HOMEMAKERS Fair Postponed
Due to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, the 2021 Johannesburg HOMEMAKERS Fair, set to take place at Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit and Convention Centre from 26 to 28 March, has been postponed. An alternative date for the event will be communicated as soon as possible.
“With South Africa still in the midst of the second wave of infection and continued restrictions on large scale events, it is not feasible to hold HOMEMAKERS Fair safely at this point,” said Hestelle Robinson, COO of HOMEMAKERS Media Holdings.
The HOMEMAKERS Fair team is using this extra time to ensure the event is a fun day out for the whole family, with newly introduced categories, activities and pop-up events that reflect all the new ways South Africans use their homes.
Follow the Johannesburg HOMEMAKERS Fair
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Website: www.homemakersfair.co.za
#HMfair
Take a look at our favourite photos from the 2020 Johannesburg HOMEMAKERS Expo
See our 2020 Highlights Video
Download the launch EPK here
Media Contact
Samantha van der Merwe
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Home Automation the SmartKit Way
SmartKit was established in 2017 to provide quality home automation at affordable prices. We represent brands such as SONOFF, and our own OpenIrrigation; in addition to selling EZVIZ, LifeSmart and Amazon Echo. We spoke to Tim Gaul from SmartKit and discovered some pretty neat facts about smart homes.
A Beginner’s Guide
According to Tim, the quickest way to get involved in home automation is by using their “plugin devices”. The SONOFF Micro, SONOFF Slampher and SONOFF S26 smart plug will allow you to begin benefiting from the eWelink ecosystem within minutes. SONOFF products do not require any additional bridges or hubs, only a WiFi connection. You can plug the device in, pair it with your smartphone and be up and running with your first smart home installation.
Affordable and Achievable
“Gone are the days of costly, hard-wired smart home solutions – you already have all the infrastructure required to begin your smart home journey”, says Tim. As mentioned above, you can begin with “plugin devices”, move onto lighting with LED, light switch and dimmer controls, add power monitoring and react to environmental changes, such as temperature.
Tim continues “for the braver DIYer, you can control your pond, pool, garage, irrigation and gates – all from your smartphone or voice-enabled device. SONOFF now offers a home security solution with motion detection, door sensors and cameras. All devices are available for only a few hundred Rand or less”.
Use Technology Optimally
“With regards to our products, the most important thing about home automation is good WiFi. A second key factor would be to familiarise yourself with the integration of products such as Smart Scenes, IFTTT, Google Home and Amazon Alexa to extend the capabilities of your solution beyond simple on and off. Should you have this basic foundation for your ecosystem, you could greatly extend the capabilities of your smart home without much investment in more expensive solutions”.
Buying Trends
Tim says his customers tend to be 30-somethings and upwards. “I believe this technology may be more affordable for older millennials (who are now homeowners) but it is by no means restricted to their age group”.
We asked Tim what he thinks a home cannot do without and he said every home needs a voice-controlled assistant. Alexa, for example, has a screen in the kitchen, presence all over the house and she even sits on the car dashboard!
2020 in a Nutshell
Currently, we only do deliveries and collections and purchases at our head office have been halted. Additionally, we have moved to a more chat-based system as the phone system has not been permanently manned since the beginning of the pandemic.
Our presence is now almost exclusively online, which allows us to continue trading – provided we are legally allowed to do so.
Visit SmartKit online.
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SKYE HD Gets It Right
SKYE HD is a home automation business based in Cape Town. The business started as a TV manufacturer and then evolved into home automation. They now cover all low voltage services for both commercial and residential clients and their CV includes hotels and homes all over South Africa. They offer a turnkey solution from design through to implementation.
Home Automation
Home automation or smart home solutions allows the homeowner to control his house from a central device.
Automation can be scaled down to a single room. There are systems available to control your lights/AV/curtains/blinds and aircon in a single room environment or a complete home.
Full Service
SKYE HD specializes in electronics for your home and business. They assist with internet-related installations, audiovisual, automated curtains and blinds, lighting control, home cinemas, security cameras, access control and even your granny’s decoder. They have someone on call 24/7. They also understand that not everyone is tech-savvy and will design your system so that a small child or elderly person can easily navigate and control all the services in their home.
