Heading to Plettenberg Bay on holiday? Here is a roundup of the top places to stay, play, eat and shop.

WORDS Phendu Kuta PHOTOS Ryan French (Eleven), Elsa Young (Walkers Beach), Supplied

The scenic town of Plettenberg Bay, popularly known as Plett, is a prime tourist attraction in December. Situated on the Garden Route, it has the ideal mix of vibey trendiness and quiet luxury, and offers seasoned travellers a varied range of experiences, from stunning landscapes that include beaches, forests and the renowned Robberg peninsula, to the hospitality of its world-class hotels, restaurants and vineyards. The emerging art scene also attracts visitors to a medley of galleries and design spaces.

The eponymous Plettenberg, part of the Liz McGrath Collection, is situated on a headland overlooking the Wedge and Lookout Beach. The iconic venue unveiled its new-look restaurant, Amelia’s at The Plettenberg, in July. With interiors by Cape Town-based studio HotCocoa, both the hotel and its Mediterranean-inspired restaurant embody “barefoot luxury”, with service that’s focused on creating curated experiences for guests. Amelia’s new menu offers an exploration of flavours, from fresh seafood and perfectly grilled meats to dainty sweet and savoury bites during “Afternoon Tea by the Sea”. | theplettenberghotel.com

A historic gem, The Old Rectory is a perfect blend of heritage and luxury, and has been part of the region since 1777. Situated steps away from Central Beach, it features a full-service spa, a bistro-inspired restaurant and custom furnishings sourced locally. Despite its central location, guests can relax on its serene lawns, peacefully retreating from the craziness of high season. | theoldrectory.co.za

A more recent addition to the town’s attractions is Walkers Beach, a minimalist destination with direct access to the beach. The space, designed by architect Wessel van Dyk and developed by owner Howard Walker, spans three levels of contemporary luxury, primarily styled in light oak and neutral colours by Petrus Maree Design. It also showcases an impressive art collection, including works by Angela Banks
and William Kentridge. | walkersbeach.com

Eleven, a plush boutique hotel and concept space located on bustling Main Street, embodies a community ethos in the way it merges luxury with street culture. It currently serves light meals and coffee, flowing into the street with outdoor seating and furnishings along the sidewalk. The spot also offers e-bike rentals and guided bike tours. Looking ahead to the busy season, the owners plan to open a wine bar, with a street-food vibe and no formal seating, encouraging guest interaction and reinforcing the communal philosophy. | elevenplett.co.za

Telluric, a wine estate with a family-friendly restaurant, Zoox, is the latest addition to the Plett wine region. Founded by the owners of Beau Constantia and opened in November 2023, this developing wine farm’s southeastern slopes overlook the coastline, while Zoox offers sweeping views of the fields of Rhone Hill Polo Club. The name is derived from the Latin words tellus and tellur, meaning “of the earth”, and reflects the brand’s regenerative approach and philosophy of energy in harmony with nature. | telluric_wine | zooxplett

Plett’s wine route, stretching between Harkerville and The Crags, also includes wine farms such as Luka Vineyards, with a restaurant and farm shop; relative newcomers Bitou Vineyards on the banks of the Bitou River; Newstead, where you can taste, shop and picnic; and Kay & Monty Vineyards, where you can stay in a private homestead. | lukavineyards.co.za | bitouvineyards.co.za | newsteadwines.com | kayandmonty.com

For a distinctly African flair in both hospitality and dining, the ever-popular Emily Moon and Nguni are go-to destinations, offering unique experiences that embody the spirit of the region. | emilymoon.co.za | nguni-restaurant.co.za

In addition to its culinary attractions, Plett boasts a flourishing art scene. Noteworthy galleries include the family-owned Dallas Smith Gallery, showcasing the work of many Garden Route artists; Gallop Hill Gallery, featuring artists from across the Western Cape; and Selah Fine Art Gallery, which opened in August in Keurboomstrand. | dallassmith.org

For coffee fans, the town is home to some quality cafés. Le Fournil de Plett, located in the quirky courtyard of the Lookout Centre in Main Street, is a French café/bakery with fine art on the walls, while The Seakrit Spot claims to make the best brew in Plett. | lefournildeplett.co.za

For market lovers, Market Off Main in the heart of town and Old Nick Village – a shopping hub along the N2 – offer an eclectic collection of shops and stalls. Market Off Main has a more traditional food court feel, while Old Nick Village is a creative shopping destination for goods by various artisans, designers and curators. A highlight of Old Nick Village is the Mungo Mill, where the renowned textile brand produces its woven goods.

