FROM THE EDITOR

The age of humanist design is upon us, writes Editor-in-chief Piet Smedy

‘What’s the best part of your job?’ it’s a question people often ask me. the first thing that comes to mind is the privilege of getting to visit some of the most incredible homes in the country – truly a unique perk to the role. But no, for me, it always comes down to the people, particularly the designers, creatives and makers whose work brings these pages to life.

that’s why this month, we wanted to celebrate the people behind the craft and tell their personal stories. Unintentionally, in doing so, the journey has been quite a personal one for me, too. Some of the homeowners featured in this issue are old friends, like Cape town opera artistic director Matthew Wild, who i’ve known for longer than either of us would like to admit. Matt and his partner Marek’s recently renovated home is just so, i guess, them (how many of us have had tasked an architect with creating special storage for our mammoth collection of classical Cds?). others, such as designer dylan thomaz, have become new friends through the process. dylan’s home (and his cat, August) are this month’s cover stars. What i loved most about his interiors is how they marry his childhood memories with a grown-up sense of style.

the fundamental truth is that our homes are our autobiographies; they’re the story of our lives – they speak to our passions, safeguard our souvenirs and hint at our ambitions. A live-in manifesto of who we are, where we come from and where we want to go.

of course, it’s not just our interiors that tell our stories but our gardens, too, and as we celebrate Garden day this month we turn to the artists, chefs and decorators whose green spaces feed their minds (and, sometimes, literally feed them).

i hope that this issue offers some insight into the human element that is so critical to a successful design and reminds us that, when it comes to creating a home, the end goal is always happiness.