Wise Move is the easiest and most efficient way to find specialised moving companies in South Africa.

South Africa has some of the most beautiful luxury destinations in the world – as such, we have a wealth of designer pieces, vintage cars, furniture, and priceless heirloom pieces in the country. Whether you’re buying, moving or selling – this type of cargo needs special attention while getting it from point A to point B.

Choosing the right moving company

“When transporting valuable items in South Africa, it is important to consider the need for security and efficiency. The company you choose needs to be a specialised carrier. Whether it’s expensive jewellery or a vintage car – the moving company needs to have the right carrier, procedures and insurance,” said Wise Move company CEO, Mr Gediminas.

What you need to know about moving vintage cars

You may be wondering what the best way is to transport a vintage car – we were curious too. Turns out there are many options available, some good, some not so great. The best course of action has to be using a speciality moving company that offers services to move this type of specialised cargo.

Collectable car transport takes specialised equipment that differs from standard car transport services. An enclosed car transport trailer can protect your vintage car during the long journey to its new home.

If you’re looking for a reliable and affordable company, make sure to:

• Get Multiple Transport Quotes
• Check Reviews
• Enquire about Insurance

What you need to know about moving wine collections

South Africa is home to some of the best wineries in the world. Needless to say, there are a few prized wine collections – that sometimes need to be moved. This isn’t the easiest task to complete.

As wine is a perishable item, special care needs to be taken when moving it. Wine can be a valuable asset and should be transported in such a way that its value is not diminished.

When transporting wine in bottles, everything from temperature to humidity needs to be controlled. If you’re relocating and require short-term storage for your wines, it’s best to keep them at around 13°C with humidity levels of about 50 – 70%.

Unfortunately, some companies advertise themselves as having climate-controlled vehicles but do not have the know-how to set up the temperature settings correctly. It’s worth checking with these companies before signing any contracts to make sure they know what they’re doing.

What you need to know about moving heirloom items

You want your belongings to arrive at their destination in the same condition they left your home. Your packers must know how to handle heirloom items and antiques correctly so that they don’t get damaged during the moving process.

If you have items like vintage grandfather clocks or an heirloom piano that need special handling during your move, you must let the removal company know ahead of time. They will be able to make sure that there are enough members of staff (and experienced staff) on hand for moving day as well as any special supplies or equipment needed for handling these items.

Antiques and heirlooms can have considerable value not only on a monetary level but also emotionally and sentimentally. Make sure you choose the right company when deciding on a mover – checking reviews can help you make the best choice.

What you need to know about moving artwork

Moving valuable art requires the expertise and resources of an experienced mover with knowledge on how to handle high net worth shipments.

Art handlers are trained to carefully pack art in custom-designed crates, with every piece appropriately cushioned and protected.

When moving art, you should take special care to protect them from moisture and damage. The best way to do this is to choose a container that’s specifically designed for artwork. Ideally, your mover should also use acid-free paper as the first layer of defence when packing.

Once your movers have chosen the most suitable container for your needs and wrapped the artwork in acid-free paper, they should also use an additional layer of bubble wrap to protect against any potential external damage during transport. The textured side of the bubble wrap should face outward to reduce the risk of moisture accumulation.

Your chosen mover should be able to provide you with a variety of options, including climate-controlled trucks, art transport insurance and worldwide door-to-door service.

What you need to know about moving sculptures

How do you select a mover with the experience and expertise to move valuable sculptures?

The first thing to look for is a specialist experienced in handling sculpture pieces. This is because moving sculptures requires considerable knowledge, understanding and expertise. Sculptures come in all shapes and sizes, from large outdoor pieces down to small delicate artworks. Each piece will require an individual packing solution based on its size, value, fragility and destination. A mover must know how best to handle each of these issues when packing a sculpture for a long-distance move or transport over international borders by air or sea freight.

The second aspect of moving a sculpture is insurance cover. Before choosing a moving company, check that they have an adequate level of insurance cover specifically for your artwork whilst it is being packed and during transit by road or air. This is important as many movers have only basic insurance, which may not protect your item if it gets damaged or stolen while being moved.

Make sure that the mover provides you with full details of their insurance policy, including any exclusions, to understand what would be covered should anything go wrong during the packing process or while your goods are in transit.

It may also be a good idea to check with your own personal insurance whether your items are covered during transportation.

What you need to know about moving antiques

If you have antiques that you want to move, or you’re buying antiques from an online vintage store, it’s essential to provide as much information on the piece as possible. Moving antiques comes with its own challenges, and special care needs to be taken at every stage.

