Tanja Beyers: eclectic with a twist

With both of my parents working in the interior design industry and an architect for a grandfather, interior design was an easy choice for me to make.

In every interior that I do I need to remain authentic to my client and myself to ensure the spaces that I leave behind work, and that everyone, including the dogs, has a special space. If you had to pin a style to me I would say I lean towards an eclectic interior with a twist. You always need to have something quirky that catches someone off guard and is totally unexpected.

There are two in particular that stand out. We are busy with a private villa in Muscat, Oman… which leaves me lost for words. It is just wonderful! And then there is a camp nestled on the banks of the Zambezi, in Zimbabwe, which is an exclusive, 5-star luxury tented camp in an area so untouched. It’s these projects that feed the soul and make me realise how privileged we are to be doing what we do.

Don’t just chuck out sentimental pieces when you are refurbishing just because they don’t fit the new scheme. There is always a solution, you just need to find the right one. It’s these pieces that tell a story and make things real.

I surround myself with pieces that I love, that are not necessarily worth anything to anyone but me. A box brought back from St Petersburg, Russia , etchings collected from all over the world, my collection of Grappa bottles, pottery stools found in the Eastern Cape made by local Xhosa ladies, handcrafted gifts from my son, an old paddle salvaged off the beach in Mozambique as a gift to me from my husband... and so the list can goes on.

The magnificent Shanghai drinks cabinet. If you need a big statement this is it! I have used it in bedrooms, entrance halls, etc., with great success. With the right imagination, it can be so many different things.

Be true to yourself and trust your gut.