Elle Decor made me very home sick last week, with their feature on West Elm’s collaboration with Cape Town and Johannesburg artists.

Lucky US customers will see a roll out of this South African collection over the coming month, with furniture from John Vogel, pottery by Mick Haigh, lighting by Shirley Fintz and even a limited edition of south african flavoured objects in the form of Masai chokers on stands and beaded birds.

One of the things I love about going home is the difference in lifestyle (and before anyone picks me up on it, yes, I am talking about those who are in a position to enjoy it). They have a totally different life balance where work and family commitments seem to be more relaxed and fluid. Something that seemed to also strike a chord with West Elm:

“When we met with Gemma Orkin one afternoon, she’d just come back from surfing with her kids. The lifestyle there is very integrated with being outside, with being convivial and social, and folding your work and creativity into the way you live.”

“We felt so strongly about South Africa, we wanted people to be able to sit on it, eat out of it, and observe it”. (Vanessa Holden, Creative Director, West Elm)

I’m so with you there. And in the spirit of this appreciation I thought I would share a beautiful wedding present that my family brought over – ten years ago now.

I’m sure West Elm would be quite keen to include this little set into their collection.

But it’s mine – all mine!