Swinging into the Festive Season!

Time to take a break...  Elsje Designs will reopen again on Thursday, 15 January 2015 with fresh ideas.  Lana is heading to New York City for two weeks and already we are in anticipation of design inspiration she'll be bringing back.  And in my Christmas stocking is a break with Louis to our family home in Hermanus.

In case of emergency please phone me on 083 253 5556.

Taking a Christmas Break

Swinging into the festive season! Elsje Designs will reopen on Thursday, 15 January 2015.  In case of emergency phone Elsje on 083 253 5556.

Christmas in Africa: Table Decor

Bliss to see Elsje Designs making a come back in the media. Thank you Vickie De Beer and Rooi Rose for your support. Just love contributing to such special & festive shoots!

It's all in the bag: Elsje Designs in Cape Town this week!

So excited to take part in the "Made in the Cape" Christmas Market in Cavendish Mall, starting tomorrow morning, 2 December 2014 at 9am, on till Sunday 7 December.  But the highlight of our week is the prestigious House and Leisure Night Market on Wednesday Evening in Wembley Square.  On sale our latest collection from our geometric Christmas wreath and himmeli's to creative linen table napkins and pop up placemats.  Hope to see you there!

Orb Table Sculpture

 

This beauty is versatile.  A table sculpture, a treasure, a gift... holiday decor... year round accessory... hanging orb... plant hanger... table top decoration, you name it, it's gorgeous. 

Minimum order to qualify for wholesale price. 
Suggested retail prices on www.elsje.co.za

Himmeli: The Geometry of the Heavens

What is an himmeli, you ask?

Although the root of the word “himmeli” is Germanic – in Swedish and German himmel means “sky” or “heaven” – and different versions of this geometric mobile can be found in other Nordic countries, the himmeli is considered the quintessential traditional Finnish Christmas decoration.

Back in the olden days, himmelis hung above dining tables to ensure a good crop and stayed on display from Christmas till Midsummer. The structure of a himmeli is visually striking, with geometrical shapes traditionally made out of pieces of straw or lately, for longevity, from metal.

It is easy to see why these darlings are so popular - staring at an himmeli slowly swaying with the draft can easily captivate and enchant.

Featured here is our 5 sided faceted prism (black himmeli), available in 2 sizes - small and large.  Ideally sized to hold an air plant.

How to display:

1. The 5 sided faceted prism can be displayed from the wall.

2. At an angle on your table, or

3. As a hanging mobile, slowly swaying in a breeze.      

For more information, www.elsje.co.za.

Retail here we come!

So excited I can pinch myself!  Not only have we moved to Stellenbosch, but our focus has also moved from posh events and weddings to limited edition lifestyle décor with a proudly South African touch.

Our first big event and launch of our Series I, will take place at SARCDA Trade Exhibition (Gift and Decor Retail Trade Show) at Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand in August 2014. 

Totally stressed with heaps to do, but exhilarating and so happy I can burst.

Our latest family member!

 

We will be moving at the end of the month to our new home and studio in Stellenbosch and this cute puppy will be welcoming you at the front door!

 

Time to introduce the latest member of our family: Putto, our Berger Blanc Suisse puppy! It's not an easy task to decide on a name for a pet, but since we hope that he'll be our guardian angel, we decided on Putto. In Renaissance art, a ...putto is a figure depicted as a chubby male child, usually nude and sometimes winged. In the Baroque period of art, the putto came to represent the omnipresence of God.  Puppy classes on Saturday's and goodness me, it's a life saver - Putto, like any active puppy, can really be challenging!  No more valuables lying around, especially shoes seem to be a big favourite. 

Elsje Designs is also venturing more into décor (home and table décor for entertainment), but more news in this regard will follow soon.  Watch this space!

