Interior design and décor is what makes a house a home, and we’re very lucky to have many talented interior designers right here in Umhlanga. We meet three of them and get to know more about their business and their favourite design trend for 2020.
Taryn Flanagan Interiors
Founded in 2012 by Taryn herself, Taryn Flanagan Interiors offers a bespoke service as a professional interior and design business. It is comprised of a small team of three talented and highly skilled women, who will do everything from the initial concept design and procurement to the final installation and placing of all furniture and window treatment. This interiors business prides itself on working closely as a team and with their clients, ensuring that every project becomes a personal and original piece of art.
Before starting her business, Taryn worked in the fashion industry with some of South Africa’s major retailers, which gave her invaluable experience in colour combinations, fabric compositions, proportions, production, pattern composition, negotiating and sourcing. Taryn Flanagan Interiors started mainly in residential renovations and room updates, but the business has now grown to work on large scale projects within the residential, hospitality and commercial sectors, along with smaller private home updates.
Taryn’s favourite project to date is working on the stunning Rhino Sands, a five-star boutique tented lodge in the breathtaking Manyoni Reserve in Zululand. “We were involved from the pegging of the site to the final tablescape. I think what made it so memorable for me was the clients. They set out a budget to start with, which makes it so much easier for a designer to work with. They also trusted me and my choices whole-heartedly and never questioned a single decision I made. This all shone through in the incredible end product. It is an art piece that I am exceptionally proud of.”
Under Taryn’s interior guidance, this bush lodge became an exquisite 1920s Cottar inspired camp, with furniture designed and manufactured specifically for the project and antiques flown in from India, North Africa and England.
What is Taryn’s favourite interior design trend for 2020? “I am loving mixing the old with the new. I feel this makes a house a home, and not just a show piece. The onslaught of COVID-19 has also changed the idea of what a home should be and how it should function, which has been such a positive thing in my opinion. Life is extremely busy, and we tend to overlook our home, but slowing down during the lockdown has made many re-evaluate how our home and its spaces, or even the pieces that live inside it, should function for us all. You can almost call COVID-19 the new design trend for 2020!”
031 001 1010
www.tarynflanaganinteriors.co.za
Facebook: @TarynFlanaganInteriors
Morley Miller Design Intelligence
The team at Morley Miller come with their own sparks of creativity and drive and they service the areas of Umhlanga, Ballito, Salt Rock, Hillcrest, and Kloof. Each of the designers has a different flare for their projects which serves well when it comes to bouncing ideas off one another to ultimately create the perfect space for their clients. “Each project we do comes with its own set of challenges and rewards. The greatest reward for our team is seeing our clients’ visions come to life whilst emulating their dream!” says Natasha Miller, the owner and founder who has years of experience and knowledge and a fierce passion for every design project she works on.
The clients at Morley Miller have a special relationship with the team as they get guided through the various stages of their new build. From start to finish the designers are fully committed and enthusiastic about every detail which is what makes their service so special. “Our designers understand that each client is unique and that their projects are not only extensions of their homes but personal reflections of who they are and how they like to live.”
They specialise in cabinetry designs found in kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms, bars, and the like. The process is simple: potential clients can call, email, or visit the team at their showroom to discuss what designs they would like to have done. The next step is to either arrange a meeting on site or submit a floor plan for the designers to work from. Thereafter the designers will meet with the client to present their ideas and discuss materials before finalising a quotation.
The Morley Miller team invites everyone to visit their beautiful showroom at Flanders Boutique Mall where the designers will be happy to assist you with creating a new space that will not only become an addition to your home but a fresh chapter in your life!
What’s trending in 2020? “Neolith has been a massive hit with the Morley Miller team this year. Neolith is an exceptionally durable sintered stone that can be used for various types of applications such as countertops, cladding on walls, floors, doors, and ventilated facades. This year the designers have used Neolith to create interesting island concepts, statement splashback pieces, and solid-appearing structures by cladding the doors of the cupboards.
14 Flanders Drive, Flanders Boutique Mall, Mount Edgecombe
031 110 0970
Facebook: @MorleyMillerDesign
Opus Design Studio
We understand that design is not just a creative discipline, it is in every decision we make, shaping our lives and environment around us.
Every brief is executed with a refined approach to design, delivering a professional, yet personal, service to our clients. We are a company that is always pushing its boundaries to exceed original expectations, aiming for corporate and personal growth, resulting in collaborative, responsive and successful design solutions for our clients. Our interior design services cover the entire construction process from start to finish.
Within our turnkey services, we offer spatial planning, lighting, electrical, ceiling, furniture and plumbing layouts as well as all specifications, joinery, fixtures and finishes (FF & E) for tender and construction purposes. Our interior decorating services involve a collaborative process, working closely with our clients to create interiors which balance the aesthetic integrity of each project with the needs and personality of our client. We design and source goods which are custom made, paired with beautiful fabrics and quality furniture.
This home did not need over-complicated or extravagant design features; we kept a natural and organic palette and worked with texture, honest materials and finishes. This home was a complete transformation, and was an extensive renovation with the first-floor addition for a master bedroom suite with a study, creating the slab for the lovely undercover verandah. The clients were overjoyed with the results and we had yet completed another dream, design, deliver project.
About the Project: La Lucia Home
A phrase to describe this property was ‘rough diamond’, found on the front row of a beachfront complex in La Lucia, Durban. The unit was 30 years old and in its original state, a gem waiting to display its full potential. The clients were a young professional couple who wanted to create their dream family home with modern finishes and open living. The home was to be designed to maximise space, light and ventilation through the living areas and bedrooms. The fresh, salty sea air brings relaxation and blissfulness to the home, which we echoed with the timber finishes, luxurious fabrics and mood lighting.
031 265 2991
www.opusdesign.co.za