Hi, I’m Carolyn Innes, the owner and creative director of Cai.

Though I’m an interior designer by trade, Cai is a weaving together of everything I love: interior design, handwoven textiles, vintage pieces, art, travel, nature, storytelling, styling, and rituals for intentional living.

Cai began in 2017 while I was studying Interior Design at Design Time in Cape Town. What started as a creative side hustle, selling hand-painted t-shirts and oil artworks to fund my travels, has since grown into something much more: a reflection of who I am and a way to share unique beauty with others.

Originally called Creating to Explore, the brand evolved into Cai - my initials, and a word with beautiful meaning that feels close to my soul. In Chinese, Cai means colourful; in Welsh, it means happy.

At its heart, Cai is about curating and creating pieces and spaces that hold soul, inviting depth, meaning, and beauty into your home and life.

Today, Cai is both a curated collection of handmade home décor and a boutique interior design studio with a focus on natural fabrics and grounded, thoughtful spaces.

Everything I offer is rooted in a desire for a life of presence, purpose, joy and beauty.