Consultations
We come into a space, read the room, and tell you honestly what works, what could go, and what to bring in — mood board, palette and a clear plan to bring your vision to life. Charged as a simple consult fee.
№ 01The Studio
Umoya Living / Studio
Interior decorators & stylists in Cape Town
Creators and curators of beautifully layered, collected spaces that feel warm, welcoming and full of personality.
№ 02Approach
Umoya — breath, spirit, air. The name is the brief: homes that feel light and unhurried, the way a deep breath does.
First, the honest bit: we’re interior decorators and stylists — not interior designers. We don’t do renovations or project management, and we won’t pretend to. What we do is come into a space, work with what you already have, and bring your vision to life — telling you what works, what could go, and the pieces that will pull it all together.
That runs from residential decorating and styling to turnkey Airbnb fit-outs and corporate spaces. We start with a calm, neutral base and layer it with natural fibres like jute, sisal and seagrass, eclectic vintage and antique finds mixed with modern pieces, and pops of colour drawn from nature: greenery, plants and botanical art. The result feels light and airy yet incredibly warm, and we work closely with a small number of clients at a time, start to finish.
№ 03What we do
Residential Decorating & Styling
Working with what you already have, we layer in the right pieces — curtains, scatter cushions, rugs, soft furnishings and considered furniture placement — so a room flows beautifully and feels warm, inviting and personal.
Airbnb Turnkey Styling
Hand us the keys and we get a short-stay guest-ready, end to end — sourcing beds, kitchen appliances and every last detail you need to be a superhost, styled to turn over fast. Modern and calm, with a little bit of South Africa in natural textures and a neutral palette.
Corporate Spaces
Considered styling for offices and corporate interiors — calm, characterful spaces that feel as good to spend the day in as they look.
№ 04Our story
Two sisters, one studio
Umoya Living is the coming together of two sisters who have always shared a deep love for beautiful spaces, collected treasures and homes that feel warm and welcoming. We’re four years apart but impossibly close — the kind of close where we finish each other’s sentences and somehow end up finding the same vintage chair on Marketplace at the very same moment.
We each bring our own perspective, but our eye is remarkably similar: layered, timeless, lived-in and deeply personal. We love mixing old with new — giving pieces with history a new lease of life and blending them with modern textures until a room tells a story. A home, to us, is so much more than decorating; it’s somewhere that feels loved, and unmistakably yours.
Outside the studio, family is at the centre of everything — gathering people around the table, hearty meals, gardens, forest walks and the mountains. We share a love of people, beautiful interiors, vintage finds and antiques, our families and the natural world — and, at the end of a busy day, a good glass of rosé.
Bonnie Nicholson
Co-founder · Decorator & Stylist
We've been drawn to beautiful spaces for as long as we can remember — rearranging rooms, collecting treasures, and giving old, forgotten pieces a new lease of life by restoring them and blending their history with modern elements while keeping their soul intact. To us, a home is far more than decorating: it's somewhere lived-in, loved and deeply personal, layered with pieces that tell a story. Outside the studio, family is at the centre of everything — and our favourite place in the world is home.
Nikki Sandeman
Co-founder · Decorator & Stylist
We've had an eye for interiors since before we can remember — the kind of itch that, even as children, turned a quiet afternoon into a rearranged bedroom or lounge. We can walk into a space and know instantly what works and what doesn't, and we're perfectionists about making a room actually function: whether it's a busy family home or a space for one, it has to flow as beautifully as it looks. A lovely room you can't really live in isn't the point — so we create interiors that are layered and textured but genuinely livable, where the spacing and layout of every piece builds a warm, inviting flow.