Here at VISI, we love it when individuals who are superbly talented in their field try their hand at something completely different, and succeed – like two of our favourite photographers, David Ross and David Pastoll, who are branching out into design.

Driven by their love of beautiful objects and clean design, VISI photographer David Ross has designed a series of striking mobiles. And the other photographer called David (surname: Pastoll), and his wife, creative director Joanina, have created a range of hanging chairs. A reminder that many of us possess more than one talent and, with a little initiative, imagination and courage, there’s no reason not to explore our creative talents simultaneously, as David and David have done.

David and Joanina Pastoll came upon the idea of the hanging chair while searching for similar ones for their home and B&B. Unable to find what they were looking for, Joanina decided to design one and have it made up. They received so much positive feedback from friends that they started producing them. Currently their range includes daybeds, recliners, basket seats and, of course, swings.

“A contemporary spin on the classic suspended sculpture”, David Ross’s three-armed handmade mobiles are made of nonferrous metals, powder coating and hand-burnished bolts, connected by the strongest braids available. They come in three designs: a round brass rod with jet-grey accents, a hexagonal rod with matt-black accents and a brushed-aluminium rod with white circles. David says the designs were inspired by his interest in “graphic forms hidden within modernist architecture”.

David Ross will be exhibiting his mobiles, along with a body of architectural photography examining SA monuments, at the Slee Gallery in Stellenbosch from 27 March to 10 April. Read more here.

davidrossdesign.co.za

studiostirling.co.za, studiostirling@gmail.com

The post Refocus appeared first on Visi.

Remember the days of allocating an entire kitchen drawer for all the basic household tools: tape, glue, scissors, matches and other life-savers? With open-plan living, there’s no space for drawers, and these handy bits and bobs. So we turned some stackable tomato-on-the-vine boxes, found in a greengrocer’s backyard, into a nifty (and cool-looking) storage kit.

All you need

• Tomato boxes. Ours are from Simply Salads in Barberton, but you can find them in any greengrocer’s dump yard. 
• A stencil. We used numbers to identify the boxes, which allows you to change the contents (and your mind). They’re good-looking enough to use in home offices or children’s rooms. 
• Spray paint. We used Sprayon’s quick-drying Flat White, 011 440 2202/3.

Did you like this Smart Idea? See others here.

The post Smart Idea: Get sorted appeared first on Visi.

The rumours are true: Heath Nash has closed shop, and production of his recycled-plastic Flowerballs has come to an end. Already an icon of South African design, the lampshades are now collectors items. Heath himself has turned to developing products with craft groups around the continent. Facilitated by Design Network Africa, here’s the story of his first glass items, developed in Kenya.

The multi-functional glassware forms part of the Design Network Africa exhibition, first seen at last year’s London Design Week (read more here) and soon to be seen at the Guild Design Fair in Cape Town from Friday 28 February to Sunday 9 March. Read more about SA’s first international design fair here.

heathnash.com, designnetworkafrica.org

The post Heath Nash turns to glass appeared first on Visi.

Colour is her currency, which is why Plascon’s colour manager, Anne Roselt, is printing new notes for 2014 – ones that are as vibrant as the emerging BRICS nations and as ethereal as the halo ringing the moon. We asked her how she came upon her crystal ball and what it really entails to pluck these colours, seemingly, from the air.

How did you become a colour-trend forecaster?

I’ve been involved in colour forecasting since Plascon’s first forecast in 1999; we used the London-based International Colour Authority (ICA) trend forecasts as our base. The ICA panel members did not have any African representation, however, so I wrote to them as I felt that Africa was already a source of inspiration to international designers. I was invited to a meeting in 2000, went over with an African-inspired range of colours that went down a treat, and have been invited back every year since.

How do you decide which colours go in?

It’s a matter of staying aware of what colours are coming through in all sectors of design – product and fashion – as well as material innovation, and political and social drivers. We also have a South African panel, who decides on the final colours that go into the forecast.