Movers will also need some information regarding:

• Where the antiques are located.
• What type of transport they will require taking into account any age-related fragility.
• How much attention they will require during transit in terms of packing and handling.

Let Wise Move help you find the best movers for your prized possessions

When looking for furniture movers, you will ideally want to find the best moving company for your needs. And while it may seem like a simple enough decision, there are actually many factors that can influence which moving company is right for you.

Finding the right movers will ensure that your prized possessions are moved carefully and safely and arrive at their destination in one piece. If you’re going to invest in this service, it’s well worth investing in a trusted and reliable provider that has specialist expertise in designer, vintage or high-end furniture removals.

About Wise Move

Wise Move is the leading online moving platform in South Africa. It connects you to specialised movers within minutes and gets detailed quotes to your inbox so you can choose the best provider for your needs. All without the effort of finding, negotiating and explaining your specific needs to multiple companies.

With Wise Move, you can specify all the details of your request once – through their easy to use quote request system. You can add special requests, like additional security, specific insurance, and extra fast delivery.

Wise Move will then send your request to a list of hand-picked moving companies that offer the lowest quotes and the highest possible service.

You can then review these companies on the Wise Move website to check their reviews, insurance policies and more.

All of the approved service providers on Wise Move are vetted – so you have complete peace of mind. This is one of the reasons we’re so excited about what they offer.

We were also surprised by how fast and efficient the entire process was. You can get quotes for moving almost anything in less than a few hours.

Locations Serviced

Wise Move helps connect you to movers nationwide. Their easy to use online platform helps you find movers in South Africa:

• Removal Company Cape Town
• Furniture Removals Durban
• Furniture Removals Johannesburg
• Moving Companies Bloemfontein
• Transport Companies in Pretoria
• Transport Companies in Port Elizabeth

Wise Move – South Africa’s leading Online Moving Platform

Wise Move takes complicated moves for anything from a vintage car to a piano and simplifies the process. First-time users are guided through a simple quote request form that will ensure all the necessary details are included.

Once the request is submitted, moving companies qualified for the move can view it and bid on it.

After that, Wise Move will send only the most competitive quotes to you for review – this saves you time and streamlines the process. Additionally, you can review each moving company’s profile, read customer reviews, and request additional quotes from specific moving companies if you wish.

Finally, all you need to do is book online with the moving company you choose, and they will contact you to confirm your reservation and any other necessary details. During your move day, sit back and relax as the professionals handle everything.

For more information, visit wisemove.co.za

The post How to Protect Your Designer Furniture, Vintage Items and Heirloom Pieces When You Move appeared first on Visi.

However, getting the property in your name is only half the journey. Before you can fully feel the pride of ownership, you need to put your own stamp on the place. Decorating your walls with art is one of the best ways to create an inviting space that places your personality and taste on display.

Just like the process of buying a house, purchasing art should be a mindful experience rather than just picking out the first thing that you like. Before rushing off to the gallery, consider these easy steps that will help you choose the perfect piece to make blank walls come to life.

Visualise via an augmented reality app

A visualisation app lets you match the right painting with the right room.

There are numerous apps that enable shoppers to see how a piece of art would look inside their home. More art galleries around the world are beginning to integrate augmented reality technology into the studio experience. With apps like Curate and ARTPLACER you can take a picture of your room and drag and drop images of artworks to create a visual idea before you decide to purchase a piece.

Look at scaling

When you buy art, you’ll want to make sure it’s the right size. There’s nothing worse than buying a great piece to hang above your mantlepiece only to discover that it is too big or small in relation to its surroundings.

Aim for quality, not quantity

Buy a piece or two at a time but choose carefully and don’t rush. A common mistake buyers make is to collect art at one gallery and during a single session. When you’re too eager to fill the blank spaces on your walls, you might end up with something expensive that you don’t like as much as a later find.

Go online to find originals

Now that more galleries and artists are showcasing their work online, you can view a greater variety of original works without having to leave your home. When you shop online, it can be easier to find what you’re looking for. You can browse online art galleries in minutes, as opposed to spending a day visiting traditional galleries.

Invest in art from emerging artists

A piece by an emerging artist may have a significant increase in value in the future.

You may want to get your hands on the latest creation from a well-known artist, but it’s also a great idea to invest in emerging artists whose works show strong potential to increase in value. Find out which upcoming artists are most visible and talked-about at art fairs and in the media. You never know when you might buy tomorrow’s Irma Stern.

