CREATIVE COLAB

Design Joburg featuring Rooms on View is raising the bar with this year’s show, in which the Sunday Times has teamed up with interior designer Fanie van Zyl to create a CoLab feature that promises to get pulses racing. Catch it next weekend Describe your CoLab feature in one sentence, and why this concept?

A well-designed space that exudes confidence and sophistication for the eligible bachelor. Why? We wanted to have some fun.

Who is working with you on your CoLab? We’re working with Ken Leiman Furniture to design a kitchen that shows their skill and craftsmanship. The idea was to design a living room where a bachelor might entertain.

What is your dream project?

The thing I enjoy most are the clients. It’s fascinating gaining an understanding of what the business does for a commercial project and how to design in a way that enhances the user experience. The same applies to residential projects; getting to know the client and understanding their needs. In that sense, a lot of my projects are dream projects.

What are you hoping to get out of the show? It hasn’t even launched and I’ve already had so many takeaways from the experience. I’ve partnered with a variety of industry leaders for the first time. I’m a people’s person, so I look forward to the one-on-one interaction.

Who’s inspired your signature style?

Tonic has had a massive influence on my style; they were my first employers and I learnt so much from them. The high standard they set made it almost impossible to work for anyone else, which is why I chose to go it alone and maintain similar standards in my own interiors. Lunetta Bartz from Maker Studio has also had a profound influence on my style.