They rely on a methodology known as Permaculture, ‘that teaches a new breed of environmental ethics, with earth care, people care and surplus share at its core’. SEED also has an online shop which supports the introduction of Permaculture gardens at Cape Flats schools, where you can acquire clothes, books and gardening goodies.

This weekend they’re offering an exciting gardening course to the public, titled ‘Introduction to Permaculture’, in a bid to raise funds. If you’re a gardening fundi in the Cape Town area, the details for this course are below:

What: Weekend workshop at SEED, facilitated by acclaimed Permaculture designer and teacher, Jeremiah Kidd, of San Isidro Permaculture, New Mexico, in the US.

Focus: Learn to make your life more sustainable with a range of skills including:

• Rainwater harvesting
• Greywater use
• Kitchen gardens
• Solar water heating
• Pest management
• Compost and vermiculture
• How gardens interact with architecture

Dates: 19-20 May 2012 (Saturday and Sunday)

Venue: Rocklands Urban Abundance Centre, Mitchells Plain, Cape Town.

Times: 9am-4pm

Cost: R800 for the two-day course

Notes: Bring and share lunch, a book, pen and camera.

How to Book: Visit the SEED website to book online.

For more information visit seed.org.za or call 021-391-5316. You can also ‘like’ SEED on Facebook for regular updates.

What is your design philosophy?

I like spaces to look natural and collected rather than meticulously put together and laboured. Comfort and function are essential considerations in my design process too. I also like pieces to speak for themselves and always look for sleeker, sexier solutions. I hate over-embellishment or ‘gilding the lily’, as it is said. Personally, I am a modernist and choose to live in a neutral, open and very uncluttered space with some beloved and exotic curiosities punctuating the minimalism.

How would you describe your signature style?

I am a contemporary eclectic and am known for strong use of colour but with restraint. I have an array of clients and do contemporary, classical, farm-style, beachy, whatever. I like the challenge of working with different clients’ aesthetics and trying to make that work for them while still pushing them beyond their boundaries.

Some of the key projects you’ve worked on?

I have done many homes in KZN, and am redesigning an apartment in Clifton, Cape Town. I have worked on some nightclubs too!

Why is colour such an important aspect of interior design?

I am obsessed with colour. I find certain hues irresistible. I believe mood in a room has everything to do with colour, light and ceiling height. I also love the interesting ways that ‘non-colours’ like neural greys, change at night and the drama they add to a room.

What should you consider when choosing a colour scheme for a room?

Firstly, the purpose of the room. The light in the room next, and finally, your overall scheme and what hue will work in all these capacities. And don’t consider too deeply. Sometimes be a bit brave. Paint is really rather inexpensive. Sometimes a bold colour you just love for what it is, can be wonderful with contrasting white-painted skirting boards and cornices to make it pop.

Do colours have to ‘match’?

There is always a shade of a colour that will work with its most unlikely friend. But pink works with everything!

What advice would you give someone who would like to experiment with colour?

Buy tester pots and paint A3 paper and tack up your samples. Watch as the light changes and then, again, be bold.

What are your favourite colours and colour combinations for winter 2012?

Well, it is always a neutral base of grey and silver tones. I love magenta, pimento, saffron and teal with this.

What is the most effective way to inject some colour into a room without breaking the bank?

Paint the front door a glossy colour. Paint the back wall of your bedroom. Get a colourful cotton rug. Spray paint a table or a picture frame with Rustoleum paint (a wonderous product). I love respraying little tables wild colours and re-inventing stuff like this.

Text: Candice Botha

The range of products includes keyrings, coasters, place mats, trivets and more, all promoting the richness of Mediterranean culture. Some are inspired by Spanish tiles, others by original mosaics, and so on. ‘Our range of objects will give your table a distinctive look, both vintage and futuristic,’ says Peggy. We agree, and particularly love the coasters, which come in packs of six in a wide ranging of striking, bold patterns. Made of silicone, they’re heat-resistant, washable with soap and water and the fabulous colours won’t fade.

