Off the beaten track...

...and via the road less traveled to find a true Elysian field at the East Griqualand Country and Garden Festival.

From the 4th to the 6th of November, Kokstad will be hosting the first "Encounter East Griqualand Festival", what promises to be a non-stop experience taking in the whole gamut of creativity; from floral display to musical  escapade. With a program embracing fine art and photographic exhibitions, open gardens, some scrumptious fare, and a parade through the center of town, you are certain to encounter something that catches your fancy.

Cape Quarter

The Design Now! exhibition is now on at the Cape Quarter Lifestyle Village, combining their anniversary festivities with a unique design event.

The exhibition runs from 27 October to 5 November, so if you haven't managed to get there yet there is still time. Amazing art expos, music performances and lifestyle events come together to showcase the diversity of Cape Town's heritage.

"Inspirational Pop-Up Galleries and dynamic decor and furniture installations curated by leading interior designer Tracy Lynch tell a textured story while top local designers host workshops and events to a backdrop of shop-window displays and in-store exhibitions that truly wow."

Dancing round the Barns (Part 1)

Time to make hay? 

There are a number of barn-styled galleries around the country, each offering a unique and original setting for talented local artists.


The Barn Art and Glass Gallery in Worcester

Restored in 1992, the wine cellar dating from 1790 was converted into an Art Gallery & Coffee Shop.   Attached to the barn is a double storey 1902 building that is now home to David Reade's Glass Studio.

The calm and welcoming atmosphere of The Barn Gallery is well known, and the à la carte restaurant has polished off an already immaculate atmosphere.

Paintings and Blown Glass sculptures are on permanent display.

Why not pop in for a browse and coffee? The coffee shop is open seven days a week, including public holidays. Otherwise, for a more robust accompaniment to the art,  the restaurant is open Tuesday - Saturday evenings from 18:30 to 22:30.

The Barn Art Gallery & Coffee Shop

170 Church Street, Worcester, 6850
South Africa

2014 baby!

We KNEW you'd be the greatest, Cape Town. Well done, South African Designers. You deserve this.

Read more: http://www.capetown2014.co.za/

Lucky Pony

Once again our search for internet treasure has been rewarded. Look at this delightful little gem of a blog we just unearthed. Lucky Pony is a delightful blog by a Jo'Burg girl who loves to share her fun finds and interesting ideas.

We love the antiques section in particular ... some delightful trips down memory lane!

Visit her blog at http://luckypony.co.za/

Cushions with airs

Celebrate the start of summer with the clearance SALE of the Cushion Snob spring collection.

All designer cushions are R185 with inners.

Fri 28 October 2011
7.30am - 6pm

KZN Showroom
35 Victory Road
(same road as Kloof Country Club)
Kloof

R.S.V.P: zena@thesnoblifestyle.com
031 764 4529
www.cushionsnob.com

All cushions are piped and backed in pure cotton or linen fabric. Washing instructions are sewn into the seam.

Yum!

Another fave from House & Leisure mag, tomato croissant pudding with rocket coulis is as good as it looks, and a hit at parties. Plus, it's easy-peasy to make, so why not wow your friends as you start the whirlwind year-end-functions circuit?

tomato croissant pudding with rocket coulis

A savoury dish best served with a red wine…

Compiled by Raphaella Frame Recipes and styling by Clare and Fiona Ras Food production Susan GreigFood styling Raphaella Frame Decor styling Retha Erichsen, Mariette Theron Photographs Graeme Borchers, Angela Buckland, Elsa Young

Recommended wine pairing: Luddite Shiraz 2006 – TG

6 leeks, finely slicedolive oil1T chilli paste500ml cream500ml milk3 jumbo eggs6 egg yolkssalt and black pepper8 plain croissants200g Rosa tomatoes, halved80g sun-dried tomatoes4 cups rocket250ml olive oil1 garlic clove

1T lemon juice

Serves 8

Line a 22cm springform cake tin on the outside with foil to prevent leakage. Sauté the leeks in olive oil until softened and add the chilli paste. Beat the cream, milk and eggs and egg yolks together, season with salt and black pepper, and add the leeks.

Cut the croissants in half and arrange a layer of the bottom halves on the base of the tin. Scatter a few Rosa tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes over the croissant layer and cover with a little egg mixture. Continue to build the layers until the tin is full, finishing with the top halves of the croissants, and pour over any remaining egg mixture. Bake at 180°C for 20 to 25 minutes until cooked through and the top begins to brown.

