Marianne Campbell
Marianne has worked in the design & décor industry for more than two decades, across both residential and commercial projects. From staging and renovation to art direction, her speciality lies in the beautification of spaces and products.
Renovations & staging
Effective renovation & staging can dramatically inflate a home's value and minimise its time on the market. That is where I step in!
Drawing from my experience in design & décor, event hosting and property renovations, enhancing spaces has long been a passion of mine. First and foremost, this applies to home and office updating, and begins with defining the requirements and ambitions for a given space. In short, it should function well, look great (with longevity), and provide a sense of pride and comfort for its inhabitants- whether they are coming or going.
01
Fresnaye
I oversaw the renovation & staging of this sea facing Fresnaye property within a tight year-end window. It's new owners sought a cleaner canvas from which to further personalise their home, while allowing part time AirBnB use.With the house having been built in the year 2000, and essentially not touched since, extensive work was done before any cosmetic touches could be considered.
Finally, the home was staged with a mixture of new and existing furniture for its intended AirBnB rental over December & January 2024. Further, guest-proof furnishings and art will come in due course.
02
Mountainview
I assisted my partner on the renovation and staging of his suburban home, using a combination of our own items as well as new fittings and treatments. A clean and largely white palette - paired with minimalist yet warm tones - took inspiration from the Hamptons, while also embracing the north facing property's abundant light. This also helped enhance the 3 bedroom home's fairly small footprint.
Before & After
Expanding on the above before & after images, the completed residence below shows how relatively understated changes can transform a property that retains most of its existing floor plan and structure. Enhancing the liveability and making maximum use of the beauitful natural light was a key goal.
Completed residence
03
Tokai
Below are some images documenting the renovation of this house. As well as substantial opening up of the lounge space and kitchen area, the home was expanded into the ample roof space, adding a second level. This area has since been utilised as a new master bedroom.
Outside is a new pergola framed patio, with french doors opening out from two of the bedrooms. Finally, a 7 x 3m pool was incorporated into the front garden area.
Before & After
04
Fountain ROad
With an owner in need of a quick sale, this staging project required fairly extensive neatening up of a beautiful mid-century suburban home. It hadn't had much upkeep, with most rooms, fittings and decor being unchanged for decades.
Before & After
I spent six weeks on the project, and am pleased to say the home sold on the first day of being on the market, and for a price well above its initial pre-reno valuation.
#stagingmatters
05
Bergvliet
The owners of this property were needing to sell their home quickly, and ahead of marketing it for sale, enlisted me to stage it. As well as a bit of a clean up and painting of walls, I brought in some furniture pieces, as well as soft furnishings and homeware elements.Working within a limited budget and timeframe, we managed to establish a clean and welcoming ambiance, and the property sold within a couple of weeks.
Before & After
Design & décor
I've been fortunate to have worked in the design & décor industry for many years, oftentimes in collaboration with equally motivated and passionate colleagues. Depending on the scope of a given project, I collaborate with architects, builders and associated suppliers - with clients engaged in the process.
I'll help you select materials, suppliers and furnishing elements, as well as assist in creating bespoke pieces if required (furniture, lighting, etc). Below is an overview of typical project consideration and deliverables:
| CONCEPT | DEVELOPMENT | EXECUTION |
|---|---|---|
| Project definition | Layout & site plan | Project management |
| Site assessment | Structural input | Architect/ builder co-ordination |
| Mood boarding | Materials & finishes | Supplier co-ordination |
| 2D/ 3D imaging | Sourcing items | Installations |
01
Camps Bay
A luxurious home along Cape Town's beautiful coastline, its owners sought to update the design and décor for most of the holiday residence. Clean, structured architectural volumes were softened with a subdued palette and warm, relaxing décor elements.
The curated homeware complimented this approach, also incorporating a number of African aspects.
– Collaborative project with Kundra Bowley
Clean, structured architectural volumes were softened with a subdued palette and warm, relaxing décor elements. The curated homeware complimented this approach, incorporating also a number of African aspects.
