decor ideas Archives

Our Favourite Spring Fabrics to Brighten Up Your Home

July 5, 2023September 4, 2023Tenille TheronFEATURED, INTERIOR DESIGN1 Comment

We absolutely adore spring in South Africa! Sunny days, weekends outdoors and tapas are a few of top reasons why. The beautiful weather also means we can indulge in fabrics light-as-air and pattern-crazy! Here are our favourite fabrics from local businesses making waves in the interior world.

India Ink

Latest Collection from India Ink

Travel to India with exotic textiles from India Ink. Owner Jane Middleton personally travels to India and hand picks her textiles after long scouting sessions. Expect to find colourful kanthas, intricately patterned rugs, and light cotton throws to complement your interior. Pattern and bold colours dominate the boutique catalogue, and their summer range is no exception. Paisley, indigo batik and teal accent stripes are trending under their hottest new items.

Hertex

Scatter Cushions from Hertex

Aimed to help you “find beauty in the everyday”, family-owned Hertex is one of the most covetable textile brands in the country. Whether you’re looking for bold and bright or subdued elegance, these textiles are sure to please. Their newest additions include Cyclades, an island-inspired range with distressed blues and sandy tones, and Colourwheel dedicated to the colours of the rainbow – 40 to be exact! But we just can’t get enough of their colourful range Awakening. The bright and cheerful prints are perfectly equipped for summer as the range consists of light linen and viscose blends. Hertex also offers exclusive fabrics in their couture section which features textiles that reflect international trends and are available for a limited time only.

A bonus is their new home décor brand, Haus that has all you need for the rest of the home.

Home Fabrics

Scatter Cushions from Home Fabrics

Home Fabrics is another powerhouse in the South African fabric world. Their extensive fabric library will have something for even the most fastidious of homemakers. A commitment to a greener planet gives customers an extensive collection of Oeke-Tex® certified fabrics that do not contain harmful substances and are environmentally safe and sustainable.

The latest collection is focussed on geometric and botanical motifs. Designers Guild Casablanca is just that; bold geometric patterns with an intrinsic floral aesthetic. The softness of Lauziere is perfect for flowy, romantic curtains. But best of all is the FibreGuard collection: this fabric enables easy living with its stain-free technology. Ronaldo and Nolita are both excellent options with vast colour ranges from bright to neutral that can update an entire home. For those interested in a velvet spring, Touch Stone has a velvety goodness without the stress of ruining the fabric.

La Perle

Printed Runners by La Perle

Perfect for when you want a specific print or pattern but can’t find it anywhere. La Perle has extensive experience in large format printing and now specialise in textile printing as well. Print anything from aprons and wallpaper to your preferred fabric. We love that you can personalise fabric on basically anything, which means gift ideas can come easily this year!

The Mill Fabric

Fabric by The Mill Fabrics

Once you enter The Mill Fabrics website you’re welcomed with “striving to create new trends”, and that is what they do. Their most recent collection, Lagos is a vibrant homage to the African city; filled with bold colours and pattern native to Africa with a touch of a colonial aesthetic. These eclectic pieces are a must in any traveller’s or otherwise cheerful home. The Lagos range is an absolute delight with names like “Cinnamon”, “Ditzy” and “Just Enjoy” beckoning you to create a fun and lively space. The Mill Fabrics specialises in custom designed and branded fabrics, woven or embroidered to the customer’s requirements. Mass produced products are avoided to give a fresh face to design.

Halogen International

Outdoor Collection from Halogen International

Springtime would be at a loss were it not for sprightly outdoor textiles. Halogen’s outdoor collection is made up of natural motifs with blues, greys and green as primary colours. These patterns are in complete harmony with the outdoors as they do not compete with nature. The designs complement the outdoors in their simplicity. Simply Linen is perfect for spring and summer because of its airy feel and lovely texture.

Black Fabrics

Textiles from Black Fabrics

One of the most exotic collections, Black Fabrics, prides themselves in finding beautiful textiles around the globe as well as creating their own. The Lotus from the Asian Batik range is delicate and floral without being overpowering. Spice Route alludes to another world with Persian and Moroccan inspired motifs. The Tropics is reminiscent of structured botany, with geometric patterns in earthy hues.

South Africa has more than enough beautiful textiles to go around; you only need to know where to look! These fabric houses are great places to start any interior journey. Let us know if you have a favourite that we have overlooked; we’d love to hear more about them!

If you need a little help putting your home together, contact us for online design help today!

Happy Homemaking!

Go Bohemian with a DIY Fringed Basket

August 8, 2018August 10, 2018Tenille TheronDIY, FEATUREDLeave a comment

This month, we’re taking inspiration to the next level! We are remaking a few of our favourite things from our favourite stores, and Anthropologie is top of our list! This DIY fringed basket with a beautiful boho vibe couldn’t be easier, and it’s a fun project for kids – BONUS!

There are many stunning baskets from Anthropologie, so have a look at their basket collection if you need a little more inspiration.

Here’s how to create Beautifully fun Bohemian Baskets.

