Freewold Design Centre Blog

Colour Wrap Up: Trendy Indigo

Kim — Fri, 18 May 2012 09:00:10 +0000

Trending colour Indigo has long been a favourite of the design centre team. We try and incorporate this inky shade into projects for both interior and exterior use. We’re not always successful in getting this dramatic colour approved, but just knowing we tried makes our day brighter. Indigo was a topic of guest blogger Mandy not too long ago, Lauren Shantall’s talk at Wednesday’s Trend Talk was dedicated to this colour, and Plascon Spaces and FWDC Manager Tanya Nicholson who just returned from NYC couldn’t stop raving about seeing this hue in all the shop windows. Given that we love this colour so much it can do with another post.

What are your thoughts on Indigo and its use on walls? Would you be bold enough to try it in your own space?

Rue Mag

Little Blue Deer

Anthropologie

Houzz

Kiyoaki

Hyper Form

Amalfi

Have a colourful weekend!

A Rush of Copper to the head

Mandy — Thu, 17 May 2012 09:29:54 +0000

Given the choice, I would far rather discover a pot of copper, not gold, at the end of the rainbow. How lovely and romantic this metal is, with its reddish-orange-pinkish colour and soft-around-the-edges character. Left to corrode copper takes on a life of its own, transforming from its warm original state to a primitive, alchemistic green, as if making a bid to return to the earth from where it was mined. Needless to say copper makes a wonderful accent in interiors – a look that manages to be both modern and timeless. Copper, from rose-tinged to burnt sienna, loves to be paired with pastels like crushed mint, powdery pink, washed out white and chalky blue. But it also becomes bold and fabulous set against charcoal, deep turquoise and indigo. Natural wood and copper are also good friends, connected by their humble, farmhouse roots.

If you’re inspired by the images that follow, why not embark on a weekend style update to add a little shine to your space: pick up a pot or three of Plascon Metallic Copper paint at your nearest hardware store and transform a few boring picture frames or a framed mirror into something dazzling. Or go lo-fi and paint ordinary tin cans with a coating of copper and use as vessels for flowers, pencils or wooden spoons in the kitchen.

We Heart It

Bloesem Blog

Bart van Heesch via Bloesem Blog

We Heart It

A custom metallic KitchenAid mixer.

We Heart It

Pinterest
Here’s our custom-created copper complementing Plascon palette. Preciously pretty.

Happy weekend.

Mandy x

Tickled pink

Megan — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:24:43 +0000

Pink. Sometimes called the colour of love, the variations of this hue lie somewhere between red and white. In Persian, pink is named souraty, meaning colour of the face, and in Hindi, it’s called gulabi, meaning colour of a rose.

The actual colour pink is named after the flowers called pinks which have a frilly edge. Anyone with a pair of pinking shears will get the connection… “to pink” may have come from the German pinken, “to peck”, and it literally means to “to decorate with a perforated or punched pattern.” Hence the connection between the frilled pattern of that little pink flower and the aptly named colour.

Are you a fan of pink? Some like it hot while others prefer their pink on the pastel side. I love a splash of hot pink… like this DIY pink chalk board door above. It’s a fun and creative spin on the traditional blackboard.

My Kind of Porn

Amy — Tue, 15 May 2012 07:36:44 +0000

John Crawford is a photographer from New Zealand who says his aim is to capture images that have a high degree of interest and contrast, doesn’t look too technical, and are easy to look at and enjoy. These images are from his Aerial Nudes series.

(All images from http://johncrawford.co.nz)

Eye Candy Monday: Paint Sound Sculptures

Kim — Mon, 14 May 2012 07:51:52 +0000

Here’s an amazing advertising campaign shot for the launch of Canon’s PIXMA range of colour printers. The project features sound sculptures made of dancing droplets of paint as they react to sound waves. Advertising firm Dentsu collaborated with biochemist and photographer Linden Gledhill. Watch the video to see how they did it.

Post via enpundit.com

Colour Wrap Up: Colour of a Mother’s love

Kim — Fri, 11 May 2012 08:50:44 +0000

It’s Mother’s Day in South Africa this weekend. Here at FWDC we’ve been discussing the plans we have as to how we’ll be spoiling our moms come Sunday. We’d like to dedicate Colour Wrap Up to our lovely queens who fuelled and encouraged our love of colour.

