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Who is Dorothy Van’T Riet

esign makes me happy. When I I encourage design education and
am in my design zone, a place practice development across Africa, and
Dof optimal productivity and have just returned from DWL (Design
creative energy, I feel contented, fulfilled Week Lagos), having taken an active role
& inspired. I love creating, designing and in the Global Round Table discussions
working with my clients, being on site, which had 5,000 Pan-African virtual
then finally delivering a space of inspired delegates, providing insight into the IFI
beauty, where mindsets and lives are Educational Policy. I also did various
visibly changed. interviews on Nigerian national TV
For me, design changes lives, not only promoting the design industry in South
spaces. Design is a journey; an adventure Africa.
in creativity. No two clients and no two Together with 24 other Design
projects are the same. professionals and professors worldwide,
Design is a living profession and has the I contributed to the book, “The Interior
potential to revolutionize our future. Design Professional Guide for Africa and
Being an advocate of the value of the Middle East” which is being translated I am the Founder and Principal
quality, good design, I firmly believe that into different languages and was launched Designer of Dorothy van’t Riet Design
good design is a major positive force at the DWL. It has vital content & insights & Décor Consultants (DVR), which I
and driver for economic, social, cultural on how to run a successful interior design started 30 years ago. I entered the design
and economic growth on this continent project, and will be placed in universities field out of necessity as a single mom with
as well as transforming and enriching throughout Africa and the Middle East. I the primary aim of providing for my two
societies and inspiring change. The also attended the Made By Design Premiere, young daughters Sam and Nicki, five and
language of design is a universal language a series of design movies for Netflix. four years old, having lost my husband in
of structured creativity that unites us, As designers, I believe we need to a tragic air crash.
even though we may be from different understand the importance of being My motto in life is “never to despise
cultures or backgrounds. I believe design solution providers, the significance of the small beginnings”. I also firmly believe we
builds bridges between cultures, and design industry as breaking boundaries in all have seeds of creativity within us. I call
breaks down boundaries. There are more design, innovation & sustainability, always my early design years “the potato years”, as
commonalities than differences. designing in CONTEXT. we lived on potatoes to survive.
My faith in God, passion, resilience,
determination, hard work and doing
things with excellence paid off, and I
started winning design awards for best
interior designer in many competitions
such as The Star Home Shows and
Decorex. My work and brand started to be
noticed. My biggest design achievements
were The World’s Best Interior Design
Award at Royal Ascot England in both the
Contemporary and Classical categories.
My work has featured over 30 times
on national TV including Top Billing,
as well as in many periodicals including
the front cover of International Homes,
English Homes, and in Habitat, IDDA
London, SA Interior Design, and Garden
and Home.
I have many listed companies as my
clients and offer interior design and
interior architecture, specializing in
upmarket homes, corporate head offices
and boutique hotels, in South Africa and
internationally.
Projects include a 3 year, 240
bedroomed Fourpoints By Sheraton

12 Issue 247 • dw