Name: Krynauw Nel 
Company: Krynauw Nel Associates
Position within company: Director
Website: www.krynauwnel.com / www.kim-h.com
Tell us a little about your background in design (education, experience, etc.):
A degree in Architecture, specialising in unique projects that are often one-offs.
How would you describe your personal interior design style?
Fresh and alternative
Where does your design inspiration come from?
Nature, the clients and their design brief
In what direction do you feel that design is moving towards in a general sense?
There are 2 trends – an increasingly self-aware style and a more outwardly focused style including new attitudes to nature and our limited environment. Also design will probably become a multi-professional skill covering all design fields eg. a designer would move between textile/automotive/interior design/architecture/urban planning. It is good to keep an eye open for trends wherein design skills will become essential business skills. In a fast changing world, design (the ability to read and adapt a status quo environment) will be an essential survival skill.
Name five key themes to consider when approaching design in 2017 and beyond.
Nature nature nature nature nature
If you could offer one piece of advice when it comes to interior design, what would it be?
Never over-coordinate. David Hicks taught me in a long collaboration that an interior should always contain something off-beat and out of place. This keeps the scheme alive over a long period
How important are The International Design and Architecture Awards as recognition of talent and achievement?
All recognition and exposure especially to high standards are nourishing to the design profession
What projects are you currently working on?
A train, A museum and residential work
Final thoughts; tell us a little more about yourself
Your most treasured possession?
A Tibetan singing bowl
Your favourite holiday destination?
The Maldives
Your favourite hotel / restaurant / bar?
Changes too often in Johannesburg…
Your favourite book / film / song?
Book – The life of Pi
Film – Piano
Song -Don’t’ worry
Your favourite food and drink?
South African “boerekos” hearty homemade family food
Your favourite way to spend an afternoon? (in no more than 25 words)
Watching movies
If you weren’t a designer, what would you be?
I couldn’t imagine not being a designer
Anything else interesting?
See Africa- it is the most exciting continent for design/colours/energy/raw creativity/vast cultural richness’s. Let us look less more at what we can bring to the world rather than it can bring to us. Make interiors less for ramp-models and more for people. The combination of youth/beauty and wealth upheld by media is a rare one and should not be exclusive.
