Tonic Design: Contemporary Living

“As much as we are driven to create work that is provocative and progressive, we are also guided by the principles and processes of craftsmanship,” says Greg and Philippe, owners of Tonic Design.

“The intersection of these two worlds – invention and tradition – is at the heart of everything we do.”

Nowhere is this more apparent than in their latest residential project in Claremont, Cape Town. “The client had secured a beautiful treed site in Bishopscourt and appointed Johan Slee to design a contemporary home that embraced the garden and mountain views,” they explain.

“Our role was to create a family home and we wanted to embrace the bold architecture but also offer comfort.”

To do so, the duo worked to beautifully balance strong design, both in the architecture and furniture pieces, with a mix of antiques and contemporary furnishings, sourced both locally and abroad.

This includes plush sofas upholstered in a midnight blue with a scattering of jewelled-toned cushions, elegant designs in wood, including a custom TV wall unit and an expansive dining table for the family to gather around.

Restrained and leaning towards the natural and masculine, the overall scheme is cool and collected with pops of bright tones in the art and accessories, providing the family with an elegant haven that neither shies away from nor overpowers the striking natural surroundings, while offering them all the luxuries and comforts they could ask for.

With over 20 years of design expertise and excellence behind it, Tonic Design is arguably one of South Africa’s foremost furniture and interior design practices. The Johannesburg-based studio is best known for its stellar portfolio of residential projects and its distinctive furniture designs that are undeniably current, enduringly classic and instantly liveable. In addition to their collection, Tonic Design is also a distributor for Gubi, Classicon, Jieldé, Ercol and Andreu World.