Have you ever walked into a room and, for better or worse, had your mood perceptibly altered by the design of that space? From gloomy lobbies and sterile doctor’s rooms to shimmering conservatories and kooky coffee shops, rooms are a mood, and while some comfort and inspire, others have the grace of an elephant falling down a flight of stairs. It’s this very idea that décor and retail industry veterans Kim de Villiers and Cynthia Chasteau de Balyon locked onto when uniting their talents under their unique brand, The Mood Collectives. So, how did it all start?
The merger that inspired a mood
With both Kim and Cynthia based in the picturesque Helderberg basin, it wasn’t long before they found themselves rubbing shoulders, collaborating on projects in different capacities. They admired in each other a particular attention to detail, an unsinkable work ethic, and a passion for women’s empowerment. A relationship was soon forged and then a partnership when they recognized an unleveraged opportunity: the lack of upmarket, luxury interior showrooms in the Cape Winelands area. And so, Kim and Cynthia joined forces in 2018, merging their creative home studios into a single space and thus, The Mood Collectives was born.
A passion for female entrepreneurship
The Mood Collectives has since become an artistic stage not only for beautifully designed and locally manufactured furniture but also for other creative entrepreneurs. In particular, Kim and Cynthia have a passion for working with female-owned and run businesses, which is demonstrated in The Mood Collectives’ showrooms with brands like Mia Melange (artisanal woven baskets), Summah (Turkish towels and throws), Amanda Jayne (hand-poured soy candles and home fragrances), and Marutsca (100% linen clothing and home accessories), to name a few.
Design vision
The Mood Collectives is all about evoking, by design, the state of mind or feeling desired of a space through the subtle interweaving of luxurious design elements, furniture, and accessories. And it’s for this reason, as well as their unwavering support for female entrepreneurs, that what Kim and Cynthia do is so visionary.