Features Writer at House & Leisure Magazine (2014 - 2017)
For three years I was a contributing features writer, commissioned on a freelance basis, for one of South Africa’s most prolific decor and design magazines, House & Leisure. The stories I covered included full house features, softer upfront, trends pages as well as special projects like renovation and ceramic art supplements. This is a selection of some of my contributions during this time.
Home features
These features were the stalwarts of the publication, ones that it had become renowned for. They were an intimate look into some of the most beautiful and interesting South African homes. I got to interview the owners as well as the architects and designers to compile the narrative of these homes; what inspired their design and curation and how they reflected the passions and desires of the homeowners.
Upfront trends and news pages
These pages populated the upfront pages of the magazine and were features reflecting current design and art trends, places and people in South Africa. They were short and concise features with a lot of visual appeal.
Testimonial
“I had the pleasure of working closely with Genevieve Putter while serving as Deputy Editor and Acting Editor of South African shelter and lifestyle publishing brand House & Leisure between 2009 and 2015. As a commissioning editor, I sought out journalists who displayed a strong, confident style and who could write about specialist subjects such as interior and furniture design, architecture, and art and culture with proficiency, nuance and verve. Genevieve was just such a writer and as such was a frequent contributor to the magazine. Not only was she a highly competent wordsmith, but she was always willing to take on last minute assignments and never missed a deadline. Genevieve's skill and professionalism made her a first choice when considering commissions for longer- and shorter-form writing commissions.”
— Leigh Robertson, Deputy and Acting Editor, House & Leisure (2009-2015)