With a blend of relaxed luxury, natural beauty, a growing art scene and diverse culinary offerings, Plettenberg Bay continues to be a sought-after destination that promises unforgettable experiences.

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Perched on a rocky promontory in the sought-after seaside town of Plettenberg Bay, a curvaceous concrete residence echoes the hard and soft lines of its ever-changing vista.

“You know, I’ve been practising Tai Chi for 30 years, and in it, we say, ‘Stand like a mountain, flow like a river,’” says architect Paul Oosthuizen. Yes, he’s passionate about the Chinese martial art, but in this particular instance, he’s using the Tai Chi principle to illustrate his motivation behind the design of a very special beachfront property.

Receding into a thicket of milkwood trees on a rocky outcrop that runs down into the Keurbooms estuary in Plettenberg Bay, the house in question is undeniably sculptural, with an interplay of curved and angular lines, and the raw materiality of a concrete finish.

“The concrete plays on the edge of that seemingly impossible fusion of soft and hard,” says Paul. “You want to be threatened by it because of its industrial, cold persona, but the way it’s been used here, those lines, it’s really seductive.”

There were also practical considerations behind Paul’s decision to use off- shutter concrete during construction. “What happens in a number of places is that the wall becomes the roof through a curve, so you don’t work with too many elements. It’s as if you’ve carved the building out of something,” says Paul. “There’s an honesty to off-shutter concrete – it’s saying, ‘This is real.’”

The brief from Paul’s clients was for a home that would be able to comfortably accommodate a multi-generational family, and would maximise the pristine beauty of the north-facing site, from which you can observe the estuary and its tides. To create a harmonious flow from the interior to the exterior, Paul worked closely with landscape designer Bruce Beyer, who established a lush, tropical garden that blends in seamlessly with the indigenous flora surrounding the property. “Because of the tree line and the surrounding houses, I wanted the main living area to float on a level where you could just look out over the greenbelt,” explains Paul. “We established the solarium at the perfect height for the views; this became the hub from which the rest of the house unfolded.”

So as not to take away from the bedrooms’ views, Paul decided to elevate them above the solarium by way of an imposing porte-cochère. And to not detract from neighbours’ views, he designed the bedroom roofs to undulate downwards. “The curves aren’t just frivolous design – although I do love to bend concrete,” says Paul, who designed the intricate shuttering, and tasked Cape Island Construction with moulding and pouring the components.

To juxtapose the industrial aesthetic of the concrete, Paul introduced several artisanal elements to the building – most prominently,white stone panels with hand-carved frangipani flowers (a nod to the original trees on the property), which he commissioned to a stone mason in Bali; and a wooden front door with scalloped indentations hand-carved by a local carpenter. Continuing the frangipani theme, stylised patterns of the original white stone panel design were CNC-cut into Corian, a hardy polymer material usually used for countertops, to create screen doors for the bedrooms.

Suzy Lubner of Eccentrics Interior Design was tasked with designing an interior that would stand up to the gravitas of the architectural design, yet be liveable and welcoming. “The clients wanted me to soften the exquisite bespoke structure Paul had designed for them, and create a gentle, practical interior that was easy-living, layered, uncluttered and elegant,” says Suzy. “We used a lot of natural oak throughout the house. I used neutral, sandy tones and textures, encompassing the palette of the ever-changing views from the lagoon and river mouth to Lookout Beach, and beyond to Formosa Peak.”

The undisputed heart of the home is the kitchen, executed by Patrick Reid, where the family love to gather around the oversized island – often to cook whatever they’ve pulled from the lagoon or ocean that day.

Whenever Paul, who also happens to be a Plettenberg Bay local, visits the property, one of his favourite things to do is to go to the solarium, slide both glass walls away and stand in the open air, taking in his surrounds. The view is never the same – but the experience is always thrilling.

Looking for more architectural inspiration? Take a look at this futuristic Dullstroom weekend home designed by Paul.

