OUR SUZANIS IN THEIR HOMES
All silk ottoman suzani at La Cotte Hotel
This glorious large All Silk Ottoman Design Suzani with Pomegranates has pride of place in the reception at La Cotte Hotel in Franschhoek. It is wonderful that her beauty is shared with so many guests arriving at the hotel. She was acquired for this interior by Architect, Designer Dominic Touwen at our All Silk Exhibition Opening Night of 2018 at Alphen Hotel.
Dearest Jane’s day visit and luncheon at La Cotte, Franshhoek.
Above the reception desk, our Large Framed All Silk Ottoman Design
Suzani with Pomegranates
Michael Chandler
The interwoven story of Bukhara to Cape Town Suzanis
Michael Chandler, designer, artist and the man behind Chandler House Design
When Michael opened “Chandler House” his shop in Church Street 12 years ago, we had been fellow lovers of Beauty and Design and special friends for many years already. We had agreed over many red spaghetti’s and glasses of red wine at our kitchen table that if he ever opened his own dream shop, I could have a special corner in it too to share my love of textiles. Hence my cupboard of Suzanis moved into Chandler House when his doors opened to his new exciting shop in 2012. It was incredibly thrilling to be part of his new venture and to experience the hub of young creatives and fabulous visitors that frequented it for so many years. I spent countless afternoons and First Thursday evenings sharing and showing Suzanis to visitors and telling their silk road story.
Michael has been a true friend, supporter and encourager of my Suzani passion since the beginning in 2012. Suzanis have pride of place in his new wondrous home and artist studio in Chiappini Street, Bokaap.
Eventually after participating in many exhibitions, First Thursdays, Suzani parcel openings, antique fairs and markets together, the “Suzani cupboard” moved back to my home. My house became empty after my children became independent and spread their wings. I converted our family sitting room to become The Suzani Gallery. I had a large collection of Suzanis on consignment in stock and really needed this big white room as a space to share these unique textiles with Suzani Lovers from my home.
https://www.instagram.com/chandlerhousect/
Good luck cheers from Michael to my Suzani display at the SADAA 2017 Cape Town V&A Waterfront Antique Fair Exhibition.
the large adras nurata suzani at The Ladder Gallery
The image below shows the Large Nurata Suzani that hung in “The Ladder ” owned by artists Nicholas and Anastasia Esterhuizen in Bree Street for a few months after they opened the doors to their beautiful gallery. It has since found its home in Heusden, Netherlands.
https://www.instagram.com/theladderon136/
From Fritz’s garden
Heusden
home of the minister of the “suzani church”
My very dear friends in Heusden, Netherlands have a wondrous extended collection of our Suzanis. Some of the Suzanis in this collection are sometimes perfectly folded aesthetically over a wooden stand, but mostly they are all lovingly rotated and displayed around their home, on the beds to the walls or in front of bookshelves. Pride of place is also in the entrance hall with the ever present changing arrangement of seasonal flowers and Tulips in the Blue and White Tulip vase. Fritz is the founder and “Father” of the “Suzani Church” which he “named” for collectors who own 10 of our Suzanis already.
He calls this Adras Suzani the “Merklap”
The Large Adras Bukhara / Nurata Suzani that hung for a while in “the Ladder” Cape Town.
The Persian Carpet Design Adras Suzani
Penny Dobbie
Penny and I met at Chandler House on a First Thursday evening long ago, and we have been special friends ever since. Often sharing sunset bubbles and admiring the best view of Table Mountain and Bay in Cape Town from her balcony. in the olden days of Suzani parcel openings she never missed a single one of these celebrations. She usually went home with a new addition to her large collection. Like with me, it is always love at first sight with some Suzanis for her too. She has been a Suzani Lover and enthusiast and a devout Suzani Church member with well over 10 in her collection. I am eternally grateful to Penny for loving our Suzanis so much, for being a “soldier for Suzani “ by collecting them and spreading their appreciation amongst her expansive Cape Town and worldwide social network.
https://www.instagram.com/penny.dobbie/
Dearest Jane
Dearest Jane
I met dearest Jane when she bought a Suzani from Chandler House long ago, and she has been a most wonderful and dear friend ever since. She now lives in Cambridge in her long dreamed of “Little Cottage” but comes to Cape Town on and off when its warm and summery here. Jane is a Suzani Lover and Church member who owns many, many of our Suzanis and they surround her in her homes and makes her happy wherever she is living. Jane tells the very best stories of long ago and with the most beautiful naughty twinkle in her eyes when she does. I always Love it when Jane is in Cape Town, and never get to see her often enough, and always look forward to her next visit.
Andrea Shaw and Candy Burnap/ california+idaho
Andrea Shaw and her mother Candy Burnap came into our lives in 2022. Andrea is a serious and very knowledgable textile lover and collector with incredible taste who makes carefully considered and impeccable choices to add to her home. Andrea and I spent very many Whatsapp hours carefully looking at our Suzanis to make her choices. She has collected a most beautiful range of Suzanis. She and her mother have been unbelievable supporters and collectors of our Suzanis, to be displayed, treasured and loved in their California and Idaho homes.
