Designs for an interiors range in Lusaka, Zambia

Leather, linen, wooden/shell/indian silver beads, wood, cowhorn and metal....are some of the materials I have been using in my designs for Jackal & Hide Design House - an on trend funky new interiors shop opening in Lusaka by Gillie Lightfoot in 6 weeks time....

I used to work with Gillie at Tribal Textiles (www.tribaltextiles.co.zm) and have now been design consulting with her for her new interiors shop venture - I will be coming back in June for us to further develop the interiors ranges but here is some eye candy from the last 5 days (all pieces are unfinished but get idea!)...yum

Wooden and shell beads on cowhide disc - Cushion front

Indian silver coins and beads and natural eggshell glass beads on cowhide discs - Cushion cover front

 Different cowhide and stitched leather on linen cushion cover front

Tablerunner design - LOVE this one

 Tablerunner design - red beads on chocolate suede

 The starting ideas on a hanging light range using handcut aluminium discs, cowhorn and cowhide - we will be doing an enormous chandelier for the centre of the shop in the aluminium disc/cowhorn style...I definitely plan to have one made to use in an interiors project down the line

 The beginning stages of using traditional woodturning to make a range of candlestick we will later embellish with beads, paint, leather and carved designs

A day in the life of...me!

Im currently in Zambia on the Lower Zambezi working on the interiors refurbishment of Kanyemba Lodge, Im here for this month - this is pretty much a typical day for me here.....hectic but loving being so creative and using all the local resources and talents in my designing

I started my day with painting a design on the bathroom walls in the chalets

I asked 2 fishermen to use their bamboo fishing basket weaving and we made a large chandelier weaved with natural sisal and handmade banana string

Hanging it - Richard had to climb the rafters!

Voila!

Then the fishermen are back to work weaving - this time we have started a design I have in mind for some wall art pieces...will show finished pieces in next post

Then onto tailoring - here we're making some wall art pieces I have designed using some scraps of materials and some sisal string

 And the finished piece...going to hang with another similar one in one of the chalets

 Kanyemba has their own carpentry workshop so been having a field-day designing pieces for the lodge - below a carver is working on some small drinks stools for the chalets

Finished carving and now ready for sanding...

I was also checking out the finished samples of the new bedside table and bedside lamp base for the rooms

And whilst there working on some wall art pieces for the bedrooms - each room is going to have different designs - below is using some sunbleached branches from a fallen tree we collected from a sandbank on the river.  Then I weaved sisal string designs through the wood

And we just got some lamp bases from Lusaka - took them to a traditional woodturner, LOVE the rotten wood one in the middle below...going to combine with a handwoven banana string lampshade...

 We also received our order of handwoven grass mats for the bedroom floors from local town, Kafue, LOVE these and going to be buying some to take back to Cape Town

And then finally to check on Clint whose painting the existing chalet outdoor furniture to lighten them up...

 

Phew! Time for bed...

DESIGN DETAILS FROM MY INTERIORS PROJECT IN HERMANUS

Here are some design details from a holiday home in Hermanus Im working on...not quite finished but nearly there! Most of below are handmade and are available through our SOUL shop...email abi at abi@souldesign.co.za for more info.

entrance hall with nguni cow photos and handmade side table...

 Handmade seashell beaded curtain ties - with baobab rope ties (available through SOUL)

Gorgeous selection of natural tones of crockery, glassware and breadboards

Handmade coconut shell beaded chandelier - made in Malawi (available through SOUL)

Handmade recycled glass and found seacoral lampshade and wooden base - stunning lit up

Fallen wood from Zambia that I cut into discs for wall art

 Gorgeous antique cane chairs sent over from England, recovered in charcoal grey linen with madagascan cushions

Malawi wicker chair with loose linen cushion with handmae crochet disc (all available through SOUL)

Found driftwood piece on a shelf

gemsbok head made from old carparts - recycling at its best!

Handmade recycled glass bedside lights - matching the colour scheme of each bedroom

Before I put linen on the beds - but get the idea!!

Handmade old wood ottomans with gorgeous loose weaved linen (available through SOUL)

Crystal doorknobs for added glamour for the bedroom wardrobe

handmade stretch cotton bathmats

"relax" in the bathroom

Love in the shower room (available through SOUL)

"bathe" in the guest bathroom (available through SOUL)