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Set amongst the fynbos at the top of a valley, the newly renovated Fairview House makes use of spacious design and vast windows to make the most of its idyllic surrounds.

Pulling into the driveway of Fairview House nestled in a gentle space between forest and sky in The Crags some 15 minutes from Plettenberg Bay in the Western Cape, two pointers bound up greeting you like members of the family. The veggie garden spills over with deliciousness, bumble bees dive bomb your arrival and you know that a comfy couch is waiting to catch you as you grab a lazy gin and tonic from someone who understands you need to hit the slow lane.

Inherited as a dilapidated home by the Rattray family very much in need of a loving transformation, Heather from Heather Hensley Interiors partnered the revamp of this treasured place with client Nicky Rattray and local architect Tessa van Schaik. The brief for this unique property that takes up such a central place in the vastness of the valley, was to create an eight-bedroomed luxurious yet homely boutique hotel where guests craving tranquillity could hang their hats.

The team’s affinity for Cape Dutch architecture, which was retained during the renovation allowed Heather, renowned for her clean-lined aesthetics, vibrant colour blocks and locally crafted custom-made fabrics, to be able to bring back glory to a ‘has been’ estate.

“The best thing about working on this project was that this once stately home that demands space and a sensitive design approach to location, ticked all the boxes and that was exciting. The building spread is supported well be the vast expanse that surrounds the property so the challenge was to gently capture the personality of the place and not overwhelm the eye. To not just create a pretty space but instead, thoughtfully considered interiors where we could improve, move, or change things,” said Heather.

As a qualified textile designer that gives her a solid grounding in colour and manufacturing, Heather worked with Nicky around the design principle ‘a bit of you, a bit of me and bit of history’. Keen not to churn out a typical colonial storyboard which can sometimes be a bit uptight, Heather instead chose to amplify luxury and comfort marrying the architecture with the interiors to create a South African experience and a celebration of the past. “Beautiful spaces play with my energy so I am always itching to make an environment better to put people at ease,” she said.

Fairview House is solid. Its foundations dig deep and firmly hug the edge of the valley. Seasons change every hour and whether it’s rain, sun or shadows sweeping up to the mountains in the distance, the space between nature and luxury blend seamlessly. “That’s why I worked with colour a little differently on this project, by remaining true to the time period and bringing light, and simplicity into rooms that are framed by views at each turn. It’s a super sunny space so it could carry off a little bit of colour and softness, matched with contemporary pieces of furniture. Plain fabrics, layering and clean trims worked well to echo shapely pieces of furniture with added splashes of pattern mixed with natural textures and accents of charcoal and black – created really snug, comfy spaces,” said Heather.

From the sun lounge with its nude pink palette showcasing flamboyant sunsets, to the Ardmore inspired dining area with its velvet curtains and mushroom grey accents – each area is highly functional and a showcase for beautiful artworks from the Everard Read Gallery. From Kerri Evan’s ‘Attitude’ to Phillemon Hlungwani’s linocuts framing the second entrance and staircase; the detailed beaded panel by Zondile Zondi in the bar area and a Gary Stephens linocut framing the fireplace in the sitting room.

Re-trending pieces of furniture is a passion for Heather – “where the more imperfect an item is, the better”, evidenced by a thoughtfully curated, unique blend of second-hand mirrors, chairs, and couches throughout. With a design ethos around simplicity and sustainability, design before décor, creating layered interiors and incorporating functionality that improves one’s way of life – Heather plans the flow of any conversion from concept to installation using a starting point that resonates with her. A carpet perhaps. Treasured items collected from travels. Family paintings or in this case a gorgeous armoire that is now a feature in the reception area as guests are welcomed and their eyes drink in the view that stretches for days.

“Creating this authentic, living space at Fairview House that is all about comfort and people coming together and making memories, was such a privilege.  From correcting the foundation of the various spaces, getting everyone’s input, and marrying ideas. Never getting rid of items but first assessing their potential and ultimately meeting the brief as clients are delighted by their revamped spaces – these are the things that keep me switched on and loving what I do”, said Heather.

For more information or to book a stay, visit fairviewhouse.co.za

Looking for more architectural inspiration? Take a look at the colourful Hotel Sky on Cape Town’s Foreshore.

