#home interiors cape town
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interiordesignza · 2 years ago
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Bring Your Home to Life with Interior Decorators
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Your home is your haven, and how you decorate it can significantly impact your mood and well-being. Hiring interior decorators may be the solution if you want to create a beautiful and functional living space that reflects your style and personality. In this article, we'll explore how interior decorators can bring your home to life and transform it into a beautiful and functional oasis.
Design Expertise
Cape Town interior decorators have the design expertise and knowledge to transform any living space into a beautiful and functional oasis. They can create a cohesive design scheme that reflects your style and personality while also considering your budget, needs, and lifestyle.
Customized Solutions
Professional interior decorators offer customized solutions tailored to your specific needs and preferences. They can work with you to create a design scheme that meets your unique requirements and transforms your living space into a beautiful and functional oasis.
Access to Quality Materials
Interior decorators can access quality materials and resources that may not be available to the general public. They can source unique and high-quality furnishings, textiles, and accessories to enhance your living space's aesthetics and functionality.
Time and Cost Savings
Hiring interior decorators can save you time and money in the long run. They have the expertise and knowledge to create a cohesive design scheme that meets your needs and budget, preventing costly mistakes and ensuring your project is completed on time and within budget.
Stress-free Process
Decorating your home can be a stressful and overwhelming process, especially if you're doing it alone. Interior decorators can take the stress out of the process by managing every aspect of the project, from conceptualization to installation, ensuring a smooth and stress-free experience.
Choosing the Right Cape Town Interior Decorators
Finding a professional who understands your style and vision is essential when choosing Cape Town interior decorators. Here are some tips to help you choose the right interior decorator for your home:
Check their portfolio: Look at their portfolio to see if their style and aesthetic match your vision.
Read reviews: Check online reviews and testimonials to see what previous clients say about their experience working with decorators.
Ask for referrals: Ask friends, family, and colleagues for referrals to interior decorators they have worked with and would recommend.
Schedule a consultation: Schedule a consultation with the interior decorator to discuss your needs and vision and see if you feel comfortable working with them.
Interior decorators can transform your home into a beautiful, functional oasis that reflects your style and personality. Hiring an interior decorator can be a wise investment with their design expertise, customized solutions, access to quality materials, time and cost savings, and stress-free process.
When choosing the right interior decorator for your home, consider checking their portfolio, reading reviews, asking for referrals, and scheduling a consultation. With the right decorator, you can bring your home to life and create a living space you'll love for years.
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ultimatepad · 10 months ago
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Cape Town Residence by Miminat Shodeinde
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virtua-decor · 2 years ago
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inhousedstudio · 2 days ago
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INHOUSE: The Ultimate Choice for High-End Interior Design in Cape Town
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When it comes to crafting breathtaking spaces that balance luxury, functionality, and style, INHOUSE stands out as Cape Town’s leading interior design studio. Whether you’re looking to revamp your home, create an inviting office environment, or design a standout commercial property, our expertise ensures your vision comes to life. Let’s explore why INHOUSE is the trusted name in interior design for Cape Town’s most exclusive spaces.
A Legacy of Excellence in Interior Design
At INHOUSE, we understand that interior design is not just about aesthetics—it’s about creating spaces that tell a story. As one of the premier interior design companies in Cape Town, we blend creativity with technical expertise to produce designs that inspire. Our team of skilled interior design architects and decorators brings years of experience and a passion for innovation to every project.
Why Choose INHOUSE as Your Interior Design Studio?
Tailored DesignsEvery client is unique, and so are their needs. At INHOUSE, we take the time to understand your preferences and lifestyle to deliver bespoke solutions. Whether you're dreaming of a modern minimalist house interior or a vibrant, eclectic space, we make it happen.
Expert TeamOur team includes some of the best interior decorators in Cape Town and skilled professionals in interior architecture companies. We handle every detail, from concept to completion, ensuring your project exceeds expectations.
SustainabilityWe incorporate eco-friendly practices and materials into our designs, making us a leader among interior design firms in Cape Town focused on sustainability.
The INHOUSE Process
1. Consultation
The journey begins with a deep dive into your vision. During this phase, we assess your space, understand your style preferences, and define project goals.
2. Concept Development
Our designers create mood boards and sketches, presenting you with ideas that align with your vision while staying functional and innovative.
3. Execution
From sourcing premium materials to collaborating with Cape Town's best contractors, we ensure every detail of your design is executed flawlessly.
4. Final Touches
It’s the little things that make a house a home. We provide finishing touches that add character and charm to your space.
Key Services Offered by INHOUSE
As a full-service interior design company in Cape Town, we offer a wide range of services:
Residential Interior Design
Transform your house interior into a haven of comfort and elegance. Whether it’s a cozy apartment or a sprawling villa, our team specializes in creating personalized designs that feel like home.
Commercial Design
INHOUSE excels in designing office spaces and retail environments that are both functional and visually appealing. Our expertise as an interior design firm ensures your business makes a lasting impression.
Interior Architecture
Our skilled interior design architects blend structural design with artistic flair, crafting spaces that are as practical as they are beautiful.
Decor and Styling
Looking for an immediate transformation? Our talented interior decorators in Cape Town curate furniture, artwork, and accessories that enhance your space effortlessly.
Trending Interior Design Styles in Cape Town
Cape Town is a city that celebrates diversity, and its interior design scene reflects this beautifully. Here are some trends we’ve embraced at INHOUSE:
Minimalist Elegance
Clean lines, neutral tones, and uncluttered spaces define this timeless style. Perfect for those who value simplicity and sophistication.
Biophilic Design
Reconnect with nature by incorporating greenery, natural materials, and earthy tones into your house interior.
Modern Luxe
A seamless blend of contemporary design and luxurious accents, this style is ideal for high-end residential and commercial spaces.
Cape Town Coastal
Inspired by the city’s stunning coastline, this style combines soft blues, sandy neutrals, and breezy layouts for a relaxed yet refined look.
Tips for Designing Your Dream Space
Start with a VisionDefine your goals for the space. Is it for relaxation, entertainment, or work?
Choose Quality Over QuantityInvest in high-quality furniture and decor that stand the test of time.
Incorporate Your PersonalityYour space should reflect your unique taste and lifestyle. Don’t be afraid to add personal touches.
Work with ProfessionalsCollaborating with experts like the team at INHOUSE ensures a stress-free and successful design process.
Why Cape Town Chooses INHOUSE
As one of the top-rated interior design companies in Cape Town, INHOUSE has earned its reputation through:
A portfolio of successful projects for residential and commercial clients.
Partnerships with leading suppliers and contractors.
An unwavering commitment to excellence.
Client Testimonials
"INHOUSE completely transformed our home. Their attention to detail and creativity blew us away!"– Sarah L., Cape Town
"The team at INHOUSE designed our office, and the results were incredible. Highly recommend!"– Michael D., Business Owner
Partner With the Best Interior Design Studio in Cape Town
Your dream space is just a call away. With INHOUSE, you get more than a design—you get an experience that redefines your expectations. As a trusted name among interior design companies in Cape Town, we’re ready to bring your vision to life.
Contact INHOUSE Today
Ready to transform your space? Contact us to schedule a consultation with Cape Town’s top interior design firm.
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tropes-and-tales · 2 months ago
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Opportunities
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(Frankie "Catfish" Morales x F!Reader)
CW:  Light angst; idiots in love; mutual pining.
Word Count:  3216
AN:  This is a sequel to this, and it was requested by both @nuvoleincielo and @yyiikes
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In the end, it’s exactly as Benny says.  They are, after all, highly trained soldiers.  They’ve been trained at all the skills necessary for subterfuge, and Pope kind of likes it — using those skills for good.  For once.
The plan is this:
Benny and Will’s parents are snowbirds.  They have a home in Maine and a home in Florida. 