 

Facebook name change for the renovations page: Elsje Renovates

Elsje Renovates

I've had a few interested people suggesting I change the name to "Elsje Renovates" on Facebook, to make it easier to find, since the Elsje Designs brand is already established.  So please look out for it.  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Elsje-Renovates/525443030886944

Boy, I'm having loads of fun.  But it's hard work, lots of decisions and not always easy to make up your mind.  But I've sourced some amazing suppliers, shops, products etc. 


Picking the right paint color is a daunting task. Every house is different. Your decor, furniture, art etc is different than that picture you pinned on Pinterest and your windows face a different way than the room you saw in that magazine.

 

Here are 5 tips for choosing the right paint colour

 #1. Pinterest to the rescue

I find Pinterest to be a really helpful tool when it comes to figuring out your decor colours. I have a Pinterest board for each room (bedroom, bathroom, living room, dining room, kitchen) and a board just for paint colors. I pin pictures of rooms that inspire me, as well as rooms with paint colors that I love. When I'm finally ready to decorate a room, I refer back to my boards and see what jumps out at me. More times than not, I'll see that I've pinned a lot of the same kind of color. Once you find a few names of colors you like, you can even search Pinterest for that specific colour and see other rooms it's been used in. Colours never look the exact same in your own room as they did on the Pinterest, but it can still really help you narrow down your search. Plus, when I'm at the paint store, I always have my phone handy to pull up images on Pinterest to refer to. 

#2. Learn to love neutrals.

I know, I know, neutrals aren't for everyone. 

Neutral paint colours are the most versatile, and can be made to work with almost any colour scheme you choose for your furniture and decorations. Ivan suggested Dusted Moss and it's a perfect colour!  White opens a space up, beige makes a space feel warm and cosy, and grey adds a cool vibe to a room.

Neutral paint colours are great because they allow you to keep your room as a sort of blank canvas. You can then change your mind easily, as you add/subtract pops of bold colour through your decor.

If you don't mind taking the risk, then don't be afraid to go bold. In fact, this can be very successful, in Durbanville I painted Louis' office a brick red and it looked rich and masculine with all the dark wood antiques. Just keep in mind that bold colours can often seem overwhelming if used as a dominant paint colour.

#3. Pick similar colours throughout the house.

I chose several similar colours that complement each other and then used them repeatedly throughout the house. It gives the entire house a really cohesive feel and makes everything flow and make sense.

#5. A match made in heaven.

What really works well for me, is to collect an array of possible paint swatches and placing them on the sofa, headboard, pinned against the curtain, and flooring. Then, find one that has similar undertones. Using a colour with similar undertones on the walls helps bring everything together. It makes a space seem open and serene. You can bring in the contrast with your other decor like curtains, bedding, rugs, accent furniture, scatter cushions and accessories. 

#5. Sample the colour.

For me, this has been the most important tip. Normally I never commit without buying a small sample of the paint and painting it on the actual wall.  It saves me tons of money, and really helps narrow down my choices. These little samples only cost about R30 at Spiro's Hardware each and I usually pick a few colours I want to try on my walls. I just paint a large swatch directly on the wall and look at it for a couple days. This is to make sure I can view it in all the different lights throughout the day. Another great tip is if you don't want to paint directly on your wall, you can paint a piece of card board and tape it to the wall. 

Follow the renovations on Facebook

Curious to see what we've planned for our new address?  Follow our home and studio renovations on Facebook.  Loving the renovation process and have met some really amazing creative and clever people.  I have started a Facebook page dedicated to my experience with loads of interior décor tips, DIY ideas and much more!  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Louis-Elsje/525443030886944

A brilliant and bright new year to you!

Wishing all my loyal and fab followers a bright new year!! 

Sorry for being so quiet. One might think I’m just sitting around here twiddling my thumbs with absolutely not a project in sight, not the case! We are busy renovating our dream home in Stellenbosch and hoping to move in a few weeks.  I might publish a few home renovation tips and tricks - so just bear with me...  Good things in store for the new year!