Some favourite African ceramics ...

'Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful,' is the advice I love from William Morris.  With friends stopping by, I decided to reflect our shared South African heritage through the art I love & which often makes it to my sideboard.

You will all be familiar with these 3 lovely statues of animals; they often appear on the sideboard, alongside the beautiful platter that was a gift from my sister. They share the same sort of geometric patterns so just look like they belong together.

These plates are made by the South African ceramic artist Mfuneko Dingiswayo and they appeared together on this sideboard. He was born in Langa in Cape Town in 1979 & he has a very distinct style with raised details & vibrant colours & patterns which reflect the global nature of African art.

I am quite partial to guinea fowl which are found all over Southern Africa so the iconic images are so special to me & to others familiar with Africa.

All these items have been collected over a long time & they remind me of Africa

 Amarula, the South African version of Baileys is made with fruit from the Marula tree that ferment and animals, particularly elephant, are known to get drunk on the fruit. The company pride themselves on supporting conservation.

This lantern is made from an Amarula tin with cut outs that cast shadows from the candle - it looks lovely at night when lit, a reminder of time spent on safari, sipping Amarula at sunset.

The sideboard was ready for friends with things that we could use straight from it which makes it easier to relax & enjoy company. 

Thank you for your company, stop by again soon,
Dee ~💕~

A beautiful home in Africa

While in South Africa, we spent time with my cousins in the beautiful home In Johannesburg where  they graciously welcomed all the cousins & second cousins to a huge get together;  they fed & watered us all, unfazed by so many of us - gracious hosts epitomised.

It is very special to meet up with so many cousins & family members on this trip

This is how it should be - all smiling, happy catch up times, so lovely that the cousins made their lovely home available to us ..

I asked if I could share some of the details on my blog (always ask hosts before sharing pics I think). They collect lovely art & it is all very restrained but beautiful.

An enclosed, private garden always feels indulgent ...

The beauty of their home is in how welcoming it is & how genuinely warm they are. They have this enclosed patio with a bbq built in; the counter & shutters afford total privacy here. The space is absolutely comfortable & beautiful - hugged by the house & a sociable place you just want to relax in.  As more of us arrived, the generous space allowed for another table to be added  - a really sociable space.

I naturally approve of lovely table settings - another of my passions ...

The lovely details & dappled light add atmosphere to the patio. They bought several screens with patterns they liked & used some of the screens on this patio & others on the upstairs landing where there is a library / reading corner. This is an entertaining space with a fridge in the cupboards & everything at hand ...

A patio garden in the ‘u’ shape of the house next to the entertaining space - clean lines with greenery & water ...

The living room next to the patio has classic decor; blue & white china & a rabbit head - quirky & beautiful; you all know how I have a soft spot for rabbits & blue & white wares . It is important that continuity exists around the home & here the animal heads, ikat pattern & colours continue .... 

Be still my heart - the jewel like colour of the velvet sofa is the mark of someone very certain in their choices. I too am a fan of orchids & the ikat patterns of the cushions  which are repeated about the house, the same calm & lovely atmosphere flows peacefully in this lovely home. Blue & white is a classic choice  ...

We share a deep love of Africa that is bred from our pioneering ancestors. I too have a great fondness for deer heads; this faux one is so sculptural against the pale walls ... 

Another touch of antlers which speaks of a love of Africa - the use of traditional materials can be modern & pared back. I love that their love of Africa is evident as well as embracing a global trend.

Everything is beautiful, carefully curated & deliberate to reflect their interest & style.

A snug with touches of Africa - inviting, beautiful, welcoming ... 

The painting is of the Voortrekker Monument is offset by the modern glass bowl on a sculptural stand

Our family were Trekkers, those celebrated in the Voortrekker Monument in the print so it is lovely to see our history reflected in their home. We visited the Voortrekker Monument the next day with cousin Gavin - collective history celebrated.

Collective history at the Voortrekker Monument,  next to the Trek leader we followed 

I do rather have a love for gilt mirrors as well - who could not stop & adjust their look when passing this. Wood & mirrored gilt are always elegant  ...

 The combination of solid wood, glossy tiles, hints of red  & touches of Africa are so welcoming in the entrance to their home.  This is Africa with a modern touch. I love how the sunlight floods this entrance ...

Perfectly beautiful & arranged with such a great eye, they love collecting art that speaks to them & that they enjoy;  this is reflected around their home in lovely original works, all framed in black frames which bind the images.

Can you see the arrangement of protea flowers I shared in a previous blog post?   ...

An upstairs landing offers comfortable chairs alongside a bookcase of inviting books. I love the bold contrasts of the plush upholstery & the sharp horns - it all speaks of a great love of our heritage.  The colours are repeated from the landing below so the home flows so well. 

I could have whiled away hours on this landing, the dappled light coming through the shutters, again repeated from those downstairs on the patio so it is familiar & homely - a cosy, comfortable space; welcoming like our hosts!

The enclosed patio (where the set table featured for our get together) is the perfect space for enjoying the glorious African sunshine. We had our breakfasts out there with the birds flitting in & out of the trees, the dappled sunshine & a relaxed - gesellig - way of living. 

The lovely pool close to the patio is perfect for the long summers that they enjoy out there.

Drinks anyone? How can you refuse a drink from this lovely table? Their renovations are recently completed & they are working at stocking that sizeable wine wall ...

The open shelves in the kitchen show off items that are used daily, yet they are beautiful too.

It reminded me of the Charles Rennie Macintosh saying:

Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.

I love china from my time as a university student when I worked in an upmarket department store. One of the jobs was matching up china patterns & ordering replacements from all around the world. That love of china & glass has stayed with me since then ...


Ikat like patterns flowing through the house,  repetition that  is important in any home; colours, themes, patterns that flow through like a ribbon  ...

No home is complete without fur babies - these are such cuties

Another patio of the other side of the home - perfect for looking out over the veld & hillside on a long summer evening ...

I hope you have been inspired after looking at this beautiful home.

Lessons for me:

They do not do clutter at all
Curate your items
Africa can really be chic
Enjoy history through art & antlers but keep it simple
Live with things that you truly love

Global decor really works & we should really live with things that makes our heart sing.

Thank you for stopping by, for supporting my blog & being kind enough to leave a comment

Dee ~💕~