ABOUT US

"There is something about African style that appeals across time and continents. The roots are inextricably African- which is a large part of its charm - but in recent years a new wave of designers have taken those roots, kept the glamour and something of the nostalgia, but injected contemporary sophistication into the mix"- Lucia Van Der Post, The Times, UK, 2002.

A passion for the design masterpieces being turned out by the new wave of home furnishing designers in South Africa - and an appreciation for the traditional arts and crafts of African culture - led Noleen Kutash to open her showroom - Phases Africa in Los Angeles in 2004.  

The introduction of Noleen’s collection of African furniture, and African decor to the U.S. market is a timely one. South African contemporary design - together with new directions in African craftwork  – has been one of the hottest trends in the high-end European home furnishings market over the past year. The catalyst was Sotheby’s "London/South Africa" (LOSA) exhibition in London in 2002, which showcased the results of collaboration between top British designers and wonderfully skilled craft workers from remote rural communities in South Africa.

Phases Africa’s unique furniture collection takes that trend further, and introduces a brand new contemporary African style of exotic furniture, to North America. It is an exciting mix of the "old" - Africa’s rich tribal and European colonial heritage - combined with the "new" - sophisticated custom-made furniture and home furnishings from some of South Africa’s leading contemporary designers.

Sourcing the goods for Phases Africa collection is an ongoing quest for that "special piece" of unusual beauty, fine workmanship and materials of the highest quality. "My aim has been to find items that are not readily available in North America that blend in well with a contemporary look and also with more traditional styles of design," explains Noleen.

Noleen Kutash travels widely in South Africa and other African countries sourcing her range. A buying trip might involve visiting craft-workers in isolated country regions, seeking out sculptors or wood workers for her African furniture and African décor collection. She frequently meets with leading furniture designers in Johannesburg and Cape Town to perfect the accelerating fusion of her homeland's rich cultural heritage with contemporary design.  Noleen Kutash presents the very best in African furniture and African décor in the U.S.A. today.

The result is Phases Africa - a collection that combines a sophisticated contemporary design aesthetic with the organic and timeless beauty of Africa’s tribal and colonial legacy