Images d’Orient products are available from Liv’In stores nationwide. The coasters retail for R360 for a pack of six. For more information, visit livin.co.za

Here, we’ve selected a few subtle options that will add a bit of fun to a room, but not detract from its other major features. It’s amazing how technology has even made clocks more user-friendly. The handmade Alba alarm clock (from astore) allows you to plug in your mp3 player and wake up to the sound of your choice – and Apple users even get a dedicated application that does this for them! Then there’s the Wood Cube alarm clock (from Big Blue) that is sound sensitive and turns on as soon as you clap or click your fingers.

If you prefer the traditional, singular function clock, there are lovely options available, such as this quirky wall clock from Mr Price Home. And for those working at a desk, this desk clock from La Grange Interiors is small enough to stand alongside a computer or on a shelf. Otherwise, if you want your clock to stand out, try this arty Beadburst Reflections wall clock by Bishop Tarambawamwe, the owner of Master Wire & Bead Craft. This bead and wire clock, modelled around the sunburst mirror that depicts a sun surrounded by rays, ‘signifies energy at dawn and reflections at dusk’.

If you have an inspiring or just plain fun clock in your home, share a photo with us on Facebook!

Stockists: (Left to Right) 

1. Cut-Off 30cm Black Clock, R50, Mr Price Home.

2. Alba Alarm Clock by Furni (in Maple), R1 300, astore.

3. Beadburst Reflections Wall Clock by Bishop Tarambawamwe, R1 440, Master Wires & Bead Craft.

4. Liverpool Desk Clock, Three Legs, R1 350, La Grange Interiors.

5.  Wood Cube Alarm Clock by Kikkerland Design, R290, Big Blue.

Text: Kim Grové

Photo credit for Beadburst Reflections Wall Clock: Eric Miller

CAPE ESCAPE

WHAT The Last Word Bishopscourt

WHERE Hillwood Avenue, Bishopscourt, Cape Town, 021-794-6561, thelastword.co.za

WHY WE LOVE IT Manicured gardens, rolling lawns, an infinity pool and the backdrop of Table Mountain offer not only an idyllic setting for this five-star boutique hotel but peace and comfort too. You can enjoy the magnificent views from the intimacy of your private patio or balcony.

THE X-FACTOR The turndown – a mini crème brûlée pot on your bedside table instead of a chocolate on the pillow, and candles lit in the bathroom.

JOBURG RETREAT

WHAT Ascot Hotel

WHERE 59 Grant Avenue, Norwood, Joburg, 011-483-3371, ascothotel.co.za

WHY WE LOVE IT Given a stylish new lease on life by brothers Nick and Matthew Obel, the Ascot has shed its down-at-heel image of recent years and is setting the pace for Norwood’s trendy upgrade. The 15 en-suite rooms are well appointed and the breakfasts generous – and the on-site spa is a bonus. Need a sleep-in? Ask for a room away from the boxing gym.

THE X-FACTOR The imaginatively stocked cocktail bar attracts a fun, funky crowd.

WHALE WATCHING

WHAT The Marine Hermanus

WHERE Marine Drive, Hermanus, Western Cape, 028-313-1000, marine-hermanus.co.za

WHY WE LOVE IT The Marine is the grand lady of Hermanus hotels, positioned right above the water just a step away from the cliff path, yet close to the town’s boutiques and bistros. The Pavilion restaurant overlooking Walker Bay serves cuisine to match the vista – you won’t want to leave.

THE X-FACTOR Watching whales from your bed!

SCENT TO PICK-ME-UP

Try the new Boss Orange Man (R750 for 100ml EDT) or the ever-cool Aramis EDT Natural Spray (R445 for 60ml).

CHIC TRAVELLER

Nox Luthuli, MD of Durban’s Bloom Marketing, shares her travel secrets with HL…

Describe your perfect hotel room. Spacious and contemporary. I prefer boutique hotels with attention to detail and sea views.

What do you stock up on when travelling overseas? Shoes and clothes.

How do you beat jet lag? I go for a run within a few hours of landing – this also allows me to get acquainted with my new surroundings.

Do you travel light or heavy? I aim for light, but my shoes tend to mess with the plan.

