Winning rooms
Article from the January 2014 issue of Garden and Home Magazine.
We’re delighted to announce the winner and runner-up of our Refresh, Renovate, Redecorate room makeover competition in association with the Southern Africa Stainless Steel Development Association (Sassda)
Renovations at a glance
Cost of makeover: R130 000 excluding gas piping.
Changes made:
- Knocked out all the walls between the lounge, kitchen and dining room to create a spacious open-plan area.
- Removed existing roof beams and added new ceilings and cornices.
- Removed floor tiles, levelled floors and installed teak flooring.
- Added new double doors to the courtyard and new windows for additional light.
- Replaced melamine fittings with off-white cabinetry and Caesarstone countertops.
Meet the winner
Debbie Mosley’s (left) clever transformation of a dark and dated kitchen into an elegant eat-in space won her first prize.
Debbie manages a property development company and lives in Rivonia, Joburg, with her partner Jorge and their two-year-old son Alexio. Their stunning prize to the value of R40 000 includes an extractor fan, refrigerator, washing machine, tumble dryer and dishwasher, all with a sleek stainless steel finish, sponsored by Sassda.
How this kitchen went from drab to fab!
“My kitchen was small, dark and dated, and completely cut off from the rest of the house,” explains Debbie. “The adjacent dining room was accessed via a narrow passage with a ’70s serving hatch between the two spaces. The passage also led to a small living room through vinyl concertina doors, so there was no way to keep an eye on Alexio while I was cooking. Add to that the fake timber ceiling beams throughout, and floor and ceiling heights that were completely uneven, and we knew drastic steps had to be taken!”
“The inspiration for the new look was a beautiful eat-in kitchen I saw in a 2009 issue of Garden and Home. It triggered the idea to open up the whole area and incorporate the dining room and lounge into an open-plan kitchen/living space. Moving into our upstairs flat during the bricks and mortar phase made all the difference as we had to level the floors, remove the roof and raise the ceilings. We also had no choice but to retain a prominent structural column, so we incorporated this into a large central island and clad the column in natural stone as a textural accent.”
To create a calm, neutral backdrop, Debbie painted the walls in Overtly Olive by Dulux. Caesarstone countertops keep the look clean and spacious, while teak flooring adds a rich, warm gleam. As the kitchen does not have a separate scullery, Debbie chose flush, undercounter sinks to give a streamlined finish. “Now my kitchen is a spacious central hub that brings our family together. Even though we might be doing different things, we’re sharing the same space and enjoying time with Alexio. One thing I have learned is that open-plan kitchens make you very aware of keeping things tidy – everything’s always on show!”
Some of the judges’ comments
Lesley Squires, Sassda Marketing Intelligence Specialist
“We were all very impressed with this one. The whole flow of the room is great, and the stainless steel trims and kickbacks at the bottom of the cupboards, stainless steel handles and a stove with stainless steel incorporated into the design are wonderful.”
Mary Jane Harris, GH Editor
“What I liked about Debbie’s kitchen is that she planned it carefully over a period of time, so she knew exactly what she wanted. She also used space cleverly and I particularly liked how she incorporated the load-bearing pillar into the island and used it for plugs. It’s also a neutral kitchen which can be updated easily.”
Meet the runner-up
Leigh Samanek’s tranquil, on-trend bedroom makes her the runner-up. Leigh, a credit analyst in the corporate banking sector, is passionate about decorating and sewing and lives in Parkmore, Jo’burg.
Her prize is a set of Ultimate stainless steel cookware from Nutri-Stahl.
How this bedroom went from boring to beautiful
“My bedroom was decorated in a very safe palette, and I’d spent years living with beige and neutral tones combined with dark furniture. I wanted to create a fresh new feel, something a little more feminine, bling and beautiful.”
“The inspiration of the new look was a gorgeous pendant light that I found at Ikea in Bulgaria; it was so simple to flat-pack and ship home,” says Leigh, who loves to travel.
Starting with the main wall, Leigh chose Plascons Feathery – a gentle aqua tone that would work well with white accents.
The two side walls were painted a pale grey to give a subtle visual interest. “To make the headboard I used a vertical room divider placed sideways. I love the cut-out detail and it was a simple, cost-effective solution.” Leigh added two modern white pedestals and updated an old pine chest of drawers with a coat of white paint and crystal-look handles. “I had the bedside lamps already, so I just changed the look with new map-motif shades.” To keep a modern, crisp feel, Leigh added full-length linen eyelet curtains.
“Now my bedroom a tranquil retreat to enjoy after a busy working day. I love the cool, fresh palette and the delicate patterns introduced by the headboard and pendant light. A fun touch was adding the grey dandelion stickers to the wardrobe doors – it’s a quirky design element and not too serious.”
Renovations at a glance
Cost of makeover: R10 300 including a large bevelled free-standing mirror (not shown).
Changes made:
- Changed the wall colour throughout.
- Added a room divider placed horizontally as a headboard.
- Bought a new pendant light and new bedside lampshades.
- Added two new white pedestals and two floating shelves for display.
- Decorated with new scatters and a throw.
Some of the judges’ comments
Toni Jaye Singer, GH Assistant Editor
“This makeover shows that you don’t have to blow the budget to get a custom look. Leigh’s idea to use a screen as a headboard was really creative. She also used inexpensive materials, like paint, new handles and vinyl wall stickers, to both revamp and personalise her existing chest of drawers and cupboards.”
Hema Nana, GH Art Director
“Leigh made good use of the available space and her clever choice of furnishings and colour palette have given her bedroom a glamorous look that’s still light and airy. I also like the mod pendant light which is a striking feature, yet doesn’t overpower the space.”
Sources Caesarstone caesarstone.co.za Dulux dulux.co.za Easylife Kitchens easylifekitchens.co.za Gelmar gelmar.co.za Impi Teak impiteak.com Plascon plascon.co.za Sassda sassda.co.za
Extras online
Visit gardenandhome.co.za to find out more about our two winners and see behind-the-scenes photos from their photo shoots. You’ll also find photos of some of our other top entries and get handy tips for decorating with stainless steel.
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