Curated Interiors for Premium Homes, Hospitality, Retail and Lifestyle Spaces
Elevated Living is a curated interiors and furniture platform connecting distinctive furniture, décor, lifestyle and design products with buyers, designers, retailers, hospitality spaces, private clients and trade partners.
Curated Furniture & Décor
We identify and represent distinctive products with strong design, quality and market potential.
Trade & Market Access
We connect selected product partners to retail, designer, hospitality and commercial channels.
Luxury Interior Experiences
We develop curated environments, product placements, events and lifestyle activations that create visibility, desire and sales opportunities.
Our Story
Our Foundations
Unmatched History
Elevated Living emerged from Petite Designs — a family business established in 1970 by Raymond and Catherine Penniken. Founded against the backdrop of Apartheid South Africa, Petite Designs defied the norms of the era to become a premier upholstery brand. What began as a modest workshop grew through unmatched skill and an uncompromising reputation for craftsmanship.
Our Partnerships
These were not ordinary commissions. Collaborations with esteemed architects and designers - including Stephen Falke and Lionel Levine - demanded a level of precision, taste and reliability that few manufacturers could meet. Petite Designs met every brief designing for South Africa's most prestigious hospitality environments, including the Saxon Hotel and the Michelangelo Hotel — properties where quality was non-negotiable and craftsmanship was visible in every detail. Each project raised the bar. Each relationship deepened the reputation. Petite Designs was no longer simply a workshop — it had become a trusted name in the South African luxury interiors supply chain.
Our Expansion
The Penniken family, comprising four sons and a daughter, joined the business over time — mastering the craft and manufacturing. They contributed to monumental projects for Southern Sun and Sun International, associated with hotel magnate Sol Kerzner, including Sun City and the Palace of the Lost City. Their manufacturing legacy extended to the Hilton, Mount Grace, Michael Angelo, and numerous bush lodges and boutique hotels. The Saxon Hotel remains among their most iconic commissions.
Impact
Ouir legacy has indelibly shaped South African furniture manufacturing — leaving an enduring impact on the upholstery and interiors industry.
Our Founders
Ian Penniken - Co-Founder
Ian Penniken grew up inside the factory - learning the trade from the ground up, surrounded by master craftsmen, raw materials and the discipline of precision manufacturing. With over 25 years of hands-on experience, Ian is a master upholsterer and craftsman in his own right. His deep technical knowledge spans furniture construction, upholstery, product development, supplier readiness and retail relationships - making him uniquely positioned to identify quality, assess manufacturability and bring exceptional products to market.
Anthony Morgan - Co-Founder
Anthony Morgan brings strategic vision, commercial acumen and a deep understanding of market dynamics to Elevated Living. His focus spans partnerships, business development, marketing, sales channel development and commercial growth, connecting the right products to the right buyers, and building the relationships that drive long-term value.
Anthony's role is to ensure that every product partner Elevated Living works with is positioned, presented and introduced into the right environments - with purpose and precision.
Product Curation
- Product range review and positioning
- Pricing structure support
- Photography and presentation guidance
- Catalogue and sales material preparation
Trade & Channel Development
- Furniture retailers, designers and architects
- Boutique hotels, lodges and resorts
- Villas, restaurants and luxury lifestyle spaces
- Commercial and hospitality procurement buyers
Experiences & Activations
- Luxury social events and private launches
- Women-led lifestyle gatherings and villa activations
- Brand shoots, furniture rental and product styling for content
Marketing & Sales Support
- Buyer presentations and trade outreach
- WhatsApp follow-up and quote coordination
- CRM tracking and showroom introductions
- Campaign planning and product launch support
Trade & Partnership Enquiries
Contact Elevated Living
Location:
Johannesburg, South Africa
Ian Penniken — Director / Co-Founder
Phone: +27 82 570 0277
Anthony Morgan — Director / Co-Founder
Phone: +27 82 921 4560
Who We Work With
- Furniture manufacturers, décor & lifestyle brands
- Interior designers, showrooms & hospitality buyers
- Property developers, lodges, hotels & villas
- Event producers & luxury retail brands
- Product partners seeking market access
Expo & Trade Interest
Elevated Living is attending to discover new product partners, meet manufacturers, explore trade relationships, identify showroom and hospitality opportunities, and develop curated furniture and décor channels for the South African and international market.
We are interested in partnerships that create long-term commercial value through product curation, market access, buyer introductions, trade sales, content, events and curated interior experiences.
Elevated Living