Introducing: The Home Series

Words: Sanri Pienaar | Photography: Inge Prins

Reflecting our ever-changing tastes and influences, our homes are more than just the place where we lay our hats. They represent a state of mind and grow into our most personal spaces to share stories, build memories, store lifelong belongings and celebrate unforgettable milestones. When it comes to furnishing, we tend to focus on items that are aesthetically pleasing to us, our partners and our families. And that’s important, but it’s just as necessary to consider functionality and longevity.

Whether you live in an apartment or house and regardless of the interior design style you’re most drawn towards, there are a few elements that never change in the long run. Some pieces of furniture are mandatory – think coffee tables, beds, sofas and chairs. The Home Series will introduce you to the modern pieces that will not only accentuate your home, but serve a significant long-term purpose. We’ve selected a handful of key items to debut this fresh, informative series. Let’s get acquainted.

Seating is one of the first big design choices you need to make when you furnish your home. Be it the lounge, kitchen or a perfect reading nook – comfort and style are key. Look to reimagined favourites for inspiration. Updated and sleeker than ever is the Finn Sleeper, designed with true Sandi practicality and taste and ideal for limited space. If you have more room to play with, an easy solve to completely transform your home is to introduce the latest style of occasional chair. The Cross Chair’s tan colour and sophisticated design will add a contemporary element best displayed as a pair to create a strong focal point.

Choose a contemporary design in practical colours that won’t date. The San Dining table with contrasting finishes illustrates how to be bold and smart – a striking black top with classic wooden legs makes the table versatile to style. Update by switching up your seating, mixing and matching chairs with different finishes or adding an upholstered stool for an eclectic look.

Storage can double up as a design element. Introducing baskets in natural fibres brings a layered, organic element to your home, while playing with patterns and sizes makes for a more considered feel. Stack baskets on top of a cupboard to hide everything that needs to be stowed away, stylishly.

Lighting is the soul of a home and the answer is always creating pools of light. A room should have different light sources that can be optimised as the room’s function changes. Ignore outdated decor rules and choose asymmetrical lighting for your bedside tables. I say go with a wall-mounted lamp that doubles as a sidetable and match with a Bonnet table lamp. Point is, the options are endless. Lighting is an exciting design element – have fun with it.

Bringing warmth to your home is especially important during the cooler months. Introduce a sense of layering by mixing and matching rugs made from different materials and add more life to your home using colour. Rugs and mats also enhance the flow of a space. Cool trick: make distinct, separate spaces in an open-plan design with clever floor placement.