WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Supplied

Casa LV, a Cape Town-based homeware brand known for its beautiful, bespoke, hand-blown glassware, was born from a friendship between two women with very different, yet deeply complementary, relationships to glass.

“Lynne and Vilma have been dear friends for 35 years. From the beginning, creativity was always part of their friendship. They have both always been passionate about fashion, interiors, collecting beautiful things and working on creative projects together,” says Julia Hirsch, Marketing Manager at Casa LV.

Glass was something they both had a deep connection to. Lynne grew up around the industry as her father was involved in a glass factory, while Vilma, with her Italian roots, had always collected hand-blown glass and had an instinctive appreciation for it.

What essentially began as a passion project has naturally evolved into a growing family business, with Vilma’s daughter Lara joining as Projects and Wholesale Manager and Lynne’s daughter Julia coming on board as Marketing Manager. For Julia, this is what makes Casa LV special – “the foundations have never really changed. It is still built around genuine friendship, passion and a shared love of the product.“

Interestingly, Casa LV was not always destined to be a glassware brand. Lynne and Vilma initially experimented with ceramics and porcelain, but neither material was able to achieve the transparency, depth or colour they were imagining. Eventually, they returned to glass, and that became a major turning point for the brand.

Material Matters

For Casa LV, the raw material – glass – always comes first. “We think about what glass can do naturally rather than trying to force it into something it does not want to be. From an initial idea, we brief our artisans and begin prototyping. That process can take time, and the first attempt is very rarely the final one. There is a lot of refining of proportion, weight, colour and functionality before we feel a piece is right,” explains Julia.

Every vessel in the Casa LV range is mouth-blown and shaped by hand, meaning no two pieces are ever the same. “Finding the right glassblower was another process of trial and error. Once we found the artisan we work with today, there was a huge amount of persistence on both sides and it took close to two years of development to really achieve what Lynne and Vilma had envisioned,” says Julia. “The candle cloche was one of the greatest technical challenges. Unlike a traditional hurricane, ours is open at both the top and the bottom, which sounds simple but was incredibly difficult to execute correctly by hand. It became a tireless exercise in refining the form until it worked.”

One of the foundations of a Casa LV piece is its weight. The team work with three layers of glass, which gives the objects a wonderful solidity and presence. Julia explains that a practical consideration is always there – “a vase needs to comfortably hold flowers, an ice bucket needs to function as an ice bucket, and a cloche needs to work around a candle. For us, the best object sits somewhere between sculpture and utility. A Casa LV vase should be beautiful filled with flowers, but when the flowers perish, the glass should remain as an object in its own right.”

Colour Play

A sense of play is essential to Casa LV, whose colour palette is intentional but not calculated. “We usually begin by looking at international colour trends and what is emerging across fashion, interiors and design more broadly. From there, we interpret those influences through the Casa LV lens rather than following them too literally,” says Julia. “After almost a decade of working with glass, we have learnt which colours our customers return to again and again, so there are certain shades that have become Casa LV staples.”

From Cape Town to London and Beyond

While everyone within the team brings a different heritage and influence to the business, Casa LV is proudly crafted in Cape Town. “Casa LV simply would not be Casa LV if the product were manufactured somewhere else. Championing South African craftsmanship also means showing that locally made design can sit confidently on an international stage,” says Julia.

The brand has recently gone international, expanding to the UK through Julia’s London-based business Hue Haus. “One of the most rewarding things for me has been watching someone in London encounter Casa LV glass for the first time and respond to it in exactly the same emotional way that people do in South Africa,” she says. “Seeing Casa LV begin to find a home outside South Africa feels like the next chapter of the same story rather than the beginning of a different one. The roots remain firmly in Cape Town; the audience is simply becoming larger.” @casa.lv | @hue.haus.london

Don’t forget to sign up to our weekly newsletter for the latest architecture and design news.

The post Glass Works appeared first on Visi.

COMPILED BY Gina Dionisio

From textured tumblers to chic coupes, this selection of stylish glassware will level up your dining table and look great on any drinks trolley.

Water Glasses

Still or sparking? These colourful water glasses making sipping H2O more fun.

Country Road Vivi Highball Glasses

Available in Lake, Charcoal and Clear.

R399 (set of 2) | woolworths.co.za

Bailey Short Glass

Available in Amber Eyes, Blue Lagoon and Sour Apple.

R550 (Set of 4) | hertexhaus.co.za

Milk Green Glass Tumblers

A modern take on vintage charm.

R750 (Set of 4) | shop.babylonstoren.com

H&M Pink Glass Tumbler

R79.90 each | superbalist.com

Champagne Glasses

Cheers! Because all bubbles deserve a stylish vessel.

Twisted Coupe

The glass has a twisted detail that effortlessly elevates the silhouette.

R139 each | poetrystores.co.za

Carrol Boyes Champagne Flute

The Aura glassware range is mouth-blown and hand-finished, by Carrol Boyes skilled artisans

R979 (Set of 4) | kitchenique.co.za

@home Collette Champagne Glass

The Collette Champagne Glass is expertly handcrafted from high-quality glass, this exquisite piece features a rich, tinted hue.

