Interior Design Field Trip: African Pride Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa

Irwin Weiner ASID - This April I visited my hometown, Cape Town, South Africa. One impressive change since my last visit was the new African Pride 15 on Orange Hotel in the downtown area. Part of a major revitalization around government, museum, and other civic buildings, the hotel is a showcase for what I refer to as "international hotel style."

Contemporary, sleek, boldly designed, and brightly colored - this is the new hotel style sweeping the globe, and it's had a major impact on home design. Go to a mass-market consumer goods website like Overstock.com, for instance, and you'll find objects that could fit easily into hotel rooms and modern-look home decor. And regular readers will know my advice on hotel style: if you decorate in hotel style, remember that hotel rooms have no personality; they're like theatrical stage settings; you must add your personality into your home decor - whether that be family photographs, your collections, travel mementos, or family heirlooms on display in a more interesting eclectic mix.

But I won't steal any thunder from the African Pride. It's a first-rate hotel; absolutely lovely. Enjoy this slideshow of hotel scenes, and also click on this link to see my South African Details scrapbook, design impressions and other "slices of life" from my recent family vacation to South Africa - in it, you'll see an Indian Ocean resort, a tour of an almost-complete luxury home, and neighborhoods and streets in Cape Town.

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Add a Tropical Touch to Your Home Decor

Jessica Ackerman - While living in a tropical locale may sound appealing, the reality is that most of us are pretty much “stuck” wherever we're planted at right now. And although an escape to a tropical island may be the perfect vacation, we can invariably create that same tropical atmosphere in our own homes with just a few simplistic touches. The tips that follow will allow you to bring a touch of the islands to your home, instantly transporting you to the sands whenever you need a lift!

Wooden Accessories

Decorative accessories crafted from wood or wooden materials like wicker or bamboo look right at home in a tropics-inspired room.  Whether you elect to go for small pieces like mirrors framed in wicker and candle sconces made from bamboo, or for larger items like a wooden wall grille, you can add an authentically beautiful touch to your tropical decor with the use of wood.

Palm Tree Themes

Bringing in touches of palm trees to your room is a wonderful way to bring true tropical style to your space. For example, tree wall sculptures or palm tree wall hangings can be beautifully displayed in a prominent spot in the room to draw the mind’s eye to a palm tree lined beach.  A beautiful tapestry throw draped over the back of a sofa or chair that bears a palm tree motif can add to the visual effect that you are looking to create. 

Tropical Plants and Flowers

Perhaps no theme is better suited to the addition of plants and flowers than the tropical or island inspired theme.  Whether you select a lush potted yucca cane tree that resembles a true coconut palm, or opt for some other plant that is native to your region, you can create a beautiful tropical look with plants.  You might also add a touch of wrought iron decor to your space with a beautiful wrought iron plant stand that oozes island appeal. 

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Wish List: Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Co.

Irwin Weiner ASID - I just received the catalog for Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Co., and I must say ... I was impressed. The crunchy-granola, green-oriented Portland, OR lighting company just matured into a full-blown purveyor of home goods and furnishings. Everything ties together in a retro, industrial, casual, relaxed way that I think will be a big hit with consumers. Here's a video from eco-friendly interior designer Cheryl Janis that gives you a bit more background on the company and their home base.

I picked out some of their items for our Design2Share holiday wish list. Click on each photo for more info.

Simon Pearce Revere Bowl

Natural Cork Umbrella Stand

Aria Shades

Ana Striped Candles

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Ghost Nest Customizable Cabinet Knobs

Irwin Weiner ASID - We like home goods that are simple, beautiful, well made, and utilitarian. I guess you could say that Ghost Nest makes products that fit those rigid criteria as their customizable cabinet knobs - or "pulls" - are definitely useful, they're durable (as shown in the torture test video below), and simple in their no-nonsense acrylic way. The beauty element comes into the custom image, round or square, that you can have inserted into your own knob or pull. Here are some custom photo knobs, for instance, that look great for a closet or mud room space, perfect for hanging up all the family caps, dog leashes, and coats. 

Decorating for the holidays is done in a subtle way, too. Try changing some of your drawer or cabinet pulls or give festive new life to an old chest of drawers by switching out everyday knobs for holiday themed pulls (see top photo).

Check out the Ghost Nest website for pre-made artist knobs - including some cool Halloween and Zombie themed knobs ... but the real fun is having GN customize your image onto the knobs. Try turning your kids and teens loose designing their own knobs!

I can see taking wallpaper fabric or color swatches from wall paint and carrying out patterns and colors into your furniture hardware. Wallpaper fabric knobs against the wallpaper - pattern on pattern - would be ideal for

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