Neighbourhood 18 FEBRUARY 2018
PROPERTY & LIFESTYLE
Green light Businesswoman Shamila Ramjawan tells us why Rooihuiskraal is a great place to invest in property, page 2
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SUBURB FOCUS: ROOIHUISKRAAL
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BUSINESS Q&A
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BEDROOM MAKEOVER
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PROPERTY NEWS
18 FEBRUARY 2018
Neighbourhood
Suburb focus
Rooihuiskraal Global-award-winning businesswoman, Shamila Ramjawan, tells us about her neighbourhood WORDS: BETSIE LOOCK-VAN DER MERWE
IMAGES: RENE WALKER, SUPPLIED & GOOGLE MAPS
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hamila Ramjawan has been in the marketing and communications industry for more than 20 years. She has collected many qualifications over the years, including an MBA from the Unisa School of Business Leadership. Today, she runs two companies, Famram Solutions (providing marketing and communications solutions) and Famram Foundation
*Map not to scale
(empowering, uplifting and providing CSI solutions enhancing socioeconomic development). She raked in more than 12 nominations for social as well as business awards in 2016 and 2017, and in January 2017 Caster Semenya became a co-owner and brand ambassador of Famram Solutions. Shamila is also the creator of the PrincessD Menstrual Cup, which is not only eco-friendly and hygienic, but also cost-effective and has changed the lives of thousands of schoolgirls and women globally.
Home sweet home Shamila grew up, got married and found employment in
Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, but moved to Rooihuiskraal 15 years ago. “I received a promotion in the company that I worked for in Pietermaritzburg and they relocated me to Gauteng in 2002. I opted for change as my husband passed away in 1998 and I felt the change would do me good.” Today, she feels truly at home in Rooihuiskraal. “Rooihuiskraal has grown into one of the most soughtafter suburbs in Centurion. When I first moved here in 2002, there was vacant land everywhere and this has now mushroomed into a beautiful residential area with all the necessary amenities in the area.” She feels that what attracts residents and investors to Rooihuiskraal are the friendly people, the variety of local malls and the diversity of houses. “The
people are warm, friendly, kind and courteous. Beautiful architecture and designs make living here so comfortable and stylish,” she adds.
Neighbourhood gems Shamila loves how close Rooihuiskraal is to all major off ramps and highways like the N1, N14 and R24. She often arranges her meetings at various restaurants and coffee shops in the area because of its ease of access. All her favourite places to visit in the neighbourhood are also close to her home. She loves to visit the Mall at Reds, which offers a great balance between retail, services
I enjoy the quietness, especially over the weekends when we need time to relax. The neighbourhood is peaceful and everyone lives in harmony. I only see happy people. It’s what I consider my own personal utopia; it has everything that makes a neighbourhood perfect. SHAMILA RAMJAWAN
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18 FEBRUARY 2018
Neighbourhood
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PROPERTY NEWS
SHOP: • • • • • •
and entertainment. Shamila says her other favourites are the Virgin Active gym, the Spur, Dr Pretorius (her family doctor) and SkinPhD (her regular pampering spot). “Everything is within reach; there are lots of petrol stations, car washes, malls and almost every shop you can think of.”
Perfect Sunday
Blue Valley Mall, The Reeds Centurion Lifestyle Centre Centurion Mall Mall at Reds Marylone Mall, The Reeds Centurion Oriental City
EAT: • Cool Runnings Pub and Grill Centurion: for pizza and cocktail specials • Eugene’s Casa Portuguesa and Pub: for Portuguese cuisine • Hogshead Centurion: for craft beer and an authentic smokehouse • Jia Wang, Blue Valley Mall: for sushi and a variety of Asian dishes • Tranna, Mall at Reds: for authentic Indian and Oriental meals • Vintage Coffee: for great coffee and pastries
Being a driven, dynamic and energetic person, Shamila appreciates the tranquillity Rooihuiskraal and her home offer over weekends and whenever she has a free day. She often spends her free time at home either baking, cooking or gardening.
“Alternatively, I’ll be enjoying a good breakfast or lunch at a restaurant. We’re truly spoilt for choice as there are so many great restaurants with good food and, of course, great service!” Shamila loves that the neighbourhood is safe enough for residents to freely run or walk with their dogs. “My daughter loves playing with her drone in the parks at our estate.”