Lately, though, because of the mild winters, they’ve been spending more time in Maine.
But for the holidays, they plan to go to their Florida home.  From the second week of December until after the New Year, their little cape tucked into the Maine interior, remote and overlooking a placid blue lake, will sit empty.
Technically, it can stay empty with no intervention.  Their thermostat can be controlled from an app (Benny manages it for them), so there’s not much concern about the heat going out, pipes bursting, or the like.
But both you and Frankie don’t need to know that.
“My parents said you could have the place,” Will tells you all over beers one night.  “Might be cool, having a holiday with actual snow.”
Which is how they sell it:  a nearly free opportunity for a white Christmas for you and Pope and Frankie.  You are currently low-contact with your family.  Pope’s divorced parents are on either end of the country, and he finds that instead of pissing off one, it’s easier just to piss both off at the same time.
And Frankie?  Well, Frankie is on his family’s proverbial shit list, so it’s best for him to just lay low.
Pope’s the one who sells it best, though.  Separately, he approaches both you and Frankie.  With you, he lays it on thick:  how lonely the holidays are for him, how much he needs his best friend and his brother-in-arms.  He sells it so well your eyes fill with tears, and your voice gets a watery edge as you throw your arm around his neck and tell him yes, of course you’ll spend the holidays with him and Frankie, anything he needs.
With Frankie, Pope takes a more staid approach.  Plays morose.  Just want to get away, he tells Frankie, and the man nods thoughtfully, says he’s there for him, says he’s never been to Maine and it might be nice.
The three of you drive up in Pope’s truck.  It takes two long days on the road, and each time Pope glances over at where you’re settled between him and Frankie, he knows he’s doing the right thing.
Because your knee is always pressed against Frankie’s, and sometimes he catches the two of you touching—sweet little movements.  Your head on his shoulder as you rest.  His hand resting lightly on your knee.  Fingers touching as you pass each other snacks from the rest stop, sour candies and chocolate bars and energy drinks.
Because Pope, if he had to guess, would say that neither of you are even aware of how touchy you are with each other.  Stubborn, blind, stupid, or all three:  neither of you seem aware of the goddamn sexual tension the two of you create, like two storm fronts pressing against each other and creating your own weather.
-----
Frankie is the one who first notices how wrong everything is.  His gut has been pinging on a low frequency for the past two days, but he ignored it…and now?
Now you and Frankie are stranded in a little cape tucked into the Maine interior, remote and overlooking a placid blue lake.  Pope unloaded his truck—his luggage, yours and Frankie’s luggage—then made a paltry excuse to drive into the nearest town for provisions.  No backwards glance, and that was an hour ago.
Pope’s phone goes straight to voicemail each time Frankie tries him.  His texts are delivered, then read, then ignored.  Same for Benny, then Will.
You notice Frankie’s discomfort first, but then you start to put it together.  You note the time, make a joke about Pope getting lost.  Then you open up the refrigerator and see that it is fully stocked:  orange juice and milk, eggs, fresh fruit and vegetables.  A pack of chicken breasts, two cod loins wrapped in butcher paper.  Butter, cheese, creamer for coffee.  You frown at the largess, shut the door gently, then open up the freezer.
More food.  Two more packs of chicken, frozen ground beef, frozen pasta, frozen waffles.  Two cakes, the kind that you set out on the counter to thaw, then eat.
You frown deeper, check the pantry, and it’s stuffed with staples too.  Fresh bread.  Muffins.  A pound…no, five pounds of whole bean coffee, ready for the grinder.
“Why did Santi go into town again?” you ask Frankie softly, and he can tell from the look on your face that you know something is up, but you haven’t put it together yet because you always think the best of people. 
Frankie hates to be the one to break it to you, but he sighs, swipes his baseball hat from his head.  He runs his fingers through his hair, tugging against the knots in his curls, then spits out, “they set us up, sweetheart.”
You blink at him, and your face twists into an expression of confusion.
“Huh?” is all you can say, and Frankie hates that this becomes your first fight as the guys’ treachery has foisted everything to the forefront.
-----
The fight is this:
Frankie prowls the house for more instances of treachery.  You follow in his footsteps, anxious, chirping about how you don’t understand, asking him to explain, and how can he?  How can he admit that Santiago Garcia, supreme asshole for the ages, is trying to force him to admit his feelings for you?  That Benny and Will are in on it?  That he walked right into this goddamned trap despite the weird queasiness in his gut, and you’re too goddamned sweet to even realize that you’re a victim to this plot too?
Further instance of treachery.  The house has only two bedrooms, and one has been recently dismantled.  Frankie can see the indents on the carpeting where the bed frame used to be.  The room stands half-empty:  no bed, but a dresser and two nightstands. 
Super fucking obvious, he thinks bitterly.  Will or Benny or both must have come up days before and taken the bed apart, stashed it somewhere.
Leaving only one bed.
There’s a couch in the living room, but the living room has high ceilings, big picture windows…and it is cold.  Frankie has tried the thermostat a few times, but it’s locked.  It’s set at a cool 60 degrees.  Not enough to kill anyone, but enough to make people uncomfortable.  Make ‘em more willing to snuggle up, to share that one bed at night, to seek out each other’s body heat—
“Fucking asshole,” he mutters, but a beat later, he catches a surprised, wounded look on your face and amends, “no, not you.  Pope.”
And that’s the start of the fight.  The first fight he’s ever had with you, and it makes the queasiness in his gut intensify.  You want an explanation, an answer to why, and Frankie can’t—won’t—give it.
“But it doesn’t make sense that he’d abandon us,” you point out reasonably.  “Why would he do that?”
Frankie grits his teeth.  “I don’t know.”
“Let me try to call him.  He’s probably just lost.”
Frankie watches as you tap your phone.  Listens to it ringing, then going to Pope’s voicemail.  He listens as you leave a message (hey, not sure where you are, hope you’re not lost, ha ha).  Watches as you end the call, then look at him, those big trusting eyes on him.
“Maybe you should try to call,” you tell him.
Grits his teeth more.  “I already did.”
“Try again, maybe?”
“He’s not lost.  He’s not in a ditch somewhere.  He left us here on purpose.”
You lift your hands helplessly, let them drop.  “But that doesn’t make any sense!”
Frankie crosses his arms, shakes his head.  “That’s what it is.”
“But why?”
He doesn’t answer.  He tries to school his expression and give nothing away, and he must not, because you watch him for a second, then pull your phone out of your pocket again.
“I’m going to try him again.”
It goes like this for a torturous hour.  You sounds almost like a child with the constant “why’s” and you refuse to believe that you could be the victim in a set-up like this, and something in Frankie snaps. 
He’s tired from two days on the road, tired of being so close to you for two days and not having the courage to say something, to make a move.  He’s tired of being so weak, but he knows he’s not good enough for you.  He had nothing to offer you.  And now he's furious that it’s all been dragged into the light regardless of his wishes, and you’re too damned sweet to catch what’s really going on.
“Pope had no intention of staying,” Frankie finally barks at you, and he marches over to where Pope’s duffel bag sits.  He kneels down and unzips it violently, tears the damned thing open and dumps out its contents.  A set of dirty clothes that Pope wore the first day of the drive up.  A travel sized toothpaste.  A cheap toothbrush.  A tiny stick of deodorant.  Nothing more.  No extra clothes, no phone charger, no book for when he got bored at night and couldn’t sleep.  Frankie guesses that he had a second bag stashed somewhere in the bed of his truck, and he’s probably either flying back to Florida by now or posted up in some hotel while you and Frankie…do what, exactly?  Admit your undying love for each other?  Bare your hearts to each other?  Set a wedding date and start thinking about seating arrangements for the reception?
“It doesn’t—” you start, but he snaps again, cuts you off.
“It doesn’t make sense,” he mimics in your voice, and you look stung.  You recoil a fraction, and Frankie keeps going, leans into the bubbling bad feelings coursing through him.