In a blender, blitz the rocket, olive oil, garlic and lemon juice together to make a paste, thinning with two to four tablespoons of water. Serve the rocket coulis drizzled over slices of the warm croissant pudding.

This recipe is from the February 2011 House and Leisure Food issue.

Pretty bows and forget-me-knots

In our quest for beauty and style we are often delighted all over again by the amazing things we find on the web. This week's super-find is is Tie the Knot. This charming website is focused on creating the perfect South African wedding, and everything that goes with that. They offer a wealth of useful information, beautiful photography and an easy-to-navigate layout.

It makes me want to get married all over again!

Check it out at www.tietheknot.co.za.

Pheka!

Do you ever have one of those days where you just WISH you could walk into your home and find all your chores done? No dishes to wash, no floors to sweep - ok, maybe you already have that. How about, no meals to cook? Imagine coming home to fresh, healthy, delicious food made for you personally, in your own home, by your very own personal chef. Sounds too good to be true? Well honey, get ready for paradise on toast with Pheka.

Pheka (pronounced Phe'ga) is the zulu verb "to cook", and it's the name given by Durban resident Danielle Du Toit to her brainchild. On her website she explains,

i have always had a passion for food and teaching - my extensive travels intensified my interest in food and taught me never to be afraid to try new things - with pheka i now bring exciting flavours into your home in a fresh simple way - allow me to improve the skills of your domestic employee and share with them the joy of cooking.

Pheka is an innovative in-home training programme that brings the joy of cooking to you. Well, to your domestic worker, who shares her new-found talents with you and your family. A typical course costs R1100 for 5 weeks, and runs once a week for a morning. This means you still have the benefit of your household help for the better part of the day, while she is learning new skills each week - skills she can start making use of right away.

As an added bonus, if you team up with a few of your friends and offer these superb lifeskills courses to a group of domestic employees, the hostess gets a discount. What a great incentive to get involved!

Comments from satisfied customers give Danielle the most pleasure, as she sees the fruits of her labour being rewarded by enriching the lives of domestic workers and their busy, stressed employers. Testimonies like this one are typical, and true testament to Danielle's hard work, focus and dedication:

“We have so enjoyed the fruits of Sibongele's labour - my friends are also raving - the ladies themselves had a wonderful time and loving their new skills! I would highly recommend your course (looking forward to the next one!!!!) to anyone."Christine Comaille

To find out more, visit www.pheka.co.za. Call Danielle on 072 261 5192 or email danielle@pheka.co.za.

Follow the Eastern Fabric road...

Be sure to diarise the St. Leger & Viney Road to Oxiana launch - an event not to be missed. Off-site launch venues, and a food and drink menu tailored to complement and enhance the Eastern inspiration of the fabrics, provide a hedonistic delight that entwines all the senses.

The next stop on the Road is at the Fairmont Zimbali Lodge in Ballito, KZN, on Friday, 21st October. The event starts at 10:30am, and reservations can be made at lizd@stleger.co.za.

At 11:00 am on the 25th of October, Capetonians can enjoy this remarkable experience at Waterford Wine Estate in Stellenbosch. RSVP to carlad@stleger.co.za.

More information is available at www.stleger.co.za

The Cape's very own Floral Kingdom

If you haven't already subscribed to House and Leisure's stunning weekly magazine, we highly recommend you do. It's beautifully styled and well-written, a delight at the end of a busy week. We particularly enjoyed this post, about the breathtaking carpets of flowers that take over the Cape every Spring.

Every year the West Coast gets transformed from barren, wind-blown soils to floral tapestries of colour. This blossoming region is an integral part of the Cape Fynbos Kingdom and boasts more than 1,200 species of flowering plants. Darling accounts for more than 10% of the Cape Floral Kingdom in less than 1% of the area.

This quaint little town screened by golden wheat fields and vineyards can be pin-pointed within the Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserve. It stages a multitude of different vegetation varieties, a cross-breeding indigenous only to this area. As a result, the veld in Darling produces flowers, especially Geophytes (bulbous plants) which are remarkable in colour, diversity and size.

The flowering season usually lasts August through to October, but due to the cold weather fluctuations this year, their pageant has been slightly setback. Remember to view them on a sunny day as some species won’t open if it is over cast, and travel with the sun on your rear as they open their faces towards the light. The best time for viewing is 11am to 3pm daily.

For more information see darlingwildflowers.co.za or darlingtourism.co.za.

