DESIGN / NARRATIVESPACE / EXPERIENCE
Welcome to the world of
Leading the Way
A portfolio by Shae Gaffney · Interior Design / 2026
A portfolio of places and possibilities
Step into
the unexpected.
Hey-hey, I'm Shae Gaffney. An aspiring interior architect drawn to places that feel as though you've stepped into a storybook.
Travel, mythology and the natural world shape my imagination. I love creating spaces that invite people to explore, feel and connect.
A little about me ↗
Find your way through the work
Selected Projects / 2026
Five worlds.
From botanical escapes and theatrical encounters to spaces built around the senses.
Brand revival · Hospitality01 / 05 — Brand revival · Hospitality
Bloomable
Botanical Buzz
An imaginative rebrand brought to life as a botanical brewery and eatery. Botanical Buzz draws on South African flora, the art of giving flowers, and the connection that grows around shared moments.
Enter this world ↗
Adaptive reuse · Performance02 / 05 — Adaptive reuse · Performance
The Lion’s Den
House of the Tribe
Created for the 2026 PG Bison competition, The Lion’s Den reimagines the abandoned lion enclosure at Cape Town’s former Groote Schuur Zoo as a place for theatre, gathering and artistic expression.
Enter this world ↗
Workplace · Brand identity03 / 05 — Workplace · Brand identity
Urban Oases Studio
Alice’s Oasis
A proposed interior design studio where the everyday gives way to the unexpected. Inspired by Alice’s journey into Wonderland, a labyrinth leads visitors towards a colourful, imaginative oasis for work, collaboration and discovery.
Enter this world ↗
Hospitality · Speakeasy04 / 05 — Hospitality · Speakeasy
Shepstone Unsaid
The Unsaid
A hidden lounge beneath Shepstone Gardens, imagined as a continuation of the celebration. Rich materials, moody light and the rhythm of jazz make room for a more intimate, unpredictable after-hours experience.
Enter this world ↗
Education · Environmental design05 / 05 — Education · Environmental design
Lapalala Curator House
Environmental Navigation
Set within Lapalala Wilderness School in Limpopo, the Curator House and Biodiversity Centre invites young visitors to discover nature through a sensory journey inspired by how animals navigate their environment.
Enter this world ↗
The story behind the spaces
“The prototype would have been the labyrinth.”
— Friedrich Nietzsche · Referenced in the portfolio
Behind the labyrinth
A little more about me.
I'm fascinated by the way atmosphere changes how we experience a place. For me, interior design is an invitation: to pause, to explore, to connect, and to remember.
Meet the designer ↗