Could LEGO’s new botanical collection provide the building blocks for an entertaining indoor garden? We think so.

Love a home filled with plants but are sadly not blessed with a green thumb? Fret not: as unlikely as it may seem, LEGO has you covered. Their new adult-geared Botanical Collection enables you to fashion an array of colourful flowers and plants that never go out of bloom.

Last year, LEGO introduced a floral offering with three options: the Bird of Paradise set, a Flower Bouquet and Bonsai Tree. Cleverly, the latter can be built in two ways, displaying vivid pink cherry blossoms or green leaves, and allowing you to shape your bonsai the way you would a real plant. Well, almost.

Now, they’ve added an Orchid and Succulents to the selection, which the iconic Danish company bills as the “perfect perennial project for adults looking to relax and unwind, or find a moment of mindfulness in their day”.

The Orchid boasts six large flowers and two newly opened blooms, as well as a vase and bark mix. Michael Psiaki, lead designer at the LEGO Group, says it was inspired by “a real orchid we had in the office throughout the design process, so we could see how the flower changed with the seasons. A challenge was creating a cylindrical pot from LEGO elements that would be fun to build but also beautiful to look at.”

The multicoloured and seriously fun Succulents set has individual plants in their own containers. They can be built on their own or connected together as you fancy.

These built beauties might not hold a candle to their living, photosynthesising inspiration, but certain plant-based elements of the range are produced using sustainably sourced sugarcane. It’s a small step in LEGO’s bigger mission to use more green methods and resources. Our favourite bit? No watering necessary!

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From a cool sneaker collab and a vegan-friendly body care range to delicate leaf art, these are the top VISI picks of the week series – week 352.

1. adidas Originals x LEGO ZX 8000 Sneaker Collab

adidas Originals has collaborated with LEGO on a new sneaker featuring the iconic building block brand’s logo and primary pops of colour. The ZX 8000, which references actual LEGO bricks, contrasts a beige/cream mixed-material base with these primary hues.

Images via highsnobiety.com

2. Lito Leaf Art

Japanese artist Lito Leaf Art creates tiny worlds by carving out scenes into leaves. The delicate work is meticulously detailed and takes a great amount of patience and dedication, using nature as a canvas for miniature worldscapes.

Image credit: @lito_leafart via designboom.com

3. MRP Home’s New Body Fragrances

MRP Home has released a range of vegan-friendly body fragrance collections to help you unwind and de-stress. The ranges include products like pillow mist, body scrub, body wash, soap and body lotion, which are available in three variations: Grapefruit & Charcoal, featuring a tangy citrus scent; sweet-scented Turmeric & Vanilla; and earthy-fragranced Hemp.

Images courtesy of MRP Home

4. Hendrick’s Gin Cucumber Curler Gift Pack

Hendrick’s Gin’s latest gift pack includes a cucumber curler that allows you to create a striking garnish for your gin-based cocktails. The innovative tool can curl a cucumber into a spiralled ribbon, releasing the full flavour of cucumber into your drink and complementing the flavour of the gin. The pack retails at R399.95 and is available at selected liquor retailers.

Image courtesy of Hendrick’s Gin

5. Coricraft Milly Fabric Collection

Coricraft has added three new colourways to its Milly fabric collection of durable and washable slip-cover fabrics. The colourways now include Teal, Mustard and Grey, which are available in addition to Charcoal, Cement, Black and Mineral.

Images courtesy of Coricraft

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From a public art sculpture in Tokyo and paintings created during lockdown to the new LEGO Nintendo NES set and refreshing non-alcoholic drinks from The Duchess, these are the top VISI picks of the week series – week 343.

1. Emmanuelle Moreaux’s Mirai

Mirai (which translates to “the future” in Japanese) is French architect, artist and designer Emmanuelle Moureaux’s first public art sculpture. Located in Tokyo and made up of 100 different colours, the piece represents the next 100 years until 2119.

Image credit: Daisuke Shima via emmanuellemoureaux.com

2. Handmade By Me’s Lockdown Commissions

Sera Holland, who heads up local decor brand Handmade by Me, has been taking commissions for small oil paintings to aid those in need during the pandemic. Her first instalment consisted of 15 commissions of buyers’ favourite spaces around the country. All proceeds are donated to various charities, including Ladles of Love, Coronacare, and Care For Wild. Sera will be doing a second round of commissions – follow her on Instagram to find out more.