For sale
For rent
Median asking price:
Median asking price:
R1,63m
For a typical property in this area
R1,1m
R785,235
R1,73m
In a complex
For an apartment
For a house
You’ll pay
R16,001
• Bishop Bird Park • Rooihuiskraal Historical Terrain and Animal Farm • Epic Cinemas, Mall at Reds • The South African Mint Company • Cricket at SuperSport Park • Ster-Kinekor and loads of shops at Forest Hill City
R6,100
Monthly bond repayments
For a typical property (three-bedroom house)
SEE:
For a typical property (two-bedroom apartment)
R9,000
R6,100
R8,300
In a complex
For an apartment
For a house
per month
Property Type:
75% house
13%
apartment
12% complex
Property Type: Based on
37% House
R1,63m
46%
median asking price
over a period of 20 years at 10,25% prime
apartment
17% complex
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PROPERTY NEWS
18 FEBRUARY 2018
Neighbourhood
My business neighbourhood Wild Fig is a customer-experiencefocused marketing firm that helps a wide variety of businesses grow and keep their customers satisfied WORDS & IMAGE: ZENA LE ROUX
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ild Fig’s approach to marketing comes out of the experience-driven economy we live in. Customers’ expectations have never been higher and it’s never been more difficult for businesses to satisfy their clients while simultaneously managing their cash flow. Wild Fig helps a wide variety of businesses improve, refine and understand how to create a great customer experience. Owner, Christiaan Liebenberg, tells us more. Q: How did your business start? A: A s a consumer and paying customer, I had repeated disappointing experiences. I realised that most companies use negative customer feedback to improve their customers’ satisfaction. In today’s economy,
that approach is no longer enough. I realised that there was a gap in the market for a scientific approach to facilitating business growth and returning customers. Q: Why did you choose this area to set up shop? A: T here’s a wide variety of guesthouses, restaurants, malls, gyms and more in Waterkloof Ridge, making it ideally suited in terms of location. People in this area also tend to have very high expectations when it comes to the quality of products and services they pay for. Q: How did you find your premises? A: I found our premises by browsing the internet. I’m so lucky that they met all our specific requirements. Q: Why are the premises ideally suited to your business? A: The premises are inspiring, quiet and surrounded by big trees and nature’s wonderful sounds – this truly inspires creativity and serves as a “palate cleanser” for gaining perspective on how to approach each business in a unique way. Fast, reliable internet is also a bonus. Q: Who are your neighbours? A: We’re located close to quite a few interesting shops and small businesses, such as the Monument Park Shopping Centre, Waterkloof Heights and The Club.
Q: What are the shop rental/sales prices like in this area? A: Very high. Q: How many people visit your business each day? A: It varies with the season and our available resources. Q: Do you have any expansion plans? A: Yes, we’d like to incorporate more cultural diversity into our business, as this will broaden our perspective on the needs of individual clients and consumers. Q: Do you operate online as well? A: No, we don’t have an online presence at all. We prefer to have a hands-on and personal approach with each of our clients. Marketing via a website has not yet been necessary. Q: What’s your most popular service? A: Our customer experience assessment, which includes ongoing recommendations and feedback, has proven to be the most successful and therefore the most popular.
SEE FOR YOURSELF: Wild Fig 082 444 6524 hello.wildfig@gmail.com
18823
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HOMEOWNERS
18 FEBRUARY 2018
Neighbourhood
MORE ONLINE: yourneighbourhood.co.za/advice/design-and-decor
Bedroom makeover Create your ideal sanctuary on a small budget with these handy tips from a decorating expert WORDS: ANNE SCHAUFFER
IMAGE: ISTOCK
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ccording to sisters Lisa and Alix Walker of Walker Girls Interiors, “When we decorate our own bedrooms, we have this great opportunity to create a personal space, but it’s important to get the basics specific to the space.” Alix gives us a few expert ideas on achieving the right mood and look on a small budget.
The walls
Alix says you should choose your colour palette. “I recommend neutral walls, so consider colours such as Landing, Light Stone and Dusted Moss. Add colour and personality with scatters, throws, wall art and wallpaper. Newly painted walls and ceilings are the best starting point and make a dramatic difference. Keep the ceiling white.” Another easy option is wallpapering a feature wall or focal point. As Alix says, “Wallpaper is a great feature, and with a growing range of affordable papers, this is worth considering. Paper the wall behind the bed, the cupboard doors or even the wall around the bedroom door. Strong geometrics, big botanic prints and metallic textured papers are trending.” Accessorising your wall can also make all the difference. “Mirrors are functional and an attractive way to dress walls. On a tight budget, scour second-hand dealers for great mirror options or buy an
Polk Sunday Times Neighbourhood Ad 15 February 2018 curves.indd 1
attractive picture frame and get a mirror cut to fit,” Alix says.
