Decorex Africa 2026: Soft Life Design & Dates

Decorex Africa 2026 reimagines how we live—beautifully, gently and with intention.

In 2026, Africa’s most influential design platform returns with a renewed sense of purpose. Decorex Africa 2026 is not just scaling up—it is softening down. With over 600 exhibitors, ten design-led restaurants, and more than twenty immersive installations spanning lighting, architecture and furniture, this year’s showcase embraces a quieter, more considered vision of modern living.

Held in both Cape Town and Johannesburg, the exhibition unfolds as a sensory journey through contemporary African design. Visitors are invited to step into curated spaces that prioritise comfort, tactility and emotional resonance—an intentional departure from the urgency of past design narratives.

Soft Life

At the heart of this evolution lies the theme Soft Life. It is a philosophy that privileges ease over excess, presence over productivity. Across both editions, interiors are imagined as sanctuaries: kitchens become gathering spaces, bathrooms turn into restorative retreats, and living areas reflect a slower, more mindful pace. From DIY renovation workshops to interactive cooking studios, the experience is as hands-on as it is inspiring.

Garreth van Niekerk, joint Executive Creative Director, frames this shift as both timely and necessary. He notes that Decorex and its co-located platform, 100% Design Africa, are moving away from decades defined by hustle culture. In its place comes a design language rooted in human experience—spaces that nurture rather than demand.

The 2026 edition also spotlights a new generation of visionaries. The Designers of the Year will unveil pioneering works, while hundreds of African brands present collections that merge craftsmanship with contemporary sensibility. It is a compelling intersection of global direction and local innovation—one that continues to define Decorex Africa as the continent’s leading design authority.

The Cape Town leg, supported by the City of Cape Town, opens from 25 to 28 June 2026 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. A month later, the showcase travels to Johannesburg, running from 30 July to 2 August 2026 at the Sandton Convention Centre.

Beyond the scale and spectacle, what defines Decorex Africa 2026 is its invitation: to rethink how spaces shape daily life. It asks visitors not just what looks good—but what feels good. And in doing so, it captures a broader cultural shift towards living with intention, beauty and a little more softness.