Are trend forecasts best decided by panel or a sample of one?

Definitely a panel, because we have such strong emotions attached to colour. If it was only up to me, chartreuse would probably never make the final cut! You need a balanced view of colours. We actually have major arguments about which colours are more important than others, believe it or not!

If trends are seasonal, what makes you confident that your trend forecast will remain valid for a year?

While it is true warmer colours are more desirable in winter and cooler colours in summer, the season’s edges are becoming blurred and we feel confident that colours selected in the Plascon Colour Forecast cover the full gamut.

Plascon Colour Forecast 2014

Urban tribe

With South Africa having hosted the World Cup, Brazil hosting it this year, as well as Cape Town being World Design Capital, there is worldwide enthusiasm for the countries of the Global South. Finding their place in the spotlight, these countries’ vibrancy and design aesthetic is cause for celebration – the essence of these colours, which exude enthusiasm, new energy and drive.

Second nature

“Green” and sustainable design has always tended to occupy a conventional palette of earth-led colours. This collection sees a new injection of vibrancy, more suited to urban window farms than farmlands! The new, brighter “naturals” have the kind of vitality that will appeal to city-dwellers who carry an acute consciousness of the environment paired with sophisticated expectations.

Calm contrast

Pastels have broken out from the confines of the baby’s nursery. Previously associated with a soft, feminine appeal, pastels are no longer gender-specific and thus more balanced and far-reaching in their appeal. Pastels can appear effortlessly contemporary when the placid hues, lacking in oomph on their own, are combined with deep navy, copper and other heavy, grounding neutrals.

Inner space

This moody and contemplative palette is the perfect “silk” for the cocoon effect, which treats the modern home as a sanctuary and respite from the stresses of today’s world. This colour set has a decided lunar and cosmic bent, drawing its neutral and deep tonal inspiration from the night skies, the very skies that invite reflection and introspection.

Follow Anne on Twitter @anneroselt or visit plascontrends.co.za stay on the cutting-edge of colour trends. 

The post Colour me new appeared first on Visi.

Urban Steeds is a range of Afro-inspired skateboards produced by local design duo JesseJames from the team’s Woodstock studio. Hand-crafted from imported timber, these beauties will zip you around town in a flash and earn you instant street cred. We caught up with James Bisset for the skateboarding lowdown.

So, what’s the deal with skateboarding?

It’s a way of life. The board isn’t only a way to commute, it’s a source of expression.

Do you skate between Woodstock and home every day?

Every day! I skate from my desk to the kettle for coffee; I skate to pick up supplies needed for the skateboards; I skate to unwind when I get home.

What’s the dress code?

There’s no real dress code; it helps having a pair of flat sneakers, though. Rock it your way.

Let us in on some ’boarding lingo.

• Bombing: downhill skating as fast as you can.
• S’jus: when you bust a move that’s just terrific.
• Cowabunga: This isn’t really one, but we would like to bring it back.

How do you make a skateboard?

We sacrifice a lot of virgins – plus loads of secret formulas.

Specs?

We have two models, the Steed 80 is all about swagger. It’s designed to bust out. And the Steed 100 is made for the cruise, it just rolls and rolls…

071 909 0716, jessejames.co.za
Boards also available from boardhub.co.za

The post Board walking appeared first on Visi.

“If you want a job done right, do it yourself” is an adage that art, design and DIY professionals, enthusiasts and wannabes can take to heart, with the introduction of a new makers’ space in Randburg, Johannesburg.

Tool Share Studio takes its cue from the international trend of repurposing and upcycling unwanted stuff, by providing a work space that allows anyone with ideas (but perhaps not the expertise or tools) to come together to hammer, drill, saw and stitch together prototypes and finished products.

The idea is that by hiring a work bench – and making use of the broad range of hand and power tools – aspiring creators can “learn as they make” by drawing on the knowledge and experiences of others in the studio. There are even regular workshops to get the creative juices flowing.

If, however, you aren’t inclined to do it yourself, you can enlist the services of any of the small businesses in the Tool Share incubator to make your product for you.

