Cecile & Boyd pursues the high art of living well

A heady floral scent mingles with that of coffee brewing, ambient music floats through the air while sofas invite you to sink into them and interesting knick-knacks of different textures and hues beckon you over. It’s as though you’re stepping into a friend’s home – one with impeccable taste and unmatched hosting skills – and that is just how creative director Boyd Ferguson and his retail partner, Jonny Rowe, want you to feel.

They seek to foster an environment that encourages lingering visits and is centred on inspiring the “high art of living well”. It appeals to all the senses and insists on a slow and appreciative browse. “We like to think our shops serve as design and decoration inspiration for our customers. We style them as if they were real homes, to focus on making people feel comfortable and motivated to create beautiful spaces,”

Rowe says. Ferguson and Cécile Tilley first began making lamps together in 1987, and Cécile & Boyd first opened its doors in Durban’s Argyle Road in 1988 and five years later moved to its flagship store in Florida Road. The Cécile & Boyd Interior Design business grew from this and now does work for homes and hotels all around the world. In 2007, they opened a shop and retail headquarters in a magnificent arts and crafts mansion on Kloofnek Road in Cape Town. 

The brand has moved from strength to strength over the years, enjoying a loyal following of return clients while constantly recruiting new fans. But how, in an industry that has become exponentially more competitive as taste has moved from conservative and traditional to progressive and contemporary, does the  Dispatches on all things cool, covetable and cultural brand retain its footing? “Our passion for distinctive product requires us to travel locally and globally and to design unique items,” says Rowe. 

“We are constantly striving not only to be relevant to international design trends but to still produce items that adhere to our value of quality. We have fostered direct relationships with manufacturers to allow us to keep our pricing competitive. Inspirations, trends and designs are collaboratively shared between the Cécile & Boyd interior design and retail businesses. “The company has always been inspired by nature, simplicity, comfort, authenticity and the transformational effect beautiful spaces have on people – and is conscious to stay true to our core values.” 

The Cécile & Boyd way is to juxtapose the traditional and the contemporary, the humble and the sophisticated and the urban and the natural, all in an original, eclectic style, he continues. The store’s recent revamp is geared towards a “bold new retail direction” which Boyd describes as “global contemporary” and “a style inspired by the design mix found in the glam cities”. 

“Bright jewel colours, geometric patterns and animal prints are set off against new naturals, like cork and metallic,” he says. “Lots of black and white gives graphic simplicity to allow layering of unique furnishings, objects and art, creating a young, chic feel.” In the coming months, Cécile & Boyd plans to go online to serve trade customers.

253 Florida Rd, Morningside, Durban 
031 303 1005, and,
26 Kloofnek Road, Tamboerskloof, Cape Town 
021 424 8890.
cecileandboyds.com