R149 each | bash.com

Bohemia Spectrum Champagne Flute

Made by master glassmakers in the Czech Republic.

R769 (Set of 6) | spilhaus.co.za

Wine Glasses

These unique wine glasses have interesting shapes and finishes worth toasting.

Hourglass ‘Bubbles’ and ‘Still’ Glasses

Made from hand-blown glass each double-sided, recycled glass vessel is unique.

R295 each | dokterandmisses.com

Country Road Lowe Wine Glasses

Available in Clear, Moonlight, Sugar Pink, Olive Smoke and Cobalt.

R499 (Set of 2) | woolworths.co.za

Hay Tint Wine Glass

Tint Wine Glass is a collection of wine glasses made in tinted and clear borosilicate glass.

R899.99 (Set of 2) | shelflife.co.za

Hydrangea Wine Glassware

Inspired by the voluminous blooms and regal beauty of the hydrangea, this range features bold shapes and a smoky botanical hue.

R395 (Set of 4) | weylandts.co.za

Cocktail Glasses

Classics you’ll want to clink.

@home Blue Base Cocktail Glass

Handmade with a clear bowl and a flared coloured glass stem, it brings a pop of colour and interest to your drinks cabinet.

R149 each | bash.com

H&M Light Pink Cocktail Glass

Stemmed cocktail glass with a light pink base and with wide bow.

R149 each | superbalist.com

Luigi Bormioli Jazz Rum Cocktail Glasses

A stylish choice for any occasion.

R999 (Set of 4) | yuppiechef.com

Eva Solo Martini Glass

This Martini Glass from Eva Solo is a distinctive, elegant glass for Martini cocktails.

R699 each | yuppiechef.com

*Updated on 9 December 2025. Availability and pricing correct at time of publishing.

Don’t forget to sign up to our weekly newsletter for the latest architecture and design news.

The post 16 Drinking Glasses for a Summer Soirée appeared first on Visi.

Press, available locally at Créma Design, is one of renowned designer Tom Dixon’s latest collections of decor items and lighting.

Tom Dixon has already produced several designs that genuinely merit the adjective “iconic” – quite an impressive achievement for someone with no formal design training who started out welding one-off furniture pieces to make ends meet while playing in a band.

His highly original eye has always also been resolutely bold and industrially inspired, and one of the brand’s latest collections, Press, has all these qualities in spades. It might be more useful to say “in iron presses” because that’s how these pieces are made.

Press is a series of heavyweight grooved vases, bowls and candleholders made of chunky coils of pure and clear transparent glass. Graphic in silhouette and simple in function, they are manufactured by heating glass to 1200°C and dropping big globs of the molten results into two- or three-part iron moulds, where they’re pressed. They’re designed and engineered to catch and reflect light – and to last forever.

Look out, too, for the equally covetable Press series of lights, made from the thickest and most transparent glass with the same satisfyingly rounded linear surface detail. Aptly named Sphere, Cone and Lozenge, the pendant shapes are reminiscent of shipping buoys, children’s toys and throat lozenges. Manufactured in the same way as the decor items, these will be available in 2021.

For more information, visit tomdixon.net.

The post Tom Dixon Press Collection appeared first on Visi.

From a sleek side table and delicate hand-blown glassware to a new international fabric range available in SA and terrazzo outdoor tables, these are the top VISI picks of the week series – week 321.

1. Cha Cha in Terrazzo by Haldane Martin

Local designer Haldane Martin’s Cha-Cha Occasional Table range has been reimagined in terrazzo. Ideal as stand-alone pieces, or as part of a set, these furniture items work for both indoor and outdoor spaces.

Images courtesy of Haldane Martin

2. Jim Thompson at T&Co. Fabrics

Launched at Paris Deco Off, a new range of indoor and outdoor fabrics, prints, embroideries and trims from international brand Jim Thompson Fabrics is now available exclusively through T&Co. Fabrics in SA.

Images courtesy of T&Co. Fabrics

3. Alessandra Baldereschi’s Animal Farm Collection

Produced by glass manufacturer Ichendorf Milano, the latest collection by designer Alessandra Baldereschi places delicate, hand-blown, glass animals into slender drinking vessels, tumblers and paperweights.

Image credit: Alessandra Baldereschi

Image credit: Foto Studio Internazionale

Image credit: Foto Studio Internazionale

Images via designboom.com

4. Portman Side Table by Lemon

Lemon’s new Portman Side Table was designed in collaboration with Yaniv Chen of Masterstudio. The understated table features a streamlined profile, with strong lines and rich colourways.

Images courtesy of Lemon

5. AAAA Pop-up

In collaboration with Cécile & Boyd, AAAA, a co-operation of artisans from Mali, will host a pop-up running from 26 February 2020 for two weeks, featuring an exhibition of contemporary African designs based on traditional techniques. You can visit the pop-up at Cécile & Boyd’s Kloof Nek Road showroom in Cape Town.

