Designer Spaces: Tasneem Sayanvala

The Designer Spaces Challenge is teeming with talent. Every year this Expo show feature ups the ante in terms of design and décor skills. With a wide variety of participants from very different backgrounds and cultures, they collectively share one thing. Africa is home. In the challenge, a participant is to create a space that they feel lives up to the 2020 InHabit theme. We recently asked Tasneem Sayanvala, our fourth Designer Spaces participant a few questions about design and what it means to be a successful interior designer. One who understands how to create a space that speaks to every person that enters a room.

Joburg Talent

Sayanvala is a Johannesburg based interior designer. She is known for transforming spaces through vision and functionality. With a Diploma in Interior Design from the University of Johannesburg, her skills have allowed her to freelance and work for distinguished architecture firms in South Africa. Still a young talent in the industry, her impressive track record has allowed her to develop a keen eye for creating beautifully-designed spaces.

Also a successful graphic designer, she understands the importance of brand identity and how to create a “language that is carried through the interior and graphic design of a brand”.

In every Designer Spaces Challenge feature, we ask our designers a few key questions to get the insider’s perspective on design and décor trends for 2020. Keeping the Inhabit theme in mind, this is what she had to say.

What does InHabit mean to you?

InHabit for me translates to an opportunity to showcase the beauty of Africa and its people by exploring its rich and diverse colours and textures that are truly unique to our continent, that we call home.

What is one thing every South African should invest in when it comes to interior design?

Great lighting! Lighting can make a space. Everyone should have a variety of lighting options in a room that can be customised to suit your mood and functionality. Lighting adds the next level of comfort in the home and the wow factor.

What are your colour trend predictions for 2020?

I think the colour themes of nature will get stronger. Different shades of green, warm tones of red-orange and yellow. Blue and purple will also be trendy this year in design. So essentially the colours of Africa!

How do you combine beauty and functionality?

I follow the rule of “form follows function” always. I advise clients to only choose a piece of furniture if it will be useful for them. What do you need? Then we look at the aesthetics of it. It’s no use having a gorgeous chair in your living room but it’s awkward and uncomfortable to sit in, right?

What is something or someone you always turn to for inspiration?

I am inspired by the landscape of South Africa. We have a beautiful country and there is so much to draw inspiration from. It’s people, cultures and natural beauty.

You can find our previous InHabit Designer Spaces Challenge interviews here.