Freeworld Design Center

I attended Decorex and Plascon’s Design Dialogue early this week.

The event was held at the fabulous Freeworld Design Center which is located at the Cape Waters Building, 71 Waterkant St (on the Fan Walk) in Cape Town.

I’ve been to several events there before, but like many others I wasn’t familiar with what they actually do, or rather the services they offer.

As you may know over the next month I’ll be doing a few ‘How-To’ projects on the blog and Plascon have generously donated the paint I’ll be using for the tutorials.

Last week I booked a meeting with Kim Bougaardt to work through the colour selection for the various projects. I had some ideas and storyboards and after a brief chat we knocked out the various palettes.

Their services are offered to the trade, contractors, developers, interior designers etc. Prospective clients book an appointment (much like I did) and a décor consultant is assigned to your project and meets with you at the Design Centre or at your site.

After a discussion around your needs and an inspection of the site and its context, your consultant will then ask you for architectural plans or photographs.

They then presented you with both “draw-downs” (A4 colour cards) and a décor scheme in 3D that will show you how the project will look on completion. This décor scheme will involve the use of coatings from the Freeworld stable, eg: Plascon and Midas Earthcote products.

Amazingly this service is provided FREE, yip, GRATIS! Well of course the caveat is that you need to USE the Freeworld stable offerings and upon arrival you’ll need to sign off the selected scheme with your client representative.

In addition they offer a kick ass library with drool worthy decor books. Sadly you can’t check them out, but you are welcome to pop in and peruse them using the free Wi-Fi to keep in touch with your clients as you piece your storyboards together.

Want to keep up to date with the latest trade publications? They also have a well stocked newsstand where you can buy the latest issues of international magazines like Monocle, Icon and World of Interiors.

If that wasn’t enough the Freeworld building also plays host to Jacques Erasmus’s Hemelhuijs. Jacques food is out of this world, both in taste and presentation. If he wasn’t insanely talented enough as a restauranteur he also has an amazing eye for detail and offers several carefully curated homeware pieces.

In addition the Freeworld Design Center regularly plays host to various exhibitions offering the country’s only gallery-style exhibition platform for South Africa’s finest interior design. The Design Centre features ongoing display sets where leading architects, interior designers and decorators showcase their work. These inspirational exhibitions are open to the public.

The best way to keep up to date with their movements is via their blog which you can find at http://www.freeworlddesigncentre.co.za

Thanks again to Kim and the team for making me feel welcome and for assisting me in pairing up these palettes.



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