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Combining the ultimate in holiday ease with a clean-lined, contemporary aesthetic, a new home on the edge of Plett’s glorious Keurbooms Lagoon is perfectly suited to stylish downtime with family and friends.

Located less than a minute from Plettenberg Bay’s pristine Keurbooms lagoon, this newly built home combines beach- holiday practicality with elegant design. It’s a place where sandy feet and effortless glamour combine – and a product of an excellent client-architect relationship. From the start, says architect Luis Mira, he and the client were in complete agreement about what sort of house was needed.

The brief was to create a holiday home over two levels with “a roof terrace, where the main lounge, dining and kitchen would be elevated to maximise views”, says Luis. The client, he adds, “had a clear diagram of how they envisioned this, and we loved that starting point”. The end result is a striking home on multiple levels, with sculptural staircases and a boldly celebrated support pillar – clad in vertically applied, naturally ageing raw-wood panels – reminiscent of the smokestacks of an ocean liner.

From the start, Luis explains, the house was designed by working with three suspended horizontal planes: the ground floor, first floor and roof level, and the space sequence among these. The idea was to focus on how the three planes connect vertically, and create internal and external spaces in constant relation to the surrounding views and natural condition of the site.

Successfully enhancing “the sense of being in proximity to a tidal giant”, as Luis puts it, the open-plan kitchen, living and dining area is on the upper floor of the house, alongside the master bedroom suite. The entire level opens up to views of the lagoon at the front, while to the back is a shaded outdoor braai and bar, plus an outdoor dining table and chairs. Still higher, up on the roof, is a more intimate braai and entertainment space, and adjacent to these, a rooftop Jacuzzi.

While the upper levels are ideal for elegant entertaining and taking it easy, the lower floor is all about family fun – and is also teenager-friendly. There’s an entertainment area somewhat reminiscent of a smart sports bar, with a large- screen TV and quirky guest bathroom. Also on this floor is a wine cellar and state-of-the-art modular gym equipment, stored for on-demand use. A chill-out lounge and the remaining bedrooms and bathrooms complete the space.

The house was conceived as a response to its remarkable location, says Luis. “You walk along the most beautiful bush path to reach the water in less than a minute,” he explains. “The lagoon is ever-changing, with low and high tides, light intensity, reflections… And these natural forces constantly wet, cover or unveil the golden sand of the beach that is in full view from the house. It is an exquisite natural phenomenon to witness; building in front of it was truly special.”

To help keep everyone’s eyes on the spectacular surroundings, the interiors feature a restricted materials and colour palette. “We were extremely lucky that our client’s understanding of the need for this was superb, and a driving force during the project,” says Luis. “You can see the same principle applied to their selection of furniture and artworks.”

This approach plays out in two ways,he says.First,a connection is established with the natural shades of the surrounding landscape, with a useful example of this being “the beige tiled floor and seats in relation to the sand dunes”. The natural wood cladding and planted elements also bring the subtropical lushness of Plettenberg Bay into the home. Secondly, Luis explains, the pared-back interiors are “neutral enough to allow the architecture to be more of a background, which enables daily life to take over”.

All the fixtures – such as the Italian kitchen,built-in cupboards and vanities by Assirelli Italian Design – and furnishings were chosen by the homeowners, while custom-made items such as beds, exterior tables, bars, desks, shelving and TV units were made by local joiners Wooden Wonders, or by main contractor No Fuss Construction, who have “excellent joinery expertise”, says Luis.

Complementing the custom elements is a selection of international design pieces ranging from the dining table and chairs by Carl Hansen to the supremely stylish Aballs suspended lights – by Spanish designer Jaime Hayon for Parachilna – above the kitchen island, and Jasper Morrison’s modern-classic Smithfield ceiling lamps in the dining room. The final layer is made up of thought-provoking artworks that reflect the homeowners’ predilection for smart, contemporary pieces.

As Luis points out, however, this home is primarily about facilitating tranquil holiday time. Asked what he personally likes most about it, he replies, “That it is well built, that it has been beautifully furnished and equipped, and above all, the fact that the family is already creating some wonderful holiday memories here.”

Looking for more architectural inspiration? Take a look at this Llandudno home and these dreamy beach escapes.

