The DECOteam hit the streets this week to catch some World Cup gees, and we certainly weren’t disappointed. Strolling along the fan walk we [...]]]> Our super intern Maryke Olivier has been out and about in the city, vibeing on the World Cup buzz out there (it’s louder than a vuvuzela!). Here’s what she found for us:

The DECOteam hit the streets this week to catch some World Cup gees, and we certainly weren’t disappointed. Strolling along the fan walk we were greeted with bright colours, painted faces and the now all-too-famous vuvuzelas too.

At the Civic Centre, we saw the streets come to life with beautiful illustrations by Julia Anastasopoulos…

….and we loved the bright colourful trees created out of recycled materials at St Andrew’s Square.

Heath Nash gets it right when he says “It’s Beautiful Here”.

Production: Tiaan Nagel

Photos: Elsa Young

The home of Gerard Back and Philip Loxton, owners of design company Mila, are no shrinking violets when it comes to unleashing pattern on their Observatory home. See more of their brilliant, dazzling home on pages 92 – [...]]]> All you lovers of things beige and sedate, don your protective eyewear immediately: we’re about to enter a high-pattern zone. 

The home of Gerard Back and Philip Loxton, owners of design company Mila, are no shrinking violets when it comes to unleashing pattern on their Observatory home. See more of their brilliant, dazzling home on pages 92 – 97 of Isssue 69.

Production: Tracy Lynch

Photos: Jac de Villiers

If you’d also like to be ahead of the curve each month, get your own subscription to [...]]]> It’s that time again! Lucky subscribers will already have their copies of the Kitchens issue, but the rest of you should keep your eyes peeled for the new issue of ELLE Decoration SA, arriving on shelves any day now.

If you’d also like to be ahead of the curve each month, get your own subscription to ELLE Decoration SA for only R195.00. It’s a snip! In Rands and Cents, it means that each issue will cost you a mere R24.37, and it’s delivered to your door!

What are you waiting for? Email Reshal Kara right now to subscribe.

It’s an interesting tale of how architect Michele Sandilands and her family managed to balance the needs of a modern family [...]]]> I really wish there were loads more out-takes to share on this story, as I found it pretty fascinating, but we used ‘em all up in the story on pages 80-85 of the Revamp Issue.

It’s an interesting tale of how architect Michele Sandilands and her family managed to balance the needs of a modern family with the desire to preserve an architectural icon. This home, built by modernist Gawie Fagan in 1967, has been beautifully and respectfully restored. The weight of the responsibility of caring for an architectural treasure has had to be dealt with,but the payoff is that Michele and her family live in a home that has been well enough designed to hold its own for four decades – something that deserves the respect it is being accorded.

Production: Kerstin Eser

Photos: Mark Wiliams

A real touch of brilliance, and one of the [...]]]> Dutch designer Margriet Foolen was inspired by two traditional cooking methods when she came up with this slow cooker design for Royal VKB. The Moroccan tagine and the Dutch stewing pot have been merged into a good-looking piece of kitchenware that is at once traditional and contemporary.

A real touch of brilliance, and one of the things that must have tipped the judges’ decision to award this design a Design Plus Award as well as the Red Dot award, is that the terracotta bowl and lid can be used either way up. So the bowl can be a serving dish for 2-3 diners, while the white glazed “lid” can double as a single-serving plate, and silicone rings at the base of each dish means it can go straight from the oven to the table.

Via Kim Vallee

Actually, I’m just teasing. Naturally there’s another simply gorgeous home on the cover of Issue 66, due on shelf next week Thursday, but for now, that’s all I’ll reveal. Look out for lots, lots more to see of  Issue 66, starting Monday next week!

The Family Calendar is a useful one, with spaces for every day where you can fill in [...]]]> A good calendar and planner is something I’d be lost without, and Cape Town design outfit Clip Clop has a whole range to choose from. They sent over a couple, and frankly, I don’t know which one to choose!

The Family Calendar is a useful one, with spaces for every day where you can fill in the activities of every family member. Great for busy mums to keep track of everything.

Then, there’s a range of calendars to help you keep track of the moon, the Southern tides, and also a circular Seasons year planner. All of these would make great Christmas gifts, which is just what I’ll be doing (it’s marked on my planner already).