“Of course it makes sense,” he continues.  “The guys?  They think we should be together.  This is their fucking stupid way of pushing us together.  Fucking matchmakers!  They probably planned it for weeks, oh let’s get the two of them together in the middle of fucking nowhere, make sure there’s only one goddamned bed!”
“That doesn’t,” you start, but you catch yourself, and he sees the way you swallow hard, shake your head.  Frankie swears he can feel the “why” creeping up your throat, but you press your lips together in a thin line and say nothing.
The silence between you builds too long, and the feelings are too unbalanced.  Frankie’s anger, your confusion.  He watches you, wary, and you stare down at a spot on the floor, and eventually you shake your head again, turn away from him, and disappear into the bedroom that has no bed.
He should follow, he knows, but he doesn’t.  Instead, he goes to the bedroom with a bed, and he perches on the edge with his head in his hands. 
How did he fuck this up too?  He’s fucked up everything good in his life:  his career, his first marriage, his relationships with his family. 
He could have taken a breath, calmed himself.  He could have gone to the bathroom and worked through his mindfulness exercises he learned in group.  He could have pulled himself together, then talked to you.  Laughed about it.  Could have put you at ease.
Because what he did?  He snapped, he lashed out, and worst of all:  he acted upset at the prospect of the two of you as a couple, and he knows that you’re sitting in the other room right now, embarrassed.  Probably even hurt that the idea of the guys setting you up made Frankie so angry.
-----
He pulls himself together long moments later, and when he leaves the room, the door to the guest room is open and the room is empty.
Frankie finds you in the kitchen.  You’re pouring yourself a bowl of cereal.  You don’t turn to greet him, but you must know he’s there because your shoulders hunch a bit, like you’re expecting a blow.
Frankie can’t remember the last time he’s felt like such a piece of shit.
He opens his mouth to apologize, but you get your words out first.  Back still to him, the clink of your spoon in the bowl as you stir in the milk, you tell him that you have a plan.  That you’ll be out of his hair first thing in the morning.
“I have a friend in Portland,” you say.  Your voice is curiously flat.  “She can come and pick me up tomorrow.  Once I’m situated elsewhere, I’ll shoot a text to Pope.”  A beat.  “I know he’s reading them, so maybe once he knows I’m gone, he’ll come get you too.”
“Sweetheart—”
“No.”  You shake your head hard.  You turn around and look at him, and your gaze is flat too.  Emotionless.  You’ve slipped a mask on to cover the hurt, and Frankie’s never seen you so unlike yourself. 
“This is my fault,” you tell him.  “Pope knows I had a thing for you, and he must have thought he was doing me a favor.  He clearly misread it, so please don’t be mad at him.  Just…let it go, okay?”
Frankie’s heart does a dangerous stutter step in his chest, a fluttery sensation like a trapped bird.  You have a thing for him?  Since when?  No, you’re reading it all wrong.  You must be.
“Sweetheart—”
You cut him off again, and the mask slips just a little.  Enough for Frankie to see the hurt there when you hiss, “don’t.  Don’t call me that.”
“But I—”
“The thought of being alone with me is suddenly so awful—”
His heart is racing now; he feels sick to his stomach, dizzy, like his blood pressure is shooting up or dropping, he can’t tell, but he feels sick that he’s got it so damned wrong, that you both have, and he takes a step towards you.  You try to back away but hit the counter behind you, and he grasps your upper arms gently.  He holds you still and stares at you as you struggle to keep the mask on, to stop from crying in front of him.
“Stop.  Sweetheart, stop.  Pope did this for me.  Not you.  He…I…shit.”  He drops his head, drops his hold on you.  “I got drunk one night when my ex and I had just gotten divorced.  Pope took me out, got me wasted to drown my sorrows, and I…it just came out.  I never meant to tell him.  I know I could never deserve someone like you, but I was single and you were single, and you were….you are always so nice to me.  You never make me feel like a failure, and I was drunk and rambling about how I wanted to be a better person, a better man, maybe become someone who could deserve you, and Pope…I made him swear to never say a word, but he…I mean, you know him.  You know what he’s like.”
It makes a smile, tremulous, creep across your face.  “He’s like a dog with a bone.”
“He never fucking lets anything go.”  Frankie sighs, scrubs his face with his hands.  “And now this.  I didn’t mean to snap.  I’m sorry.  Fuck.  I’ve messed it all up…”
He trails off, shuts his eyes.  He can’t bear to look at you.  You must be so disappointed in him.  You’ll leave in the  morning with your friend, and he’ll eventually see you back in Florida probably, but it will never be the same.  It’s ruined, all of it—your friendship, any future opportunities he might have had to make it more—
“Do you want a bowl of cereal?”  The mundane question cuts through his maudlin spiral, and when he opens his eyes, you’re gazing back at him.  The mask is gone, and you’re smiling at him. 
“Seriously?”
“Lots to choose from.  Lucky Charms.  Cap’n Crunch.  Cocoa Pebbles.  Corn Flakes.”
Frankie snorts softly.  “They really stocked the place up for us.”
“We’d never eat this much in a month, let alone a couple of weeks.”  Your smile slips a little, and you add, “their hearts were in the right place.”
He hates to admit it, but he nods.  Agrees. 
“Will you stay?” he asks you.  “Call your friend and tell her not to come?  It doesn’t have to be a thing.  We can pretend this never happened, this fight.  But I’d like you to stay.”
“I don’t think I can pretend it never happened, Frankie.”  You pause, study him.  “What you told Pope when you were drunk.  Do you still feel that way?”
Frankie nods again.  He can’t say it, because once he starts, he won’t be able to stop himself.  He’ll go on and on, creep you out by admitting that he thinks about you all the time, that he dreams about you.  That sitting beside you from Florida to Maine for the past two days was the most exquisite torture, that the motel in Pennsylvania held him for an entire sleepless night as he tossed and turned and imagined you in the next room.  That he loves you, and the fact of his love for you scares him because he’s never felt like he had so much to lose, and you’re not even his.
But maybe you could be his after all, because you smile at him.  You tilt your head and reach out to take his hand in yours—his hand clasped between both of yours, and your fingers are cold, so he lifts his other hand and cups both of yours instead to warm you up.
“Pope always told me I had you all wrong,” you admit.  “He kept pushing me to make a move and I always said I wasn’t your type.”
Frankie grins at that.  “What’s my type, exactly?”
A shrug, a rueful smile.  “I think it was just a way of protecting myself.  It’s scary to put yourself out there.  Felt safer, I guess, just pining in silence.”
“While I pined in silence too.”
“We might be stupid, Frankie.”
He chuckles.  “Possibly.”  He studies your face; he sees the blatant hope in your expression and his stomach does a terrific flip-flop because he knows, all at once, that this is it.  So he presses his earlier question, asks if you’ll call your friend to cancel your ride and stay with him instead.
You grin at him, nod.  Say you’ll text her in a minute.  Frankie—possibly stupid—starts to think why not text her now, but he doesn’t get to ask you because you’re already moving towards him—rocking onto your toes, tilting your head towards his, and when your lips find his, when you slot your mouth over his and finally kiss him, Frankie knows he’ll never be mad at Pope or the Miller brothers, because they worked out this golden opportunity for the two of you to finally be together.
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afewfantasies · 5 months ago
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🏔️The Retreat 🏔️- Chapter VI
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Prologue | Chapter I | Chapter II | Chapter III | Chapter IV | Chapter V | Misc references & details
Summary: Lorena and Gale make strides during the last bit of winter prep. Gale finally reveals his heart and goals to Lorena, to her surprise its music to her ears.