Kim and Eileen

Sameenah and Firial

Toni and Brenda

Heidi and Lizette

And then a very special wish goes to the mother in our team, Kerstin Eser. Not only is this weekend special because of Mother’s Day, but Kerstin also turns the big 4-0! From all of us remember to let your hair down, have a blast and keep on being fabulous. Happy birthday Kerst!

Kerstin and her kids

Have a colourful weekend.

FWDC x

Let down your hair…

Mandy — Thu, 10 May 2012 14:26:00 +0000

Even though I’ll be hitting the big 4-0 in less than three years time, I’m just a big kid at heart who loves nothing more than a good magic yarn. This year (December 2012 to be exact) commemorates 200 years since the brothers Grimm first published their compilation of folkloric fairy tales, forever altering the course of storytelling and our hugely influencing our individual and collective imaginations. Here’s a spellbinding selection of images inspired by fairy tales…

Edgy Rapunzel as spotted on Pinterest

These graphic posters were designed by Christian Jackson, available to buy at Society 6

Society 6

Love the magic-infused imagery by Spanish photographer Euginio Recuenco

All images by Spanish photographer Euginio Recuenco

And of course the utterly brilliant photographer Tim Walker, whose work has helped give British Vogue its unique editorial signature, is famous for referencing fantastical fairy tales in his hyper-cool imagery

Tim Walker

Then there’s the Maison Moschino, the design hotel in Milan that is an extension of the fashion brand’s kooky aesthetic. Each room is inspired by dreams and fairy tales

The Forest room

Little Red Riding Hood room * Definitely the one I’d choose!

Sleeping in a Ballgown room

Luxurious Attic room

Shadows room Maison Moschino

And a few fun accessories that will cast a spell on you…

Champignons plate at Anthropologie (Swoon!)

Who’s The Fairest mirror at Anthropologie

Christian Louboutin, that bloke who makes shoes, is about to recreate the classic glass slipper from Cinderella. Do they come with insurance, do you think? These are by Marc Jacobs. Not glass, but fully transparent and fabulous.

La Garaconne

A cute Grimm’s Fairy Tales handbag from this seller on Etsy

Here’s wishing you a happily ever after weekend.

Mandy x

I love Stripes

Megan — Wed, 09 May 2012 07:41:03 +0000

The title of this series of fashion illustrations by Daphne van den Heuvel completely rings my bell. I Love Stripes. You bet I do.

About 3 years ago, when Daphne was still in art academy, she created an outfit with striped fabric and one of her lecturers told her a bit about the history of striped fabric.

“Striped fabric was used in clothing for sailors and prisoners because it stands out from nature so much. When a sailor would fall overboard or a prisoner would escape they could be found more easily. Later on it became a fabric used in fashionable clothing (Coco Chanel used it too).
In my new drawings I combined my love for drawing, fashion and stripes.”

Personally, I find the simplicity of the natural background with the minimal line drawing to be the perfect complement to the solidly painted stripe detailing. My first thought was how much I’d love a print of one of Daphne’s illustrations. The delightful news is that her art is available as an A4 print over on her site. Now the only question is – which gorgeous illustration will it be?

Sitting pretty

Amy — Tue, 08 May 2012 07:19:11 +0000

One of my favourite fashion labels Marni have designed 100 chairs (made in Colombia by ex-prisoners as part of trying to integrate them back into social and working life) that have been featured at the Milan furniture show Salone del Mobile 2012. All chairs consist of a metal structure with multicoloured PVC threads for back and armrest. A woven seat found in local Colombian homes and reinterpreted by Marni.

Can’t wait to see what they do next.