Where to see flowers around Darling:

• Darling Renosterveld Reserve (At top of village behind the Darling Primary School)
• Darling Groenekloof Reserve (R315 alongside the SPCA premises)
• Tienie Versfeld Reserve (R315 Darling – Yzerfontein)
• Contreberg (along R307 to Mamre)

At all the above reserves visitors need to park their cars and walk in the veld.

• Duckitt Nurseries Wildflower Reserve – farm road through reserve (R307 Darling – Mamre – in front of Duckitt Nursery)
• Waylands – farm road through reserve (R307 to Mamre)

Visitors must please take care not to drive off the road in the Waylands and Duckitt Nurseries reserves as the veld is very wet and they may get stuck. No buses.

• Postberg in the West Coast National Park (022-772-2144)

Guided Flower Walks/Drives

• Wildflower Meander

• Flora Group walks take place in the Reserves in and around Darling/Yzerfontein as follows:

Darling: the last Thursday of each month with Helene Preston (082-222-8135) .
Yzerfontein: the first Wednesday of each month with Libbes Loubser (022-451-2504).

They explore the reserves for whatever is flowering that day, also to find anything new, and to discuss anything botanical as we go along. These are gente walks, so anyone can come along.

• Wildflower game drives at Burgherspost Nature Reserve – Leaving 9:30 every morning except Sundays and depending on the weather (min. 2 people) from Cloof Cellar. Please book two days in advance. Contact Jacques vd Merwe, Conservation Manager, on 022-492-2830.e-mail nature@cloof.co.za.

• Visit the website at cloof.co.za.

• Groote Post farm (also forms part of the famous West Coast Spring Flower Route) – In addition to its excellent wines, this estate offers much to delight, including nature walks, picnics and the award-winning restaurant, Hilda’s Kitchen. For more information on the nature walks please contact Peter Pentz junior, via email on peterjnr@pentz.co.za or phone 022-492-2822.

Fat Cow (it's a GOOD thing ;)

A slip-of-the-tongue in a friend's late teen years left her with a kitchen overflowing with bovine ornamentation (cow knick knacks). While it may have been a little OTT, we found it charming and I've had a soft spot for cows ever since. That's why, when I saw The Fat Cow Catering & Training School, I was immediately intrigued.

Here's what they have to say about themselves in one of their most recent newsletters:

Lust have … There are those kitchen items that chefs must have – see the Fat Cows’ list of pantry essentials – and then there are those that chefs, stylistas and entertainers simply lust after. The Alessi corkscrew is one of these. A best seller since it was first produced in 1994, the Anna G corkscrew is a tongue-in-cheek homage to a real woman. Her smiling face has become something of a cult figure, giving birth (so to speak) to a rich family of objects for the table and kitchen in a wide range of materials.

Breakfast of champions The Fat Cows are big believers in having a good breakfast. So much so that they’ll even make it for you! The chef’s table seats 10, and there’s also a cosy corner full of couches, so there’s ample room for business meetings and for moms to relax after the school run. So, weekdays, between 7 and 9am, pop round and tuck in: fry-up or healthy, the choice is yours. If nothing else, the cappucinos are sure to rev you up for a productive day … Click here for more info and the menu >> Get the full story here.

Black Liquorice

One of the yummiest treats of a South African childhood is those long strings of black liquorice. The way the black kind of rubs off on fingers and tongues is part of the happy experience. The taste - part aniseed-y interest, part sweet delight, is unique and unforgettable.

Black Liquorice Design Studio manages to capture these essential qualities in their stylish range of homeware products. While we love the retro associations of their original name, it's great to see that they're keeping up with technology too, with a convenient online shopping facility.

Head over to their website and check it out.

Anticipation ... only 10 days to go!the moment we hear an

I'm sure you're filled with as much anticipation as we are, with just ten days to go until the announcement of the 2014 Design Capital of the World. As you know, Designers on Display supports Cape Town's bid 100%, and our thumbs are firmly held that we'll win the bid!

We'll keep you posted on new developments the moment we hear anything.

African Sketchbook

Don't you just love this blog? We love the colours and elegant-meets-contemporary styling, not to mention the engaging content. The must-have fabrics look so irresistible that the whole ensemble is utterly delicious.

Head over to African Sketchbook, and tell us what you think.

"IT'S A BUGS LIFE" by Terry Angelos

I know it's spring and I should be painting all things bright and beautiful but I just seem to have a thing for inky colours at the moment... all shades of black and blue! These hand painted enamel plates have been a big hit and are a fun and affordable way for me to showcase my artworks!
(They sell for R 100 - R 140).