Pairing: Gale Cleven x Lorena (black fem oc)
Warnings:  None
Tropes: Slow Burn, opposites attract, forbidden love
Word Count: 2.1K
Lorena listens from her bedroom as the wind howls outside. The familiar sounds of Gale’s footsteps on the wood floors can be heard from where she lay as he did his nightly check of the homes interior. A quilt lays over her now, a far cry from what was required in the summer. Lorena counts the twelve steps and holds her breath laying silently in the dark as Gale takes another ten steps to her door. It was a staple every night, perhaps a habit from the war. Lately, things between them have evolved. Gale hovers. He lingers in the doorway for a few moments before heading back down the hall to his room. Leaving Lorena’s heart racing for those moments and thereafter. The words of Rose and the implications from Felicia, her sister had been adding up. Lorena hadn’t run away to find anyone, she wasn’t looking for anything besides a refuge and peace of mind. Gale’s retreat had been somewhat of a happy miracle but now her mind can’t help but wonder if it’s more. Her once peaceful sleep; is restless as she tosses and turns at the memory of how it felt to be held. To exist in a mans arms, wrapped in his embraces, covered in his scent, completely at ease and his. But things had changed, Lorena wasn’t a girl anymore, she’d grown in to a woman and so it meant even more. Whomever she decided to be with wouldn’t just have a slab of marble to be molded at their leisure. Lorena had years to chip away at the stone herself, creating someone she could be proud of.
When morning comes too soon Lorena dumps her thoughts into a journal after freshening up and is surprised to see Gale sitting at the table when she emerges.
“I was just about to come up and check on you” he says with an aromatic black coffee in hand.
“Good morning, You didn’t sleep much either I take it” Lo smiles pointing at his cup.
“The wind was relentless, maybe we cleared too many trees” he suggests.
“Maybe” Lorena shrugs. “So what’s on the agenda for the day?” She asks.
“We have no visitors, I thought maybe we could go into town and get you a couple more sweaters” Gale shrugs with a spark in his eye.
“You really do not have any faith in me lasting the winter” Lorena remarks taking her seat at the two person table. A smirk plays on Gales lips. Neither of them had realized how the house was furnished for two suddenly felt like a home, nor had Gale realized how Lorena had come in and filled the empty space.
“I have plenty of faith in you. I know myself and I won’t be able handle seeing you suffer well. You’re stubborn enough to freeze while making a point” Gale says knowing her well.
“Sometimes Gale Cleven, you're a sweet man. Let me take this upstairs and get myself together” Lorena smiles taking her plate. As she turns Gale sits with a fresh blush on his cheeks. He takes a moment before heading out to pack up his truck. It was getting harder and harder for him to keep his thoughts away from Lorena and him being more than friends. There was a beautiful women sharing his home with him. Arguably the most beautiful woman he’d ever known, inside and out.
“Gale!” He hears her shout. “Get in here! I’m not going into town with your hair like that!” She continues from the window.
Mumbling curses under his breath Gale makes his way into the house and upstairs into her makeshift beauty parlour. He sits without another word. Lorena wraps a cape around him before running her hand through his overgrown hair. Gale watches her in the mirror as she combs up and clips his hair until it’s neatly coiffed and styled. Watching Lorena in her element had quickly become one of Gale’s favourite pastimes.
“’There, now you’ll get the fanfare you deserve.” Lorena winks patting his shoulder. Standing Gale admires himself in the mirror. He reaches into his pocket to get out money to pay for the service.
Lorena scoffs, “Don’t be silly Gale, we’re friends” 
“Exactly” Gale says taking her wrist and placing the payment in it. The contact catches both of them in a moment. Swallowing Lorena breaks the intense eye contact.
“Let me get my purse thanks” she mumbles.
Rose’s words haunt Lorena as she heads down to the car where Gale waits beside the open passenger door looking like one of the men in the pictures. The stakes of reading him wrong were insurmountable levels of shame. The radio plays for the  entirety of the drive into town. Instead of one of the ugly sweaters on display Lorena buys a few balls of wool yarn and dye hoping to learn how to knit from Rose. Gale searches for his own things paying for everything and putting them in his truck. It’s nearly sunset when they decide to head into the cinema. Gale holds the popcorn as whispers begin about the recluse on a date. Lorena hears the chatter and does her best to ignore it. Both of them sit uncomfortable with the newness of the experience. Neither of them had ever had to guess whether or not someone was interested in them. No one had ever been reserved or shy about their affections. The sound of Lorena’s laughter brings him back to the moment. Stretching he places an arm around her for comfort. Lorena scoots into him instinctively.
“Thanks for today Gale, I had fun” she confesses.
“Might be the last time before weather turns but if we can make it down before then, I’d be happy to bring you” he offers.
“Cleven” a man says approaching. Gale turns to face him. “I have some mail in for you. I just thought I could save myself a trip”
“Fair enough” Gale nods and the man procures a stack of letters.
“Is this the mail for everyone?” Gale asks.
“Yes all residents on the lake” the postman responds. “Thank you, good evening Mr. Cleven, Miss” the young man nods tipping his cap. Lorena organizes mail stack as Gale drives.
“He still writes…” Gale comments knowing the familiar brown envelopes that come from Reggie Lorena’s ex husband.
“Guilt” Lorena sighs missing the hint of possessiveness in Gale’s eyes.. “He can’t be disliked, my siblings are making it hard to carry on” Lorena sighs.
“If he apologized and asked you to come back would you?” Gale asks for the first time. But Lorena hadn’t run across the country to be chased, she had run to be forgotten. To disappear.
“Reggie’s too proud to beg and I do think he loves his new fiancé as much as it makes me sick.” She admits.
“He’d beg Lorena. He knows he’s messed up that’s why he still writes and sends you money.” Gale shares resentful of the distance each letter puts between them.
“Are you still in touch with your sweetheart?” Lorena asks and Gale swallows hard clutching the steering wheel.
“No, she made her choice clear. Her new fiancé forbids any correspondence.” Gale explains.
Lorena sighs, “I’m sorry” 
“Don’t be, she hates it here and made everyone miserable for the week she was here. Today she’d be fine and tomorrow I’d be worried about losing her. It was no good.” Gale confesses.
“All the other guys go into town for women and have trysts, has she sworn you off women or are you waiting for her?” Lorena asks curious.
“I’m not sworn off of women” Gale smiles omitting the uglier truths about his time at brothels before realizing his business kept him far more sated than paid pleasure ever could. “I don’t have a lot of time with the Retreat and women require time” he explains. 
“Women don’t require as much time as you think. I think that’s you Gale. With the exception of Bucky none of those guys really know you and you only started opening up to me after months of being here. You’re the most reserved and respectful man I know. It’s atypical - women aren’t taught how to read that” Lorena’s words are frank. 
With Gale there were none of the usual tell tale signs. The head-rush, the butterflies, the fiery lust that blurs your senses. Reggie had flicked on every switch within her in so little time but now as she sat across from Gale she was considering for the first time that it may not have been the whirlwind romance she once thought it was. Smiling Gales thoughts were oddly similar. He’d never come across a woman like Lorena. Instead of resting on her laurels she’d turned her entire life upside down.
“I tread lightly because you have a wicked temper” he says amused. Lorena’s cheeks burn. “If I say the wrong thing…” he teases.
“I won’t go upside your head Gale” Lorena chuckles. “You just met me when I was raw and very angry. You, Rose the Retreat have been good for me. Good to me. I can repay it in patience” Lorena confesses and Gale nods turning on the last stretch home.
“The next decade, if all goes well what does it look like to you?”
“Decade?! You really are a mad man if you can think that far ahead. I’m not clear on what I’ll wear tomorrow” Lorena objects.
Gale nods silently with a small smirk playing on his lips as he relaxes his grip on the wheel. “I want a staff to help me run the retreat. A finished barn so I can keep more animals. I want to expand the house and move the retreat to the other side of the lake for some privacy. I want life to be easy and peaceful.”