Images courtesy of Handmade By Me

3. LEGO Nintendo NES Set

Nintendo and LEGO have released their latest joint venture, a 1980s NES console with a controller, cable, plug, an opening slot for the Game Pak and a retro television with a flat 8-bit scene from SuperMario. This nostalgic collaboration reimagines the gamer classic through 2 600 blocks.

Image credit: LEGO via designboom.com

4. Victoria Verbaan at Wanderland Collective

Wanderland Collective has collaborated with South African artist and designer Victoria Verbaan on two notebooks featuring local wildlife. Each A5 notebook is made up of 60 off-white blank pages for notes, doodles and musings.

Images courtesy of Wanderland Collective

5. The Duchess Spritz

The Duchess Drinks Studio has added the Duchess Spritz to its non-alcoholic drinks range. Crafted with de-alcohlised wine and botanical extracts, the “wine” spritzer comes in two refreshing flavours: Spritz Berry Rose, a Rosé and açai berry medley and Spritz Elderflower White, a Chardonnay variant with soft fragrant elderflower notes. The Duchess Spritz is available through Yuppiechef and at Spar stores across the country.

Images courtesy of drinktheduchess.com

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From LEGO’s new Fiat 500F and baskets made from PVC pipes to 315 new Pantone colours, here are the top VISI picks of the week series – week 322.

1. LEGO Fiat 500F

LEGO has released a build-your-own Fiat 500F, complete with 960 pieces. Featuring a folding easel, a luggage rack with a suitcase, replica interiors, and an engine, this fun set retails at R1 399 and is available locally through LEGO.

Images via designboom.com

2. Pantone’s New Colours

Colour specialist Pantone has released 315 brand-new colours in an extensive range of shades and tones. Representing colours from all sections of the vast spectrum, these swatches embody the present and forecasted trends of the future.

Images via dezeen.com

3. Mo’s Crib Baskets Now Available at Builders

Mo’s Crib, previously featured here, creates storage baskets out of discarded PVC piping from landfills and construction sites. The pipes are collected, turned into strips and weaved into baskets that can be used to store firewood, laundry, bedding or plants, in an earth-friendly and sustainable way. The baskets retail from R625 and the planters from R485. 

Images courtesy of moscrib.co.za

4. Mami Wata X Moncler Collab

Local surf brand Mami Wata has collaborated with international brand Moncler on a collection of shorts, tees, sweats and caps. The collection will be sold in 200 Moncler stores globally, as well as in some of the world’s top department stores and boutiques.

Images courtesy of Mami Wata

5. HAUS’s Metropolitan Art Collection

Homeware brand HAUS, which forms part of Hertex, has introduced a new range of framed wall art entitled Metropolitan Art. Consisting of 16 striking prints divided into four sets, Metropolitan Art is available at selected HAUS stores countrywide or online at hertexhaus.co.za.

Images courtesy of HAUS

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From detailed illustrated travel journals and a whimsical café to a vibrant collab between LEGO and Camille Walala, these are the top VISI picks of the week series – week 317.

1. LEGO X Walala

LEGO has released a new series of flat 2D tiles, which artist and designer Camille Walala has used in the House of Dots, a series of shipping containers transformed into bright, bold spaces using two million pieces of the new LEGO Dots.

Images via dezeen.com

2. José Naranja’s Travel Journals

José Naranja documents his travels through detailed illustrations and typography, creating meticulous works of art in the process. His mixed-media pages each centre around an individual theme based on where he finds himself at the time.

Images via thisiscolossal.com, courtesy of José Naranja 

3. HUSK eco luxe

Local brand HUSK eco luxe was founded by two friends focused on preserving the planet. Their range of products, including bags, wallets, laundry baskets and planters, is produced using washable craft paper, a bio-degradable alternative to plastic.

Images via huskecoluxe.com

4. Feya by FormRoom

London-based design studio FormRoom has created a bold new interior for café Feya’s flagship store, featuring a daring maximalist and whimsical design aesthetic.

Images courtesy of FormRoom

5. The Tubmarine

These eco-friendly, easy-to-assemble wood-fired hot tubs from Tubmarine heat up in under two hours and require no electricity. The ideal spot to relax!

Images courtesy of tubmarine.co.uk

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From a sleek, locally designed two-seater bench and a Phaidon book about powerhouse Rihanna to pressed flower stickers and wooden LEGO, these are the top VISI Picks of the Week Series – Week 307.

1. Fluted Bench by Pedersen + Lennard

Taking inspiration from the Pedersen + Lennard Fluted Chair, the Fluted Bench demonstrates the same clean lines with a mild steel structure and hardwood lengthened seat. There is enough space for two people to sit comfortably with lower back support.