The bug watercolours in smudgy, inky colours have also been machine stitched into the artwork and I love the effect of the hanging threads and texture... it adds to the creepy, crawly feel of the bugs!
Framed in plywood frames by Ikhaya they can hang on the wall with the plates or be placed on a shelf. (R300ea).

For more info, Terry Angelos, 082 772 3020 / www.windmilldiary.blogspot.com

How Green is my Valley?

By Wendy Manning (Manning Interiors)

As we start to enter into spring, the cosiness of winter things seem to become claustrophobic & the need to peel off and change to all things lighter, becomes very appealing. This happens in the colours & textures of the food we eat, the clothes we put on and décor that we surround ourselves in.
In the fury of the traditional spring cleaning fever, we swap soups for salads, jackets and scarves for skimpies, and then start to look critically at our old, faithful décor and dream of trading it all in for a complete new look!

In these sober economic times, it’s not always possible to spend a fortune on anything new, especially in the décor department, but as any savvy decorator knows, a change of paint colour is the cheapest, quickest and most dramatic way to give any room a lift. This is truly the best seasonal transformation you can do for yourself.

The question is: what is the best hue to bring this Springfulness into your heart and soul?

Well, I have found that Tuscan Glade no 5 (from Dulux) is the colour that ticks all those boxes for me. It has worked so well that I have been using it in homes, doctor’s rooms, spas, salons, offices, absolutely anywhere! It transforms any space, wherever you use it and it really does bring in a refreshed and happy feel to your environment.

What I like about this light shade of green, is that it acts as a barely there colour, i.e. you don’t seem to notice it on the walls, but you notice the painting on top of it or the couch or lampshade against it. It has colour, but it doesn’t shout at you, instead it gives off a gently glow, it just is there, making everything around it look great.

We all need a bit of a boost for this comming season, so why not start with a change of colour and go with the green trend that’s becoming part of every area of our lives?

Email Wendy for more information.

Trendspotting - Megs on the design scene for Summer 2011-2012

Gentle, natural neutrals bring light
into your home.© ApartmentTherapy.

What do you think are the biggest trends in Interior decor for this summer?

(With thanks to Thea Rossouw for expert advice)

One of the biggest trends you're going to see in 2011 is all about going au- naturel. For years, furniture has had some sort of finish, whether it be dark cherry, java, light maple, or white and black. The new look for furniture is to leave the natural wood grain and finish exposed to create an organic

The two main styles you are going to be seeing a lot of this year is a modern French Country and a contemporary rustic look. With the modern French Country you will see the traditional French Country look such as trestle tables with slat back chairs, but the table may have metal legs. Or, you may add flair to what used to be a very formal dining area by using metal industrial stools instead of all chairs. People love that simplistic country style but the design world has decided to dress it up a bit by adding an industrial feel to the standard French Country style.

While pink has emerged in a support role, look for navy to become a more dominant player for upholstery. After several years out of the mainstream, navy is reasserting itself for consumers who want a look that is classy, yet not as stern as black or as non-descript as neutrals.

• Gray is the new beige and remember it is now all about texture, texture & more texture
• Neutrals remain a “hot” trend for 2011
• The 1980’s are revisited. Expect to see more Teal, Purple , Navy and Golds
• Large scale prints remain big
• Texture is still BIG.....more Linens and LESS shine
• Chenille’s take a back step and makes room for more Boucle fabrics
• Contrasting piping has made a return back into the new trends

The owl and the bird are big on fabrics, vinyl & accessories.

Blue, silver and teal
creates a sense of peace.
(© Image courtesy of
Home Fabrics).

What advice would you give to someone who is decorating their home without the help of an Interior decorator?

1. Firstly establish what the main purpose of the room will be.
2. Decide on a budget and stick to it.
3. Decide on a decor theme eg contemporary/classic / French country/Retro etc.
4. Collect pictures and information from magazines and the internet regarding these themes.
5. If on a tight budget, purchase the main and most important items and build on the room as money comes available. Do not buy second choices just to complete the room.
6. Buy quality and not quantity.
7. Make sure every item in the room is practical and enjoyed by all using that specific area or room.

What are your favourite décor stores?

In Durban I enjoy shopping at Weylands, Le Grange & Karin Hatfield. For accessories and special pieces of furniture I love to shop at Above Rubies (via an agent in Durban). Red Rose has beautiful French and antique furniture.

What inspires you ?

Colour, texture and old furniture made new with contemporary fabrics.

What are your 3 favourite things?