The bed
White linen is suggested for the bed as it’s fresh and washes well. An upholstered headboard is an inexpensive piece that you can use to add a block of colour and soften a bed. Alix says, “I try to incorporate a bench or narrow ottoman at the bed end, using the same fabric as the headboard. Use a plain, soft-touch fabric as these are well priced and durable. When it comes to scatters, I recommend two large 60cm X 60cm feather cushions. Current fabric trends are foliage, geometrics and floral, gold and dusty pinks – they introduce warmth to any space.”
Alix likes having different sidetables in a bedroom. She suggests painting an old pedestal and replacing all the handles as a way to stretch your spend. “Use soft colours such as Decide or Bleached Meadow. If you have bedside lamps, get new shades made – an oval-shaped shade is great for small pedestals. Lamp bases don’t have to match – I try to look for taller lamps, as they’re better for reading.”
Accessories
For summer, keep your throw light – cotton or linen are great options.
Alix suggests investing in attractive wall hooks. “Use them to hang up pretty scarves, bags, hats and coats – it’s a great way to add colour and interest to the room. On your dressing table, get some baskets and ceramic bowls to hold hair ties, costume jewellery and so on. For a feminine touch, stand your toiletries on a vintage tray.”
Furniture
Floors and windows
“A small bedroom chair is on my musthave list,” says Alix. “You can pick these up at auctions and vintage shops, revive and recover them on a budget. A dresser, chest of drawers, or even a narrow server make great additions to any bedroom. Hang a large mirror above them to create a dressing table look. If space is limited, replace one bedside pedestal with a small desk or console table. This has multiple functions if you hang a mirror above, use it as a dressing table and still have your bedside lamp.”
Adding carpets to your floor is an attractive way to add colour and soften the room. Alix says she often finds great used carpets at reasonable prices. “The 180cm X 230cm size is ideal for smaller bedrooms. Windows can be costly to curtain. If you have small windows, Roman blinds are a good option. I enjoy curtains as they soften a room. The recent influx of beautiful, affordable sheer fabrics has meant you can afford to replace old curtains.”
2018/02/15 1:59:53 PM
18 FEBRUARY 2018
Neighbourhood
PROPERTY NEWS
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Make the most of your space With urban densification on the rise, the global trend is towards smaller living spaces with multipurpose furniture WORDS: ANNE SCHAUFFER
IMAGES: SA WALLBEDS
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here are so many reasons why we need to live in more minimalist, less cluttered and smaller spaces, and the cost is only one factor. You might prioritise location over size because being in a good area, close to work and play, matters. However, smaller spaces will be a greener solution because, among other elements, you’ll need less heating and cooling. Having a smaller space doesn’t need to affect your lifestyle, nor should you settle for cheap furniture. In fact, the reverse applies; you’ll need less furniture, so choose really clever designs and great quality, balancing superior functionality with good looks. In a smaller space, multifunctionality rules, so if you can have a single item of furniture with more than one function, you’ve hit the jackpot. Likewise, furniture which folds away and almost disappears when not in use frees up space for your yoga mat or easel. So many furniture items are used for a single purpose for only a few hours a day. If you think about it, many of those items can double as storage space or have other functions.
One obvious area where you can save space is the bed, which could be a sleeper couch or one which can stand against the wall when not in use. Once packed away, it can become a dressing table, desk, full-length mirror or storage unit. Murphy beds were the original multipurpose furniture, but as technology has improved, so have the options. You might prefer a bed which can be raised to lie flat against the ceiling. Anton Niemand, owner, SA Wallbeds, says the company traditionally focused on space-saving with a range of wall beds. The latest bed can be rolled up into a cupboard, taking up a third of the space. Given the increasing need, SA Wallbeds has extended its range to other standard and customised space-saving furniture. There’s a nifty coffee table and desk combo – effectively a movable coffee table, a section of which can be raised and converted into a sturdy desk. Modular furniture is particularly great for children’s rooms. Whether
it’s a cot that becomes a bed or double bunks, a raised single bed on large cubes for storage, or a single bed with an invisible pull-out bed stored underneath, there are a host of space-saving ideas. There’s a nifty baby-changing station which, when pulled down to provide a surface, exposes a good-sized cupboard on the wall with shelves that can hold all the necessary baby items. Clever table designs have also moved from the simple additional leaves, which can be extended or made smaller, to a range of other possibilities. A stylish table can slide or flip up into a slim cupboard on the wall. Some tables can be raised
or lowered, folded up or expanded. A desk can become a shelf, coffee table or capacious dining space. When you look at that small space you call home, forget your existing furniture. This is a whole new world, and you need to plot and plan it stylishly.
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