U In It Designs: SA Interior Studio Founder Elanie Van Niekerk on Authentic Design and Leaving a Legacy

Our take

For homeowners and property investors considering a renovation or fit-out, this profile is a useful introduction to a long-standing South African interior design practice with over 15 years of experience across multiple sectors. Residential clients — whether owner-occupiers refreshing a family home or landlords preparing a buy-to-let property for the rental market — stand to benefit from a studio that prioritises practical, functional design over purely aesthetic outcomes. That distinction matters in the SA property context: well-designed interiors can meaningfully improve rental yields and resale appeal, particularly in competitive urban markets like Johannesburg, Cape Town and Pretoria. Van Niekerk's emphasis on authenticity and honest client relationships also speaks to a broader concern among South African consumers — finding trusted service providers in a market where accountability is not always guaranteed. For agents and property developers, interior designers who work across residential and commercial sectors can be valuable partners when staging or repositioning a property. Worth bookmarking if you are planning a renovation project in 2025.