Rupert Powell
Rupert is a very special person in my life. He became a tenant here at home and a close friend and “family member”. We met at Chandler House when he worked upstairs with architects. He moved to London and now works as a Classicist Architect, which suits him one hundred percent. We share an appreciation for beauty and the gentle and the romantic side of life. His Suzani below always travels with him and he says “Home is where the Suzani is” but we miss him here in Cape Town always.
https://www.instagram.com/capeclassicist/
Rupert and Michael on a First Thursday Evening at Chandler House
Lené Ehlers
Lené came into our lives when she was preparing for a solo exhibition at Chandler House two years ago. Michael thought she should meet Suzanis to add their magic also to her work. She came on an “artists residence” and lived in the Suzani Gallery for a month while we were away visiting Daniel in Berlin. She shared images of her soaking in Suzani motifs and colour daily, they seem to already have existed somewhere in her soul and just needed reviving and explode into her art. Soon after we returned she moved in as our tenant, and before long also moved her studio to our home.
It is an absolute joy to experience Lené’s artist’s journey. I have rarely seen such dedication as an artist, it is a real joy to witness her art evolving. She moves from one inspiration to the next. Painting, then ceramics, back to painting, never stopping the search. Lené is a complete free spirit, an introverted wonderful warm hearted soul. A lifelong friend and true fellow “soldier for Beauty”.
https://www.instagram.com/leneehlers/
Embeth
Beautiful, gentle Embeth visited the gallery and chose a number of our Suzanis for her home, her taste is as feminine and unique as her personalty. I am so curious to know where she has chosen to place the two vintage Suzanis she acquired last year.
Michele Falcey
Michele and her family live in this elegant home in a country setting in New Jersey. The home is very calm and spacious in design and character with a quiet palette of colours . This is the perfect backdrop for the Suzanis she fell in love with and chose to incorporate in her home. They tone in with the peaceful atmosphere and accentuate the soft pastel colours that were already there. The designs are feminine and floral , but also strong with the accent of the indigo Macedonian Sun.
Felicia and Christoph/ Cape town
This wonderful German couple has lived in South Africa for most of their adventurous and full married life. All the amazing stories boggle my mind. Suzanis are responsible for me meeting the very best souls in this world. Only the loveliest people love hand embroidered artworks and textiles. Felicia and Christoph are such wonderful people who embrace life and exude positivity and love and enthusiasm and stops at no new challenge, whether it is to drive halfway through Africa in their camper van alone and sleep over at the side of the road and only eat what the markets en route offer, or to buy yet another old gem of a house to restore and make into another beautiful home and garden for their big family. They were also farmers for many years beyond the Blue Mountains of the Cape.
Henrietta
The house of Suzani Cushions. My dear friend Henrietta has more Suzani cushions than me even, and they look wonderful in her glorious home. She has exquisite Suzanis too, but I don’t have all their images.
Gregory Mellor Design
Gregory has incorporated our Suzanis in many of his wondrous interiors, and has been a supporter of our traditional hand embroidered works of art over many years. He has used them most beautifully in many homes, including his own. He applied them in glorious, sumptuous ways at Sterrekopjefarm https://www.instagram.com/sterrekopjefarm/ as seen in the first three images here below. The Sterrekopjefarm project is published in ELLE DECORATION FRANCE. Gregory absolutely knows just exactly how to add Suzani as an enriching element in an interior. Thank you so much Gregory.
https://gregorymellor.com https://www.instagram.com/gregory.mellor.design
Jonkmanshof
Our Bukhara Medallion Adras Suzani adding an enriching touch to this gracious bedroom at Jonkmanshof. A luxurious heritage retreat in the heart of the Klein Karoo town of Montagu.
https://www.instagram.com/jonkmanshof/
the late Sue Robinson
I met Sue too late in life. She inspired me enormously during the short period that I did get to know her and visited her weekly. She was already in a wheelchair by this time. A woman of such strength and wisdom and dignity. I loved hearing about her extraordinary life. Every corner of her home told this story, and I loved listening and learning. She was passionate about textiles and also Suzanis. Part of her early life was spent in Uzbekistan, when her father was posted there as a doctor. After that he was posted to Kimberly in South Africa, where she finished school before studying at UCT to become a doctor.
The cushion she bought she kept on her wheelchair.
the late Iain Renwick / london
I was so thrilled to receive a phone call from Ian, the late former Liberty CEO and wonderful gentleman a number of years ago. He acquired a number of Suzanis from me for his Scotland home. Including the large Adras Suzani below. Sadly I never saw pictures of how they were used. He promised me to share pictures when all was ready.
London
This beautiful All Silk, Silk Road Camels Design Suzani was bought by a wonderful young couple from London for their first home together, and has pride of place in their bedroom. They shared before and after images with me. I love the wall colour they chose, it compliments the Suzani perfectly.
Brigitte Atkinson / surrey
Head of Fabric at The White Company, London. Brigitte came to visit our gallery when she was in Cape Town and chose this Bukhara Adras Suzani for her British home. I love the way she has framed her , stretched like a canvas with a wooden frame finish.
https://www.instagram.com/thewhitecompany
gentleman’s apartment / london
Johannesburg
The late Anna Starcke, economic-political analyst, author, with a glorious flair for interior design, fashion, joy for life and living each moment to the fullest. She fell in love with this All Silk Bukhara Medallion Suzani years ago and it has pride of place in her apartment.
Below is a Gallery of Images of our Suzanis in their homes, I will work my way through them and tell all their stories still, and many more …
