“Waking Up Happy”: Tour of AI-Created Ndebele-Themed Beachfront Home in Cape Town Leaves SA in Awe

• A content creator shared an AI-generated video of a modern Cape Town beachfront home
• The home sits on a cliff overlooking the beach with Ndebele patterns on every surface, even on the outside
• South Africans were moved by the design, with some saying the artwork impressed them so much that they wanted to buy pieces from the creator

Content creator @waithirakibe posted a video on 22 March 2025 showing an AI-generated Cape Town beachfront property completely styled with traditional Ndebele designs. The style captured viewers' attention across the country.

The modern home sits on a cliff overlooking the beach. A woman walks through the hallway, looking out the windows at the ocean view. The walls are covered top to bottom in Ndebele cultural designs. The pillowcases on the couches, the backdrop, the stairs, all the furniture and even the cushions and the material on the couch. Every part of the home features the cultural patterns.

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The bathroom walls are decorated with the same designs. Colours ranging from purple, blue, yellow, white, black, green and navy blue cover the entire home. Even the car parked in the driveway outside has Ndebele designs on it.

The home wasn't real but was created using AI. Regardless, it touched people's hearts. The designs represent the Ndebele culture, which has deep roots in South African history.

@waithirakibe shared why she uses AI to make her designs, saying that it is because of access. It makes art more accessible for her.

All there is to know about the Ndebele

According to the Kruger Park website, the Ndebele are one of the Nguni tribes. The history of the Ndebele people can be traced back to Mafana, their first identifiable chief.

Ndebele art has always been important for the tribe. The artistic skill needs one to combine outside sources of inspiration with their traditional design concepts borrowed from their ancestors. The women are the ones who paint the colourful and intricate patterns on the walls of their houses.

Watch the TikTok clip below:

SA loves the beachfront property

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Mzansi praised every detail of the Ndebele-themed home on TikToker @waithirakibe's page:

@embraceaging gushed:

"The car, the house, those stairs! 💕The flow from the mirror to the pool, all gorgeous."

@zinaavenue said:

"Waking up happy every morning."

@Shukurat| Esthetician NJ-NY wrote:

"Omg this is 🔥🔥😱"

@Chef Terri T. ❌️ praised:

"OMGOOOOSH Soooo beautiful!!! 💜"

@Nairobian 🆘🇺🇸 asked:

"Are you in the wrong country, sis?🤔"

@Lizzy Sophie commented:

"This artwork moved me to your page, and I'm quite impressed with the amazing works you have created.🥰 You've got a special brain behind all this..."

@gatshenn added:

"South Africa and our beautiful colours, and one of our many traditional cultures."

More on incredible home designs

• Briefly News recently reported on an American filmmaker who ditched the US for Cape Town and showed off his R16,000 apartment in Gardens.
• A South African woman travelling to Saudi Arabia was floored by the toilet design in her hotel room, giving Mzansi a tour that left people jarring.
• A Zulu woman gave a tour of her father's house in Nigeria, showing its size and livestock, with people praising the blend of South African and Nigerian heritage.

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News