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Combining a craft brewery, a restaurant and a boutique hotel, Barrington’s is the latest good reason to escape to Plettenberg Bay.

The closed-circuit concept is one that hospitality brands have increasingly embraced. A hotel with dining on site; a restaurant with somewhere to stay and live entertainment on tap – everything you need to be able to drop your bags and stay put.

Barrington’s in Plettenberg Bay is a case in point. Started by Simon Ash and Hilton Nagel – who also own The Fat Fish restaurant in town – it’s the first craft brewery in Plett, and the largest operation of its kind on the Garden Route. It’s also a one-stop destination that brilliantly combines a seamless stay with sustainable principles and a 360- degree offering. A kitchen garden, restaurant and small hotel in one, Barrington’s is the stay-and-play concept writ (stylishly) large.

Designed with the brewery as its starting point – an impressive, triple-volume space currently producing a lager, a weiss, an English ale and an American rye ale – the building was engineered by architect Chris de Villiers to wrap around an old coral tree. Petrus Maree’s interiors were inspired by the industrial nature of the brewery itself and, while simple, are warm and elegant, with a white-on-white palette, black accents and plenty of natural textures.

The boutique hotel’s rooms are minimally and stylishly equipped with the essentials. “The concept is geared towards a modern traveller who doesn’t live a wasteful life,” says general manager Anelle van der Vyver. Two types of rooms – six standard and four deluxe – mean that the property works equally well for quick and more leisurely stays. All rooms can be converted to twins – great for groups on the golf circuit – and hotel guests have access to a private dining area should they want to eat away from the fray.

The restaurant is supplied by the magnificent 1 000m2 kitchen garden, and focuses on generous and unfussy food, with an emphasis on freshness, flavour and local ingredients. Much of what is served is made on site, including the baked goods, and there’s a pleasing South African slant to some of the dishes – expect to see ingredients such as naartjie, buchu and spekboom on the menu. Any surplus from the garden is sold in the on-site deli, which also stocks a well-curated selection of wine.

Sustainability is a core principle of the Barrington’s operation: green products are used throughout, grey water is saved in a 120 000-litre tank underground and used for irrigation, there’s a no-plastic policy, solar panels are in the pipeline, and all amenities are local and organic.

Looking for more in Plett? Check out the Tten Store.

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A rare find on the shores of Plett is transformed into a place of wonder with infinite views of sky and ocean.

With breathtaking beaches, pristine nature reserves and adventure-packed amenities, it’s no surprise that Plettenberg Bay is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the country. And it’s where architects Johan Wentzel and Grete van As of W Design Architecture Studio set out to create a private haven of tranquillity for their clients – a place where the natural beauty of the bay would be an undeniable focal point throughout the house.

“For us, architecture is not about the physical building; it’s about the spirit that creates the space,” Johan explains. “The building is just a sheltered platform from which you experience the world – space and place should be perceived by the spirit.” With direct beach access and views stretching across the bay and towards Robberg Nature Reserve for as far as the eye can see, the site is a gem. “We designed the house with absolute focus on the natural world outside – the ocean, the waves, Robberg, the bay, the wind and the limitless sky,” Johan says.

These key design features are evident the minute you enter the sheltered inner courtyard through a dramatic steel door. “It’s like crossing a portal into another world,” Grete explains. A dense canopy of water pear trees casts dappled sunlight over the courtyard and walkway that leads to the main living area, where floor-to-ceiling glazed doors slide away to let the endless sights and sounds of ocean and sky envelop your senses.

READ MORE: A Marine-Meets-Modern Beach House in Yzerfontein

The beautifully crafted steel-and-wood stairwell both connects and separates various spaces vertically to give everyone exactly what they need: the teenagers, an area to bunk in downstairs, with quick access to the beach; communal spaces in the middle for shared family time; and the master suite tucked away upstairs for well-deserved quiet time.

Outside, sleek aluminium cladding, smooth concrete and rugged face brick create a juxtaposition in texture and form that is carried through to within, turning into clever privacy screens that blur the edges between interior and exterior spaces. Inside, the off-shutter concrete, black face brick and natural white oak provide a subtle monochrome backdrop to the main feature of the house – the view. With impeccable attention to detail, both the construction elements and the architecture allow the wonder of the natural context to take centre stage. “We were thankful to local contractors SGB Construction and their team of artisans and sub-contractors for their dedication, patience and enthusiasm to get the details right,” Grete recalls.

