Toot Your Own Horn | via www.designmonarchy.co.za

Do You Toot Your Own Horn?

September 23, 2020September 23, 2020 Rose McClementLeave a comment

by Rose McClement

DO YOU TOOT YOUR OWN HORN? Is that something that you are comfortable with doing?

About two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending Abigail Klopper’s Cafinnate Academy online coffee meet-up by means of Facebook Live. Towards the close of the meetup, this issue of ‘tooting your own horn‘ came up. “Do you do it?“, was the question. That touched an open spot for me. It got me thinking about this issue, although I will admit, not very seriously at the time.

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A post shared by 𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐥 | lettering + joy (@theletteringlane)

This morning sitting on the edge of the bed, feet on the ground, I was taken back to what I had experienced and felt during COVID. I spoke about it in my last post. It was about the issue of honouring my own voice, my own inner knowing, and just switching off the outside noise and voices. This was something that was going at full tilt at the start and early days of COVID and lockdown.

Today, I almost want to say to this Rose person, “Who are you and what have you done with the Rose that came before you?” That Rose was not tuned in to her own voice, her own opinion, her own mind, her own heart. She was swayed by all the voices around her – gave them more credence and validity. She second and third guessed herself most of the time. She always felt that others knew better than her, were better than her and despite her leadership qualities allowed others to set the pace. She literally handed her power over to them. It was helluva stressful and helluva confusing. There just was no ‘off-switch’ to flip when it came to holding her own space.

Design Monarchy, Covid-19 and Lockdown Musings

August 27, 2020August 27, 2020 Rose McClementLeave a comment

Feature image via: Arnel Hasanovic via Unsplash

by Rose McClement

As I sit and contemplate the last few months of 2020, it feels totally surreal.

As I slowly begin to emerge from living through a Worldwide COVID-19 Pandemic, hectic S.A. Lockdown and all those issues that flow and follows in its wake, I have to ask myself “Did this really happen? Is this still really happening? Am I really experiencing an extraordinarily time that will no doubt make its mark in world history? Something like WW2 and Mandela!”.

These same questions crossed my mind during the initial worldwide lockdown period when I sat staring at the images of empty city street scenes – streets, public plazas, curbside cafes that would normally be abuzz with people. One remarkably familiar and local empty street scene image stuck with me. As I gazed at the images Cape Town’s famous Camps Bay Main Road with not a car, bus, taxi, person in sight the brevity of the situation hit home. That was totally surreal and bizarre. Something not witnessed by me before.

Covid-19: Stay Home — Stay home. Image created by Vanessa Santos. Submitted for United Nations Global Call Out To Creatives – help stop the spread of COVID-19. | source: United Nations via Unsplash

Then the adjusting into living in isolation, transitioning from working in the office to working from your ‘new home-office’, communicating via online platforms, wearing masks to the shops, etc. Who would have even begun to imagine at the start of 2020 that all of that would be our day-to-day reality? I always imagined that the year 2020 would have some sort of sci-fi-esque characteristic about it, like flying cars, robotic labour, etc. A movie-type pandemic, however? Nope, that was not the kinda sci-fi I had in mind.

Closer to home, the Lockdown-need for Design Monarchy (Marica and myself) to work digitally from our respective desks / home office setups was nothing new for the two of us. For a good many years it is something that we had transitioned into and adopted as a way of working. We use Skype, Whatsapp, TeamViewer, and the like as our online tools. Thus, it was business as usual for the two of us. We were fortunate enough to have a Beauty & Wellness Spa interior design project to occupy our time and attention (watch this space for forthcoming visual delights and the back story). We were mainly working on the ‘behind the scenes’ stage of the project. Fortunately, we were also well versed with sourcing and shopping online thanks to Marica’s extremely well-honed and developed online research skills. I am telling you she can find the proverbial needle in the Online haystack!

South African Design Industry Mourns Carrol Boyes

August 16, 2019August 23, 2019 Rose McClementLeave a comment

by Rose McClement

Some news you just don’t expect to hear, something like a curveball coming your way. It takes your breath away and leaves you wondering “WHAT just happened?!” That is how I felt yesterday afternoon when Marica sent me a message telling of the passing of one of South Africa’s great design creative legends, Carrol Boyes.

Mourning her passing today feels much akin to two other instances we have had to say goodbye to SA legends – Nelson Mandela and, more recently, Johnny Clegg. Carrol Boyes is such a household name, not only in Cape Town and the rest of South Africa but also globally. Her incredibly ingenious brand of decorative, yet functional homeware is instantly recognizable – the perfect fusion between art and function.

In the official announcement posted on the Carrol Boyes Facebook page yesterday, the company shared the following beautiful tribute:

“Carrol enriched many lives in multiple ways. She instilled an unconventional approach to business and her message to her staff was ‘I have had such fun with you and you have enriched my life greatly. Please remember that we do things differently here. Never be ordinary – be extraordinary and throw in a bit of naughtiness every now and then and keep laughing. Never lose your sense of humour.‘

Carrol will be remembered for her love, her story and her quirky creativity. Carrol leaves our nation with a legacy of excellence, unity, empowerment and pioneering functional art. She will be greatly missed.“

Instead of going into detail about her history or legendary work, I’ll rather leave you with the video shared above. I feel that the video, in which Carrol speaks of herself, her work, and her business, says more than I can hope to bring across.