Images courtesy of Cécile & Boyd

Find more articles like VISI picks of the week series – week 321 here. 

The post VISI Picks of the Week Series – Week 321 appeared first on Visi.

Local homeware and furniture brand La Grange Interiors has added an exclusive collection of mouth-blown glassware to its offering.

This ancient art has been practised over centuries as a highly technical form of vessel and ornament making.

From vases to candle holders, each piece is distinctly unique, with new colours and styles being introduced regularly.

Many of the latest additions have been created by European glassware brand Dutz.

The glassware collection is available at both the Cape Town and Johannesburg La Grange showrooms.

Visit lagrangeinteriors.co.za to see the full range.

The post New Mouth-blown Glassware at La Grange Interiors appeared first on Visi.

Celebrated British designer Tom Dixon, who will be speaking at the Design Indaba Conference running from 21 – 23 February 2018, has just launched a new collection, entitled Plant.

The terrarium collection is made up of two double-headed molten glass designs, one large and one small, that each serve as micro ecosystems or vases for floral arrangements. The piece, which is mouth-blown, varies in thickness and shape and has been created to mimic the natural shape of stem-like openings.

For a clever how-to guide on making your own terrarium, visit tomdixon.net.

The post Tom Dixon’s New Plant Collection appeared first on Visi.

Designer Tom Dixon’s new Bump range features a collection of minimalist hand-made double-walled glass pieces, inspired by laboratory apparatus.

The design is an exercise in the manipulation of the conical, spherical and tubular building blocks so often used by Tom Dixon.

The subtle pink and light grey tonal translucency adds to the alchemical design of the pieces. The Bump collection accentuates the processes of how tea is made, how drinks are mixed and the way that flowers are arranged.

Bump is made of borosilicate, a heat-resistant (and normally transparent) glass found in science laboratories. The pieces are therefore lightweight, durable and can withstand high temperatures.

For more information, visit tomdixon.net.

The post Tom Dixon’s Bump Range appeared first on Visi.

From segmented glass sculptures and Tomas Kral glassware for Nude to a disposable braai and a floor covered in pennies, these are the top VISI picks of the week series – week 193.

1. Segmented Glass Sculptures

“These sculptures by Jiyong Lee are fabricated, translucent sculptural works of segmented glass made with cold-working techniques,” says Content Producer Mary Garner. “They are beautifully and creatively made down to the finest detail.”

Image credit: thisiscolossal.com

2. Tomas Kral for Nude Glassware

“Designer Tomas Kral has collaborated with glassware brand Nude on a range of parrot-shaped carafes, which were made to make people smile,” says Online Editor Lindi Brownell Meiring. “It certainly brightens my day!”

Image credit: dezeen.com

3. Disposable CasusGrill

“The disposable CasusGrill is an efficient and conscious way to braai on the go,” says Managing Editor Samantha Charles. “It is 100% natural, sustainable and completely disposable and is ready to be used within five minutes. It provides heat for an hour and is made from FSC-certified cardboard.”

Image credit: designboom.com

4. Flat-Pack Toaster

“This clever flat-pack toaster is designer Kasey Hou’s graduate project from the University of Edinburgh,” says Editor-in-Chief Sumien Brink. “It reduces electrical waste and is easily repairable.”

Image credit: dezeen.com

5. Barber Shop Floor Covered With 70 000 Coins

“This UK barber opted to cover his floor with £700 worth of pennies (70 000!) after he was quoted £1 000 to redo his floor,” says Features Writer Amelia Brown. “This is one way of making DIY your very own!”

Image credit: boredpanda.com

Browse more like VISI picks of the week series – week 193 on picks of the week 202.

The post VISI Picks of the Week Series – Week 193 appeared first on Visi.

Italian designer Paola Navone has created a beautiful collection of tableware for Serax, showcased at the Merci concept store in Paris.

The glassware is influenced by products created during the depression in 1930s America. During this period it was popular to create inexpensive pieces from glass in three particular shades: jade green, white and clear. Today, these original pieces are extremely sought after by collectors.

Paola’s Fish & Fish designs include glasses, serving plates, salt and pepper shakers and carafes.

Fish & Fish is available exclusively through Merci in Paris.

The post Paola Navone’s Fish & Fish for Serax appeared first on Visi.

Bring elegance and sophistication to your dinner table with this striking glassware range from Kayiwa.

Ugandan-Finnish designer Lincoln Kayiwa uses African and Scandinavian influences to create one-of-a-kind, artisanal drinking vessels.

With the absence of the classic stem or sham, the Carat collection exposes the liquid in the glass to air, enhancing scent and breathability. The Carat collection includes a glass ice bucket, which can also be used as a vase.

The range, which is handcrafted in Riihimäki in Finland, aims to push the boundaries of traditional glassware.

For more information, visit kayiwa.fi.

The post Kayiwa’s Carat Glassware Range appeared first on Visi.