Automation Trends
SKYE HD spends a lot of time researching products and visiting international shows in Europe and China. By doing so they can bring their clients the latest and greatest in technology.
The SKYE HD team has seen a big shift in technology, where large format LED screens have been used as residential TVs. They believe that these screens will soon become the all-purpose screens of the future. Cinemas will no longer require projectors and even your residential TV will be replaced by a modular LED screen. This will create a massive shift in the tech world.
They are also seeing massive companies fighting it out in the voice control space. Amazon with Alexa, Google with Google Home and Apple with Siri. More and more household electronics are being manufactured with these as standard features. Soon your house will be completely voice-controlled.
The Competition
Simply share your favourite post by SKYE HD on Instagram or Facebook. Remember to tag them in your post. All the shared posts will go into a draw, and the winner will win a 40” Samsung smart tv. The draw happens on the 30th of September. Every share will count as an entry. T’s & C’s apply. “
Visit SKYE HD online.
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Living in Style with Piet Smedy
Having recently celebrated his first year as Editor-in-Chief of Condé Nast House & Garden and graciously agreeing to host three talks at the first Cape Town HOMEMAKERS Expo Virtual Event, we chatted to Piet Smedy about the changes to the House & Garden brand over the past year, where he sees Africa continuing to take global design and what he has gotten up to at home during the lockdown.
You have been at the helm of Condé Nast House & Garden for a year already, taking the title through a rebrand in the process, what has your first year as Editor-in-Chief been like?
The past year has been incredible in terms of growth, both for myself and for the House & Garden brand. Repositioning a legacy brand like House & Garden (the brand itself has been around for over a century, and in South Africa for 22 years) was an amazing opportunity to open it up to a whole new generation of readers and establish the magazine as a relevant guide to living with style.
This year, of course, has been one of the most challenging the publishing industry has ever faced, and we’re certainly not in the clear just yet but I could not have been blessed with a more dedicated (and tenacious) team that makes every issue not only possible but successful.
Africa has historically been somewhat behind the rest of the world when it comes to trends but is now starting to lead the way. What are your favourite trends and designs that have come from home in recent months and where do you hope to see us taking the world next?
Africa is the most exciting place in design right now – fact. Over the past few years, we’ve seen African designers, especially black designers, taking ownership of their designs, embracing what it means to be African and have an African aesthetic rather than falling back on tired European ideologies. Laduma Ngxokolo, Donald Nxumalo, Thabisa Mjo, Mpho Vackier, Simpiwe Mlambo: these are but a few of the designers who are championing multiple African design identities and much-needed representation of black African designers in the broader conversation. This is not a trend, but a paradigm shift and I believe that is why African design has never been more important.
When it comes to putting the magazine together, how do you balance globally and locally relevant content?
Providing a platform for local designers to showcase their work is and will always be our first mission at the magazine. Of course, offering readers insight into international homes, trends and product releases is a cornerstone of House & Garden and will continue to be, but over the past year we’ve shifted our gaze to be a lot more inward, and by that I mean towards design from both South Africa and the continent.
Which books, sites or people do you read/follow to keep up to date?
I get most of my news from Instagram, which I check every morning to get a snapshot of the news – design and otherwise. There are the usual suspects – Architectural Digest, Dezeen, Designboom, Highsnobiety – but I love the content coming out of The Cut, too, and of course, anything and everything by Kinfolk and Cereal. Oh, and if you haven’t yet, do yourself a favour and watch the ‘In Residence’ series of videos on Nowness – they’re fantastic.
What do you think has been the greatest redefinition of home due to COVID-19?
I think we’ve had to re-evaluate what we want, and need, from our homes like never before. Because they’re not ‘just’ our homes anymore – they’ve had to become our offices, our temples, our gyms, our restaurants – and even with easing lockdown regulations, I don’t think that will change. The concept of home as a sanctuary in a very confusing, sometimes erratic world is something I think will stick around for a very long time.
We did a bit of a dive into your social media, and see that you have launched a “one-man lockdown apartment redo”, how is it going?