Closing her eyes Lorena can see it clearly. “You’ll have it all, but you’ve got to work on your communication if you’re gonna have a staff.” Gale smiles at Lorena’s jest as his heart burns to be brave and tell her the whole truth of vision for the future.
“My wife would handle the staff and I would handle them if they mishandled her” Gale says having thought it through already. Lorena found herself amused with that image.
“Fair enough and would I be welcome here in a decade?” She asks as he parks outside his home.
“Lorena, in a perfect world you never leave” Gale says with his eyes holding hers. Her mouth gapes and then closes as she tries to process. Blinking it takes a moment for the weight of his words to register. When she turns back Gale is sitting there still and waiting like always. In a perfect world you would never leave. A replay in his voice floats across her consciousness. Catching the meaning he nods in affirmation without any words before opening his car door. She waits seated hoping he will head in and let her recover but it’s not to be. Gale walks around the front of his truck to open her door. Looking down there he stands with a hand outreached for her as her heart races. Reaching out for Gale his hand closes around hers. Heading inside Gale lights the lamp only to be bombarded with a hug. Steadying himself Gale holds Lorena closer, tighter than ever before as he revels in the feeling and her sweet scent. She’d been so far from perfect these last few months and he still wanted her with him. Parting slowly Lorena looks up at Gale whose eyes rest on her lips.
“I’m gonna do right by you Lorena” he whispers running his hands over her hair. Looking up Lorena resigns herself to following his lead. Cupping the side of her face he kisses her forehead pulling her into another embrace. Resting against his chest she can feel his heart racing and hear its drumming. For the first time since the war the both of them feel like they’re settled and safe.
After freshening up Lorena is in her bed as Gale begins his checks. She counts the steps and when he gets to her door this time he waits for a moment longer than normal. She hears him whisper a goodnight before heading into his room. Looking up at the ceiling and around the room Lorena feels the distance between them too much.  Slipping into her house shoes she closes her robe heading over to Gales room. She finds the door open and sees Gale rise in his bed out of confusion. There are no words exchanged as Lorena climbs into bed beside him. The bed smells like his aftershave now his pillows would smell like her perfume. It takes a moment for Gale to move but when he does he pulls Lorena in close. Sliding his arm under hers as the big spoon. There was no more tossing or turning that night only sound sleep and deep appreciation.
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Authors Note: Back with another update for our favorite Major. Thanks in advance for all comments, likes and reblogs. Also if you made it this far my requests are open 😉 xoxo
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noonmutter · 6 months ago
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Theatre
DWC May 2024 Day 1: Mysterious/Appearance
"I know you hate basically everything about nobility and court and upper-crust behavior and all that, but... a public appearance?"
"What's wrong now?"
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"Normally you make appearances for your introduction at court. Not... like this." Shedwyn swept a hand toward the doorway, painfully aware that it was a ground-level entry point rather than a balcony overlooking anything. Or, more to the point, out of easy reach of anything.
Terry scoffed as he adjusted his coat. He'd conceded to wearing something a bit more ostentatious than his standard, but outright refused anything he'd labeled as actual frippery. A really good duster with a tiny bit of shiny metal and an admittedly very comfortable interior lining was acceptable; it was decorated, but not so much that it didn't serve its actual purpose as a coat.
"Th' court knows me better than th' people I'm supposed t' be carin' for by default. They get pictures an' a li'l dossier with a description an' some li'l warnin's about wot not t' say t' me well in advance, just like Rumpole did. They don't need an introduction, they just want it cuz it lets 'em gauge me as an asset."
Shedwyn was at her standard resting level of ostentation, glittering feathers adorning her shoulders before giving way to a light wool riding cape. Simple, but still very noticeable. It was never a matter of discomfort with the finer things; she could luxuriate with the best of them when she felt like it. But she'd been mugged exactly once, by someone who thought she was just a defenseless peasant rather than an incredibly dangerous mage, and that was plenty. She explicitly wanted her status to be known on sight, now. She avoided more inconveniences that way. This? This felt like running headlong into just such an inconvenience.
"I do get it, trust me. But we already know everyone in town on sight and by name, and--"
"No, you do. An' th' problem we're dealin' with now is tha' we keep gettin' more people ev'ry day, in numbers comp'rable t' wot th' orchard saw in about a month. We both need t' see an' be seen by 'em, an' we need t' do it now an' never stop."
Terry finally accepted that there was nothing left to adjust and gave the heavy duster a final, sharp downward snap before turning away from the mirror to face his wife properly. "I will not be th' kind o' noble I grew up despisin'. I want t' know th' people we're meant t' protect, an' I want them t' know us. If there's t' be any loyalty from any of 'em, I want it t' be t' faces an' names they know, not t' th' mysterious pricks in th' keep tha' collect taxes an' send watchmen."
Fighting down the immediate swell of immense pride she felt in her husband when he talked like that, Shedwyn quickly dusted away debris that wasn't there from her skirts. "I will concede that maybe you do have a point, with the sheer rate of new names and faces. You've been stuck here laying out plans for the keep, I've been stuck laying out plans for the new orchard as well as the old one back home. Even the children are starting to complain about it, according to Shu-fen."
Terry paused at that, then straightened up a little more. If he hadn't already been certain of the course he'd wanted to take, he was now. "Alright. Compromise."
Shedwyn knew better than to be hopeful; that word was always a trap from him. "Compromise?"
"We make this outin'. We shake 'ands, we kiss babies, we learn names, we extend minor favors, we invite some people tha' seem promisin.'"
"...and...?"
"An' then we're goin' back t' th' house fer a week."
"Sorry?"
Terry held his hand palm-down next to his head. "Our family." He dropped it a little bit. "Our people." A little bit more. "Th' crown an' th' court." And finally, next to his hip, "Ev'ryone else. Always. So we're gonna see our fam'ly an' be a fam'ly a while after we do this big t' do."
There was a pregnant, and expected, pause after Terry finished speaking, where he wasn't entirely sure Shedwyn was going to agree with him, burst into literal flames at him, or a secret third thing.
Then, she reached out with both of her hands to take the one he'd just used in his little demonstration, brought it to her lips, and made a soft little humming sound.
"Um. Is tha' a yes?"
Shedwyn cracked up, dropping her head to bump her forehead against his captured fingers instead. Finally, she sighed, "Yes, my idiot, it's a yes. Let's go be nobles so we can go be parents."
---
There was only one attempt on either of them, and to be expected for the very first one, it'd been on Terry. And because neither they, nor Shu-fen, were stupid, it was allowed to happen. Examples had to be made, and it was best to do so early on in as clear a message as possible.
So, when the knife had come flying toward him, Terry leaned back on his bootheel, allowing himself to catch the blade and spin gently with the momentum of it to throw it straight back where it'd come from. It was a stupid, risky, flashy, energy-wasting trick, but it got the point across when it thudded into a post right next to the very surprised would-be assassin's face. They'd be interested to find out later which shocked the fellow more: the knife, or immediately being clapped in irons by a few nondescript people appearing out of the woodwork right next to him.
The message was very simple: You're going to have to try a lot harder than that. And so will we.
@daily-writing-challenge @shedwyn
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redwolf · 1 year ago
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Interior design firm ARRCC has shared photos of a project they recently completed in Cape Town, South Africa, that included the updating of the interior and the addition of a new garden pavilion.
The home, originally designed by Antonio Zaninovic, also received a conversion and extension of a bedroom on the upper level to create a penthouse main suite -- via Contemporist
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mariacallous · 1 year ago
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Authorities are working on “all possible versions” regarding the murder in broad daylight of influential Bulgarian business figure Alexei Petrov while police are still researching the crime scene, media reported on Thursday.
“The version that the murder was ordered by people close to him has not been ruled out,” reported bTV channel.
In the meantime, MP Atanas Atanasov demanded a high-level meeting on national security following the murder.
