Rubi/Courtesy of Knoll, Courtesy of Mitchell.E.Clar, Kenneth Dahli, Supplied

Some styles come and go – but Mid-century Modern never really got the memo. A regular on VISI’s pages and the team’s perennial favourite, it’s the kind of design that just works. Think the Eames chair, the Tulip table, the sculptural Noguchi coffee table – pieces you’ve seen countless times, and still want. Decades on, Mid-century Modern’s appeal feels less like nostalgia and more like common sense.

The Aesthetics

Broadly spanning mid-1940s to the late 1960s, Mid-century Modern is defined by clean lines, functional thinking and a quiet sense of optimism. Emerging in the post-war years, it marked a shift towards design that was both practical and accessible, with a belief that good design should shape everyday life. Designers stripped things back to what was important, using honest materials, considered forms and function-led thinking, while also embracing new industrial techniques. The result is furniture that feels as good as it looks: purposeful, accessible and enduring.

It isn’t a single look, but a set of distinct strands shaped by place, from American Modern’s focus on affordable, mass-produced design for everyday homes, to Scandinavian design’s soft er, more human approach, and the richer, more expressive languages of Brazilian and Italian Modernism. Less a style than a global design language, it still influences how we live today.

The Icons

The husband-and-wife team of Charles and Ray Eames reshaped 20th-century design – everything from furniture to architecture and film – from their Los Angeles-based Eames Office. They helped to popularise moulded plywood, plastics and wire mesh in modern furniture, most famously in the Eames lounge chair and their moulded plywood designs. Their work set a lasting benchmark for design that is both beautiful and practical, with accessibility at its core.

Raised in Michigan, Florence Knoll brought a rigorous architectural approach to furniture and interiors. After moving to New York in 1941, she partnered with Hans Knoll to build Knoll into a global modernist force. Through the Planning Unit, she defined the look of the post-war office. Modest about her own work, she called it the “meat and potatoes” of modern design – a quiet foundation that still shapes how we work and live. Her most iconic design, the 1954 lounge seating collection, pairs clean lines with tailored upholstery in a lounge chair, a sofa and benches.

Known for his functional, minimalist approach and “total design” philosophy, Arne Jacobsen was a key figure in Danish Modernism. He designed everything from buildings to furniture and lighting – including the Egg chair, the Swan chair and the Series 7 chairs. His AJ lamp, created in 1957 for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen, reflects his thinking with its clean, geometric form, and an angled shade designed to direct light precisely.

George Nelson, director of design at Herman Miller from 1947 to 1972, was a central figure in American Modernism. Alongside creating his own designs, including the Marshmallow sofa and Bubble lamps, he helped to shape the movement by championing emerging talent such as Charles Eames. Nelson’s Turbine clock (1957) captures the spirit of the era by turning a functional object into a playful, sculptural piece with a radiating starburst form.

Eero Saarinen was a Finnish-American architect and designer known for his work in architecture and furniture. His buildings, including the TWA Flight Center at JFK International Airport, are defi ned by sweeping sculptural forms. In collaboration with Knoll, he brought this same approach to furniture, moving away from traditional four-legged designs. His best-known pieces include the Womb chair (1948), designed for comfort with its low, enveloping form; and the Tulip chair (1956), which features a single pedestal base intended to simplify the visual clutter of conventional furniture.

Japanese-American Isamu Noguchi moved between sculpture, furniture and landscape design, bringing organic forms into Mid-century Modernism. Together with companies such as Herman Miller and Knoll, his work helped to bridge art and functional design. His most iconic piece, the Noguchi coffee table (1947), features a sculptural wooden base topped with glass.

The Legacy

Whether closely followed or loosely referenced, Mid-century Modern’s influence continues to run through architecture, interiors and product design – and below are just some of the names keeping that spirit alive.

Porto-based Essential Home takes its cues directly from Mid-century Modern design, drawing on the cinematic glamour of the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s, as well as the architecture of Palm Springs and the era’s most recognisable furniture. Rather than replicating the past, the brand leans into reinterpretation, pairing familiar forms with a more contemporary sensibility. Standout pieces include the Monocles sideboard, with its circular detailing and metal doors referencing the James Bond gun barrel motif; and the Hudson armchair – a confident, clean-lined take on a Mid-century classic. essentialhome.eu

Local design duo Katy Taplin and Adriaan Hugo of Dokter and Misses point to Mid-century Modern as a clear influence in their work, seen in pieces like the LALA cabinet and Loop lounger. As they put it, “Mid-century Modernism gave us our rock stars – Eames, Alvaro gave us our rock stars – Eames, Alvaro Aalto, Noguchi; designers who proved that precision and joy aren’t opposites. Mid-century is the foundation. What we build on top of it is about identity, place and what it means to make things here, now.” dokterandmisses.com

