Reporter: Located in the CBD of Durban, close to everything and also only a short distance away from the beach and the harbour, Pixley House is all about location, and it is here where I'm meeting up with Private Property CEO, Simon Bray, to talk about new and exciting developments in Durban.
Narrator: Durban CBD is undergoing regeneration and as the jewel of the city, the iconic Pixley House, is also being transformed while maintaining its art deco architecture.
Simon Bray: We're standing right in the middle of the Win A Home studio. It was the first elimination challenge so the guys did all of these decor walls, and that's now created the decor for the set. Every week, we bring the contestants back in here and this is where the eliminations happen. So there's a lot of tears that have hit this floor, that's for sure.
Pixley House, what is happening with the whole building?
It's really an exciting development. We've got 123 apartments that are coming in to this old building. You're right in the middle of the city so you've got the hustle and the bustle. You've got people that are going to be living here that work just down the road. It really is a live and work in one area.
I think people would love to find out a bit more about developments not only in Durban but across the country as well. What can Private Property, in terms of your website, offer?
We've got a dedicated section where we just showcase property developments. A lot of people don't realise that it's a great way to purchase property. Often you're buying without transfer duty, and you get to choose your finishes, or the tenant that you're looking to put into the unit.
Narrator: The design challenge contestants clearly show their diversity and individuality in the vignettes they've created. For a judge like Simon, it's a tough job reviewing their efforts.
You can see some real talent in some of the designers here. What is your general opinion about the contestants?
During the process of the show, the influence of the mentors, the influence of the other contestants - the effect of it's going to get really real - we're going to weed the good from the bad, and I think we're going to end up with some fantastic talent on the show at the end.
Narrator: For a prize of R100 000 the challenges will push the contestants and their imaginations to the limit as they follow their dream of being a celebrated interior designer.
Make sure to catch all of the action on Win a Home every Friday 7:30 only on SABC 3.