Consider insurance

Look at additional insurance for your art, as basic home contents policies generally set limits on how much they cover.

When you buy from a gallery, it’s their job to make sure that the work is safely shipped to your doorstep. From there, it’s your responsibility to protect it. If you have taken out home contents insurance on your new home, the insurance company might not want to insure the artwork under that policy if it’s an extremely valuable item. In this case you’ll need specialist insurance to be compensated for the item’s replacement value should it be damaged or stolen.

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The water crisis in the Western Cape has everyone thinking about ways to save water or use water more sparingly. When it comes to plants, it’s not always clear which options will still thrive in a dry climate.

“Having indoor plants is a water-wise choice already,” says Andreas Keller, founder of local online nursery Plantify. “Most medium-sized plants (i.e. 30 cm) don’t need more than one to two cups of water per week,” he adds, which can be collected from the water you save while showering or washing the dishes.

Not sure which plant to choose for your home? Andreas shares five options to keep in mind when looking for drought-tolerant greenery.

1. String of Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus)

A String of Pearls succulent, which looks like a cascading living plant curtain, can reach lengths of around 60 cm. This succulent stores water in its leaves (or pearls). In its natural environment, a String of Pearls grows in the shade of other plants or rocks. As an indoor plant, it’ll enjoy bright, indirect light. Water moderately once a week in well-drained soil and watch your living curtain grow.

READ MORE: Where to Buy Indoor Plants Online in SA

2. Asparagus Fern (Asparagus densiflorus)

Every home needs at least one Asparagus Fern, with its bountiful green foliage providing an ideal way to add a pop of green to any home. These South African ferns can handle low light and direct sunlight, making them incredibly versatile. Storing water in their fleshy, bulbous roots, Asparagus Ferns are drought resistant and hardy. Going on holiday? Skip the house-sitter. In all likelihood, your Asparagus Fern will look just as great as when you left. While you’re at home, water once a week.

3. Spekboom (Portulacaria afra)

South Africans have rediscovered this homegrown botanical gem, using it in everything from gin distilling to stews and salads. Known for its medicinal uses, and remarkable carbon sequestering properties, the applications of Spekboom seem endless. As an indoor plant, its fleshy green leaves, red stems and tendency to form a sculptural bush, make Spekboom a visual delight. Its drought-tolerant properties make this succulent a hardy home cohabitant. Place in bright light to direct sunlight and water once every two weeks. 

READ MORE: 26 Statement Planters for Your Home

4. Blue Chalk Sticks (Senecio ficoides)

Blue Chalk Sticks is another sculptural South African succulent worth knowing about. Few plants have this colour/shape combination, a silvery-blue hue with an array of elongated leaves. It’ll add contrast and form to a stylish plant collection. Growing in the coastal regions of the Cape, Blue Chalk Sticks are hardy and proliferate well. They’ll be happy in bright light and require watering approximately once a week.

5. Aloe

Aloes are popular indoor plants, much loved for their sculptural rosettes of concentric fleshy leaves. During flowering season, an aloe will reward its owners with a striking yellow to red bloom. Storing water in its fleshy leaves, Aloe plants are drought tolerant, and thus an excellent water-wise plant. Place in a sunny spot in your home and water once every two weeks.

Looking for more plants or planters? Sign up to our weekly newsletter, here,

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Desk drowning in papers? No room for the car in the garage? Christmas tree still up in February? Time management experts agree that when the minor things that take up space in the mind are eliminated, there is room to think about the bigger, more important things in life. And the same goes for the home. We asked the team at The Room, exhibiting at Decorex Cape Town this week, for five clever ways to reign in the chaos.

1. Storage Is Key

It’s hard to have too much storage – and it’s often hard to find. To make the most of your potential storage space, think beyond shelves and cupboards to every available inch of wall space. In the kitchen, for instance, the unused areas over the sink or stove are perfect for displaying lesser-used items like jugs, vases and special-occasion tableware.

2. Laundry 101

Before you lose one more sock, turn your attention to the laundry area. A few slide-out bins or baskets to keep dirty clothes off the floor and rods to hang drip-dry items or those fresh from the tumble dryer work wonders in this utilitarian space. Hinged or pullout shelves also provide space for folding or stain treatments while drawers or secure cabinets are essential for keeping cleaning products beyond the reach of small hands.