What don’t you leave home without? A hair-straightening iron, iPod and iPad.

Other travel essentials? My travel journal, a camera, sunglasses, make-up remover, and flat shoes or Converse All Star sneakers.

Your favourite local luxury destinations? Not local but close enough, Indigo Bay Island Resort and Spa on Bazaruto Island, Mozambique, offers tropical white sand and blue sea a two-hour flight away. Also two hours away, Pod, a boutique hotel in Cape Town’s Camps Bay, is a pure minimalist escape (HL January/February).

This article was originally featured in the April 2011 issue of House and Leisure.

Each wallpaper and fabric is the result of a collaboration with specially selected local designers, photographers and artists. The aim is that the personality of that artist is reflected in the end product. Owner Kristen Morkel designed the Zoo Biscuit print, after being inspired by Stuart Bird’s ‘Zuma Biscuits’, an artwork using the iconic Zoo Biscuit to make a political statement. ‘It inspired me to create a Zoo Biscuit surface design which was personally nostalgic while also being aesthetically pleasing’, she says. ‘Wherever possible I try to insert a little ‘South Africanness’ into my designs, and aim to create designs that are outwardly simple yet contain a bit more of a story once the surface is scratched’. When asked what keeps her ideas flowing, she answers, ‘I take my inspiration from day to day life – a walk down Long Street, a page in a local magazine, antique shops, musty books at Cafda. I’m drawn to all things that speak of my personal today and yesterday’.

The wallpaper is custom-printed using UV digital printing on high quality matte wallpaper with a self-adhesive backing. This means it’s easy enough for DIY application, can be conveniently removed and repositioned, has no sticky residue, and can be wiped clean. Design Kist’s wallpapers are available directly from their online shop at R1 290 for six running metres with a 65cm width. Their lovely range of digital designs can be printed onto various surfaces, ranging from stationery to textiles and soft furnishings. Custom-made panels are quoted at R345 per square metre and can be made up to 1.3m wide, with various colour options to suit just about any interior. According to Kristen, their goal is ‘To fill the world with original, beautiful patterns from South African designers!’

For more information call 021-461-5335, email info@designkist.com, or visit designkist.com.

If you’re in Cape Town make sure you pop into their showroom at 170 Upper Buitenkant Street, Gardens.

Tell us a bit about Boston Ivy.

Boston Ivy had humble beginnings: we started working from home out of our garage and then, with a steady customer base in place, we opened our flower store in Durban North where we continued to grow our little business over the next seven years. A change in direction finds us working from a larger industrial space which allows us the freedom to work on larger functions as well as continuing to look after our existing customers.

What are your favourite flowers to work with?
With every season comes a new favourite bloom. Hydrangeas, tulips, proteas and ranunculus are always at the top of the list.

Where do you find inspiration?
Our early morning market buy brings fresh inspiration. No two days are the same, and with the selection always changing, we are bound to find inspiration whether it’s from an unusual bunch of foliage or a particularly beautiful bunch of large budded imported roses.

What role do you think flowers play in decor?
Fresh flowers have a special ability to breathe life into a space. We really believe that there is no substitute for fresh flowers in a beautifully decorated room.

What are big trends in flowers for 2012?
That’s a hard one to answer as we feel it’s about what you love and what gives you joy, not necessarily about what is considered the latest trend.

Is ‘seasonal’ as big a buzz word in flowers as it is in food?
Absolutely!

What makes an attractive flower arrangement?
Keywords: Simple and unexpected.

Do you have any tips for simple arrangements which make a big impact?
Try sticking to one type of flower rather than a mix which tends to look fussy, for example a mass of tulips in a simple vase has far more impact than a large country type display.

What flowers would you recommend for a longer-lasting arrangement?
Aloes, proteas, fynbos and lilies.

How can you make flowers last longer in the vase?
Make sure that they have fresh clean water, trim the stems regularly and don’t keep arrangements in an air-conditioned environment.

To see more beautiful designs by Boston Ivy and to contact them, visit their website at bostonivy.co.za.

Text: Candice Botha