You’ll need:

Wicker Baskets
Paint (we used white, light blue and dark blue chalk paint)
enough fringing and/tassels* to play around with

* The amount of fringing/tassels you need depends on the size of your basket. Measure the circumference for an exact length.

Tools for the Job:

Glue Gun & Glue Sticks
Paint Roller or Brush

STEP 1:

Paint the baskets white (but you can use any light colour you prefer). Leave to dry.

STEP 2:

Use a roller or a paint brush to paint the lower third of the baskets in a darker colour; we used light blue and dark blue. Let it dry.

STEP 3 (Optional):

Add a thin paint strip above the coloured section. You can use masking tape as a guide, but don’t rely on it too much as it doesn’t cling to the wicker all that well. And an uneven line adds to the character of the end product! Leave the baskets to dry once more.

STEP 4:

See which fringe or tassels will work best with your basket, and double check to see if you have enough. Heat up the glue gun and then add glue just below the top edge of the basket.

Pro Tip: Add glue in 200mm sections, to avoid the glue drying too quickly.

STEP 5:

Press the end of the tassel/fringing to the glued part and work your way around until the next section.

Repeat this process until the first fringe layer is complete.

STEP 6:

Repeat steps 4 and 5 for the second tassel layer.

Remember to work in sections!

Pro Tip: Leave an excess of 20mm fringing for a neatly glued end. Finish the tip of the fringing by folding it over and glueing it down.

This may be the most straightforward DIY you do all year, so make the most of it by making many of these pretty baskets as Anthropologie-inspired gifts (remember Christmas is not too far away!!)

Happy Making!

10 Gorgeous ways to bring ultraviolet home this year

February 1, 2018February 1, 2018Germarie BruwerFEATURED, INTERIOR DESIGNLeave a comment

Of all the colours out there, purple and it’s relatives have to be my least favourite. I don’t have anything purple in my house, or in my closet. That being said, the first car that Joey and I bought together was purple, but that was more by luck than by choice. I have a shock every year when Pantone announces its colour of the year, and it usually takes me a while to accept it. Except for green – you can never go wrong with green. I know that I am VERY late to jump on this year’s bandwagon, but I really have been struggling with this one. But if you can’t beat them, it’s better to don yourself in purple and call yourself a fan! Who knows, maybe before the end of the year, I will also own a piece of purple something.

WHAT IS ULTRAVIOLET?

According to Dictionary.com, ultraviolet light has wavelengths shorter than visible light but longer than Xrays. UV is the harmful bits in sunlight that cause sunburn, as well as the helpful part that forms vitamin D. It is not visible to the naked eye, except when it creates a chemical reaction that enables substances to glow or fluoresce, which is what the colour usually refers to.

Pantone describes ultraviolet as “a dramatically provocative and thoughtful purple shade, PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking that points us toward the future.” After a dramatic 2017, it is supposed to invoke introspection, which is something we desperately need.

Here are few suggestions to bring ultraviolet into your home this year.

FURNITURE

The Decorista

In my book, you can never have enough velvet upholstery. Do I own any? No. Do I have 3 (adorable, lovely but ultimately disastrously messy) boys? Yes. So my velvet days will have to wait a bit longer. Unless someone wants to gift me a green deep-buttoned velvet sofa of course (see my comment on green above). If then you must have purple, then I suppose purple velvet is the way to go. I can’t fault this room, purple chair and all: the soft tones, the messy but curated shelf in the background, the totally delish shaggy rug, and the combination of dusty pink and ultraviolet works magic. My favourite things? The teal scatters that add a bit of cool to the warm colours and the touch of purple in the potplant. LOVE!

ACCESSORIES

Hi Sugarplum via Doris Leslie Blau

A few scatters placed thoughtfully can elevate any room from blah to wow. Choose patterns that compliment your existing decor – I have a huge thing for flowers at the moment, so that’s where I’m headed. But the chances are that you’ll find ultraviolet in almost any pattern this year. This image is another testament to the beautiful combination that is ultraviolet and teal. This built-in unit is just gorgeous, and with the bright pops in the carpet, painting and accessories, it creates a stylish room that doesn’t take itself too seriously. STUNNING.

WALLPAPER

Traditional Home

This is a bolder move, but when you can create a corner like this, then go for it! I have to admit; it was this image that inspired this post. I found it on Instagram and thought, WOW! Maybe purple is not so bad after all! But then again, I am a total sucker for toile, especially Chinoiserie toile which had something to do with my excitement! My toile-philia stems from my days at Laura Ashley I think. This wallpaper is Shengyou Toile Iris by Schumacher Fabric.

A FEW OTHER BITS

Here are a few more ideas for bringing ultraviolet home.

1. Make a (small) statement with some pretty vintage glass bottles.

BHG

2. Use a throw to add some colour to a plain bedroom

Fantastic Frank via Doris Leslie Blau

6. Have Your Cake And Eat It

Not completely ultraviolet, but this purple-and-white stripey cake is amazing and perfectly on trend! Click here for the recipe!

Happy Ultraviolet💜 Styling!