We look to indigenous plant biodiversity as a source of design inspiration.
COMPILED BY Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Supplied, Justin Patrick (Keiskamma Art Project), Loricia Short (David Krynauw Design)
While our feature on Pierre Frey’s latest textile collection looks to formal French gardens, here we explore local textile and wallpaper collections that celebrate South African flora and fauna.
Ardmore Design x Cole & Son
In 2025, Ardmore collaborated with Cole & Son, the renowned British wallpaper brand celebrated for its luxurious and artistic designs, to create the Baobab Collection. Consisting of nine designs illustrated with remarkable detail, the collection celebrates the diversity of life found among the branches of the Tree of Life. ardmore-design.com | cole-and-son.com
CoralBloom Studio x Robin Sprong Wallpaper
CoralBloom Studio is led by Dr. Michelle von Stein, a scientist-turned-designer with a PhD in botany and microbiology, who collaborates closely with her mother Ann, a botanical artist, and sister Megan, a conservation ecologist and scientific illustrator. Together, they create unique designs, such as Succulent Serenity, inspired by detailed scientific watercolours of South African plants. robinsprong.com | coralbloomstudio.com
Keiskamma Art Project × Clout/SA for Cara Saven
The magnificent tapestry-inspired wallpaper and fabric, Stitched, A Story of Our Home, is the result of a creative collaboration facilitated by Clout/SA for Cara Saven. Artists from the Keiskamma Art Project were challenged to create an embroidered piece that referenced what a scenic and quintessentially South African wallpaper might look like. keiskamma.org | clout-sadesign.co.za | carasaven.com
David Krynauw Design
David Krynauw Design’s latest collection of wallpaper and fabric designs, printed by Fabric Bank, comprises adapted historic prints from the Kleine Rijke collection dating back to the 1800s. David’s wife and fellow designer Jasmyn Krynauw, who heads up DKI – a division of David Krynauw Design – uses scale in creative ways and repurposes texture and colour to form new, locally inspired landscapes that carry a sense of whimsy and delight. | davidkrynauw.com
Don’t forget to sign up to our weekly newsletter for the latest architecture and design news.