I’ve been living in my apartment for two-and-a-bit years, but it was really after the hard lockdown that I actually got to experience the space properly, and decided to make changes. I did an interior renovation when I moved in, so the changes were entirely cosmetic this time round: out with the pistachio walls and minimalism and in with storm blue and white, restored mid-century pieces and an obscene amount of greenery. If there’s one thing I’ve taken away, it’s a whole new respect for painters! Seriously, paint cans should come with a ‘don’t try this at home’ warning – it’s hard work.
You are also a “proud plant parent”, what tips do you have for keeping your plants and garden thriving?
Leave them alone. The number of casualties I’ve had due to overwatering is all the evidence I need to know that the best thing you can give your plants is some space. Plant parenting is a study in patience.
If you could live in any home you have featured in House & Garden, which/whose home would it be?
The London home of Dean and Dan Caten (the founders of DSquared) that was designed by Dimore Studio. It was the April cover of House & Garden. I actually based the current colour of my walls on that apartment. Otherwise, anything by Kelly Wearstler.
Four Quick Fire Questions:
Which item in your home can you not live without?
My very small art collection. From the crushed Marlboro box piece given to me by the artist Kurt Pio as a house-warming gift and the oversized botanical pieces from Pezula Interiors from my mother, to the Renee Rossouw I bought with my first editor’s salary and the rather odd fried egg print that was sent to me by a dear friend (and former colleague at GQ magazine) now living in Copenhagen, each piece has so much sentimental value. I’m hoping to add work by Banele Khoza and Lulama Wolf in the near future.
Outdoors or indoors?
Indoors. Specifically, in the kitchen. That’s my happy place.
Braai or gourmet meal?
Can’t it be both?
DIY or buy?
Buy. You’ve never met someone worse at following instructions.
If you would like to keep up to date with what is happening in the global and local world of living with style, subscribe to House & Garden here.
Find more decorating tips on HOMEMAKERS.
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First Choice is the Good Choice
Woodlands Dairy and First Choice join us this year at our very first Cape HOMEMAKERS Virtual Event as they take part in the Deli Reveal Master Class with Errieda Du Toit, renowned chef and author. Make sure you don’t miss this session live on Saturday, 5 September at 12:00 noon. Errieda will reveal the cooking secrets of three of First Choice’s ultimate must-have products, their Long Life Milk, Long Life Cream and their delectable First Choice Velvet available in a variety of decadent flavours.
A Milky Way
When it comes to milk, health comes first with First Choice’s Long Life Milk. Available in full cream, low fat and skim milk variants, their milk is GFree, which means it is commercially sterile: free from pathogens and micro-organisms. First Choice real dairy cream is conveniently packed in 1lt and 250ml resealable packs and is ideal for baking, pouring, and spooning.
Sort out your dessert menu in a jiffy with the First Choice Velvet, a versatile dairy dessert that is both convenient and great tasting. Enjoy the most delicious milkshake, delectable pudding, decadent mousse, divine ice-cream, or anything else you can dream up. Not to mention that they are available in chocolate, vanilla, butterscotch, and strawberry flavours. (Yum!) Find delicious recipes to assist your journey in discovering the many uses and cooking ideas right here on the First Choice Website.
Sustainability
Nowadays, it is extremely important to be at the forefront when it comes to sustainability, recyclability, and eco-friendliness. Consumers demand this from manufacturers and Woodlands Dairy and First Choice can’t agree more! First Choice is the first dairy brand in South Africa to use closures made from bio-based material. Through this small change to their packaging, ultimately making a huge impact on the environment. Their cartons are made from more than 80% plant-based raw materials and the whole pack is now 100% recyclable.
First Choice milk is sourced from predominantly pasture-fed cows within the Eastern Cape region. Goodness runs through Woodlands Dairy’s veins. The well-being of the team, the dairy farmers and the communities is essential to them. Woodlands Dairy truly believes that to produce a product that consumers love, the company has to love what it does. Food with goodness at its very origins.
Woodlands Dairy used the time during COVID-19 wisely to get an amazing online shop up and running! You can now shop online for these amazing products without putting your nose out of the door.
Visit their brand new online store and give them a follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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For the Love of ItalOven
ItalOven is one of our featured Virtual Exhibitors for the HOMEMAKERS virtual event starting on 1 September 2020. Managing Director, Cedric Burger and Director, Elsa-Marie Fouche have collectively built the brand for over 21 years and offer customers a wide variety of choices, products and services. The company was established in 1984 in Cape Town, making ItalOven one of the leaders in pizza ovens and other braai-related products.
