"Where stories come to life through design," says Treven Moodley about the work emerging from his and partner Lange Mnguni's TMD Studios.
The show says that this young, dynamic duo brings to their projects a winning skill set encompassing architecture, design and engineering, with an equally strong backstory of content creation and social media.
The show says that shortly after graduating, Moodley was asked to design the retail interior of an Umhlanga beauty parlour, Buff. The mindfulness and distinctive 'Durban-ness' of the design put him on the radar of everybody who longs for something designed outside the box.
Moodley had previously dedicated time and energy to his online social media presence, says the show. Initially, it was his personal communication tool, but as his followers multiplied, he saw it could be leveraged from a business perspective.
Moodley says that he used his social media platforms to include the public in his design process, "My Instagram Story Polls became the fastest way to do a mass digital survey on design details such as colours, furniture and design features. My followers became invested in the design process, and I grew an audience and potential client base. Soon, I was called upon for various projects in different sectors, ranging from retail, commercial, hospitality, residential, fitness and product design."
This was the birth of TMD Studios, which kept itself open to a wide range of design and branding opportunities, says the East Coast Radio House + Garden Show.
Moodley and Mnguni are designing spaces throughout the country and in Africa. They currently have 25 projects on the go and consider themselves brand architects, says the show. For each project, they explore narratives through the medium of architecture and design. Each space and brand has a story and multiple layers that reveal themselves in different ways.
"Durban is rarely celebrated from a design perspective," says Moodley. "We feel we've changed that narrative."
Moodley adds, "When we started on our journey, there was no reference point for people of colour, no exposure from a Durban point of view of brown people in design — we've started that conversation and it's an exciting one. We're inspired by the Durban lifestyle in which we grew up."
According to the show, TMD Studios has designed and decorated two rooms at this year's East Coast Radio House + Garden Show — a lounge or TV lounge and a dining room. TMD Studios has chosen contemporary furnishings that buck the trend and set it all against Plascon's seasonal colour palettes.
The East Coast Radio House + Garden Show concludes by encouraging individuals to visit the show to discover a whole new world of décor and design, technology and gadgets, outdoor and garden goodies… and more!
For more information, visit www.housegardenshow.co.za. You can also follow the East Coast Radio House + Garden Show on Facebook, X, or on Instagram.
*Image courtesy of contributor