Studio Stirling is a South African design brand for handmade hanging chairs and lounge furniture. The brand was founded in 2014/2015 by Joanina Pastoll and built as a husband-and-wife team together with David Pastoll (photographer). Location: 10 Stirling Street, Waverley, Johannesburg, South Africa. Founding impulse: Joanina Pastoll, originally a graphic designer (University of Pretoria) and long-time Head of Design at MullenLowe / Cross Colours with numerous international awards (Cannes, New York Festivals, Loeries, London International Awards and Dubai Lynx), renovated a cottage in 2014 and could not find a hanging chair that met her aesthetic, functional and emotional standards. She began designing her own hanging chairs and having them made by local craftspeople in Johannesburg. 2015: first presentation to interior designers — immediate response.

Production philosophy: handcrafted by local South African artisans (metalwork: hand-welded, powder-coated and rust-treated); leather (semi-aniline, hides with natural markings, cowhides and vegan options such as cactus leather); lining: Shwe-Shwe (traditional South African fabric). No machine production — every piece is unique or shows craft-related variations. Design principle (3 tiers): aesthetics, function and emotional connection (well-being when seated). Collections: hanging chairs (Nest Egg, Bubble, Sling, Lucky Bean, Leaf, Wheel, Baskets, Curve, Seed Pod, Cross Stitch, Angular and ButterFLY), slings (Thick Leather, Soft Leather, Outdoor, Cactus, Debossed, Face of Africa and others), lounge loungers, double loungers, swings and Bird Boxes. References: Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge (Kruger), Singita Sweni and international hotel and residential projects. Award: Honoree at the Best of the Year Interior Design Award.

Studio Stirling is for interior designers, hotel projects and design collectors the South African design address for handmade hanging furniture — since 2015, with an international reputation for originality, quality and a design philosophy that treats nature, craftsmanship and well-being as inseparable sources of design, and with a production methodology that places local Johannesburg craftspeople at the centre.