The Mid-century period was a particularly rich moment for textiles and wallpaper design, with atomic motifs, starbursts and geometric forms defining the look. English textile designer Helen Snell of 20th Century Cloth continues this legacy with hand-designed, UK- manufactured fabrics for interiors. “I don’t think there has been another period in history where design has been so strong across so many areas, from cars and architecture to fashion and interiors,” she says. “It all felt so new, and completely unlike anything that had gone before. I also love that so many of the influential textile designers of the time were women!” 20thcenturycloth.com

Cape Town-based Haldane, founded by Haldane Martin, is known for bold outdoor furniture that nods to modernist principles of clean lines, honest materials and functional clarity. And with its vibrant colour and distinctive geometric form, the Hula chair is both playful and nostalgic – a contemporary take on the Salterini hoop chairs of the 1950s that are still a familiar feature in South African gardens. haldane.co.za

While Frank Lloyd Wright was a foundational influence on Mid-century Modern design rather than a Mid-century figure himself, his work remains central to the aesthetic’s development. The Frank Lloyd Wright Racine Collection by Steelcase revisits the furniture he created for the SC Johnson Administration Building in Racine, Wisconsin in 1939. Rooted in his philosophy of organic architecture, the pieces merge form and function, with subtle updates in scale and materials for modern use bringing Wright’s vision into contemporary interiors. steelcase.com

American architect Kenneth Dahlin of Genesis Architecture, a firm specialising in Wrightian and organic architecture, points to the warmer, more organic side of Mid-century Modernism as a lasting influence on his work. “What continues to inspire me is the period’s sense of clarity, restraint and optimism, but also the way its best designers created work that felt closely tied to nature, human life and the character of materials,” he says. That thinking is evident in projects such as the Galena modern house, where strong geometric order, natural materials, and a close relationship between interior and exterior spaces reflect a contemporary continuation of the Mid-century ideal. Rather than a nostalgic reproduction, the work draws on the movement’s core belief that good design can elevate daily life. genesisarchitecture.com

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A stone counter moves, and the character of a kitchen changes. At blu_line, this is more than a technological gesture. It introduces a design philosophy in which architecture, material and human interaction are inseparable – and where experiencing a kitchen reveals considerably more than looking at one.

Inside the curated Showroom Campus in Bryanston, Johannesburg, kitchens form part of a larger architectural composition. The experience unfolds gradually, through a sequence of spaces shaped by proportion, light and texture. Each setting invites visitors to move closer, explore a detail and consider the relationship between an individual element and the environment it inhabits. The emphasis shifts from viewing products to discovering possibilities for living.

For more than two decades, blu_line has approached bespoke luxury kitchens through this dialogue between form and function. An island’s silhouette matters, but so does its relationship with the surrounding architecture. Materials contribute both visual impact and tactile character. Curation is the discipline that brings these decisions together, giving the kitchen an identity that extends beyond its finishes.

That thinking becomes particularly tangible through Sensorline. Developed in-house, its integrated technology introduces movement to stone counters, bringing another dimension to the architectural composition. The engineering serves the experience, allowing functionality to emerge while preserving the integrity of the design. This is architectural theatre with an everyday purpose: a kitchen whose presence is matched by its capacity to respond.

Through blu_line x, that experience becomes distinctly personal. Clients enter the creative process, exploring tailored proportions, curated materials and individually considered functionality. The attention extends inside the kitchen, where exclusive finishes and art-led detailing bring the same design intention to internal spaces. Personalisation becomes something encountered in daily use, as much as something seen from across a room.

For homeowners, architects and interior designers, the showroom offers an opportunity to understand these relationships at full scale: to feel a surface, experience movement and recognise how a kitchen can define an interior.

Visit the blu_line Showroom Campus at Coachmans Office Park, 4 Brian Street, Bryanston, Johannesburg, and begin a conversation about your own expression of curated kitchen architecture.| blu-line.co.za

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WORDS Palesa Mohola PHOTOS Courtesy of OSFHC

Building on the success of OSFHC’s inaugural event, this year’s festival will see over 30 artists exhibiting across 20 studios between Fish Hoek and Clovelly. The all-access art trail will be divided into three routes – Clovelly Route, Fish Hoek Route and Fish Hoek Mountain – and will include partner venues along the trails.

This year’s newcomers

Chris Bladen: a bronze sculptor whose finely detailed sculptures of fish and birds draw on his own fly-fishing and birdwatching experiences.

Mandy Lake: an oil painter with ocean-inspired abstractions.

