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Rising Star: Joey Khuvutlu -
Dakalo swingback dining chairs in Natural Light and Midnight Charcoal. -
The Bauhaus-inspired Maarifa desk in Natural Light. (Maarifa translates to “knowledge” in Swahili.) -
Uthingo headboards in Natural Light and Sunset Brown (the name is derived from the Zulu word for “rainbow”) -
Paired with a Tatenda bedside table in Natural Light. -
Iyali dining table in Midday Brown. -
Itai mirror in Midday Brown. Itai, a Shona word, carries the essence of “will” or “authenticity”. -
The layered Amafu headboard in Midday Brown is inspired by dreamy, gently fl owing cumulus clouds.
For furniture designer and founder of Daily Joey Khuvutlu, it’s all about resetting the foundation of basic home essentials.
WORDS Dumisani Mnisi PHOTOS Supplied
“Where can I find well-designed furniture that is well crafted and long-lasting, at accessible prices?” asks designer Joey Khuvutlu. This question inspired the formation and design of Daily, a proudly South African furniture and homeware brand focused on building a catalogue of pieces that are both gorgeous and economically accessible. With classics such as the Duduza lounger and the Masaisai cabinet, Daily creates with its clients in mind, crafting staples that elevate a home and are durable enough to be passed down through generations – all without breaking the bank.
A self-taught designer with more than 20 years of experience in advertising, Joey is interested
in making things that celebrate and nurture indigenous African designs, shapes and techniques.
“I want us to export who and what we are to the world,” he says. “As a people, we are grounded and
in touch with the earth – which you’ll see in some of our furniture, like our bed bases, which are low and close to the ground. That’s who we are.” With a clientele of young (and often new) homeowners, Daily constantly tries to respond to their needs, finding ways to create essential, lasting pieces at manageable prices.
The design process always starts with necessity.
Our clients let us know what they’re looking for, and we respond. The process goes through three gates: the sketch, focusing on the way an item looks; the construction, which ensures the design comes together; and the production design – the most important step, because if we can be
efficient in how a piece is produced, we can bring down the cost of making it.
A destination that inspires my creativity is South Africa.
Our design standards are incredibly high, and being part of that community is an honour. If you want to exist in our craft at this level, you have to show up.
An exceptional piece of furniture must serve its function, be beautiful and feature good craftsmanship.
I believe that what you can’t see must also be worth seeing. You never see the underside of a chair – but if you were to turn it upside down, it must be worth seeing.
My favourite Daily piece is the Dakalo swingback chair.
It’s the first piece I ever designed. In Tshivenda, dakalo means “joy” – I called it that because it was such a happy moment for me. It uses pine plywood, and you can see the material in its raw form, highlighting its strength, beauty and flexibility.
The quickest way to elevate a space is to rid yourself of things that you don’t need.
Clutter is a design killer – get rid of it.
The authentic African names of our products are rooted in my determination to tell a story.
The piece itself is a story, and the naming of it is part of that story. Wherever the pieces land around the world, they carry our story. Getting more people to say and pronounce vernacular words like “Unyoya” or “Matla” educates them about who we are and where we come from. daily.store | daily.stor
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