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Hello and see you on 17 April!
April 7, 2020
Sjoe... We hardly launched our new look and brand before going into lockdown! So most of you didn't have the chance to come and see what's different in our showroom and find out the rationale for our makeover, and the transformation from Darkie Designs to Kuku!
Like everyone, the COVID-19 pandemic has hit us hard. We postponed our trip to Morocco at the 11th hour (thank goodness) and hopefully will be re-scheduling as soon as things get back to "normal" (whatever the new "normal" is after this is all over). And we've closed things down, physically, at least.
But sitting at home doesn't mean that Bianca and Jana aren't being productive, or that we can't show you what's new and why Kuku is going to take everything we achieved with Darkie Designs to a whole new level of "wow"! We're committed to taking as much as we can into the digital realm for the time being, inspiring you with visions of gorgeousness and beauty to help keep you sane while you stay safe at home...
Like us busy bees, this is probably the most time you've spent at home in a VERY long time! You're most likely re-familiarising yourself with your own space and finding out first hand what works and what doesn't! Perhaps, like us, you're looking around and finding ways to improve what bugs you, and making mental lists of things you want to change when we're past this challenging time. So let's give you some inspiration and guidance, where we can, courtesy of Kuku!
We've just been through the whole "change everything you can" scenario in our Hoedspruit showroom, so take it from us, we know what you're going through! First off, we moved our office area upstairs to the mezzanine level, freeing up the area that used to be where Bianca and Jana had their desks which has now become a moodroom. This is where all of our fabric swatches are, where we have our moodboard and where we hold consultations with our clients now, surrounded by things to inspire and influence their décor decisions.
We've changed wall colours to warm terracotta and positioned a large table to lay swatches out on, enabling us to spend time with our clients, bouncing ideas around and helping them to make the right choices in terms of overhauling their living or work spaces.
We've also created lots of design vignettes throughout the showroom, showing you how pieces work together and how you can group items to show them off beautifully. It's all part of how we hope to inspire you, through being inspired ourselves.
So draw up a "to do" list of things you know you can change easily in your home - soft furnishings, scatter cushions, re-upholstery of old, tired couches and chairs, new blinds at the windows, a fresh coat of paint on an accent wall... And send it to us and we'll bounce some ideas around with you. We're happy to have virtual consultations with you where we can! Or wait till lockdown is over and make an appointment to come and chat to us about your makeover plans.
With many of us working from home at the moment, looking at what space we have for working at home and how we can improve this is probably quite "the thing" at the moment! We've already posted some nice ideas on how to create a calm, serene work environment at home and will continue to do so. The most important thing is to be comfortable while you work, especially if you are a slave to a computer, so make sure you have a good chair to sit on, and are at the right height to the desk your computer sits on. If you have a laptop, find a nice place - maybe outside, in the fresh air - where you can sit comfortably and be productive.
If you don't have the budget to do a makeover, don't panic... We can help you re-stage your home using what you already have. Sometimes, moving the furniture can make a HUGE difference to your living space... Or paring things down to a more minimalist look... There are always ways to make things more functional and more pleasing to the eye!
So keep chatting to us here at Kuku. And we'll help where we can. In the meantime, stay safe and strong!
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Back in March of 2020, Bianca and Jana were dusting off their Fez’s and grabbing the pashminas out of storage in preparation to Rock the Casbah! However, as we all know and vividly remember - with March, came the eventual Covid shutdown, and instead of frolicking down the Moroccan streets, we all shut ourselves inside and watched the days tick by… 3 Years later, and now we can finally say - with conviction - that they’re going to Morocco at the start of September! This blog, filled with excitement and curiosity about all the weird and wonderful curios they might find, and endless sourcing they’ll do, stays as a reminder that sometimes plans change, things go awry and there’s not much you can do about it other than persevere - and that we did! So, here’s Bianca and Jana’s innermost thoughts about the trip, 3 years before it came to fruition, enjoy :) We've got our passports out and Jana has already picked out what she's going to wear each day… Come March [September] we'll be heading north with Air France to the Kingdom of Morocco, bright eyed and bushy tailed as we make our base in the ancient city of Marrakesh (also known as Marrakech to the French, but we're not French, so we'll go with the English version until all that fuss about Brexit is sorted out) - This turned into a year long negotiations trade, and now us outsiders would pay nearly double what we used to if we visit the UK - thankfully our flight is direct!! We'll be looking for inspiration and will be investigating what's there that we could possibly bring back to The Hoed. We can't wait to experience the atmosphere and afro-arabic influences of this amazing place as we visit the celebrated souks and off-the-beaten track artists and craftsmen that make Marrakesh so special. We're desperate to see the beautifully hand-crafted furniture, textiles, fabrics, rugs, carpets, objets d'art, accessories, lighting… anything that catches our eye and could possibly be brought back south. Berber mats and rugs are definitely on our list, as are the kind of furnishings you might find in a gorgeous Bedouin tent. If you think about it, the Bedouin refined the art of "glamping" into an artform - fabulous carpets on the ground, soft, billowing fabrics hung here and there, plump cushions spread on the ground, intricate leatherwork and carved wood, patinated metal… Total Glamping vibes! We just love all of it and will be tracking as much of it down as we can. We'll also have an eye or three out for wonderful ceramics and glassware and wonderful lamps that give off soft, filtered light. For us it's about workmanship, so we'll hopefully be finding the people who make furniture and ceramics using techniques that have been passed down over countless generations meaning that everything we look at will have its own, and its own special story. Our mission is to share those stories with you and, if it's feasible, bring some of that special workmanship home to the Rainbow Nation. We're most definitely inspired and are sure this is going to be a truly special trip! Counting the sleeps till then! Less than a month to go now - we will be keeping the updates going on our social channels as well as another few blog posts to explain in detail our wild adventures - Stay tuned!
A safari theme never really runs out of viewing time and is particularly popular for interiors at the moment. The warm, earthy tones give a sense of comfort and the accessories offer the anticipation of travel and adventure.
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