Images courtesy of pedersenlennard.co.za

2. Wooden LEGO

LEGO has partnered with Creative Agency Room Copenhagen to pay homage to the classic wooden LEGO, first seen in 1978. The 5:1 scale collector’s edition is made from light oak with yellow plastic hands, as seen on current LEGO figures.

Images via designboom.com

3. Rihanna: Fenty X Phaidon

Superstar Rihanna’s visual autobiography, published by Phaidon, documents her life in the form of photographs, featuring her journey as a performer, artist, designer and entrepreneur. The 504-page hardback book also highlights a variety of unpublished pictures. The limited-edition book comes complete with a custom stand called “This Sh*t Is Heavy”, designed in collaboration with The Haas Brothers.

Image credit: uk.phaidon.com

4. Miles Chair by OKHA

Local design studio OKHA has released the Miles armchair, an evolved version of an earlier classic. Inspired by architecture, the armchair still embodies the basics of the original version with enhanced visual dynamics. “I’m massively inspired by architecture,” says designer Adam Court. “There is a genre of architecture that is at its core highly sculptural, where the structure is rooted in the expressivity of form… so you can say in a broader context that sculpture is a major influence. I love how pure form, line and contour possess such emotive force.

Image credit: Niel Vosloo, courtesy of OKHA

5. Appree Flower Stickers

Established in 2008, Seoul-based brand Appree creates realistic stickers of 15 different pressed flowers and leaves, perfect for gift wrapping, journals, scrapbooks, snail mail and cards.

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Images via @appree_offical on Instagram

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From a Volkswagen made entirely of LEGO and a minimalist bird feeder to a Swatch watch featuring artwork created by a pig and an Irish gin that’s now available locally, these are the top VISI picks of the week series – week 273.

1. LEGO Volkswagen

“It’s amazing to think that 400 000 LEGO bricks were used to build this life-size Volkswagen Type 2 Kombi,” says Online Editor Lindi Brownell Meiring. “The model, created by Rene Hoffmeister and Pascal Lenhardbuilt, comes complete with retro interiors, a sliding door and lighting.”

Image credit: hypebeast.com

2. Swatch X Pigcasso Collaboration

“Swatch has teamed up with a very talented painting pig for a new limited-edition Art Special, Flying Pig By Ms Pigcasso, to mark the Chinese Year of the Pig,” says Features Editor Amelia Brown. “Produced using child-friendly paint, Ms Pigcasso created her latest work on canvas, which was then translated into the watch. It features a vivid green and blue strap and shades of pink and purple on the face. Watch her in action below.”

Image credit: shop.swatch.com

3. Mark Gabbertas Birdhouse and Feeder for Gloster

“I am obsessed with the simple design of these beautiful bird feeders,” says Art Director Lené Roux. “They are so sleek and unobtrusive, giving the birds an opportunity to be the stars of the show.”

Image credit: designmilk.com

4. KURO-Bō’s Water Dispensers

“I think this water dispenser is such a great alternative to plastic options,” says Editor-in-Chief Sumien Brink. “It’s made from 100% recycled glass and can be bought with eco-friendly, reusable and recyclable natural activated charcoal water filters.”

Image credit: kuro-bo.com

5. Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin

“Being part Irish, I’m partial to things that celebrate my heritage,” says Content Producer Michaela Stehr. “The Irish Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin is distilled in the province of Connacht and is beautifully fragrant. The design of the bottle is beautiful too!”

Image credit: drumshanbogunpowderirishgin.com

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From a LEGO wind turbine and adidas Originals Prophere sneakers to a new Yuppiechef flagship store and a striking office in India, these are the top VISI picks of the week series – week 252.

1. Poem Pavilion by Es Devlin For Dubai Expo 2020

“I’m excited to see the completed UK Pavilion at the Dubai Expo 2020, designed by British set designer Es Devlin,” says Editor-in-Chief Sumien Brink. “It looks like it’s going to be phenomenal!”

Image credit: dezeen.com

2. LEGO Wind Turbine

“LEGO brings back so many feelings of nostalgia for me,” says Content Producer Michaela Stehr. “This new fully functioning wind turbine kit is made from plant-based materials and is a perfect way to enlighten our youth on sustainable energy sources.”

Image credit: designboom.com

3. Yuppiechef’s New Flagship Store

“As an avid Yuppiechef fan, I’m very excited to visit the brand’s new flagship store at the V&A Waterfront,” says Features Editor Amelia Brown. “Nothing makes me happier than kitting out my kitchen.”