On Wednesday, representatives of the Prosecution and the Ministry of Interior gave a briefing where they said that witnesses are being questioned but without giving any further update on the possible motive or type of weapon used.
Petrov was shot dead on Wednesday along with an as yet unidentified woman who is now confirmed to have survived the attack. They were in the presence of three bodyguards, walking around a forest route in Sofia’s Vitosha mountain, near Dragalevski neighbourhood where Petrov lived.
Bulgarian National Television reported on Thursday that Petrov was not expecting any danger and his security was behind him. 
This is the latest killing of an influential figure with alleged criminal ties from the same generation. On May 25, Krassimir Kanev “Kyro”, along with three other people, was shot dead in his home in Cape Town, South Africa.
Some experts see a possible tie between the killings. Politicians and commentators have also adopted the phrase that Bulgaria is “returning to the 1990s” because of the increased attacks on organised crime figures, symptomatic of internal conflicts.
“The mobster years have never gone away,” commented Democratic Bulgaria MP Ivaylo Mirchev on Wednesday. 
“Key figures who knew and remembered quite a lot are now going away,” investigative journalist Miroluba Benatova told Bulgarian National Radio on Thursday, adding: “Everyone is surprised by this murder. Such turnouts are not to be expected, especially when it concerns such an influential figure who has been through everything.”
Petrov, sometimes nicknamed “The Tractor” for his imposing character, was born in 1962. He graduated from the police academy in Pazardzhik in 1981 and worked as part of Bulgaria’s anti-terorrism unit during the last decade of the Communist regime as well as in the structures of the repressive state security apparatus, including as an undercover agent.
In the early 1990s, some members of the former police entered the private sector through insurance and security firms. Petrov was part of this trend. These firms are now often associated with organised crime, political influence and assassinations of other influential figures in the late-1890s and early-2000s. 
There were previous assassination attempts against Petrov in 1998, 2002 and 2015, all ending without conclusive investigations.
“After the turbulent 1990s, Petrov underwent a metamorphosis, typical of many similar individuals in Eastern Europe in that transitional era. He began to gradually make his business more transparent, as well as entering official relations with state institutions,” wrote Capital Weekly newspaper.
It noted that Petrov was one of the supporters of future Sofia mayor, three-time Prime Minister and GERB party leader Boyko Borissov – who also developed businesses in security, was once a bodyguard to Communist leader Todor Zhivkov in the 1990s and in 1998 had shares in a firm along with Petrov. 
Despite this connection, in 2010, Petrov was briefly arrested as part of a raid against an organised crime group, and in 2011 was investigated for bribery, corruption and extorsion among other charges. He denied wrongdoing, was later cleared and successfully counter-sued the state for 21 million euro in damages.
On February 17, in a TV interview, Borissov said he and Petrov “we were always opponents, although not enemies” and credited him with preventing a terrorist attack in Sofia in the mid-1980s without providing further details. 
In 2011 Petrov founded the major insurance company Lev Ins.
Petrov was also a lecturer on national and cyber security at Sofia’s University of National and World Economy as well as at Plovdiv University. His rich biography includes positions such being the President of Bulgaria’s karate association. 
In his most recent interviews, Petrov was critical of the current politics of GERB and was also in favour of the ousting of Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev, who was a subject of an attack in May.
Borissov has yet to comment on the murder.
Opponents of the current coalition, such as former GERB member and Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov and recent interim Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev, noted in their first statements that Petrov was instrumental in the creation of the current cabinet, featuring two opposing blocks.
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alteredstatesstuff · 1 year ago
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The Amazing Ways AI Makes Shopping an Extraordinary Adventure
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Hey there, young shoppers! Get ready to embark on a thrilling shopping adventure where AI takes center stage. In this article, we'll explore how AI, the shopping superhero, makes your shopping experience out-of-this-world fantastic. From personalized recommendations to speedy customer support, AI has some incredible tricks up its sleeve. So, put on your shopping capes and let's discover the 15 amazing ways AI enhances your shopping journey!
The AI Shopping Buddy: Imagine having a smart shopping buddy who knows your preferences and guides you through the virtual aisles, helping you find the perfect items.
Magical Personalization: AI uses its superpowers to tailor recommendations based on your unique tastes and past shopping behavior. It's like having a personal shopper who knows exactly what you love!
Discovering Hidden Gems: AI uncovers hidden treasures by suggesting items you may have never considered, but that perfectly match your style. It's like finding a hidden treasure chest filled with surprises!
Super-Fast Searches: AI speeds up your search process, quickly finding the products you desire. It's like having a super-fast shopping genie who grants your wishes in the blink of an eye!
Chatbot Superheroes: AI-powered chatbots provide instant answers to your questions, making shopping support available 24/7. It's like having a witty and knowledgeable shopping assistant at your fingertips!
Easy Returns and Exchanges: AI streamlines the returns and exchanges process, making it a breeze to get a refund or swap a product that didn't work out. It's like having a teleportation device that zaps your returns back to the store!
Smart Size Recommendations: AI analyzes data and customer reviews to help you find the perfect size for clothing and shoes, saving you from the hassle of returns. It's like having a size expert who knows your measurements better than you do!
Augmented Reality Magic: AI lets you try on virtual outfits or visualize how furniture will look in your space using augmented reality. It's like having a virtual dressing room or interior decorator right in your own home!
Price Comparison Wizards: AI scours the web for the best deals and discounts, saving you money and time. It's like having a bargain-hunting superhero who always finds the best price in town!
Super Secure Transactions: AI keeps your payment information safe and detects any suspicious activity, ensuring a secure shopping experience. It's like having a powerful shield protecting your financial information!
Personalized Loyalty Rewards: AI tracks your shopping habits and offers personalized rewards, like exclusive discounts or special offers. It's like being a member of a VIP club with secret perks just for you!
Voice Shopping Magic: AI-powered voice assistants, like Alexa or Google Assistant, let you shop hands-free, turning your spoken words into shopping commands. It's like having a personal shopping genie that fulfills your wishes with just a word!
Intelligent Reviews and Ratings: AI analyzes customer reviews and ratings to provide you with trustworthy insights about products. It's like having a team of experienced shoppers sharing their opinions and experiences.
Supercharged Recommendations: AI suggests complementary products or accessories based on your purchase history, making it easy to find items that go perfectly together. It's like having a fashion-savvy friend who always knows the best combinations!
Smile-Inducing Surprise Offers: AI surprises you with personalized promotions or unexpected gifts to make your shopping experience even more delightful. It's like receiving a surprise package filled with joy and excitement!
Conclusion: Congratulations, young shoppers, you've discovered the marvelous ways AI revolutionizes your shopping experience. From personalized recommendations to instant support and augmented reality magic, AI truly is a shopping superhero
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interiordesignza · 6 months ago
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Interior Decoration Ideas for Integrating Technology in Home Designs
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In today’s world, when we talk about anything “Smart,” we try to promote the idea of something being advanced and fall into the new generation. From having smartphones and smart appliances to smart homes. All these things mean that integrating technology with a product enables it to serve multiple functions at a time.
Nowadays, homes are also no different, with censor-based lights to automated shower systems. All these added a new dynamic in the life of people. Interior decorators from South Africa and also from other locations are now building on the trend and coming up with designs that will give a smart look and useability to the home.
In this blog, we will look at some of the design ideas and how a person can seamlessly blend the new designs in their home and create a unique living space for themselves.
Seamless Designs By Integrating Technology
Seamless designs are needed for the home, and through that one can give the new design feeling for their living room and the bedroom. While integrating technology in the home, the new interior designers try to keep things away from the visible sight but operatable within the range of the owners.
It gives a sleek and new look to the room, and through that, one can maintain the aristocracy and the need for keeping technology integrated with the interior designs. Here are some of the design ideas that a person can implement for their home’s interior designs. 