3. Think Out The Box

Does your home office or the family computer station swallow up whole rooms? Unlock your home’s storage potential by reclaiming wasted space. The under-utilised area beneath the staircase is an excellent case in point, requiring little more than the addition of a compact desk unit and some wall-mounted storage containers to turn it into a nifty workspace. Don’t forget to add a line with a few clothes pegs from which to hang those all-important photos and memos. Alternatively, fit this often neglected nook with shelving units and create a custom-designed bookcase.

4. Take It Slow

A well-organised wardrobe will help your little ones develop independence in dressing while simultaneously calming morning chaos. To organise a child’s cupboard, solutions must fit the child. Adult furnishings and storage systems don’t translate well to the needs of children. Sticky dresser drawers are difficult for small hands to manoeuvre and folding wardrobe doors pinch little fingers. In fact, for younger children, it’s not a bad idea to remove cupboard doors entirely. Clothing rods should be hung at eye level and below, and loose items like underwear, PJs and leggings should be stored in transparent containers or open bins for easy access.

5. Rethink Your Exit Strategy

Hallways are a magnet for clutter, from cast-off jackets and abandoned umbrellas to dumped car keys and forsaken post. Hang heavy-duty hooks for each family member’s briefcase, handbag or satchel, or fit built-in pigeonholes if space allows. Alternatively, create handy hold-alls from woven baskets (a mix of picnic and fishing), hung from hooks and personalised with wooden letters. After all, first (and last) impressions count!

The Room as well as other decor experts will be revealing many more great ideas and products at Decorex Cape Town. Don’t miss out on this annual showcase of great decor and lifestyle inspiration, running from 24 – 27 April 2015 at the CTICC.

For more information, visit decorex.co.za and theroomfurniture.co.za. You can also click here to find out what you need to know about Decorex in Cape Town.

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Here are five expert tips from Bakos Brothers for would-be furniture buyers.

1. Think long term

Take your time and purchase items you love, as your budget allows, working towards a goal.

2. Buy quality key pieces

A dining room table, for example, is generally bought no more than twice in a lifetime. The longer the warranty, the better.

3. Be wary of trends

Though generally more affordable, trends date and tastes change, and replacing trendy items will cost you more in the long run. Rather use neutral, durable fabrics for your bigger pieces and accessorise to get a look or dress a space.

4. Get professional advice

It’s often perceived as a luxury, but using an interior design service ensures your interior spaces will be well thought out and everything will work together to suit your lifestyle. More often than not it will save you money.

5. Choose quality leather

As with upholstery, leathers vary hugely in quality and thickness. Most cheaper leather items are made of split hides or bonded or bicast leather, which are of inferior quality and tend to deteriorate quickly. Rather spend a bit more on semi-aniline leather and get a lifetime investment.

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Three design fundis share their tips for breathing new life into your interiors, with minimum effort. Jason Sandows, finalist in SABC 3’s Win A Home and Steyn City’s Four D Interior Design Challenge is next.

How would you describe your design style?

I design with people in mind, so my approach is personal. A space should be an extension of the client’s personality and complement their lifestyle.

Your tips on refreshing a room for maximum impact with minimal effort?

Creating a new look for a room in your home doesn’t have to be expensive or labour-intensive. An easy way is to create a feature wall, which adds dimension and character to a room, and creates a focal point. Use interesting, patterned wallpaper, a photo-frame collage or a bold paint colour. Also, as cliché as it sounds, less is more. When conceptualising a room, don’t let every item of furniture be a statement piece. Choose one or two strong pieces and allow the rest of the room to complement them.

Tell us about this space.

I designed this room to be a meditative space in which to relax after a long day. The colour palette is neutral, and the daybed and swinging chair emphasise the laid-back atmosphere. I also designed a wooden art piece; this was intended to create a bit of drama but not detract from the relaxed atmosphere.

This article was originally featured in Pam Golding’s IMAGINE publication.

Click here if you missed tips from La Grange Interiors’ Sumari Krige and interior designer Kate Moffatt’s handy advice.

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Three design fundis share their tips for breathing new life into your interiors, with minimum effort. Here are interior designer Kate Moffatt’s top tips.

How would you describe your design style?

My style is clean and simple, leaning towards the contemporary, but each project varies. I aim for clients to feel comfortable and relaxed in their spaces, so that it feels trends: Interiors like an authentic extension of their own personal style.

Your tips on refreshing a room for maximum impact with minimal effort?

