Join us on Saturday 2 July for a celebration of yesteryear!
The day will include a variety of delicious foods to keep you warm and toasty, as well as unique craft stands and fantastic stores displays and specials by the various shops in the centre, including Karma Interiors, Kitchen Emporium, Wetherlys, Coricraft and Peter Osborn at Home, to name just a few.
Built in the 1920s as an impressive bakery for Duens Bread and Baumann's Biscuits, the Palms building is very much a part of Cape Town and Woodstock's rich and charming history.
Today this architectural delight is home to a wide array of décor, fabric, furniture and lighting shops; a far cry from the bustling biscuit and bread factory it was for all those decades, when sweet aromas wafted out into the street any time of day or night... While we may not be able to offer the smells of yesteryear, we do strive to make you feel welcome through our friendly and helpful service and to add richness and taste to your life in the form of exquisite fabrics, drop-dead-gorgeous lighting design and everything else you could want for your home!
Join us in celebration of yesteryear with an impressive selection of exhibitors and a wide variety of taste sensations!
| Date: | Saturday 2 July 2011 |
| Time: | 09:00 until 13:00 |
Our exhibitors include an antique knife maker, an embossing and leafing specialist and many more. Pop in and experience good old fashioned hospitality amid contemporary design, furniture, ideas and displays – not to mention our wonderful home and décor shops!
Rarely do you page through a prestigious local lifestyle magazine without noticing an exquisite piece of furniture or décor from On Site Gallery. This exquisite shop, situated in a quiet corner of The Palms Décor and Lifestyle Centre, boasts a variety of awe-inspiring architectural treasures brought from Argentina.
At the helm of the business are David and Vicki Bell. David visits Argentina a few times every year to source anything from beautiful old chandeliers and unique retro furniture to decorative statues, balustrades and oversized antique glass-stained doors and windows to add to the already impressive collection at On Site Gallery.
"Before the financial collapse in the beginning of the century, Argentina used to be one of the richest countries in the world. People – and especially the French - lived in style and splendour. Buenos Aires was called the Paris of the South and there was even a saying that one is "as rich as an Argentinian," says Vicki.
"Among the many fans that visit On Site Gallery regularly – often for inspiration - are the creative souls with an eclectic taste who like to make a bold statement with an exotic piece of furniture or décor," says Vicki.
"Here we are involved in interesting projects such as sophisticated wine farms and guest houses. Because we specialise in over-sized pieces, our merchandise often appeals to those looking for dramatic, powerful pieces to fill big spaces."
Sometimes, when David is lucky enough to come across something really special during his travels, they have it reproduced by their team of experienced craftsmen, resulting in their collection of handcrafted items also growing steadily.
If the thought of owning a special piece of South American splendour appeals to you, pay On Site Gallery a visit. At the very least, it will be a thrilling and inspiring experience...
Celebrate with French Champagne
Tiny bubbles, so divine... It's the king of drinks and the drink of kings, it has a sparkling personality and it's bound to put a smile on your face – even though the real deal might make a dent in your pocket.
Although most people associate champagne with special events and celebrations, there's no reason to keep the bubbly on ice until you eventually have a special reason for celebration, says wife and husband team Jane Greenwood and John Newton, who own Cuvées Classiques in The Palms Décor and Lifestyle Centre.
Cuvées Classiques stocks an impressive collection of around fifty different kinds of French Champagne from seven privately owned Champagne houses in France. The privately owned houses generally produce smaller quantities of high quality Champagnes that are often better priced than some famous brands. The most reasonably priced item is a non-vintage variety at R259 per bottle.
"Champagne should be enjoyed regularly for no other reason but to celebrate life! The moment you share it with friends, it lifts the spirits and turns any gathering or event into something special," says Jane.
"We also host Champagne tasting events once every two months. These are really special, as guests are welcomed with Champagne on arrival, get to taste about ten different kinds of Champagne and can enjoy a lovely French country buffet afterwards," says Jane.
French monks perfected the art of making a sparkling wine and called it Champagne, after this well-known French region. Making mousse (French for "bubbles") in a bottle was the ingenious invention of Frère Jean Oudart (1654 – 1742), Dom Pierre Pérignon (1639 – 1715), Benedictine monks and cellar masters at the respective abbeys of Saint-Pierre aux Monts de Châlons and Saint-Pierre d'Hautvillers.
Today the making of champagne is strictly controlled by legislation. To be entitled to be called Champagne, the wine must be made from grapes grown in the Champagne region, 31 000 hectares of carefully delimited vineyards in the north-east of France. Only three cultivars are permitted to be used in the production of Champagne: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier.
To receive information on special offers and scheduled Champagne tastings at Cuvées Classiques, add your name to the mailing list by visiting the website or send an e-mail to jane@ccq.co.za. Because Jane and John handle their own orders and deliveries, it's best to phone them on (021) 461 7498 before dropping in.
Trendy colours for interior walls
Splashing out on new colours for your interior walls is often an exciting but challenging prospect. Painting is not a run of the mill exercise, so choosing the right colours can sometimes be stressful.
Relax! According to Simon Fraser, marketing director of Midas Earthcote, this is a case of no rules apply. "Conventional wisdom has it that white is a good choice for brightening up a small, dark, pokey space, but some prominent interior designers will tell you that even charcoal can create a sense of spaciousness in this kind of room, as rich, dark tones have visual gravity."