Concealed Technology for a Sleek Look
The first task for integrating technology into a room’s design is to make sure that the wires and other gadgets are properly concealed and covered. It will make the room look neat, and the devices will not seem out of place.
For example, a person can use motorized blinds that automatically retract to the ceiling to use changeable artwork in the room, which will change as the design of the room evolves. To make the home look smart, one must create a clutter-free environment that will show the minimalistic design of a tech-integrated home.
Creative Lighting Throughout the Home
The next important part of the décor is the creative lighting and placing those strategically. It’s a perfect way to set the ambiance of the room. For example, a person can hire Cape Town interior architectsv who are proficient in the work of creating new and creative designs for the room and integrating that with a censor-based technology that can change the color of the light as per the mood.
Next time a person is arranging a house party, then their lights can perform the magic. One can also remove switches from the wall and use voice controlled methods for switching on and off.
Integrating Technology with Natural Materials
The last and the most sophisticated idea is to integrate natural furniture but enable tech like wireless charging, which will make your room futuristic.
These are some of the most important aspects that a person needs to consider when they are thinking of building a smart home.
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ultimatepad · 1 year ago
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Wave Residence, Cape town, South Africa,
Courtesy: Omar Hakim
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uniqueeagletiger · 22 days ago
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The Benefits of Solar Blinds: Eco-Friendly Choices for Cape Town Homes
Introduction
In recent years, home design has increasingly embraced eco-friendly solutions, with solar blinds emerging as a frontrunner. As Cape Town residents become more conscious of their environmental impact, the need for sustainable choices in home decor grows stronger. This article explores The Benefits of Solar Blinds: Eco-Friendly Choices for Cape Town Homes, delving into their advantages in energy efficiency, aesthetics, and functionality.
Solar blinds not only help regulate indoor temperatures but also contribute to reducing energy consumption. They offer an innovative way to enjoy natural light while maintaining privacy and protecting against harmful UV rays. Let's delve deeper into why solar blinds are becoming a popular choice among homeowners in Cape Town.
What Are Solar Blinds? Definition of Solar Blinds
Solar blinds are specialized window coverings designed to filter sunlight while reducing glare and heat. Made from materials that allow natural light to enter while blocking harmful UV rays, they serve as an effective barrier against excessive sunlight without compromising your view.
How Do Solar Blinds Work?
Solar blinds utilize a unique fabric weave that creates a balance between light filtration and visibility. The design allows you to enjoy daylight while minimizing heat gain, making them ideal for warm climates like Cape Town. When installed correctly, these blinds can significantly ameliorate the effects of direct sunlight on your interiors.
The Benefits of Solar Blinds: Eco-Friendly Choices for Cape Town Homes Energy Efficiency Improvements
One of the most significant benefits of solar blinds is their ability to improve energy efficiency. By regulating indoor temperatures and reducing reliance on air conditioning systems, these window treatments can help lower energy bills—a crucial factor given the rising costs of electricity in South Africa.
Temperature Regulation Solar blinds effectively block out excess heat during summer months. They help retain warmth during winter, thereby creating a comfortable living environment year-round. Reduced Energy Consumption Homeowners can save on energy bills by lessening the use of heating and cooling systems. As a result, this translates into lower carbon footprints contributing positively to environmental conservation efforts. Enhanced Comfort Levels
Beyond just temperature control, solar blinds enhance overall comfort within a home:
Glare Reduction
These blinds minimize glare from direct sunlight, which can be particularly beneficial when watching TV or working on computers.
Privacy Without Compromising Views
Unlike traditional curtains, solar blinds allow homeowners to maintain their views while ensuring privacy from outside observers.
trusted blinds repair near me Stylish Aesthetic Options
Solar blinds come in various styles and colors to complement any interior design scheme:
Available in multiple textures and patterns. Customization options ensure that homeowners can find the perfect fit
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inhousedstudio · 19 days ago
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Unmatched Interior Design Services in Cape Town: Turning Spaces into Stories
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Interior design isn’t just about arranging furniture or picking the right paint color; it’s about transforming a blank canvas into a space that tells a story and serves a purpose. In Cape Town, a city rich in history and vibrant design culture, achieving this kind of transformation requires expertise, creativity, and a deep understanding of both form and function.
Yet, the challenge for many Cape Town residents and businesses lies in finding an interior design studio that can truly capture their unique vision. Spaces need to be functional, yes, but they also need to feel inviting, personal, and timeless. For a home, this means creating an oasis that reflects the owner’s personality, while for a commercial space, it’s about balancing brand identity with a practical, welcoming environment for clients and employees alike.
The Challenges of Interior Design in a Bustling City Like Cape Town
Cape Town’s design demands come with their own set of challenges. Residential projects often involve reimagining older spaces, adapting traditional layouts to meet modern lifestyles without compromising the charm and history of the structure. Commercial spaces, on the other hand, require a design that makes a strong first impression and accommodates high-traffic areas, often on a tight schedule and within specific budget constraints.
Additionally, there’s the task of integrating Cape Town’s unique landscape into the design. For many, the goal is to bring in the natural beauty of the city, reflecting Cape Town’s rich palette of coastal blues, earthy browns, and lush greens, all while keeping the space functional and comfortable.
Introducing Inhouse Design Studio: Elevating Cape Town’s Spaces
This is where Inhouse Design Studio shines. As a highly sought-after interior design company in Cape Town, they’ve built a reputation for tackling these challenges with style and sophistication. Inhouse Design Studio offers a full suite of interior design services for residential and commercial projects, bringing the best of local flavor and global design trends together.
A Closer Look at Inhouse Design Studio’s Offerings
Inhouse Design Studio provides an extensive range of services, all grounded in a thoughtful, client-centered approach:
Residential Design: Creating a home isn’t just about making it look good; it’s about making it feel good, too. Inhouse Design Studio’s team of skilled designers works closely with homeowners to craft spaces that are as comfortable as they are beautiful. They ensure every home reflects its owner’s personality while incorporating functional layouts and cozy elements that make each room inviting.
Commercial Spaces: When it comes to commercial interior design, Inhouse Design Studio understands that branding and functionality go hand-in-hand. They help companies create workplaces that inspire productivity and convey brand identity. Whether it’s an office, a retail store, or a hospitality venue, they bring a distinct flair that is both professional and inviting.
Interior Architecture and Customization: Inhouse Design Studio goes beyond simple decorating. Their team includes skilled interior architects who can redesign the layout of a space to make it more efficient and aesthetically pleasing. They also offer custom furniture and styling services, ensuring that every detail is perfectly aligned with the overall vision.
Why Inhouse Design Studio is Cape Town’s Go-To for Interior Design
Inhouse Design Studio has built a solid reputation not just for their design skills but for their commitment to understanding and fulfilling each client’s vision. Their portfolio reflects a wide array of successful projects across Cape Town, from elegant homes to dynamic commercial environments. With their expertise, you get more than a pretty space; you get a space that’s functional, thoughtful, and perfectly attuned to your needs. In a city as dynamic as Cape Town, finding an interior design company that can capture the essence of a place while meeting modern demands is a rare find. With Inhouse Design Studio, you’re choosing a team that transforms challenges into opportunities, crafting spaces that are as beautiful as they are functional. Whether you're looking to update your home or create a striking commercial environment, Inhouse Design Studio brings unmatched interior design services to Cape Town.
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decorworks · 2 months ago
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Eight home kitchens finished with tactile brick floors
Our latest lookbook collects eight houses from around the world that feature kitchens with tactile brick floors, including a mid-century home in the USA and a coastal dwelling in Denmark. Widely used for their durability and low maintenance, bricks are a long-time favourite material across the fields of architecture, interiors and design. They are most commonly used on walls and patios, but also popular as internal flooring because of their ability to add rich, earthy tones and tactile qualities to an interior.  While brick flooring may conjure up images of old rustic farmhouses, this roundup shows how they can also be adapted to suit contemporary homes around the world.  The examples below include those that have been arranged in herringbone format, used as a backdrop to oak cabinetry or designed to connect homes to their matching patios outside. This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring conversation pits, autumnal living rooms and lavish members' clubs.