Image credit: Yuppiechef

4. New From adidas Originals: Prophere

“How cool are the new Prophere sneakers from adidas Originals?” says Managing Editor Samantha Charles. “The latest silhouette brings back a more dominant 3-stripe mark originally seen in the ’90s.”

Image credit: adidas.co.za/originals

5. Brick Curtain Office

“I love the way Firki Studio worked with a small site to create the ‘Brick Curtain’, an office located in Haryana, India,” says Online Editor Lindi Brownell Meiring. “I especially appreciate the curve that was created in the brickwork.”

Image credit: Firki Studio via Archdaily.com

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From the Chanel-sponsored renovation of the Grand Palais in Paris to brunch at The Yard in Cape Town and sustainable Lego, these are the top VISI picks of the week series – week 222.

1. Chanel Sponsors Renovation of Grand Palais

“To reinforce its commitment to Paris, Chanel will sponsor the renovation of the majestic Grand Palais,” says Head of Decor Tracy Greenwood. “First built in 1900, the design house has contributed roughly R365 million to restore this architectural marvel. The renovation project is scheduled to begin in December 2020 and to culminate in 2024, with a mini reopening in 2023.” There’s also an enchanting Chanel Garden to take note of.

Image credit: Chanel

2. Brunch at The Yard

“Brunch at The Yard at Cape Town’s Silo District includes a variety of Euro-Asian fusion dishes,” says Editor-in-Chief Sumien Brink. “Menu items include berry-and-liquorice lemon meringue waffles, saffron chicken tikka bagels and traditional Indian dosa, a vegan and gluten-free rice flour pancake, available with a range of delicious accompaniments.”

Image credit: theyardatsilo.co.za

3. Sustainable LEGO

“This year, LEGO will launch a collection of plant-shaped pieces made from plant-based plastic,” says Online Editor Lindi Brownell Meiring. “Using ethanol sourced from sugar cane, the flexible polyethylene plastic pieces are the beginning of LEGO’s journey to make all of its bricks bioplastic by 2030.”

Image credit: dezeen.com

4. Dolce & Gabbana Customise Your Eyes Collection

“The latest eyewear line from Dolce & Gabbana sees the introduction of floral-, leopard print- and majolica-inspired clip-ons,” says Features Editor Amelia Brown. “This new addition is a tribute to the brand’s Sicilian roots.”

Image credit: Dolce & Gabbana

5. New Skinny laMinx Colour

“Skinny laMinx has added a new colourway to its Roof Garden collection,” says Managing Editor Samantha Charles. “Entitled Mumbai, the colourway will feature on the brand’s range of cushions, ranging between R485 and R555.“

Image credit: Skinny laMinx

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From a Lego Airbnb and suspended 3D portraits to a modular pop-up library, these are the top VISI picks of the week series – week 206.

1. OFIS Arhitekti Pop-Up Library

“OFIS Arhitekti studio, in collaboration with C+C and C28 architects, AKT engineers and contractor Permiz, designed a micro house earlier this year, which has now been transformed into a pop-up library,” says Online Editor Lindi Brownell Meiring. “Each modular pod, designed to house a kitchen, bedroom and bathroom, now allows visitors to sit and relax with views across Ljubljana. Dreamy!”

Image credit: Janez Martincic via dezeen.com

2. MUT Design’s Beetle Acoustic Panels

“Designers Alberto Sánchez and Eduardo Villalón run the multidisciplinary MUT Design Studio,” says Content Producer Mary Garner. “Inspired by emotional design and daily life, these striking sound panels, launched at this year’s Salone del Mobile, are as visually appealing as they are useful.”

Image credit: mutdesign.com

3. Airbnb Lego House

“The Lego House in Denmark, designed by architect Bjarke Ingels, opened to the public in September,” says Features Editor Amelia Brown. “Now, thanks to Airbnb, you can stay the night, surrounded by 25 million lego bricks. Pretty amazing!”

Image credit: designboom.com

4. Chris Durosz’s 3D Suspended Portraits

“San Francisco-based artist Chris Dorosz creates 3D sculptural portraits with the use of paint and string,” says Copy Editor Kay-Anne Van Rooyen. “At first, the pieces appear to be abstract paintings, but when you take a closer look you start to see the shape of a human face appear in front of you.”

Image credit: thisiscolossal.com

5. Le-A Coffee Table

“French design studio Leblon Delienne, in collaboration with Zaha Hadid Design, has created a Star Wars-inspired table, influenced by Princess Leia’s iconic hairstyle,” says Editor-In-Chief Sumien Brink.

Image credit: leblon-delienne.com

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