Looking back at 2011

It may have been a tough year but, looking back, we can be proud of some of the things we’ve achieved at The Palms Décor and Lifestyle centre this year, says centre manager, Mark Kleinschmidt.

Some of these were:

The Palms’ website was  upgraded in April and was well-received by tenants and clients, says Mark. “Our website is very user friendly and gives visitors access to virtually any information on The Palms they might need. It’s visually and graphically also easy on the eye with a new look and feel and it will inform people of all upcoming events.”

The Centre also boasts a brand-new logo which complements the centre’s clean, sophisticated look.  Mark says they’ve decided to give the new logo a more contemporary look. “Green is still the primary colour and the palm tree is still depicted as the main focus of the logo. It’s more dynamic and the green will definitely promotel the greening of the Centre.”

To attract shoppers to The Palms, it hosted several exciting events this year: the Yesteryear market, the Winter Warmer market, the Spring market, the October Fest, the Summer market as well as the Festive market.

Wetherleys has upgraded its premises substantially and has just launched a new range of furniture just in time for Christmas.  Tarryn Lezar, branch manager of Wetherleys, says the new Country Range, all made from 100-year old solid oak trees, is something very special and will undoubtedly become collector’s pieces. “The dining room table with its bevelled glass top is stunning. And so are the other pieces in the Country range, which is a fresh move away from the traditionally darker woods of the furniture that Wetherleys is known for.

And the one place you shouldn’t skip this festive season is the chocolate haven, Rococoa. Richard Butterfield, one of the co-owners, says they have quite a few plans for the Christmas season. “We know Christmas can be a financial and emotional nightmare. To make things easier for the parents – and their wallets – we offer kiddies parties as well as a tour of the chocolate academy - not only to learn about the history of chocolate but also to learn how to decorate and paint with chocolate.” They will also show movies, such as Charlie and the Chocolate factory. Only groups of five or more will be accommodated.

Richard says they also have a variety of chocolate gift boxes and other customised sets. “So if you are looking for a special Christmas gift, come to Rococoa and we will design and make the chocolate gift box while you are having a light meal.”

More good news is that an additional 1 000 parking bays will be added to the existing parking area next year to accommodate the expansion of some of the shops as well as the steady increase in customer numbers.

Festive at the market

What better way to kick off the festive season than with a market brimming with food, jewellery, art and clothes? That is what The Palms had in store for visitors on 2 and 3 December.

According to Mark Kleinschmidt, manager of The Palms Décor and Lifestyle Centre, the buzz was contagious and attracted a significant number of new visitors to The Palms.

The festive market was the sixth in a series of monthly events to entice visitors to the centre. Except for the festive market, the other markets held during the year focused on the season of the year and also a special "yesteryear" market that rekindled the memories of times gone by.

"Except for attending the market, visitors also have a variety of more than thirty shops to browse through, all specialising in décor and lifestyle items," says Mark.

The Palms helps to stop hunger

Hundreds of people go to bed hungry every night and desperately need assistance. To help fill empty stomachs, tenants joined The Palms’ end-of-the-year Tenant Charity drive on Wednesday 7 December.

The charity drive was in aid of the Stop Hunger Now campaign and they raised R2 120.00 with this team effort. The following tenants made donations to this event: Target Projects cc,  Ariya Projects,  Annenberg Real Estate, Commrisk,  Dialogue Nine, Louis Karol Architects, Key Recruitment, Hammond Kids  and various individuals.

Stop Hunger Now set up a production line in the mall where volunteers, during three sessions, packed dehydrated meals of soya, rice, vegetables and vitamin enriched powder. The team packed twenty five boxes, with 36 food packs per box.

The Palms will shortly hand over the donation to the Women In Need Playhouse and Drop-in Centre in Salt River, an outreach service to women and their families living on the streets or in shacks.

Decorating Your Christmas Table

As we approach the busy festive season with bustling shopping malls and jam-packed schedules, we are reminded of our need for a relaxing break and an enjoyable, stress-free Christmas lunch or dinner spent with our loved ones.  A beautiful Christmas table really sets the mood for this special occasion, says Ilse Basson of InHouse Furniture.

This year, why not keep things simple by sticking to a minimalistic, yet bold, decor theme for your Christmas table. Using a simple colour pallet of red, black, white and silver, your table is bound to have a lasting impact on your guests while creating a fun, festive environment for all to enjoy. Here are a few ideas to make your day extra special:

The table

Start off the look with an elegant, custom-made Zen table and benches in a white duco satin finish from In house Furniture.

Lighting

Candles are a great, affordable option to achieve ‘mood lighting’. You could use silver candle sticks with red and white candles or small round glass bowls filled with candles, placing these along the length of the table.

Place your table close to the Christmas tree if possible and cover your tree in fairy lights to achieve a magical ambience.

Flowers

If budget permits, fill small square glass vases with red and white flowers with their stems cut short and add a splash of colour to tie in with the minimalistic theme. These can be placed between the candles along the length of the table. To add a touch of silver, these vases can be placed on small square pieces of mirror.

Glassware and cutlery

Use silver cutlery and place a champagne glass at each setting. Use small white name tags with black calligraphy print and tie one around the stem of each champagne glass using thin black or red satin ribbon.

The final touches

• Fold black napkins into triangles and place them on each plate setting.
• Place elegant silver, red and white Christmas crackers on top of each napkin.
• Place a small white gift box beside each guest’s glass. Tie red and black satin ribbon around the boxes and alternate the two colours around the table.
• Place a few bottles of sparkling wine on the table.
• And, lastly, to round off a wonderful day, play background Christmas music.  

Super strip

“There is always something new out of Africa!  Give your home an African flavour with quality artwork sourced locally and from right across the African continent. Transform your living area with handpicked authentic cloths, cushions, custom-made lamps, African antiques, ceramic pots and large oils on canvas,” says Jean-Luc Tartie of Induna Gallery.