Angela Buckland: a photographer with work exhibited at the Iziko National Gallery and Durban Art Gallery, and published in three books.

Nicolene Louw: an illustrator with pen-and-ink work as far afield as Switzerland.

Jasper Wolfeman: a multidisciplinary artist with paintings and sculptural floral arrangements.

Along with their artwork, artists have been challenged to create exciting, eco-friendly wine containers, with the public invited to vote for the best one.

What you need to know

The ticketed opening function for collectors and art lovers will take place at AP Jones, a department store on Fish Hoek Main Road, on Friday, 9 October, from 9am to 4pm – guests will be treated to a bespoke installation and live performance. Part of the ticket proceeds will be donated to Project Flamingo, an organisation that provides care for breast cancer patients within the public healthcare system.

The studios will open to the public for free on 10–11 October from 10am to 4pm. A full map with the route guide, studio locations and points of interest, as well as artist profiles and other information, is available online. openstudios.org.za | openstudiosfishhoekclovelly

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WORDS Palesa Mohola PHOTOS Elzaan van der Merwe

Born from a love for the timeless elegance of mid-century modern design, Botany House, a boutique retreat in Cape Town’s Gardens neighbourhood, is curated to blend urban living with leafy, suburban calm – making it the perfect place for unwinding fully while remaining connected to the city’s vibrant energy.

“There is an unmistakably calming, restorative feeling the moment you arrive at Botany House. The energy of the space is something that cannot truly be captured in words or images,” says Bianca Yedid Levi, co-founder of Botany House.

Though Bianca and her family often view properties for renovations or buy-to-let investments, curiosity led them to this one – and they fell in love with it instantly. It was the property itself that sparked their transition into wellness hospitality: a desire to share the experience of this remarkable place.

At its heart, the property boasts a garden with mature trees kept exactly where they stood, one enclosed within a greenhouse; a variety of beautiful tropical plants, including towering ferns and vibrant clivias spilling out around every corner; a stone-walled swimming pool nestled amongst the foliage, evoking the feeling of a natural spring; and tying it all together, a curved wooden deck that winds gently through the greenery.

“From the beginning, we knew that the magic of Botany House was rooted in its history, its mature gardens and that extraordinary feeling of being completely surrounded by nature. The intention was never to overpower any of that, but to reveal and enhance it. Working within the existing structure and landscape meant that every decision had to be thoughtful. The mature trees and established planting were not obstacles to work around,“ says Bianca. The existing greenery became part of the design itself, influencing the way spaces were planned and ensuring that nature remained at the heart of the property. “In the end, some of those limitations became our greatest strengths. They encouraged us to create something that feels layered and authentic, rather than overly perfected. The result feels very much of its place, which was always the intention.”

Inside, the same attention to detail was applied. “Natural materials form the foundation of the house. Each suite began with its own unique marble selection, and these beautiful stones became the starting point for the palette and personality of each room. From there, we layered oak, natural timbers, linen, textured fabrics and handcrafted finishes. We wanted materials that invite you to touch them, that become more beautiful with time and give the interiors a sense of warmth and depth. We deliberately avoided relying on bold statements. Instead, we allowed the materials themselves to do the talking. The variation in grain, stone, texture and light creates an understated richness that feels both refined and incredibly welcoming,” says Bianca.

Bianca was drawn to a sense of timelessness rather than anything too trend-led, using soft forms, curated furniture and lighting by Bofred, Deft, and Houtlander, to create interiors with a feeling of permanence. The walls are adorned with artworks by local artists Jana Wasserman, Juliet Eidelman, Yarden Yedid Levi, and Jessica Bosworth Smith.

The bespoke porcelain mushroom installation by Juliet Eidelman is particularly close to Bianca’s heart. “It was created as an ode to the fungi that once grew wild throughout the garden, so it carries a small piece of the property’s history into the interiors. I love that it is unexpected. It is not simply a beautiful object, but something with a story behind it. Those are the details that make a place feel personal, and that is what we wanted Botany House to be,” says Bianca.

The property offers three distinctly curated suites:

• Garden Suites: Opulent green rooms that open onto a lush, tranquil garden and greenhouse area – designed for deep rest.
• Pool Suites: Open to the stone-walled pool, each with a private balcony and Table Mountain views.
• The Grand Botany Suite: A private lounge and full kitchenette with calming decor, making this suite a peaceful retreat – designed for longer stays.

“The space was envisioned as an oasis in the middle of the city, a place to unwind fully while remaining connected to Cape Town’s vibrant energy. Gardens blends urban living with leafy, suburban calm,” says Bianca. botany-house.com | @botanyhouse_ct

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