Our Decorex hotlist

WORDS: Jacquie Myburgh | PHOTOS: Klara van Wyngaarden

Decorex Johannesburg has become something of a feature of the city’s Women’s Day weekend and, surprisingly, there were plenty of people in town to make the best of the decor and design fest at Gallagher Estate.

One of the highlights this year was being able to get to Midrand on the Gautrain – quick, easy and efficient.

Once at the show, four halls and several gallery spaces provided a broad range of products and designs to inspire. Here are some of the VISI team’s highlights of the show:

The Decorex Designer Collection pop-up store. Exquisite hand-made designs in shades of blue and aqua, produced in porcelain, wood and textiles were on sale at the show and thereafter on www.decorex.co.za. Featured designers included Di Marshall of Wonkiware, Anthony Shapiro, Lisa Firer and Heather Moore of Skinny laMinx and each piece was utterly covetable.

The Design Team stand, featuring not only their quirky South African-themed fabrics but also their new range of furniture. From delightful “driepoot” stools, to playful beanbags, we want one of each. Talk is that their latest kewpie doll fabric is a hit.

The Bos iced-tea stand, designed by Nicholas de Klerk. We’re not surprised they won the prize for the best stand – the colours, the concept, the product were all simply a piece of design genius.

New Look Africa by Laurence Brick and his team. Laurence went crazy with colour and created a multi-coloured sofa and an upbeat mix of South African and international design. We loved it.

South African handmade: The most extensive collection of world-class South African craft. We want one of everything!

Here then, are the official Decorex winners, with comments from the judges:

Best Overall Stand

Winner: BOS Bar designed by Nicholas de Klerk of Design & Display

“It’s the sheer scale of it all, the boldness and the cheerfulness that got our undivided attention. To conceptualise something like this in the first place takes a lot of courage – and then to get the execution so right, is a colossal creative achievement. You can’t help falling in love with the flock of birds above, the Bossewa below and the colourful cans cleverly perching on the branches. We’re inspired by this vibey South African brand which gave us the bigger picture and also attended to the smallest of detail.”

Best Small Stand

Winner: Design Team by Essential Life

This stands leaves no room for doubt about what makes Design Team so successful – just like their products, every aspect of the stand has been carefully considered and well thought through. This is a casebook example of how big an impact can be made with a small stand.        

Most Innovative Product

Winner: Raw Studios

Each of the products on Raw Studios’ stand can be considered for an innovation award, from the Toasti heater to the flexible new range of office furniture. That’s why the judges decided to award not only one – but rather the whole portfolio of Raw products as winner of the most innovative product on show. The stand clearly mirrors the Raw design philosophy: well-detailed, but nothing superfluous. Everything has a purpose.  

Plascon Colour Award 2011

Winner: New Look Africa by Laurence Brick Creative Direction

Wild, exuberant and crazy with colour, the New Look Africa stand stops you in your tracks. This is Africa in a party mood, with clashing colours and patterns causing a riot on this stand. Anne Roselt, Plascon Colour Manager awarded this stand for the exceptional way in which it showcases fabrics and colour. “Everybody has to stop and smile and love the bright colours. The stand is so optimistic – and it is totally different. If you want to see something different, this is the stand to see. Bold, brave and breathtaking.”

Best Green Product

Winner: Thermocoustex by Frame Industrials  

This acoustic and thermal insulation blanket used in ceilings and cavity walls reduces noise and heat loss by 62%. The fibre is made of recycled plastic and even old garments.

Most interactive stand (New award)

Winner: Furnspace 3D

Interior design software is a difficult product to showcase. Still, Furnspace 3D managed to fully engage the visitor.

Decorex Stand Excellence Awards

Twenty exhibitors received Decorex Stand Excellence Awards. To be selected from over 700 exhibitors takes some doing. “We based our decision on aspects such as first impression and the ‘wow’ factor, the quality of merchandising and branding, customer-focus, lighting and the overall layout of the stand.

1. New Look Africa: ‘Infused with Africa, this stand hums with life and energetic colour. It takes an African aesthetic to a whole new international level. This is Newtown meets New York.’

2. Home Fabrics: ‘This is what the Rand Club really should look light: old-world chic presented in a very modern way. Textures and colours well integrated’.  

3. Natural Stone Warehouse: ‘They got it all right – and it’s bright and light’.

4. South African Handmade Collection: ‘A tour de force.’  

5. Gabi Gabi 2011 Textile Showcase: ‘Curated by Sue Heathcock, this magnificent platform for handmade South African textile products is a must-see in the true sense of the world. The gallery setting, bustling small shop and niche installations tell a story of our country’s textile history and handmade textile trends in a striking way.’   

6. The Egyptian Cotton Company: ‘Delightfully touchy-feely.’

7. Forest Flooring: ‘Makes use of every focal point and one can walk outside the stand and view the products. The lighting was done particularly well.’

8. Luxaflex: ‘Interactive; one can see the products very well.’

9. A Point: ‘Jacques Coetzee and Dimitrije Djukic (part of the Plascon Colour Forecast 2012 stand). A Point introduces a new design star: the Tokkelos bed. Yes, sharp design can also be humorous.’   

10. Kitchen Studio: ‘The ultra-modern and the old school stand shoulder to shoulder, giving visitors an excellent view on the scope of their design abilities.’

11. Caesarstone: ‘Attention to detail to be commended. Brilliant use of the black and white theme.’

12. Careline Kitchens: ‘Very creative, very new.’

13. Rooftop-retreat themed garden by Badec Bros: ‘The mosaic work is outstanding.’

14. Atomic Orchard: ‘Beautiful interpretation of their theme “reckless beauty”.’

15. Sealy Beautiful & Basic Boudoirs, with IID & Bedroom Basics: ‘We loved the bubble-idea of the stand design, encasing six different bedroom interiors in an inflatable “mattress”.’

16. Tanya Beyers, Profurn Contracts: ‘The bedroom is dramatic, moody, glamorous and perfectly executed’.

17. Con Amore: ‘Merchandising excellence – and we loved the way you walk through the stand – a delightful shopping experience.’

18. La Basse-cour: ‘A veritable French feast for the senses.’

19. The Grand Living: ‘The company’s strapline “The Modern Voice of Classic Elegance” showed in every square inch.’

20. Red Apple: ‘Fresh and airy with very effective lighting.’

SPECIAL MENTION: The judges’ panel gave Decorex’s own installations and show features a special thumbs-up, commenting: ‘The show organisers deserve a special mention for the fresh new features – these are brilliant concepts, well executed and raising the bar in exhibition design’:  

· The spontaneous nature of the highly interactive ‘Write on Our Wall’ filled with graffiti-style comments by visitors.

· The Wallpaper Trends installation with its three-storey-high scaffolding in a gallery setting is bold and dramatic.

· The ‘Just Unwrapped’ installation introducing newly launched products in an inventive way.

· The themed restaurants, especially the Sunday Times Shebeen, where visitors can eat and unwind surrounded by good design and very clever creative ideas.