Our Design Duos enter the home stretch of the competition as they get started on their final challenge.
Team Habitat meeto with their mentor
It’s a bittersweet realisation that the competition will soon come to an end for our Design Duos. But, before the big winners are named, there’s one more challenge to complete - the lounge.
This will also be the last of the design duos’ cash budgets. After winning the garden challenge, Team Habitat received a R10,000 bonus to add to their budget, giving them R53,000 budget for their final room. Team VISI has R40,000 remaining to spend on this final space, while Team House and Leisure has only R36,500 left with which they can work.
Team Habitat meet with Stephen Pikus
It seems all the design duos are going to inject as much creativity as possible into these final spaces and they embark on exciting creative collaborations. For Team Habitat, the choice is easy in working with Stephen Pikus from Stephen Pikus Design. He’s the creator of their kitchen chandelier and will be creating custom lighting for their lounge from upcycled truck air filters. They also collaborate with Sally Chapman of Chapman Collection, who creates a custom wallpaper for the corridor adjacent to the lounge.
Team Habitat meet with Sally Chapman
Always looking to add an artistic touch, Team House and Leisure collaborate with artist Heidi Fourie and photographer Tatenda Chidora for works of art.
Team House and Leisure meet with Heidi Fourie and Tatenda Chidora
Team VISI meanwhile will be putting their art skills to the test as they plan to do a bold paint technique of geometric shapes on the lounge wall. Plascon colour consultant, Neo Moshomane, advises them on colour choices and has a nifty hack on how to create the perfect half-circle on the wall.
Team VISI meet with colour consultant, Neo Moshomane
Although our design duos are sad to to be meeting their mentors for the final time in the competition, it’s a happy occasion as they share their plans for the lounge. Amanda offers a great perspective on Team Habitat’s design and encourages them to add storage in a unique way. Team VISI’s final mentor meeting is also a shopping trip at Re-Trend for an eye-catching armchair and Annemarie helps the duo find a chair that is both comfortable and aesthetically outstanding.
Team VISI and their mentor Annemarie Meintjes
Team House and Leisure’s final mentor meeting takes place at the Dokter and Misses studio where Banele and Tshepo shop for some of the boldest pieces they’ve ever chosen in their designs. Tiaan is concerned about whether the duo have learnt from their mistakes from the previous challenge and he’s assured they’ll finish on time and the judges will be impressed with a very dynamic space.
Team House and Leisure and their mentor Tiaan Nagel
Never ones to be conventional, Team Habitat choose to maximise their budget by making use of all their Caesarstone Moorland Fog offcuts in the creation of a small bar area. They also have one very risky request: they want the Caesarstone slab on the guest bedroom wall removed and reused within the lounge. With possible damage to the wall and the slab, they’re going to keep all their fingers and toes crossed that this wallet-friendly idea doesn’t come crashing down.
Team Habitat lounge taking shape
By the halfway mark, Team Habitat have constructed an architectural partition between the kitchen and lounge which will help define both areas. Their design will require a fine balance and attention to detail that will make or break their chances of winning the challenge.
Mpho from Team VISI
Team VISI, however, have a very empty and blank lounge at the halfway point. Although all their furniture pieces are on site, their biggest challenge is the paint technique, which takes days to complete. The question is whether or not they’ll be ready in time with such a complicated element of their design still to finish.
Tshepo from Team House and Leisure testing out his lounge furniture in the boot
As for Team House and Leisure, they had finally made peace with the difficulties of the last few challenges and it's fun, fun, fun for the final room. They are playing with colour and unconventional pendant light pieces from 20eight and they managed to call in a few favours to help keep their budget in check.
With all three design duos really pushing the envelope with the lounge, will they be feeling relaxed or really stressed out when the judges come to offer their critique?
Team House and Leisure feeling inspired at the Dokter and Misses studio