I love French consoles in striking colours. I'm addicted to big floppy beautiful scatters ... lots of it!
Raw, untreated rustic wood furniture used with other contemporary furniture adds interest and flair to any room.

Embraced by Light

·         Exhibition opens on Friday, 14 October 2011 at 6pm

·         Artists’ Walkabout on Sat, 15 October and Sun, 16 October at 12 noon.

·         Exhibition closes on Sun, 16 October at 5pm.

Simbithi Country Club

Shaka’s Rock Road, (exit of N2, no. 212), Ballito

Tel: (032) 946 5401    

Restaurant reservations at the Fig Tree Restaurant (032) 946 5403

Entertainment : Live Band and Cash Bar

Embraced by Light

Local artist, Jane Digby will be exhibiting her latest series of oil paintings.  A resident of Simbithi, Jane has been inspired by the beautiful surrounds of Simbithi and the North Coast.  Embraced by Light is an intuitive response to the environment, the play of light as it touches grasses, ripples in water and tips of wings.  Space, atmosphere and light, these paintings are moments in time, captured by the artist’s eye and interpreted by layers of colour and brush work.

Jane exhibits regularly in South Africa as well as overseas.  Jane runs regular workshops in oil painting from her tranquil studio in Simbithi.

The exhibition will be opened by Rosemary Ladlau, well know floral artist and Past President of the World Flower Arrangers Association.  Simbithi was once Rosemary’s farm.

Please contact Jane on 082 486 2126 if you would like to meet her or if you should require any further information or images. Email: blacklaw@telkomsa.net | Web: www.jjdigby.com

Be Dazzled Be Amazed Be Inspired

Don't miss this gorgeous exhibition by Thuthuka Jewellery and Product Development.

iSad

In memory of Steve Jobs: 1955 - 2011
Thank you, Steve, for over 3 decades of innovative design.
Our thoughts and condolences are with your family.

Find great tribute wallpapers like this one at http://webtrickz.com/remembering-steve-jobs-wallpapers/

Shop till you drop

Imagine if we told you that we'd found the most amazing source of vintage accessories and decor for your home and wardrobe. Would you be excited? What if we said you could easily find this same treasure trove online, in the comfort of your own computer. Do you want to see?

Of course you do.

Well, here it is: the latest offering from Etsy is Mistress Miller, a South African salvager of yesterware. The cleverly selected range has beautiful items to add elegance and whimsy to any space. From children's puzzles to enamel buckets, and everything in between, we recommend taking a peek. You're bound to find something fanciful to catch your eye.

Happy shopping!

(Find Mistress Miller's Etsy shop here).

Kindred Spirits

Oh my goodness, true love! Stumbling across the les Revoici blog the other day was pure heaven. With the same passion for perfect places and upcycling and beautiful lifestyles (on a budget!) as we have at Designers on Display, we just had to share this little treasure with you.

You can link to their blog on the right hand side of this page or just click here. Go and have a look, I know you'll love it as much as we do, and find some inspiration on the way.

Have fun!

(If you love this, let us know. We'd love to hear from you).

Shweshwe Treasure!

Beautiful locally-made Shweshwe fabric has made a huge impact on quilters around the country. We love the range of colours and prints, and the quality of the fabric, too.

So we were thrilled to discover this little gem on Facebook recently: Shweshwe Creations: bags (and more) made from shweshwe material - South Africa's traditional ethnic prints.

Head over to Facebook and have a look. "Like" the page to keep up with the latest products and news.

Beautiful people doing beautiful things

Dresses in St. John 6/2011

As you know, at Designers on Display we just love to find beautiful things and share them with you. Even better, we love to see deserving folk get beautiful things in their lives. That's why it's always such a joy to us when, during our daily rambles through Internetopia, we stumble across a small piece of pure goodness: generous people with beautiful hearts of gold, doing truly generous things for those who need help.

We recently told you about the Princess Project (brilliant, yes?), and this week we found another gem of similar ilk. Dress a Girl Around the World is a Hope 4 Women International campaign.Because of their efforts, people from all over are forming clubs and sewing pillow case dresses for Hope 4 Women International to distribute around the world. Teams and partners hand carry these dresses to countries throughout the world.

So far, over 46 thousand dresses have been delivered to 53 countries around the world, including the United States. Dresses are made by people from all States, Canada, Uganda, and Hong Kong continue to make dresses. Together they really will dress the girls around the world.

Patterns, instructions and information, as well as photo galleries and testimonials, can all be found on their website. Why not head over and take a look - and let us know what you think. We'd love to hear from you.