Decorex Joburg, Design Joburg and 100% Design Africa took place this past week for four incredible days of design, decor and lifestyle. Having taken place at the Sandton Convention Centre, It is one of the most prominent events in the country’s interior design industry, attracting professionals and design enthusiasts alike.
A dream for all who visit, it is the ultimate source of inspiration, innovation, and cutting-edge trends. This year, the annual exhibition saw a celebration of creativity, elegance, and style divided into segments comprising:
- Plan & Build
- Kitchens & Bathrooms
- 100% Design Africa & Design Joburg
- Decor
Plan & Build
The foundation is undoubtedly the most crucial part of any home and structure. On this floor, you could explore different kinds of architecture and how you can make your home a sustainable living space. All the fundamentals were covered, including:
- Home automation
- Outdoor living
- Financial services
Kitchens & Bathrooms
Home is where the heart is, and I find my serenity in the kitchen and bathroom. The Bespoke Home by Samsung brings all the necessities and comforts one needs. Made for custom living, the Bespoke French Door Fridge with Beverage Center™ is 630l of everything you’ll need behind five doors. A quiet and energy-saving unit, you can get yours in your favourite colour that is available to match your style.
Foodies also got to see chefs create culinary delights live at the Samsung Bespoke Cooking Theatre. I caught Chef Gerhard from Food Ink, and he gave us a sensory experience complete with a Jo Malone body oil and a lesson in cooking.
Beautiful spaces were all around, with the order of the day being speciality and custom-made. Brands that really impressed me and I gravitated towards included:
- Totem for custom-built kitchens, cupboards and vanities
- Nuuma for luxury-designed kitchens
- Victorian Bathrooms for elegant and timeless bathroom designs
- Lifestyle Ceramics for opulent bathroomware
100% Design Africa & Design Joburg
For creatives – by creatives. The 100% Design Africa & Design Joburg was a playground, with actual games at some stalls, that welcomed all to submerge themselves in. The first fine-art physical NFT gallery in South Africa, USURPA, was present and treated us to a live art performance. It was quite an experience seeing Mark Modimola, Terence Maluleke, Naledi Modupi, and Wandile Xaba create digital art, interact with them and get a sense of their process. Working on a Galaxy tablet with an S Pen, we could view their creation on The Frame. It’s a matte display Samsung TV with an art mode that presents brushstrokes in a lifelike manner. A tranquil place within the bustle, at USURPA, you could enjoy art by Sinalo Ngcaba, Seth Pimentel and Von Mash, to name a few.
Always Welcome is a multi-brand cooperative retailer where the past meets the future in the present. Located in Kramerville, it is undoubtedly one of my favourite spaces. I implore you to visit them as they have an assortment of brands under their belt. I am obsessed with the Paradise Light they have from Arrange Studio. Vintage-inspired, It’s A cross between a Tiffany and Bankers lamps. It also comes as a floor lamp and a pendant. Arrange Studio’s Staple bench is also an aesthetic piece. It can easily translate into a centrepiece to accentuate any room or table seating.
Art pieces for everyday living
I geeked out when I saw Houtlander and their beautifully crafted timeless pieces. Furniture created for the living, their Interdependence II and Coronation Bench collection are art pieces that are the equivalent of Bone China that only comes out for special dinners. Their entire range consists of meticulously crafted wooden furniture that is sustainably made and ready to give you comfort in all aspects of your life.
Gardenberry stopped me in my tracks with their cassette tape coffee table. It’s undoubtedly a collector’s item for everyone who can’t let go of the 90s. They kept me with their wood slate coffee table and chairs that gave a beautiful illusion of movement.
Dynamic sister duo make up the sustainable and community-empowering Ananta. Whimsical and fun, Ananta‘s designs are handmade and are guaranteed to bring joy to any space. Expect custom-made framed mirrors, table lamps and the most quaint vases you’ll ever encounter.
Live from the Sunny Side was Sol in collaboration with South African furniture and lighting designers. They lit up the foyer with vibrant pieces by:
- Mpho Vackier – creative director and founder of TheUrbanative, a South African furniture and lighting design brand
- Thabiso Mjo – Mash T Design Studio
- Bonolo Chepape – Lulasclan
- Candice Lawrence – Modern Gesture
Vibrant at first glance, the woven screens by TheUrbanative divided the space while keeping it open. In addition to their pendent and planter with woven detail, the area had a pleasing cohesion with the Tutu light by Mash T design studio, tribal rugs by Lulasclan and the surface standing lamp by Modern Gesture.
100% Design Africa & Design Joburg was an immaculate space celebrating creativity, innovation and excellence. Literally, a beautiful space to be in. It gave great insight into the future of design while interacting with those changing the landscape. It’s great to know that sustainability, community, upliftment and culture are at the centre of it all.
Decor
A visual and tactile feast, the decor at Decorex was nothing short of art pieces in a museum. Specially created and curated for us, it set out to showcase how you could transform your space with pieces that would breathe new life into your surroundings.
Transform your entire home with Mr Home, where they collaborate with different types of artists to bring you custom items. From luxury bedding and contemporary furniture to bold home accessories – they cater for all styles with comfort and expression at the forefront.
Those with a flair for industrial aesthetics could find one-of-a-kind steampunk statues that will make you feel like you are back to the future. Feeling Afrocentric? Then Moyo Fine Arts is just the place for you. From small giraffe figurines with long necks to large cats that will make any entrance grand, Moyo is the place for you. They also have an assortment of baskets you can use as planters or keep your blankets in. Full of treasures, I mainly took to the tall, slender tribal women sculptures balancing clay pots on their heads. Not to mention the traditional Ghanaian fans! I still want all of them to accentuate my walls and cool me off.
Art collectors are welcome to view works by Thembelihle Ngesi from Eastern Cape. With the use of vibrant colours and multiple techniques, his pieces will surely be a conversation starter.
It was an exceptional four days dedicated to the world of design, decor, and lifestyle. Hosted at the esteemed Sandton Convention Centre, it was the ultimate source of inspiration, innovation, and contemporary trends. A playground for creatives, by creatives, the occasion epitomised a harmonious blend of interactive engagement and artistic expression. I, for one, cannot wait for next year’s edition.
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