02
GreenPoint
This client desired an uncluttered, honest aesthetic for his contemporary home, with a few detail colour and textural elements being added as the project progressed. The images here are not the final product but provide insight into the look and feel created.
– Collaborative project with Kundra Bowley
03
Woodbridge Island
Inspiration for this sea-side apartment came from the surrounding beauty outdoors. A contemporary and uncluttered aesthetic with a relaxing ambiance defined our project goals.
The home is used only occasionally, with furnishings kept relatively minimalist (while retaining a sense of warmth) and yet still offering a low maintenance, lock up & go lifestyle.
– Collaborative project with Kundra Bowley
The interior uses a natural palette and materials, with shells and other beach sourced elements maintaining a holiday feel.
04
Woodbridge Island 2
Another sea-side project for an Austrian client. A keen windsurfer, he wanted his apartment converted into a space that evoked a beach shack in look and feel, while introducing a strong retro twist. Original pieces were sourced along with unusual items such as Argentinian tiles and a carved slate butler’s sink in the kitchen- all indicative of the eclectic mix of organic, retro and new. The project took four months to complete.
– Collaborative project with Kundra Bowley
Each of the three bedrooms retain a unique identity of sorts by way of the found/ restored objects, while being underpinned by screeded floors and earth tones throughout.
The outside deck, overlooking the beach, was kept clean and simple, with teak and aluminium custom structures and furniture pieces.
05
Zwaanswyk
I oversaw the build of this 3 bedroom home, selecting fittings, hard and soft furnishings, materials and finishes. Originally a garden cottage, it's been expanded into a second dwelling on a 970m2 plot.
Together with the owners, we aimed for a relatively minimalist final result, whilst still retaining a sense of warmth and tried making optimum use of the leafy Zwaanswyk surroundings.
The home was sold in January 2022.
Developmental phase
Completed residence
Recent projects:
River House
A new project that will begin in February 2025 - renovation of a distinctive mid-century home... with a twist! More to follow soon.
Fountain road
With an owner in need of a quick sale, this staging project required fairly extensive neatening up of a beautiful mid century suburban home. It hadn't had much upkeep, with most rooms, fittings and decor being unchanged for decades.
Fresnaye
I oversaw the renovation & staging of this sea facing Fresnaye property within a tight year-end window. It's new owners sought a cleaner canvas from which to further personalise their home, while allowing part time AirBnB use.
Mo&co
Mo&Co is a newly reestablished brand umbrella for a wonderful skincare product I've used for years -Mo's hand & body cream.
I've invested in the business, and we began with a brand refresh...
Creative direction
Having worked extensively in the beauty & cosmetics industries for a number of years, styling all manner of products and locations, I soon learnt that presentation is key - in any field.
With many collaborative partners, including photographers, audio-visual specialists and industry suppliers, I can present your brand, product or environment toward any goal.
01
Mo&co
Mo&Co is a newly reestablished brand umbrella for a wonderful skincare product I've used for years -Mo's hand & body cream.
It's made from a decades-old family formula of ingredients, passed down across generations, and resulting in a soothing, subtly fragrant and refreshing aqueous cream. Having worked in the beauty industry for many years, and having been so impressed with the product, I have invested in it myself!
Together with new business partner Lyn, Mo&Co will grow to represent other products. Ahead of that, we updated our branding, beginning with a new label for the existing cream vessels.
02
Aloe Unique
I worked with natural skincare specialists Aloe Unique for a period of time, styling their beautiful products together with Jade Scully.
We primarily focussed on content creation with the aim of enhancing their social media presence, as well as overseeing the development of their website and related media liason.These are just a few sample shots from this period (2017 - 2020).
03
Sh'Zen
For close to a decade, I worked with Sh'Zen, managing shoots and aiming to present their expansive product ranges as beautifully as possible.
I also designed and co-ordinated many company events for them, sourcing décor elements, styling and establishing an appropriate ambiance in line with the brand.
Below are a small selection of images showing some of the work undertaken.
This page is under development with plenty more to show here - please visit again or get in touch if you're looking to beautifully present your brand, space or product.