We were lucky enough to ask both Cedric and Elsa-Marie a few questions, which bagged us a lunch date with the two at Cedric’s home, to see his oven in action for ourselves.
Why should homeowners own a pizza oven?
“The versatility of the pizza oven is great! You can cook, grill and bake in one. From boiling up some hearty stews to baking your Ouma’s favourite rusks – the pizza oven is way more diverse than we give it credit for. It is also very light on fuel. You do not need many pieces of wood to heat your oven for a simple dish,” says Cedric. Customers regularly play “show and tell” by sharing their new food experiments in their pizza ovens with the ItalOven team.
Elsa-Marie continues, “We have made many different specifications to our ovens giving customers more variety”. Pizza ovens have a very long lifespan if they are installed correctly. She says “the secret to a good pizza oven is in the materials and layers used when making the oven”.
Do you offer any other products or services?
“We also specialise in the installation of outdoor kitchens and everything that goes with that. Some clients require more than just a pizza oven. They want the oven, the braai, the fire pit, the bar fridges etc. We supply all of that”, says Cedric. Elsa-Marie says they are also the only company that installs hand-built traditional Italian ovens in South Africa, which is a speciality job in its own right. “Our designs allow you to keep a constant temperature, which is something very few pizza oven designers can replicate,” she says.
Grade your love for pizza from 1 to 10?
“Well, we both also own pizza joints with a lot of happy customers – so there’s your answer”, laughs Cedric.
How has 2020 changed the way you do business?
During lockdown level 5, ItalOven could not do business as usual, but as soon as they could, they were very busy. “In retrospect, lockdown led to cold ovens, and that was good for upgrades and repairs – ovens take about 56 hours to cool down before you can get to work on them,” says Cedric.
“The other thing is that we get customers from all over the country and I do not have to visit these people anymore to do a quote. Everything can be done online and it also saves money, because sometimes quotes get turned down – even after you’ve travelled hundreds of kilometres to a potential new client,” says Cedric.
Now customers can just give ItalOven a video call and show them the area and what needs to be done. “We have always been very active on social platforms and being visually available during the HOMEMAKERS virtual event is very beneficial for us,” says Elsa-Marie.
Find out more about ItalOven on their website or visit them of Facebook.
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Patio Warehouse Perfection
Whether you use your patio to lounge in the sun, enjoy time with the family or even indulge in a romantic dinner for two, it should be a welcoming space all year round. Patio Warehouse has been around long enough to know exactly what it is that customers not only want but need to make life a more stylish and functional one. Patio Warehouse officially opened its doors in June 2005 and not only will you get the best prices for the best quality furniture, but you’ll also find the widest variety of outdoor furniture.
Patio Warehouse is a virtual exhibitor at the first Cape Town HOMEMAKERS Virtual Event. As a well-known exhibitor with HOMEMAKERS, we asked Marketing Manager, Mia Delport a few questions about what‘s new at the Patio Warehouse brand.
Stylish Lifestyle
Mia explains that furniture should create an inviting and comfortable atmosphere displaying character and ambience. She says, “the trend is comfortable outdoor furniture that looks good and fits in with your home – and anything goes. Wicker is still very popular and so is light, aluminium furniture that is durable and easy to move around”. You can also always mix your pieces,” Mia says, “go for a fully upholstered outdoor couch with two wicker chairs. Mixing the different textures brings a nice look to your patio.
Customer Favourites
“In the summertime, our umbrellas are always a hit – especially around the pool area”, explains Mia. “With our harsh South African sun, we always need some shade around the pool area. Dining and lounge settings also enjoy popularity, as everybody’s need on and around the patio are different. Our range of Weber products is also selling well as everybody enjoys a good braai on their patio”.
Doing Business Online
Mia says that their online store has become extremely busy and why they’re focussing on getting the best patio online store in the country. Not only is our online store great, but you also have the support of 6 stores nationwide. We pride ourselves on having one of the best aftersales services possible.
