our design philosophy
At sanctuary ekhaya, we believe a home should do more than look beautiful. It should support the life you are living.
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We work with individuals and families who sense that their home feels fine on the surface, but does not yet reflect their rhythms, values, or the season of life they are in. Through intentional design and thoughtful guidance, we help create homes that support rest, gathering, faith, beauty, and daily life as it truly unfolds.
Our approach is grounded in the belief that beauty should serve life, not perform for it.
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A Home as Sanctuary
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We see the home as a place of refuge and renewal. It is where life is lived most honestly, where people gather, where children grow, where grief and joy coexist, and where everyday rhythms are formed over time.
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Design, in this context, is not about trends or perfection. It is about creating environments that feel calm, functional, and deeply supportive. Spaces that hold real life well.
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This philosophy shapes every decision we make, from layout and material choices to how we guide our clients through the design process.​​
We design homes that suport the life you're living.
We see the home as a place of refuge and renewal. It is where life is lived most honestly, where people gather, where children grow, where grief and joy coexist, and where everyday rhythms are formed over time.
​
Design, in this context, is not about trends or perfection. It is about creating environments that feel calm, functional, and deeply supportive. Spaces that hold real life well.
​
This philosophy shapes every decision we make, from layout and material choices to how we guide our clients through the design process.​​
our ecosystem
Bespoke interior design for homes
in seasons of growth, renewal, or transition
Publishing and Content, including seasonal guides and reflections on home and living
DigitallyStyled., a guided design service for those building their homes gradually
Sanctuary Table, a hospitality and food-centred extension focused on gathering and connection
About The Founder
Dawn Faith Mackay is the founder and principal designer of sanctuary ekhaya. Her work is shaped by lived experience, faith, and a deep belief in the power of home to support real life.
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Growing up with limited resources, Dawn learned early how creativity, intention, and care could transform even the simplest environments into places of comfort and dignity. Over time, and through seasons of loss, restoration, motherhood, and rebuilding, her understanding of space deepened beyond aesthetics. Home, and later the workplace, became not just places to function, but environments that could hold people, foster clarity, and support wellbeing.
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Dawn’s design approach is grounded in service rather than performance. She is drawn to modern organic interiors that prioritise function, warmth, and longevity, creating spaces that honour daily rhythms and the people who inhabit them. This philosophy extends naturally into her work with offices and professional environments, where she designs workspaces that support focus, collaboration, and a sense of calm, rather than urgency or excess.
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Faith quietly underpins her work, shaping how she thinks about rest, stewardship, hospitality, and responsibility. Whether designing a family home or an office environment, Dawn approaches each project with the same intention: to create spaces that feel grounded, purposeful, and supportive of the life or work unfolding within them.
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Through sanctuary ekhaya, Dawn works with individuals, families, and organisations who sense that their spaces look fine on the surface, but do not yet reflect how they live or work now. Her role is to listen carefully, design thoughtfully, and guide clients toward environments that feel lived in, aligned, and meaningful.
