Stellenbosch, 2025

The Winery Building, Delaire Graff Estate

The Winery Building’s new interiors celebrate traditional materials, techniques and artisanship indigenous to South Africa. Creating an elevated, timeless backdrop for Laurence Graff’s world-class art collection, architectural lighting casts a golden glow on earthy-toned and textured natural materials, including dramatic dark-stained timber, bronze ironmongery and opulent, richly veined marbles with radiant, colourful accents in sunburst orange and lavender purple. This latest project marks the Studio’s return to the very first project delivered at the Estate, when it first opened in 2009.

“Having the privilege of being able to return to a project, and update it, refine it, make better what’s already perfect is such a joy. The new winery building features enhanced experiences through textural timbers, bold colours, contemporary art and gorgeous lighting. Taste, dine and enjoy unparalleled South African hospitality, surrounded by exquisite quality and attention to detail.” - Simon Rawlings, Chief Creative Officer at David Collins Studio

Upon Arrival

Visitors to the Winery Building enter via full-height timber double doors featuring a captivating starburst metal studwork design. The original, iconic peach pip statement floor remains – a modern interpretation of a South African technique dating back to the Cape Dutch period – welcoming guests and guiding them to their destination.

Delaire Graff Restaurant

At Delaire Graff Restaurant, reimagined interiors beautifully blend natural materials and vibrant seating in an artful nod to the Estate’s locale. The centrepiece – a pair of serpentine banquettes – curve gracefully through the space, upholstered in orange leather. Dark oak floors, vellum-toned rendered walls and timber wainscot panelling provide a perfect setting for Laurence Graff’s much-celebrated modern African art collection.

A pair of decorative plaster mouldings pay homage to Cape Dutch architecture, while custom chairs in flame-orange leather feature time-honoured ‘riempie’ details. Floor-to-ceiling glass doors are framed by ecru linen curtains embellished with a lavender grosgrain trim, while large areca palms soften the grand space of the dining experience, ensuring an intimate and sophisticated setting for guests. A magnificent sommelier and dispense bar sits at the far end of the restaurant, with an ebonised timber wine display in a graphic herringbone pattern. On the opposite wall, a log fireplace is clad in marble, above which the wall is decorated with a patchwork of intricately handcrafted chiselled timber.

Dining at Delaire Graff Restaurant has also evolved under the expert guidance of Head Chef Clinton Jacobs. Guests are invited to experience a menu inspired by the concept of ‘finer dining,’ featuring dishes that honour traditional, seasonal South African ingredients. With a focus on sourcing from farms and suppliers that embrace biodynamic farming practices, each plate is brought to life with a renewed sense of freshness, creativity and authenticity.

Wine Tasting Lounge

Within the Wine Tasting Lounge, a sophisticated colour scheme is created through the juxtaposition of amethyst-hued upholstery set against black marble and dark-stained timber. Custom seating incorporates 'riempie' techniques, seamlessly blending European design with local craftsmanship, while dining tables feature timber accents. A new fireplace is crafted from deep, gold-veined Sahara Noir marble, while above hangs a painting entitled Havana by Akingbade Mayowa, creating a fabulous focal point. Vellum-toned textured walls with wainscot panelling and drapery with purple chevron detailing continue from Delaire Graff Restaurant, ensuring a cohesive aesthetic language throughout each new space.

Photography credits: by Charles Russell