We as a Cape Town / South African interior design company and blog would like to use this opportunity to pay tribute to her and her celebrated designs and product. I’ve absolutely no doubt whatsoever, that her legend will live on vibrantly through her creative brand as they continue to produce iconic works of functional art well into the future.

Our thoughts are with her family, loved ones, friends, her community, her employees, and anyone who mourns Carrol’s passing. Warmest condolences to them.

Christmas Wish List: Luxury Edition

December 13, 2018December 12, 2018 Rose McClementLeave a comment

by Rose McClement

Unlike previous years, for some bizarre reason, Christmas 2018 has me quite excited and getting into the spirit of giving and receiving much earlier. Normally I only catch that Xmas Fever after the 20^th of December. I love it and intend nurturing this feeling of “a Time for Goodwill”.

When we decided to write this post about Christmas gifts, and more specifically what Marica and I would love to see lying under the Christmas tree, I decided to GO BIG OR GO HOME.

Time and time again, I’ve watched children putting in requests for their hearts desires with that “no holds barred” attitude. They do it from a place of delight and pleasure. Budget constraints are not even on their radar since they are totally oblivious to the Rand value of their desire. This many a parent can bear witness to. The only value that counts with little children is the innocent delight they get from their gift. This is how they do it – you spill the desires of your heart onto a piece of paper, written to a very special and very rich person called Santa Claus and send it off to him, carried on the wings of your heart.

So, in that same child-like spirit, THAT IS WHAT I’M DOING! I’m trawling through my heart space to find those desires that will make my day. Remember that I’m dreaming as if MONEY IS NO OBJECT…

So here goes with our VERY aspirational Christmas wish list:

A family vacay in sunny Mauritius…

A three week, all expenses paid holiday at a Club Med resort in Mauritius, accompanied by my immediate family members (hubby, daughters, sons-in-law, bro-in-law and 6 grandies). Where together we can have so much fun in the sun and enjoy each other. Even though money is no object – let’s hope Santa manages to pick up a bulk booking discount offer! This is the dream of a Granny’s heart.Read More »

The Evolution of Pink

May 22, 2018May 23, 2018 Rose McClementLeave a comment

by Rose McClement

When Beatrice Moore-Nöthnagel of Media24’s Tuis / Home Magazine recently approached me for a quotation as an “Expert Opinion” on the topic of “why pink remains ever popular in decor“, I was thrilled. Especially since the colour pink has been on my decor radar in recent times. This is for a few reasons, one of which being, that we had only recently completed the interior design and decor of a Nail & Beauty Spa which featured the colour. We selected a soft, silky tone of pink for some of the seating. Furthermore, it was upholstered in a velvet fabric – yummy! – another one of my favourite decor elements right now.

The Evolution of Pink | Home Magazine — Rose of Design Monarchy is featured in the May issue of Home Magazine / Tuis Tydskrif

I’ve always been a lover of pink – no matter what the shade or tone. Way back in the late 80’s our main bedroom had walls painted in a very bold “shocking” pink.

Furthermore, I’ve never really been afraid of using it in our interior projects. There is one particular project that springs to mind. We installed two bold pink sofas in the lounge of Galway’s The House Hotel back in 2006. The Irish folk were delightfully gob-smacked! It actually became the talk of the town for a while.

Here is what I had to say on the undying popularity of pink:

Over the last few decades, the global psyche has slowly been undergoing a shift from a purely male dominated world order towards the inclusion of the feminine energy. As women have slowly moved out of the shadows towards the centre stage, so too has the colour pink.

Like a woman, what can the colour pink bring to a space? It can melt and softens linear lines. It brings with it a sense of deliciousness. It has the capacity to lift the vitality of a space, to make it light and frivolous if need be. Yet it can also raise its voice to make that big, bright and bold statement.

As women continue revealing their intrinsic value, so too will the colour pink continue revelling in the limelight.

African Women’s Crowning Glory

May 10, 2018May 23, 2018 Rose McClementLeave a comment

by Rose McClement

Two weeks ago, on the 27^th April 2018, we as South Africans celebrated Freedom Day. On that day 24 years ago ALL South African, of every colour, race and creed over the age of 18 went to cast their vote. For the largest part of our citizens, it was the first time ever that they got to experience the right to cast their vote. That was a freedom that was hard won and a liberation that exacted a heavy price from many of our nation’s people.

As I cast my mind back to 27^th April 1994 and scanned what has happened in our country since that momentous day, a stirring within moved me to write a tribute to African Women. As one who loves colour, texture and pattern I have often admired and been mesmerised by the African Woman’s “crowning glory”.

Even though this blog is mostly all about interiors and all related interior design and decor “stuff”, we are going to feature some fashion statements today.

Fashion statement made by incredibly beautiful African Women. Fashion statements that I regard as a total works of art and often stand in awe of the women who wear them! I feel sure that you would have to agree, that these African women wear their “headgear” and fashion accessories with such dignity and pride, that their audience is often left breathless.