Design aesthetic
 
It is a bit of a cliché, but my design aesthetic is definitely eclectic, a healthy mix of classic proportions in new progressive materials in interesting colour combinations. I appreciate clever, intuitive design that is sophisticated with a sense of humour. I am inspired by the new wave South African artist like Zander Blom, Cameron Platter and Michele Matthison, I collect Ruan Hoffman plates and Tonic furniture and am extremely interested in African craft, all forms of craft, from weaving to carving and beading.

I definitely don’t believe in conforming to the rules, I think it is wise to understand the foundations of design and then to challenge yourself and make them your own. Décor and design is about surrounding yourself with what you love. I believe spaces should tell the story of who you are as a person and that sourcing and collecting things over time should reveal a story about yourself, I have found this is the best way for a space to evolve.

Home
 
We’ve recently renovated a small 1930s post war home in Parkhurst, Johannesburg. We worked with a commercial architect to open it up and rearrange the living spaces, respectfully tweaking the space to maximise its solid proportions and make it more contemporary for everyday living. We are slowly collecting furniture that we find interesting and art – solid pieces that we love and that we will have for a lifetime. We have just added another family member to our home, so inevitably the space will evolve once again.

Décor trends
 
I really don’t believe in trends as a concept. I believe that what a person loves and is drawn to – their individual style – is not something that changes on a seasonal basis. For me, décor is more about clever, conscious living. This should include a rich appreciation of our planet and focus on minimising the impact each of us have on the earth, and deeply considering what we buy or what we surround ourselves with.

Of course, newness is always needed, but this constant yearning for the latest fads is tiring. But, for now at least, it seems consumers are embracing interesting colour combinations.

Inspiration
 
I am inspired by interesting, clever people who question and interrogate the ‘norm’ and figure out a new way forward - thinkers. I really like what the guys at Tonic are doing. I like the way new architect Christiaan van Aswegen conceptualises spaces, I like the new identity that graphic design agency Unknown is pioneering, I like the bold and confident decisions Dokter and Misses are making with furniture and I’m enduringly infatuated with jewellers Marchand van Tonder and Eric Loubser.

Art
 

I am obsessed with art. I have no formal art background, so I actually have no real art opinion, and in fact, I don’t even end up buying what I like as it is just too expensive, but I find it fascinating.

Travel destinations:
I have been fortunate enough to have travelled extensively – although mainly for work. My favourites cities are Paris for the art, fashion and culture; China for the shear culture shock; Turin and Alba for the food culture; and New York for Museum of Modern Art, SoHo, Central Park and Barneys. I am fascinated by Africa and long to travel more on the continent.

Local holidays
 
For me, holidays are spent with close family and we often end up congregating on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast. Warm beach holidays are something that I cherish from my childhood and like to share with family. My wife and I tend to find little quiet spots for our break aways; Stanford for the simplicity and the amazing food from Marianas and Cape Town out of season for everything - but most importantly for its proximity to my absolute best, Babylonstoren.

Vision for House and Leisure

I am fortunate enough to have joined Associated Media Publishing, a group that really understands how to deliver ‘360 degree’ content to its audiences. House and Leisure has a vibrant digital presence which complements our readers’ experience perfectly. My goal is definitely to build on this interplay between the print publication, website (a new website will launch before the end of 2015) and social media. We will become a true ‘lifestyle companion’, offering inspirational and practical content in equal measures.

A content ‘evolution’
 
In general, I feel a healthy dose of disruption is never a bad idea on any title. So I do plan to shake things up a bit, although I have no intention of alienating any of our current readers. So you can expect an evolution, not a revolution, at House and Leisure. My plans include diversifying the styles of houses featured in the magazine so that we feature properties across the design spectrum - houses that suit all pockets and tastes. It is really about exploring the concept of how stylish South Africans choose to live. We will celebrate great South African design.

Travel will be upweighted – in particular, travel on the African continent. We plan to deliver a resolved concept, where our audiences are not only given information about travel, but also the tools to help them on their travels. So, for instance, if we run a feature on Kenya, there will be practical information both in print and online on, for instance, the airport, hotels and taxi services. And information to help inspire our readers to soak up as much of the destination’s style, culture and fare as possible.

Our food section will also be revamped in line with how our readers consume information these days. So while a reader may kick back and read her print magazine on her couch in the afternoon, when it comes to trying any of our recipes, she will more than likely prefer to do this off her phone or tablet. We’ll make sure the content lives where are reader wants to find it.

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