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Photo by Carlos NaudeHacienda Granada, USA, by Working Holiday Studio Working Holiday Studio sought to create a "hacienda vibe" for this mid-century home that it overhauled in Los Angeles. Among the alterations was a revamp of the kitchen, which involved adding a floor of warm terracotta bricks handmade in Tijuana, Mexico, arranged in a herringbone format. They contribute to a warm and earthy aesthetic in the room, which is enhanced by dark green plaster walls and wooden joinery and furniture. Find out more about Hacienda Granada ›
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Photo by Agnese SanvitoGallery House, UK, by Neil Dusheiko Chunky reclaimed bricks extend down from the lower half of the walls of this kitchen and continue out across its floor. Designed by architect Neil Dusheiko for his father-in-law, the terracotta lining forms a backdrop to a wall of storage built from oak that displays ceramics, glassware and framed pictures. Find out more about Gallery House ›
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Photo by Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen of Norm ArchitectsFjord Boat House, Denmark, by Norm Architects Handmade ceramic bricks are inlaid across the floor of this kitchen, which Danish studio Norm Architects created at the Fjord Boat House in Denmark. Married with warm oak finishes and a custom washi-paper pendant lamp, the textured flooring is intended to contribute to a warm and cosy atmosphere. "A refined abundance of warm textures and hues are used throughout, creating a deep sense of cosiness and comfort," said Norm Architects. Find out more about Fjord Boat House ›
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Photo by David SouthwoodArklow Villa III, South Africa, by Douglas & Company During their renovation of a century-old house in Cape Town, architects Liani and Jan Douglas revamped the kitchen with a tactile material palette that includes brick flooring. The terracotta floor continues onto the adjoining patio and is teamed with a structure of exposed South African pine and bespoke wooden units finished with green marble counters. Find out more about Arklow Villa III ›
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Photo by Chris WhartonVinyl House, UK, by Benjamin Wilkes Elongated bricks are arranged in a herringbone formation across the floor of the Vinyl House extension, recently completed by British studio Benjamin Wilkes in London. Designed to help connect its kitchen area to the matching patio outside, the earthy flooring is complemented by warm wooden cabinetry and off-white terrazzo countertops. Find out more about Vinyl House ›
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Photo by Prue RuscoeBudge Over Dover, Australia, by YSG Terracotta brick was teamed with aged brass and tactile plaster across the interior of Budge Over Dover, a house in Australia renovated by YSG. Bricks line much of the ground floor, including its textured kitchen that is complete with a chunky prep counter made with a veiny marble countertop. Find out more about Budge Over Dover ›
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Photo by Jonas Bjerre-PoulsenHeatherhill Beach House, Denmark, by Norm Architects Norm Architects also opted for brick flooring in the kitchen of Heatherhill Beach House, a wooden holiday home on the Danish coast. It was designed as a contemporary twist on the traditional brick flooring found in Denmark. "The bricks are placed side by side instead of in the traditional pattern and have minimal cuts – instead, the grout size changes minimally to achieve a homogenous and harmonious look," the studio explained. Find out more about Heatherhill Beach House ›
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Photo by Fred HowarthCamberwell Cork House, UK, by Delve Architects A floor that acts as a continuation of the brick paving outside features in the open-plan kitchen of Camberwell Cork House, conceived by Delve Architects in London. Its design formed part of a wider strategy for the home that sought to better connect it to its garden. This is also achieved by introducing large green-framed windows that enhance sight lines and maximise natural light. Find out more about Camberwell Cork House › This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring conversation pits, autumnal living rooms and lavish members' clubs. Read the full article
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spaciousreasoning · 3 months ago
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A Visit to the Pacific Coast
Saturday morning’s blood sugar was up a couple of points to 164. Since we planned to get on the road early for our fifth anniversary trip, we only managed the Spelling Bee with our coffee. We did the other brain games when we got home this evening.
The first place we stopped was Our Daily Bread in Veneta, just a dozen miles west of Eugene, for a nice breakfast. During a brief conversation with one of the employees, we were saddened to learn that the place had been broken into four times in the last three months. They are now contemplating puts bars over all the windows.
Then we continued to Florence on OR 126 and turned north on OR 101. Before leaving Florence entirely behind we stopped for a cold brew at Ocean Grinds, a nice local coffee shop.
Just about 13 miles north of Florence is the state park where the Heceta Head Lighthouse is located. The lighthouse, built in 1894, is midway up a 205-foot-tall headland. The 56-foot-tall lighthouse shines a beam visible for 21 nautical miles, making it the strongest light on the Oregon Coast.
The light is maintained by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, while the assistant lighthouse keepers’ house, halfway up the headland, is operated as a bed-and-breakfast inn. It is maintained by the U.S. Forest Service, and there were tents in place for a wedding that was taking place later in the day.
The interior of the lighthouse itself was open, but only the first floor. A few exhibits were located there and in an adjacent building, and there was also a gift shop on the corner of the keepers’ house grounds. We bought a magnet for our fridge, and a sticker for granddaughter Kathleen and a pin for sister Deborah.
We also walked a little bit along the beach where Nancy picked up a few small pieces of driftwood, since the traditional fifth anniversary present is “wood.”
Then it was on to Yachats, where we spent a couple of hours walking check out some of the town. According to Oregon Geographic Names, the name comes from the Siletz language and means “dark water at the foot of the mountain.” It was originally named Oceanview. It was renamed Yachats in 1917.
The “Gem of the Oregon coast” has an official population of about 1,000, but the Yachats area has been inhabited for at least 1,500 years. Today, tourism is the city’s main industry.
On the way to a park overlooking the ocean we passed by the Little Log Church, a historical museum displaying Yachats artifacts. The church, built in 1926, was designed in the shape of a cross. The museum is now owned by the city, and the exterior logs are all being replaced due to rot. We did not visit the museum. We will save that for a future trip to Yachats.
A little after 3 p.m. we went to The Drift Inn for an early dinner. It was recommended by a couple of friends, and we were pleased with the food and atmosphere of the popular place. Nancy and I both got cheeseburgers and fries. Nancy got a local IPA.
According to a couple of pages of history included in the menu, The Drift Inn was built in 1929, with wood brought down the beach from Toledo, another 30 miles north along the coast. The bar “shut down” and became an ice cream parlor during prohibition, with a dance hall, drinking and card playing upstairs.
The Yachats Covered Bridge is about nine miles outside of town. Built in 1938 over the north fork of the Yachats River it was renovated in 1989 after an accident caused serious damage. At 42 feet long, the bridge is one of the shortest in Oregon and it is one of only two covered bridges in Lincoln County open to vehicular traffic. The bridge was on our list of things to see, but that will wait until our next visit to the area.
On the way back home, we drove up to see the Cape Perpetua Overlook. Cape Perpetua is a large forested headland projecting into the Pacific Ocean. The land is managed by the United States Forest Service as part of the Siuslaw National Forest. The cape was named by Captain James Cook on March 7, 1778, as he searched for the Pacific entrance to a Northwest Passage. Cook named the cape Perpetua because it was discovered on St. Perpetua’s Day.
At its highest point, Cape Perpetua rises to more than 800 feet above sea level. From its crest, you can see 70 miles of Oregon coastline and as far as 37 miles out to sea on a clear day. Unfortunately, by the time we reached the top, fog had enveloped us and we could see no more than a few yards from the viewpoint. We could still hear the waves crashing on the shore below.
We finally arrived home a little before 7 p.m., and shortly afterwards I took off for another walk around the neighborhood that went for two miles. Once home, we finished the evening with an episode of “Midsomer Murders.”
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