The creative minds behind the studio – Megan Kirchhoff, Mankwe Maesela and Paul Mackenzie – aim to encourage the environmentally sound and cost-effective practice of making use of “waste” materials to construct new items. And with everything from table saws, lathes, soldering irons and sewing machines available, the only limit is your imagination.

The Third Industrial Revolution

Want to make a poppy-shaped lampshade? Or a neon bracelet, folding solar panel or sunrise alarm clock? The “interwebz” has all the answers. Websites such as instructables.com provide a hub for idea-sharing where individuals can upload “how-to” guides of things they have made. Even VISI has try-it-at-home decor guides such as the recent series by Misi Overturf.

The range is inspiring and, at times, foolish, but that the site even exists exemplifies what is being coined the “Third Industrial Revolution”. The idea is that through technology and idea- and tool-sharing, individuals can take ownership of what they need and make it themselves, thereby turning the tide on mass production and putting power firmly in the hands of the people.

011 791 7790, megan@toolshare.co.za, toolshare.co.za

The post Make it yourself appeared first on Visi.

The Majeka House boutique hotel has gone topsy-turvy by placing super-sized digital art prints on its ceilings.

Home-art trends come and go, and come around again… And sometimes we get to turn them on their heads, thanks to technology making new things possible. Big things. Such as the digital ceiling prints from Artlab that interior designer Etienne Hanekom commissioned for Majeka House, a 22-room boutique hotel in Stellenbosch he was given carte blanche to renovate.

Etienne wanted to give each room its own personality without going overboard. He kept things simple throughout the rooms, allowing the large, ceiling prints in each to infuse the spaces with a distinct character. Insets were cut into the specially fitted ceilings, framing the prints in each room, while hidden LED lights create a dramatic night-time picture.

Majeka House’s two pool suites also received the big-print treatment, but here the walls bear the larger-than-life prints.

This is the way to go if you’re on a tight budget, says Etienne. Fixing a busy print, such as the palm-treescape, on a wall creates volume in a sparsely furnished space. Images can be enlarged to any size, to fit any wall or ceiling, making it easy to get the big-picture effect in your home.

• artlab.co.za, etiennehanekom.co.za

The post Big picture appeared first on Visi.

A new year means it’s time for a new leaf and Jacques Erasmus has found transformational inspiration in the most unlikeliest place – weeds. He explains how to try it yourself, or simply pop into Hemelhuijs for a delish lunch and pretty picture.

Jacques Erasmus, owner of Hemelhuijs restaurant in Cape Town, is a chef with an unusual passion. In his spare time he presses flowers onto fine linen, frames and sells them by the bucket load from his restaurant.

He blames his unusual passion on Mauritius’s magnificent 300-year-old Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden. Jacques spends his time between the Mother City and Mauritius, and often visits these ancient gardens. On one occasion, he saw bunches of cut leaves on a rubbish heap, promptly gathered them up and decided to press them.

Placed on a muslin cloth, he cuts the stem in half with a scalpel and removes the insides with tweezers. He then flattens the leaf and wipes it with surgical alcohol to prevent decay. The leaf is then stuck onto linen using glue paper. Next, Jacques presses the work in a flower press between a top and bottom layer of blotting paper and sheets of cardboard. It should be left in the press to dry for three weeks (weather dependent). The blotting paper and cardboard are removed before framing.

Now, he says, he looks at plants differently. The pretty petals of violets and nasturtiums hold no appeal for him; his favourites are the unwanted green specimens. It’s the weeds and tiny discarded leaves that inspire him and he wants them to be appreciated. Appreciated these unlikely gems are; his works aren’t displayed for long before being sold straight off the restaurant walls. | hemelhuijs.co.za

Don’t forget to sign up to our weekly newsletter for the latest architecture and design news.

The post Leafy impressions appeared first on Visi.

