BATHROOM HOTSPOT

BATHROOMS

HOT SPOT The Hasmita Amtha lets us in on the latest must-haves for the bathroom

Add artistic flair to your bathroom walls with the Marrakech Negro Hexagonal mosaic tiles from Italtile. www.italtile.co.za

Lifestyle Ceramics is known in the industry for its on-trend products, from tiling to sanitaryware. www.lifestyleceramics.co.za WOMAG’s Nova Calacatta 20mm Phoenix Stone Slab is the epitome of luxury and makes for the perfect walling solution. www.womag.co.za

Freshen up your bathroom with a bathroom diffuser or spray from Volpes. www.volpes.co.za

BE INSPIRED

Walls: Fusion Iris Natural porcelain tiles – 2500x1000mm | Vanity: Bianco Delicatus marble slab Floor: Amalfi Gris In/Out Technology Tiles – 1200x595mm In/Out Technology Tiles – The latest innovation in porcelain tiles is available at WOMAG. Specially manufactured tiles that have a matt finish when dry that becomes non-slip when wet. Scan the QR code to find out more.

INTERIORS

There’s no place

LIKE HOME Fill your living space with lovingly made locally designed pieces of furniture, writes Guinevere Davies

MARCH 2020 OKHA

nterior design these days is a lot less about overall trends and more about individuals’ interpretation of them. Creating a curated living space that speaks to your personality and sense of self is the only real goal here – and one of the best ways to do this is by finding pieces from like-minded local furniture designers and manufacturers. I

Bofred

Lemon

“Purchase good - quality pieces over time and choose things you are drawn to, that you can live with and put your feet on.” – Kevin Frankental

DESIGN PHILOSOPHY For the most part, our local furniture designers are focused on providing good-quality design with longevity. This is especially true for Bofred’s Carla Erasmus and Christa Botha. “We aim to create timeless, distinctive and artisanal prod t d t ll b t ith l l artists whenever w craftsmanship is a design and that pe handmade items a And, as Lemon Kevin Frankental explains, “Our des are minimal and st down to the essen which allows them seamlessly in to a spaces. They are n to steal the show, seamles Furthermore, we w products to be acc and to actually be Good design shou experienced by as people as possible this reason we cut many middlemen can to give the cus the best price with sacrificing on qual Foo Dog Design >

Foo Dog Design’s Brad Clark adds, “My design approach is multifaceted and varied because I practise design in more than one area. I like to think of myself as a ‘functional hippie’. I try to tread lightly on the planet with everything I do, design and manufacture. I also strongly believe that design must be available to everyone and not just the super wealthy. Simple practical products and solutions have a place in every sphere of society.”

OKHA’s Adam Court says, “I usually design objects with a brief, persona or project in mind. Recently I decided to look at concepts that represent aspects of my character, both physically and physiologically, so the process of design is quite meditative and introspective.” DL Furniture

“If your living space makes you happy and you want to spend time in it then you have done a great job.” – Brad Clark

OKHA Stylist Sanri Pienaar, Photographer Inge Prins

Lemon ENDLESS INSPIRATION Local furniture design is as varied as the sources of inspiration our designers draw from, ensuring there is something for every taste and style. Biggie Best’s head of merchandising, Elbe Truter, says, “We’re currently inspired by neutral colours and natural textures. The idea of changing décor every season is not sustainable. Not only will natural linen upholstery allow you to easily update any furniture piece with a selection of décor accessories, if looked after properly, it can last a lifetime.”

For DL Furniture’s Roy Griffiths, colour and shape will always be key. “I don’t base my designs on one style or design, and I feel that’s what makes it so exciting! I prefer to combine various colour, gildings, carvings and style combinations. We have been developing a few new

“Keep your colour palette simple with a small boost of colour to add excitement.” –Roy Griffiths

DL Furniture

Lemon Bofred

DL Furniture OKHA designing and developing items to complete homes.” Says OKHA’s Court, “I’m constantly drawn to rich, moody and dark colours. I find rich wood stains or dramatic linens and velvets in colours often associated with nature, such as emerald greens, very inviting. The same applies to my texture palette, which is all about materials that are weighted and carry an innate value and moodiness or drama.”

Lemon’s Frankental adds, “Fabric and colours are a critical element in our design process. Sometimes we will find a fabric we love and design a sofa just to use that fabric. Use a different fabric, for argument’s sake, and the entire sofa changes. So fabric and colour are an integral part of form for us.”

Raw materials are the catalyst for Bofred’s Erasmus and Botha too, “We love textured earth tones, but materials that push the boundaries are always inspiring.”

“We believe in a future where craftsmanship is appreciated even more in furniture design and that people truly understand the value of handmade items and design with integrity.” – Carla Erasmus and Christa Botha

Creating pieces that fit perfectly into any space is a priority for Foo Dog Design’s Clark. “For me texture, context and materials are much more important than colour. The natural colours of timbers juxtapositioned against smooth steel in neutral colours like black, grey and white are where my personal taste lies. This choice allows our furniture to integrate seamlessly into any environment.”

DL Furniture

THE PERSONAL TOUCH If there is one essential piece of advice for creating a c space, it’s that time and consideration are key. Lemon’s Frankental advises, “Don’t purchase it all in one go. Th will just create a manicured space that won’t have mea Instead, purchase good-quality pieces over time and ch things you are drawn to, that you can live with and put feet on. Don’t worry about the pieces being the perfec or colour for the space. If you have chosen well and bo good quality, they will come together to create a space uniquely yours.”

Foo Dog Design’s Clark agrees, adding, “It’s very sim your living space makes you happy and you want to spe in it then you have done a great job. Don’t take it too se Keep it simple and functional and buy at least once piec good-quality furniture you will hand down to your childre is a journey and our spaces have to tell our stories.”

As do Bofred’s Erasmus and Botha, who say, “We b in surrounding yourself with furniture and art that you l and that makes you happy. Not buying it all from one d

Bofred Biggie Best

or retailer and not all at once. A living space should have old and new, history and intention and not just be following a current trend.”

For Biggie Best’s Truter, a cohesive colour palette is a sure-fire solution for mixing and matching various styles of furniture. “Colour is key to bringing any room together. I recommend choosing a neutral colour to use as a base and adding a few pops of colour, pattern and texture with scatter cushions, curtains, décor accessories and rugs.”

Says DL Furniture’s Griffiths, “Keep your colour palette simple with a small boost of colour to add excitement. Create balance and don’t over-clutter – keep it simple and comfortable.”

Balance is important, according to OKHA’s Court. “Mixing is less of a problem than overcrowding. Any combination of styles can be cohesive, provided two qualities are met: the style and piece resonate with you personally, and the pieces are kept to a minimum, with emphasis placed on the quality of a particular piece.” Q