I like to use a neutral palette so the space ages well, with pops of colour to create interest. I’m loving geometrics at the moment: they’re fun and bold, and bang on trend. Don’t be nervous to mix up geometric patterns; using a few colours can make a statement. Adding a rug is an easy way to change the look of a space to something more current without having to break the bank. My advice is to take out decor items on appro – most decor stores will let you do this. Try out different combinations at home to see how they work before you commit.

Tell us about this space.

This is a Higgovale home, built for the owners six years ago. They wanted a new take on the interiors – there was a lot of dark wood panelling, it had an almost log-cabin feel. It’s now fresh and contemporary. Part of the renovation included a new office over the garage. And who says offices have to be boring? I love the yellow of this rug and how the pattern adds another layer of interest to the light-filled, airy space.

This article was originally featured in Pam Golding’s IMAGINE publication.

Missed tips from La Grange Interiors’ Sumari Krige last week? Take a look. Next week, we’ve got advice from Jason Sandows, finalist in SABC 3’s Win A Home and Steyn City’s Four D Interior Design Challenge. Don’t miss it!

The post Top Tips #2: Give Your Home a New Look appeared first on Visi.

Three design fundis share their tips for breathing new life into your interiors, with minimum effort. Sumari Krige, owner of La Grange Interiors, is first up.

How would you describe your design style?

It straddles classic and contemporary, and promotes easy, elegant living.

Your tips on refreshing a room for maximum impact with minimal effort?

Before you do anything, declutter. This is very important – it must be the starting place. A fresh, new colour scheme and the layering of hard and soft materials can speak volumes when it comes to revitalising a space. Incorporate some new textiles in bold patterns, layered with heavy, woven textures in the form of rugs, throws and scatter cushions. Then restyle and accessorise using books and objets, art or plants. If you don’t have the budget to buy new decor pieces, I suggest swapping things around from other rooms in your house.

Tell us about this space.

In November 2012, a fire destroyed 76 homes in St Francis Bay, Eastern Cape. Our clients, the owners of one of these beautiful thatched homes, wasted no time in rebuilding. The brief called for crisp, fresh and contemporary interiors, with a ‘barefoot luxury’ feel, yet staying true to the traditional style of architecture and design that St Francis Bay is renowned for. In the living area, you can see the striking result of layering textiles and accessories of contrasting materials. It is now a home where three generations of family come together to create new memories.

Your advice on choosing new colour palettes?

Colour invokes different feelings and a harmonious colour palette is crucial. When a palette lacks harmony, it’s either really boring or hectically chaotic. Here, I used cool hues of grey, petrol bues and hints of warm wheat tones – the combination is uplifting, comforting and inviting all at the same time.

This article was originally featured in Pam Golding’s IMAGINE.

Next week, we will feature interior designer Kate Moffatt’s top tips on giving your home a new look. Don’t miss it!

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One of the hottest debates – whether you are giving your kitchen a face-lift, renovating or building – is what material to use for counter tops in the kitchen.

The information below sheds some light on the available choices, and offers an unbiased comparison of marble, granite, and quartz countertops, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses

Marble

There is absolutely nothing that looks and feels more glamorous than a marble countertop. Nothing comes close to the pure elegance of marble.

Marble stands up well to heat but is very susceptible to stains, even when sealed. It can also scratch and chip more easily than other stones.  As such, it’s often selected for use specifically on island tops and pastry stations.

Since each piece is a unique product of nature, we like to advise you to visit our factory and select the exact slabs for your kitchen.

Granite

Granite Counter tops are absolutely stunning, and can enhance the appearance of any kitchen. Granite is highly heat and scratch resistant. However as it is a porous stone, it needs to be sealed every so often to avoid stains.

Quartz Surfacing

Crafted of resin and quartz chips tinted with colour, quartz surfacing (also known as engineered stone) is a good compromise between the beauty of stone and the easy care of solid surfacing. Engineered stone countertops are very uniform and homogenous. They’re non-porous and are resistant to both stains and scratches. Being an engineered product, it’s also available in a far wider range of colours and patterns than natural stone.

At WOMAG, we have over 70 different types/colours of marble, over 60 different types/colours of granite, and over 36 colours in our engineered stone range. With such a huge range to choose from, expertise on hand to assist in selecting the perfect piece for your home, and installation services also available, WOMAG really is the first stop to make for anyone looking to incorporate stone into their home.

www.womag.co.za

Head Office and Showroom
021 447 6161
WOMAG Mobelli concept showroom
021 512 2600
Strand showroom
021 854 4431
Johannesburg Showroom
011 467 6272

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