Rooms that don't get a lot of natural light can be brightened up with lively colours such as yellow or fuchsia. But classical black, peppercorn, dark chocolate and aubergine are still "big", says Simon. Purple is a major new trend in Europe and is expected to catch on locally soon, while yellow, apple green, turquoise and honeysuckle pink are key shades on the perky side of the colour spectrum.
"At Midas Earthcote we have a wonderful range of 300 colour shades offering interesting and sophisticated options in bright colours. This is not everyone's cup of tea, but our designers have struck a happy medium with colours that are vivid and rich, as well as easy on the eye."
As far as texture is concerned, granite paint is the choice of the year at Earthcote. It has a speckled, flecked look and is available in relaxed, natural shades. However, one of the hottest colours is a dark shade called Black 2.
"Those who like a more modern aesthetic look will appreciate our Pandomo range which can be described as a wax coated, new generation cousin to traditional Stucco. Pandomo has a cloudy, veined look and is available in juicy colours, but the peppercorn colour Black Cat is currently a big hit."
Imagine a world without colour. Black and white, like a barren winter landscape covered in snow... Fortunately there is no need to feel gloomy – especially in this beautiful country with its abundance of blue skies, aquamarine waves and yellow sunshine!
Colour plays a much more important role in everyday life than we realise. Not only does our choice of colour often reflect a mood, but if we look closer, it also reveals much about our personalities. Colour has always been used to shape and define our lives, habits, values and feelings. Combine that with the Chinese art of Feng Shui where energy in any given space needs to be balanced, and you have the perfect combination.
Every colour is categorised as warm, cool or neutral.
Red (warm): Excitement, energy, passion, desire, strength, health, good fortune, power, heat, love – all things intense and passionate.
Feng Shui: The strongest colour, symbolising the fire element. Vibrant red brings the energy of joy and excitement into your home and boosts sexual desire. Red is the Chinese colour of luck and happiness, the marriage colour in India, and the symbolic colour of love, romance, courage and passion in the West.
Yellow (warm): Joy, happiness, optimism, idealism, imagination, hope, cheer, brightness, intelligence, caution, charm, confidence, creativity.
Feng Shui: Strong yellow represents the fire element, and light yellow the earth element. It is the colour that always brightens your home or office. Yellow also creates cosy, welcoming energy in your kitchen, living room or children's rooms. Use soft, buttery yellow for slightly subdued energy and bright, sunflower yellow to create a feeling of abundant energy.
Blue (cool): Peace, tranquillity, calm, sincerity, loyalty, productivity, stability, harmony, confidence, spirituality, intuition, inspiration, security, cleanliness, conservatism, patience, understanding, comfort.
Feng Shui: Blue is magnificent! It represents the water element and there is an endless variety of tones you can choose from to enhance your living space.
Orange (warm): Warmth, encouragement, balance, enthusiasm, flamboyancy, courage, confidence, friendliness, cheer, excitement, energy, fun, kindness, adaptability, ambition.
Feng Shui: As orange is related to red, it also represents the fire element. Often referred to as the social colour, it creates the necessary energy to promote lively conversations and fun times.
Green (cool): Renewal, nature, environment, prosperity, vitality, youth, vigour, fertility, wealth, freshness, sharing, responsiveness.
Feng Shui: Green is the colour symbol for the wood element. Because it balances the body, it brings healthy elements from nature into your life. To maximise good Feng Shui energy, use different shades of green in your home.
Purple (warm): Royalty, piety, sentimentality, spirituality, nobility, power, mystery, wisdom, enlightenment, sophistication, respect.
Feng Shui: The symbol for the element of fire. Use in moderation, as this colour creates very strong vibrations. Rather include by means of décor items such as pillows and art than as a wall colour.
Brown (neutral): Earth, home, outdoors, friendship, reliability, comfort, endurance, stability, simplicity.
Feng Shui: Representing the wood element, brown has a nourishing quality and is associated with all the good things - dark chocolate, gourmet coffee and beautiful mahogany wood. Feel free to use it abundantly!
Black (neutral): Sophistication, commitment, sincerity, power, authority, sexuality, elegance, wealth, depth, style.
Feng Shui: The colour symbol for the water element. Black adds depth, strength and definition to any space. Use in strong areas like the main entry of your house.
Pink (cool): Friendship, unconditional love, affection, sharing, healing, emotion.
Feng Shui: Besides being one of the colour symbols for the fire element, pink is the universal colour of love, which makes it a perfect Feng Shui colour to soften the energy in any given space. Its gentle and delicate vibrations have a proven soothing effect on behaviour.
Gray (neutral): Security, reliability, balance, neutrality, intelligence, modesty, practicality, dignity, maturity, conservatism.
Feng Shui: Representing the metal element, it must be used wisely in order to add positive energy.
White (neutral): Purity, simplicity, peace, truth, glory, healing, protection, humility, precision, innocence, youth, birth, cold, clinical, sterile, spiritual strength, divination.
Feng Shui: This is the colour symbol for the metal element, as well as the colour that absorbs, or contains, all other colours. This explains why most people feel deeply satisfied with a pure white space. But of course all colours play an important role in balancing and accentuating the mood in particular areas.
"Green is the new black... Kitchens are becoming greener every year and this year the greener the kitchen, the happier the environment!" says Mark Rossi, Kitchen Emporium