New Releases and Variety
Patio Warehouse introduces its new ranges around this time of year and always keeps the widest ranges available and has everything in stock. “When you buy something – you can have it immediately”, says Mia.
Updating your patio? Contact Patio Warehouse today.
Find more inspiration on the HOMEMAKERS Idea page.
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Timber Construction
Over the last 60 odd years, Timber Construction has worked in numerous countries and on a large variety of projects, ranging from hotels, government buildings, mines, office blocks, hospitals and domestic housing. They have extensive knowledge and understanding of timber and composite. The team gets involved from the conceptualisation stage all the way to admiring the beautifully completed projects with their satisfied customers.
We asked the owner, Byron Dillon, a few questions to give us the low down on the success of their company and what it is that sets them apart from the rest.
Who is Timber Construction?
Timber Construction is all about customer satisfaction. We are 100% transparent and committed to honesty and integrity in all our business relationships. We only use the best composite and timber materials available, using the most modern installation practices which guarantee the best results.
Our outstanding service record separates us from the rest. This can be confirmed by any or all of our suppliers and customers. We will go the extra mile wherever we can in order to understand and implement your vision and dream – often advising on more practical and functional ideas
How Did It All Start?
My father, Paul, started the business in the United Kingdom in 1960. He completed five years of university, while achieving the highest possible degree there was in timber construction. I started with the business in 1992 and took the reins in 1999.
What Does Timber Construction Specialise In?
Our main focus is on supply and installation of composite and timber decking, wall cladding, decorative privacy screens, stairs, balustrades, pergolas, custom carpentry as well as heritage restoration.
We work in conjunction with architects and builders, from conception to completion during your build or makeover renovation in order to create and achieve the dream lifestyle our clients are looking for.
What Trends and Designs Can We Expect This Summer?
Technology is constantly evolving, so we are always looking for newer and better products in order to create that low to zero maintenance lifestyle we all want. That “kick your shoes off, have a glass of wine and enjoy the view” kind of lifestyle. We encourage our clients to merge outside and inside spaces to create an effortless flow.
The trending colours for this season seem to be grey with a touch of beige and brown, keeping to the earthy feel. Whatever your preference, you can count on Timber Construction to have it or find it for you.
Is Timber Construction Environmentally-Friendly?
We only use 100 per cent recycled, environmentally-friendly eco-green certified composite decking. We encourage our clients to only use sustainable forestry timber products. The benefits of using recycled materials are low to zero maintenance features.
What is your Biggest Achievement?
We have stood the test of time and earned the respect and trust of our customers and will continue to do so. Our projects have been in conjunction with big names in the construction industry like WBHO, FWJK, NWC and BMW. Our company was hired to do the restoration on Robben Island for four months restoring the old Governor’s residence. We have also worked with some really big names in the hotel industry such as The Bay Hotel in Camps Bay, Radisson Blue, Sun International, Marula Sun and Gabarone Sun. Our portfolio is international across with completed jobs in the United Kingdom, Seychelles, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Large food chain restaurants such as the Cape Town Fish Market, Smith & Wolensky, Fat Fish Café and McDonald’s have also been customers.
How has 2020 changed Timber Construction’s business?
We can’t get away from tried and trusted one-on-one meetings with our clients as our product is something you want to touch, smell, kick, jump on and compare. However, we are embracing technology to bring our clients closer to that one-on-one meeting by being part of HOMEMAKERS Virtual Event and connecting with our clients through social media platforms.
Connect with Timer Construction online. You can also find them on Facebook and Instagram.
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The Best Deck
Best Deck has been in business for over nine years and have become Africa’s leading composite wood company. The company is owned, managed and run by Gary Fisher, Stuart Martin and Justin Irving. Together, the three of them bring almost 100 years of industry-related experience to the table.
We asked Justin, who owns and manages the Western Cape branch, a few questions. Justin has 30 years of experience in the building industry and is a qualified quantity surveyor with a Master’s Degree in Building Management.
Is your product environmentally-friendly? If so, how?
“All Best Deck products are environmentally friendly and made from recycled and reclaimed materials. The material composition of all Best Deck products is 30% plastic (high-density polyethylene) 30% wood fibre and 30% bamboo fibre”. He adds “not all composites have bamboo fibre in their composition. Bamboo is a perfect additive for a good functioning composite profile – it is flexible and is also extremely strong, this is what one wants for a good functioning composite wood profile. The 10% balance of the material are the bonding agents and UV stabilisers”.