Story via www.itswhatiminto.com

Eye Candy Monday: Trend Talk: The Present Sense

Kim — Mon, 07 May 2012 08:48:09 +0000

What is Trend Talk: The Present Sense? Well it’s an industry gathering where key presenters reveal the latest design and decor trends, by sharing visuals, provocative ideas and thoughts on the lifestyle shifts that will touch us in 2012 and beyond. The second of its kind Trend talk sessions are open to all interested parties. Entrance is free but a voluntary donation of R20 (or more) in aid of the design charity, Rock Girl. Hosted at Freeworld Design Centre’s auditorium (71 Waterkant Street, Cape Town), Trend Talk: Future Forward takes place next Wednesday, 16 May 2012 (2.45pm for 3pm). Be sure to arrive early as it is unreserved seating. The talk runs until 5pm. The MC will be Lacia Gess from Design and Decor Network. Refreshments will be served (Canapes by The Pesto Princess; spritzers by jimmijagga; and wine by award-winning farm, Groote Post)

The speakers include:

BRAD ARMITAGE

Co-founder of ⋃ Co-fownder and Owner of Collective Sao Gabriel; Director of Splinter; Co-founder of Vida E Caffe and FRESSH; also previously a Project Manager at International Trend information, Brad will discuss the latest retail trends.

ALEX DODD

Alex is currently an Independent writer and editor; PhD fellow: Archive and Public Culture research initiative at UCT. Previously, she was a Consultant and Programme Developer at Bag Factory Artists’ Studios; Content Developer at Sunday Times Heritage Project; and Books and Features Editor at This Day newspaper. Cultural theorist Alex will dissect the Victorial Postmodern.

LAUREEN ROSSOUW

Well known design and decor doyenne and current Elle Decoration Editor, Laureen Rossouw, will give a reportback on the recent Milan Fair. With more than 30 years of media experience having started out in television before moving onto the glossy magazines.

CATHERINE BOWEN

The heartful shopper (aka Catherine Bowen), she is a fashion enthusiast and a personal stylist. She’s the owner of Dress Sense, which is a boutique style consultancy established in 2007. Her clients are individuals, businesses and brands. What she does is the culmination of her studies in psychology, experience in the fashion world and her two greatest passions in life: fashion and people! Catherine will steer us through the latest fashions.

LAUREN SHANTALL

Lauren is the founder an organsier of Trend Talk: Future Forward. She is one of the directors of the design-led charity Rock Girl SA. She also sits on the advisory committee for the proposed Museum of Design, Innovation Leadership and Art (MODILA). Lauren is currently employed as the PR, Communications and Social Media Manager for Plascon South Africa and her previous role was Head of the Freeworld Design Centre. Lauren’s talk will focus on the African Gothic and Indigo.

SUZANNE LITTLE

Suzanne is Head of Marketing at The Bookmarks 2012; Head of Marketing at Digital Media And Marketing Association (DMMA); Social Media & Social CRM Public Speaker at Conferences, and currently heads Social CRM at Quirk. Previously, she was Social Media & Social CRM Strategist at MWEB; eMarketing Account Manager at Liquorice Africa; Whisky Brand Manager and Premium Brandy, Whisky and White Spirits Education Specialist and Ambassador at Distell. Suzanne will share her views on digital lifestyle trends.

ANNE ROSELT

Anne is the Colour Manager at Plascon, and will reveal new colour tendencies. Her passion for colour started while working as a decorative painter on commissions in London, America and Jordan. Anne is responsible for Plascon’s annual colour trend forecast and Plascon Spaces Magazine. She is a qualified colour therapist having studied under world-renowed colour therapist Theo Gimbel. She is also a panel member of the International Colour Authority (ICA) -based in London, the ICA sends yearly colour forecasts to designers, manufacturers and other subscribers worldwide. She is also a member of the Colour Marketing Group in the USA. Anne has also written articles on trends and colour therapy for many magazines and newspapers, and has delivered many seminars at trade shows, for businesses and at universities.

“KING ADZ”

King Adz is an author and film-maker whose speciality is street culture. His work is published by Thames & Hudson and HarperCollins in the UK, by The Overlook Press in the US, Edel Books in Germany, and Edition Thames & Hudson in France. He has his own column in Huck Magazine as well as contributing regularly to Little White Lies magazine, The Independent on Sunday, and Time Out Magazine. His latest books are Street Knowledge (an A to Z of Street Culture) and Street Food, which has also been developed for TV. King Adz will show his latest short film.

Pen this in your diary. You don’t want to miss out!

Happy Monday!

(All images via Google)