Living Breathing Style

Experience Cécile & Boyd’s liveability and devotion to comfort at its two signature shops, which are located on fashionable Florida Road, Durban, and Kloof Nek Road, Cape Town, respectively. Both embody the ethos that company founders Cécile Tilley and Boyd Ferguson have instilled in these landmark retail destinations – the ‘high art of living well’ right here in South Africa. 

Tilley and Ferguson established their first progressive retail space in Durban 30 years ago – back when stores were typically functional rather than homely. Although not uncommon today, the concept of styling spaces as if they were real lived-in rooms is something Cécile & Boyd pioneered at a time when no-one else was doing it. This understanding of what resonates with people is what continues to set them apart and has made the company the industry leader it is today. 

Established in a turn-of-the-century house, the Durban shop is deftly curated and generously stocked with Cécile & Boyd’s trademark furniture, art and décor pieces. You can’t help but linger and prolong your shopping experience – usually over a cup of coffee or tea. The success of the Durban shop is what led to the introduction of Cécile & Boyd’s interior design and décor services. Now with studios and a second shop in Cape Town, the award-winning company has an international footprint, but is firmly situated in Africa, drawing on a rich local aesthetic as well as global contemporary style.

The Cape Town shop is situated in an historic four-storey Arts and Crafts mansion, and similarly, invites homeowners and design lovers to browse for those perfect items. As with the Durban shop, you’ll have a sense of visiting a home, so intimate and hospitable are the interiors. From an elegant sitting room, filled with art and objects, to a dining room with a fully laid table complete with hurricane lanterns and place settings, to an outdoor atrium brimming with plants, pots and outdoor accessories, the Cape Town shop perfectly demonstrates the breadth and variety of Cécile & Boyd’s inventory.

Over time, the company has developed a repertoire that ranges from comfortable and timeless furniture, to eclectic decorative items and striking contemporary artwork, and this spectrum is on expansive display. In fact, an exciting mix of all these elements is part of Cécile & Boyd’s signature style. 

Cécile & Boyd pieces are certainly distinctive, sometimes unusual or unexpected, and always distinguished by their quality – not to mention soul. There’s something for everyone here, whether you’re looking to furnish your entire house with big-ticket items and finishes, or hunting for that perfect, thoughtful hostess gift for a special occasion. 

The curated retail selection carried by both shops is managed by Jonny Rowe, who sources and commissions one-off pieces and limited-edition lines from across the globe. 

“We go to great pains when designing and sourcing items, focusing on small runs that are distinguished by quality finishes, aesthetics and a distinctive appeal that fits in with our ethos. We enjoy mixing up styles and putting different pieces together in order to show them off to effect – which means there’s something for everyone, whether your personal direction is classic, contemporary, minimalist or eclectic. In addition, we have created an exclusive line of room diffusers and scented candles so that we can help our customers create interiors that attract on more than one sensory level,” he states.

If you aren’t able to visit either of the richly stocked shops in person, Cécile & Boyd’s e-commerce website will cater to your décor needs. A virtual extension of the physical, the site carries the full range of products for your shopping convenience. For online shop enquiries, email catalogue@cecileandboyd.com.

The Cape Town shop is open on weekdays from 09h00 to 17h00 and on Saturdays from 09h00 to 13h00. It is situated at 26 Kloof Nek Rd. Call +27 (0)21 424 8890 or email jonny@cecileandboyd.com.

The Durban shop, located at 253 Florida Rd in Morningside, is open from 08h30 to 17h00 on weekdays, and from 09h00 to 13h00 on Saturdays. Call +27 (0)31 303 1005 or email claire@cecileandboyd.com.