READ MORE: Influencers: Grete van SA & Johan Wentzel

Interior designer Adéle van der Merwe ensured that the central design concept was carried through into the final touches. Furnishings in neutral tones complement the architectural style, with a subtle mixture of warm and intimate, playful and practical setting the tone as one room flows into the next.

“I take inspiration from my clients’ way of living, so the interiors become an intuitive reflection of their lifestyle,” she explains. With understated simplicity, the bold use of materials and textures in their natural form adds a splash of glamour to this easy-going family home, in which there’s infinite room to breathe, reset and deep-dive into the rich bounty of Mother Nature.

Looking for more architectural inspiration? Check out this house located in the tranquil beachfront village of Buffelsbaai.

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Interactive concept store tten Bazaar in Plettenberg Bay provides a retail experience that engages, connects and inspires visitors.

The website explains, “tten Bazaar is experiential retail. In creating the concept, style impresarios’ Preston Schroeder and Braam Naude recognise that people seek shopping as a form of pleasure, and demand interesting experiences.”

Colourblocked walls, bespoke furniture, wallpaper and decor make tten a creative space setting it apart from regular retailers. The store houses multi-brand fashion and accessory collections as well as a curated selection of homeware including Roche Bobois, Tom Dixon, Lola James Harper and Bamford.

To create an elevated shopping experience, tten also house a coffee canteen and a champagne bar supplying Delaire Graff Wines and Method Cap Classique.

The walls and spaces are adorned with local art and sculptures that mimic the scenery of the garden route, highlighting green and pink hues.

For more information, visit ttenbazaar.com.

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A classic pattern and a classic weaving construction have been combined in a graphic and contemporary way through the use of scale and colour in Mungo‘s bold new blanket.

Its name is a play on the word “froufrou”, which describes ornamentation or the sound of rustling fabric. It is the first design from Mungo’s designer Lenore Schroeder under the tutelage of Mungo’s founder and Master Weaver Stuart Holding. Lenore delved into Mungo’s vast archives of historic patterns and designs, studying the checks of the classic Harris Tweed that was originally woven on the Hattersley looms that Mungo uses today.

Lenore was equally fascinated by the potential of waffle weave. “Even though the honeycomb weave is traditionally perceived as a construction used for bath towels I wanted to push the boundary a bit and introduce the weave into other products,” she says. The throw is woven with cotton grown in Southern Africa in nine different coloured yarns on a wide-width Dornier loom at the Mungo Mill in Plettenberg Bay. The pure cotton yarn ensures that it remains light and breathable – a chunky blanket built for winter, but also a quilt for the summer months.

“For me, the Vrou-Vrou is a piece of textile art that is functional. The interior trends at the moment are so focused on minimalism that I thought why not throw in a 3D construction fabric in amazing colours?” Experimenting with intersections of colour, increasing the scale of the well-known plaid check, and using the neat, pocket-like structure of the weave then became the building blocks for the Vrou-Vrou Throw.

It is available in two colourways: Magenta, which sees Petrol Blue, Wild Yam, Aubergine, Cerise and Pumpkin in the warp meet French Navy, Natural, Citronelle and Rust; and Tamarind, which artfully combines a warp of Pumpkin, Pebble, Cocoa, Wild Yam and Moon Silver with Beige, Natural, Mustard and Charcoal in the weft.

Of the colourways Lenore says, “When I was studying textile design in 2001, I was a poor student without access to the internet or design magazines, so I always got my inspiration for textiles in fine art and from artists like Friedensreich Hundertwasser and Wassily Kandinsky. Their use of colour and texture has always inspired me and I think it’s still the underlying influence in my approach to colour,” she explains.

“The thought process behind the Magenta colourway was to experiment with “throwing” colours across the warp and weft to see the beautiful outcome. For the Tamarind colourway, I got my inspiration from Maison et Objet in Paris in January. I noticed the introduction of warm ochre colours mixed with pumpkin and charcoal tones. I think the colour combination is well suited to the South African market.”