These bright-eyed, life-size, one-of-a-kind puppies are part of a range of lights called Robots, designed by Philippe Bousquet. You can see them at the Guild Design Fair in Cape Town until Sunday 9 March.

A French architect-turned-jeweller-turned-designer, Philippe’s first collection of scrap-metal lights sold out overnight at the Design Indaba in 2008. Encouraged by feedback to create work inspired by green principles – such as zero waste – he has since been toiling away. Among other creative endeavours, he designed another range of lights, shown at Design Indaba in 2010, called After Dark. Adding to the green credentials, he eliminated welding from the process and did not use any new materials, except for wiring and bulbs.

For this collection, Philippe has extended his range of materials to include other scraps, such as plastic and wood. Inspired by sci-fi movies of the 1950s and 60s, the results are even more charming and delightful. We’re particularly enamoured with these pooches’ quirky tails!

In addition to this new range, Philippe has opened an exhibition space. To view or buy any of his artworks, furniture and lights, visit the Red Dog Showroom in Pretoria.

Red Dog Showroom, Unit 89 Business Park, 354 Derdepoort Road, Silverton, 082 579 6160, philippe@thereddog.co.za, thereddog.co.za

The Guild Design Fair is the first expo of international collectible design in Africa and is showing at the V&A Lookout in Cape Town until Sunday 9 March. Read more here.

The post Scrap dogs appeared first on Visi.

You can wear them, eat off them, hang them or even stick them on your wall: certified images of works by artist Walter Battiss, also known as the first inhabitant of the fictitious Fook Island. 

They say if you visited his Pretoria home back in the day, and the Fookian flag was flying high in the garden, you could take it that King Ferd the Third of Fook Island was home, and ready to receive fellow Fookian citizens. Just ask Janet Suzman and Linda Givon, they’ll tell you all about it. 

Fook Island was only one of this celebrated South African artist’s extraordinary flights of fantasy, a manifestation of his insatiable curiosity and life philosophy. His meeting with Picasso in 1949 affected his style; around 1955, references of Ndebele beadwork became evident in his work; and his travels in the 1960s into Africa, the Middle East and Europe are all said to have led to his wild island imaginings. 

Until recently, works by His Royal Fookness were a priceless luxury. Happily, things have changed. Thanks to the Walter Battiss Company, founded by Eduard du Plessis, fans can now eat cake off stylish ceramic plates by Mervyn Gers, hang master digital prints on walls, or even wallpaper them, all with certified images of his work. And the choice is wide: images of early prints, drawings, silkscreens and oil paintings are all available. 

What’s more, fashion designer Stefania Morland picked up on the Fookian vibe and wowed the crowds at Cape Town Fashion Week last year with her range of Walter Battiss-printed dresses, skirts and tops. They looked so good, we’re sure the king would’ve approved.

Q&A with Eduard du Plessis

You are the founder of the Walter Battiss Company. Why the decision to print his works on everyday items, like plates?

We greatly admire his work. It lends itself to be interpreted in many creative ways. This is not a unique concept. Other international artists’ work is marketed like this too, making it more accessible to the public. Part of the proceeds will go to the Walter Battiss Art Museum in Somerset East, the town of his birth.

What sort of products can we look forward to from the Walter Battiss Company?

His art is particularly suited to textile design. Back in 1948, Battiss was pleased when his prints were used on linen. This inspired us to look into textile design, and next season we will launch another textile as well as a crockery range. The first designs will be available in November.

What do the art experts think about the idea?

Stefan Hundt, curator of the Sanlam Art Collection, is very positive about it. Not all art lovers can spend between R18000 and R60000 on a Battiss silkscreen; R3800 is more do-able. Andrew Lamprecht, artist, curator and senior lecturer at the Michaelis School of Fine Art, likes that Battiss’s work is available to the younger generation in a new and fresh way.

The latest range from the Walter Battiss Company will be launched at the Design Indaba Expo from Friday 28 February to Sunday 2 March.

All items can also be ordered from walterbattiss.co.za 

The post Buy a Battiss appeared first on Visi.