What is your speciality?
“Best Deck is unique in this industry and offers a genuine turn-key supply and install option. The end-user has the peace of mind that their project has been installed by the company who supplies their brand of composite material”, says Justin. This means one company is responsible for the various guarantees and excellent after-sales service. Justin adds “Best Deck is not an installation/contracting company. Best Deck is a supplier of product which encompasses all of Africa”.
How is composite decking different from other types of decking?
Justin says composite decking is a scientifically engineered product, and if done correctly with the right recipe for the material composition, then what you get profiles in various shapes, forms and sizes that are always identical.
He continues, “Composites are scientifically designed and engineered to handle harsh climatic conditions whether it be extreme heat or extreme cold. Composite products are maintenance-free. They always look good and will hold their value. An alternative is to do your decking, pergolas, balustrades, cladding, gates and screens in timber. Timber is a natural product and all the profile options are far from identical. It must be maintained at least twice a year and ultimately has a shorter life span”.
How has 2020 changed the way you do business?
“2020 for Best Deck, like for everybody, is extremely challenging. We have actively used the time to rebuild our website. It has proved to be the catalyst in our current busy schedules, despite the trying times. We have been fortunate to grow”.
For Justin, the HOMEMAKERS Virtual Event is an interesting concept. He says, “A virtual event is a fantastic way to get our brand out to the masses”.
Contact Best Deck easily via email or visit their website. You can also reach out to them on Facebook or Instagram.
Not digital? Give them a call on 083 377 3813 or 021 001 2880
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What You Missed At The 2020 Johannesburg HOMEMAKERS Expo
As we write this, our official Expo break-down is in full swing. To think that a short week ago, exhibitors from all over Gauteng, along with a super Johannesburg 2020 HOMEMAKERS Expo crew, made this year’s Expo a stellar success.
In a world that is better connected than ever before, the InHabit themed Expo proved to be the place to be this past weekend – with a special leap day to add. Visitors could mingle with experts and connoisseurs to get the best out of their Expo experience. The Expo connected visitors with the products and services that help them own the spaces they occupy.
This year’s Johannesburg HOMEMAKERS Expo was about improving the way people live in their homes and how they connect with everything around them. This included the topic of the year, environmental sustainability, supporting local businesses and being better informed about product origins.
Show Highlights
This year’s Johannesburg Expo brought many highlights and it’s so hard to choose only a few. The InHabit Workshop and The Garden Table were packed every day with inquisitive visitors looking to learn something new for their home, garden and kitchen. Another highlight was the stand winners at the annual awards function, where HOMEMAKERS celebrated the exhibitor stars of the year. HOMEMAKERS COO, Hestelle Robinson, says that this year, the team took a fresh approach to the Expo. “We did things differently this year and it paid off. Our 2020 Expo was one of the most successful to date”.
The Winner’s Circle
Every year The HOMEMAKERS Expo team chooses a panel of Judges who take on the difficult task of choosing their favourite stands. This year our winners were:
Best Truly Artisan: Xisaka Interiors
Best Small Stand: Sqwidnet
Overall Winner: Sequ-Door
Gold Winners:
Ashley Furniture Homestore, Patio Warehouse, Totem Kitchens & Cupboards, Turnkey Concepts, Ikon Aluminium, Fenster Aluminium, House of Supreme, Curves and Bevels and WIC Flooring.
Silver Winners:
Plaza Board Centre, Furnlock and Slide & SA Sinks, Trellidor, Decking and Flooring, U-Light, MP Solar, Grecoline, Grafton Everest, Furnworx and Best Deck.
Bronze Winners:
Vinostein, Africote, Hillaldam Sliding Door Systems, Advantage Air, Inovar Floor, B and W Unlimited Kitchens, Best Gutters, Weather Master, Design Benjamin, First Water Coolers & Purifiers, Oco Life by Organico, Mend-A-Pool, Blockhouse, Cinema Architects and AV Gurus.