The hand-finished throws come in double, queen, king and super king sizes and start from R3 070. Shop them online on Mungo’s gorgeous site, then read about Mungo’s mill in Plettenberg Bay here. And while you’re waiting for your order to arrive, take a 360º tour of the mill here.

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The new Mungo Mill in Plett is the creative expression of the values, products and 20-year story of this family business, and a symbol of its continued growth.

In 1998 master weaver Stuart Holding was fortuitously gifted two Lancashire looms. Built in about 1890, they were the very looms he had performed his apprenticeship on in his hometown of Bentham, North Yorkshire, in the ’60s prior to setting off to discover the world. The adventure would lead him to South Africa, where he would settle and start a family.

Stuart got the looms running and began doing what he loves (and does) best: weaving. And, by celebrating an age-old craft, championing ethical production and committing to providing jobs and skills development to local people, he turned his passion into a business.

Mungo, in its very opposition to the cheap imports and textile mechanisation that could destroy it, would defy the odds and grow steadily. Seven years ago, Stuart’s children Dax and Tessa joined the business and started to streamline and strengthen each aspect of it and build the Mungo brand. In 2011 they opened a shop on the family’s property, The Old Nick Village, in Plettenberg Bay, a much-loved trading post successfully run for many years by Stuart’s wife Janet.

With a thriving online business and shops recently opened in Cape Town and Johannesburg, Mungo needed to increase its production: a larger mill went from being a dream to an imperative. It wasn’t quite as simple as erecting a building on the Old Nick property, however. There was the sizeable financial investment, red tape around developing the land, multiple stakeholders to consider in a family organisation, and questions about how to sensitively add a modern building onto a historical property.

One thing was certain: The mill would be open to the public, providing the opportunity to tell a story and share both the traditions of preindustrial and industrial weaving and the cut-make-trim process.

“People have lost touch with the way things are made,” says Dax, the driving force behind getting the mill built. “We wanted the customer to see what they’re buying being made, to make that connection.” This next chapter was set in motion when Stuart met architect and land artist Andrea Cristoforetti at an art exhibition – the person who was to take Stuart’s vision for a simple mill at the back of the Old Nick and transform it into a 900 m² statement structure visible from the national road. Andrea’s challenge was to find the appropriate architectural language to describe a working weaving museum: a way to balance the milling function with the museum element, making it an interactive experience for the public without impeding production.

Inspiration for a walkway encased in an open-slatted wooden “skin” came from a photograph that Andrea took on a tour of Mungo’s former weaving site. A close-up of one of the looms, the image captures the simple utilitarian beauty of the multiple heddles that individually hold every thread of the warp. “I wanted visitors to walk through the ‘threads’ and, hopefully, experience some of that poetry,” Andrea explains.

Some elements weren’t negotiable, such as abundant natural light. Large windows not only provide observation galleries for visitors but also provide a bright environment for staff to work in, the opposite of traditional textile mills, which are notoriously dark, close and dirty.

“This mill represents our product,” Dax says, simply.It truly is a metaphor for Mungo. It grew as organically as the business itself: conceptualised by Stuart and Andrea two years before the first foundations were laid; evolved with the input from every family member; and finally refined and executed by Dax, a furniture designer by trade, who wove all these threads together with Poise Design.

And, like Mungo, it’s not done yet. Phase two, a 700 m² double-storey, will one day go on the back of the building.

Take a 360-degree tour of the space here.

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Local mill Mungo has released a new collection of table linen, available in seven colourways, inspired by the famous Otter Trail hike near Plettenberg Bay.

The collection, which takes inspiration from the colours and textures of the Tsitsikamma coastline, encapsulates the charm of the surrounding ocean, sand, colourful rock formations, coastal forest, and fynbos, found in and amongst leaves in tones of grey and green.

The collection was designed and produced at the family-owned Mungo Mill in Plettenberg Bay (take an exclusive 360-degree tour of the space, here), using a pure cotton weave construction developed by Master Weaver Stuart Holding.

Due to the thickness of the Otter Trail table linens, you could also use the designs as picnic blankets. The seven colourways include Sunset, Tidal Pool, Slate, Fynbos, Indigenous Forest, Hut and Midnight Blue.

For more information, visit mungo.co.za.

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