Stories of Place & People

As part of SIAFU Home’s Stories of Place & People series, we share the journeys that quietly shape how we design, make, and live.

Mary-Anne was raised in South Africa and shaped by a life of travel, curiosity, and making. Her connection to Kenya is personal and family-bound, with close ties that have deepened her relationship with the place over time.

A multidisciplinary creative, Mary-Anne has played a key role in shaping SIAFU’s creative direction as the brand expanded from Kenya into South Africa. She led the recent rebrand and continues to collaborate closely on the visual and narrative language of SIAFU across both countries.

 

Lulu for Lamu: Sun, Salt, and Slow Days

By Mary-Anne Grobler of Studio Mira Mira

There are places in the world that leave an imprint on you long after you’ve returned home.

For my 40th birthday, I travelled with my closest friends and family to Lamu, an island that moves at its own gentle rhythm. Here, beauty reveals itself slowly, and life is shaped by tide, tradition, and community. It is a place that invites presence, patience, and attention, all values that feel increasingly rare, and deeply necessary.

A Soft Landing in Nairobi

We began with a gentle stopover in Nairobi, spending the night at a beautiful Airbnb in Karen–Langata. Leafy and tranquil, it felt like the perfect pause before island life. The house, designed by visionary Kenyan artist Anthony Russell, was an elegant and restful space; one that encouraged conversation, stillness, and an unhurried arrival.

The next morning, we left early for our flight from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Manda Island. It was a short journey that felt like crossing into another world entirely.

What struck me most, even at this early stage, was how every space - from Nairobi to Shela, was designed for living slowly. Rooms that breathe. Textures that soften the day. Homes shaped around rest, gathering, and shade. It is a way of living that feels deeply African, and profoundly modern.

Arriving in Lamu

Flying into Lamu feels like entering a dream. Mangrove forests stretch beneath you, dhows drift across glassy water, and coral-stone buildings glow softly in the sun, carrying centuries of stories in their walls. From the moment we landed, everything felt gentler.

Lamu is a place where craft is not decorative; it is foundational. In the carved wooden doors, coral stone walls, hand-built dhows, and the rhythm of sail and tide, everything bears the mark of human hands and inherited knowledge. Craft here is not about embellishment, but about function, beauty, and continuity.

A water taxi collected us from the small Manda Airport and carried us across the channel to Shela, where our first island home awaited.

Five Nights in Shela

Our first five nights were spent at Kilimawingu House, an elevated sanctuary surrounded by an oasis of greenery. Breezy rooms and endless views eased us into the unhurried rhythm of island life.

Our days unfolded with a quiet kind of beauty:

• Wandering the narrow alleys of Shela
  

• Discovering local makers such as Ikeno Clothing, Aman Shop, and Lulu Stories
  

• Long morning walks along the soft beach, sharing the path with camels and donkeys
  

• Cooling off with pool swims during the heat of the day
  

• Exploring Lamu Town with Chewie, our guide, who shared the meanings behind the island’s architecture and carved doors
  
  

One evening, we set out on a dhow at sunset. The sky softened into hues of gold and rose as we drifted across warm water, one of those suspended moments you wish could last forever.

During our stay, we celebrated my 40th birthday at Peponi Hotel. The evening was unforgettable: exceptional seafood, generous hospitality, and a joyful Swahili birthday song and dance. It remains one of my most treasured meals. We even returned for lunch on our final Shela day, unable to resist reliving it.

Another evening took us across to the Majlis Resort for sundowners. Some swam in the warm water while others lingered with cocktails as the sun slipped below the horizon, a simple, perfect gathering.

Spending time in Lamu reminded me why I was drawn to SIAFU in the first place. The island embodies so many of the values we hold close: intention, craft, slowness, and a deep respect for how things are made and lived with.

Kipungani: A Quieter Rhythm

After Shela, we travelled by speedboat to Kipungani, a more remote and untouched side of the island. Our home for the next five nights was Kuni Jogoo House, owned by Collection in the Wild, where we were welcomed with extraordinary care.

Life here unfolded gently:

• Long, deserted beach walks
  

• Collecting pansy shells
  

• Slow afternoons in the shade with books and conversation
  

• Snorkelling in warm turquoise water
  

• Lingering meals and daily afternoon tea with cake
  

• Fresh seafood prepared with love
  
  

We were fortunate to witness the Lamu Dhow Race, held each November as part of the Lamu Cultural Festival. The seas were wild, the sails full, and the atmosphere electric, a powerful celebration of Lamu’s maritime heritage and communal spirit.

On our final evening, we shared dinner on the beach. A fire glowed beside us, a round table was set in the sand, and the sun faded gently into night. It felt like a perfect closing chapter.

Lulu: Carrying Lamu Home

Lamu is more than a destination. It is a feeling. A slower pulse. A grounded beauty. A reminder of the quiet power of simplicity.

In Swahili, lulu means pearl — something rare, precious, and quietly radiant. A find so special it becomes a love affair. There is no better word to describe Lamu. Like a pearl, its beauty is revealed slowly through craft, architecture, culture, and tide.

I left Lamu inspired, restored, and deeply grateful. It felt like a lulu of a place to begin a new decade, and a quiet reminder of why SIAFU exists: to honour craft, community, and a way of living that values time, intention, and care.

Follow along: @maryannegrobler & @studiomiramira