South Africa | A Journey of Biophilic Design, Discovery, and Soul
"Travel is the ultimate education."
I believe this with my whole heart and soul, and I try to instill this in my life and the travels I take with my family. My recent two-week journey through South Africa was far more than a vacation; it was a transformation. It awakened a part of me I didn’t know was missing, and it deeply influenced how I now see biophilic design principles, nature, and storytelling through space.
We began our journey in Johannesburg, staying at the Voco Hotel, a modern, design-forward property that immediately conveyed a sense of style and cultural connection with earthy color schemes and bold materials.
That evening, we enjoyed a tantalizing dinner at the iconic Marble Restaurant, where the ambiance was just as moving as the menu. It was our first introduction to the variety of game meats and traditional South African culinary styles served with care, creativity, and bold flavors. Our backdrop: an exquisite African sunset that felt like a bath of golden tranquility.
Our first taste of South African luxury—a marriage of food, fire, and sky.
The next morning, we headed to Madikwe Game Reserve by private driver. My husband and I love road-tripping, and we’ve driven through several countries, but we were well-advised that this route is best left to locals who know the way.
I won’t lie, some parts of Johannesburg and the drive toward Madikwe were deeply unsettling. It was our first time in South Africa, and the contrast between the townships and the city center was stark. Some areas felt unsafe, especially as outsiders. I never felt fear planning this trip, but there were moments where I questioned the risk I may have placed on my family.
In time, we acclimated. But the experience left me grateful for the life we have in Miami and for the eye-opening lessons my children and I gained by witnessing the resilience of others, a reminder of the value of sustainable community development.
Once we reached Madikwe, everything shifted. The five-day stay felt like entering another world. The lodge design was breathtaking: organic materials, natural color combinations, hand-carved furnishings, and architecture that seamlessly disappeared into the landscape. It was elegant, primal, and intentional.
Natural materials and spatial intention—pure design inspiration.
The entry opens into a communal space, the dining and lounge areas, that immediately takes your breath away. I found myself instinctively taking photos of every corner. We were the first to arrive that day, and the stillness of the space gave me time to absorb every detail, many of which I hope to reinterpret in future Fine Line designs.
The rooms were equally stunning but offered a private, almost sacred quality. The views, the stillness, the simplicity—it reminded me that luxury doesn’t require excess. Just clarity and intention. It reinforced something I often share with clients: a room doesn’t need to be filled to feel whole. A few well-chosen elements, materials, textures, and natural lighting in interior design can tell the story of the space.
The walkways connecting rooms to the main lodge are winding, quiet, and require an escort, as wild animals occasionally wander through. That subtle tension, of peace laced with unpredictability, kept us alert but alive in a way that only nature can.
Each morning began at 6 a.m. with a sunrise game drive. The cold was sharp and uncomfortable but quickly forgotten once the wildlife revealed itself. A towering giraffe grazing among thorn trees, a cheetah slinking through the bush, a silent sunrise igniting the horizon behind a skeletal tree.
These drives stirred something spiritual in me. The colors, textures, and rhythm of the land awakened a different creative sense. One that didn’t want control or perfection. Just presence.
We were led by William Knight (@knightryder), a guide whose harmony with the land was palpable. He introduced us to the animals with reverence, especially for our children, and his photography reflected his intimate understanding of this world. I have a renewed appreciation for the photographer’s eye, the ability to capture emotion that others may not see.
William’s images showed me what it means to feel the subject, not just frame it.
Even our teens, 19 and 14 at the time, were up and ready before us each morning. There was something magnetic about this place. During downtime, we often found ourselves at the watering hole, watching animals gather in peaceful coexistence. Different species, families, patterns, but united in survival.
It reminded me so much of my business and family life, different people, styles, and roles coming together with purpose and synchronicity to build something that works. Something beautiful.
One evening, we dined with one of the lodge’s owners, Ronnie B., a man who has rebuilt his life multiple times and documented one of those journeys as a global motorcycle traveler on motogypsybiker.com.
His stories of reinvention were magnetic. And they mirrored what I often see in nature and in design: that from destruction or difficulty, something bold and beautiful can emerge. A piece of wood shaped by fire. A stone polished by pressure. A person transformed by purpose.
It’s a principle I hold closely at Fine Line: that what we choose to display and curate in our homes should reflect not only taste, but story.
This experience is one our family will never forget, and I will never look at design the same way again. Creativity erupted from this journey. Suddenly, things that once felt ordinary now reveal extraordinary beauty. I was reminded that simplicity and raw nature hold so much value and that we often overlook them, distracted by noise, advertising, and overstimulation. But the world offers an abundance of breathtaking inspiration if we just slow down long enough to see it.
At Fine Line, this renewed vision is already finding its way into our next collection through curated pieces that honor balance, texture, and the raw elegance of nature.
If you’ve ever taken a trip that reshaped your perspective or your creativity, I’d love to hear your story. Share it with us, or come visit the showroom and see how South Africa is now woven into the heart of our nature-inspired interior design.
