I’VE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH COLOUR.

Hard to believe, given that my monochromatic personal wardrobe and home-decor aesthetic (beyond the odd bright splash of the Barbara Hepworth print behind me) have usually followed a neutral palette.

As it did for many, that all changed over the last year. After enduring months of lockdown, and the social, economic and emotional pressures brought about by the pandemic, we’ve shared a global chrysalis moment. I’ve felt a natural pull towards the positivity and encouragement of colour. It feels stridently forward-looking – and a crucial energy to tap into as the world rejuvenates and reinvents itself.

A lot of that reinvention went into our homes: the place where we spent so much time both working and living. Lockdown was also an unexpected but wonderful opportunity to witness nature’s cycle and its seasonal explosion of colour – one that previous life perhaps took for granted. It’s a zeitgeist that I think intersects perfectly with the inherent vibrancy of South African design: it’s amplified the work created by our talented local designers, not only placing it confidently among current global trends, but setting them too.

So yes, I may still be monochromatically attired… But in my house, bedrooms have turned yellow, walls have turned pink, tables have turned green and carpets have become emboldened. A look at VISI over the past 12 months makes it clear that colour has captivated us all – and in this issue, the transformation is complete.