What The Winners Had to Say:
Sequ-Door: “We have been with HOMEMAKERS for so many years and winning is a big honour for us. We created a stand that showcases all our products. We also went with a warm-homey feel in our stand design. This attracts visitors and makes them feel at home”.
Xisaka Interiors:“This was our first Expo and we were so delighted to have won this prestigious award. Our stand space was limited which forced us to get very creative with all our furniture and so little space. It worked”!
Sqwidnet: “People want to make their home technology more accessible, which ultimately makes it more convenient for them. Our take on product delivery and stand design was aligned with that focus”.
Ashley Furniture Store: “We put our hearts into our stand design. We are passionate about our planning and our visitors. This combo makes for a win-win environment”.
MP Solar: “Sustainability is a huge trend in 2020 and we designed our stand to represent that. Solar energy is the future”
Fenster: “We are trendsetters in the market and we showcased all our premium products. This attracted customers and showed them how technology has changed”.
WIC Flooring:“We’re a family business and that gives us a huge advantage. Our stand design is welcoming and we tried to incorporate the InHabit theme”.
Totem Kitchens & Cupboards:“Keeping up with trends and not going over the top is what we kept in mind when designing our custom stand”.
InHabit Workshop
Another successful InHabit Workshop for the 2020 Homemakers Expo. Artisans and experts such as Jana Nel, Joe Strydom and the team from Vermont Sales and World of Decorative Concrete gave visitors demos on the best DIY projects for homeowners. Demonstrations included talks on concrete products, techniques for clay and ceramics, woodworking, revamping old furniture and even adult doodling.
The Garden Table
With live demos by garden experts and cooking queens, The Garden Table theatre was packed every day with visitors eager to learn more! Made possible by DIY Garden Designer, Malanseuns, Bark Unlimited Organics, Fern Lily Design & Landscaping and Lighthouse the feature entertained and educated visitors on a variety of topics.
Designer Spaces
The Designer Spaces Challenge was a great way for visitors to see how to create the ultimate living space. The theme was inspired by Africa and the designers delivered. Visitors had the chance to vote for their favourite designer with the bonus of winning a cash prize. An expo favourite by far! This year the designer who won was Lindiwe Ludonga from Blooming Oaks.
Young Designers Challenge
The Industrial Design students from the University of Johannesburg collaborated with Vermont Sales and HOMEMAKERS to bring the most cutting edge ideas to life. The overall winner was Katlego Madumo who designed The V56 Smart Hedge Trimmer. The hedge trimmer was inspired by his passion for nature and green living.
The first runner-up was Loubser Meyer who designed The TRITON MT101 which is a smart combination saw that monitors the wear on internal components and informs the user of any bad machine practices. The saw also prevents circular saw kickbacks to ensure the safety of the user.
Natalie Selibas was also a runner up. She designed a smart dustbin created to encourage recycling and bring esthetic appeal to the home. Most importantly, the bin was designed to make life smart and simple by automatically creating a shopping list based on the goods you throw away. Now if that’s not genius, we do not know what is! The winners won a cash prize and a special prize from Vermont Sales.
The Play(AR) Zone
The favourite place for gamers and the best Augmented and Virtual Reality games were found in The Play(AR) Zone. What started as an area dedicated to the magic of Augmented Reality (AR) turned into the ultimate play zone with the iconic PlayStation brand on board.
Visitors could also decorate and bring their own interactive AR animal to life in real-time which they could take through a fun virtual gaming course right inside The Dome.
Truly Artisan
The creators and the creatives were in full force at this year’s Expo. Seeing their dedication to their brand image along with their truly artistic approaches was a delight to see. These exhibitors are on-trend and know exactly what home decorators are looking for when it comes to the aesthetics of their homes.
D’Vine Life
Visitors had the chance to whet their appetites at this year’s D’Vine Life Expo feature. If it was deli delicacies, deep-fried goodness or a cultural flavour bomb they were after, this is where they could find it. This foodie haven had visitors spoilt for choice which served them through breakfast, lunch and supper.
Missed the Johannesburg HOMEMAKERS Expo? Find out more about the 2020 InHabit Cape Town and Pretoria Expo later this year.
Take a look at our favourite photos from the 2020 Johannesburg HOMEMAKERS Expo
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