Win A Home | Episode 15 | Lounge Judging
It's the final day of the final challenge on Win a Home, and it’s a nerve-wracking and emotional time for the design duos. It’s a frantic rush to get everything installed. Teams have had to use every resource available, from House and Leisure employing friends to put up televisions to an entire Caesarstone slab that Team Habitat had to pry off their guest bedroom wall. 'Team razzle-dazzle' manage to create a small watering hole space surrounded by Sally Chapman's wallpaper lions, they use leftover Caesarstone offcuts as shelving and the guest bed slab is transformed into a stylish bar counter.
Team VISI have left the feature wall rather late, but their palette of Plascon colours is increasingly adorning the walls along with a wine rack they’ve custom designed especially for the space. Colourful custom cement pendants are installed in Team House and Leisure's home and Truk lights hang in Team Habitat’s lounge. Brad and Abiah have also up-cycled barstools, that get their refreshed look from a lick of paint and some verdant reupholstery courtesy of Belgotex.
Although everyone is racing against the clock, Mpho still finds time to pop in to Team House and Leisure’s house. Banele and Tshepo have collaborated with artist Heidi Fourie and photographer Tatenda Chidora to create artwork for their lounge. It just so happens that they are also acquaintances of Mpho. He calls it 'checking in' but others call it spying! But before Mpho can get to see too much he's gently encouraged to leave his rivals’ still unfinished lounge.
Danilo arrives to warn the duos that their time is running out and discovers a mess outside Team House and Leisure’s living room. By contrast inside the furniture is in place but the multi-coloured walls are bare. They don't have the right tools for the job and need to find a little help to get art and decor pieces on to the walls.
While the duos should be bringing furniture in, the reverse happens with the Caesarstone bar countertop being carried out of Team Habitat’s living room. While a small section is being cut so the bartop can fit better, Brad and Abiah have to clean, organise and style their living room.
Finally, Danilo finds Team VISI’s lounge still empty! He decides to lend a hand and help carry in the last piece of the sofa. Although the room looks far from finished, all the pieces are in place and are simply being protected from the last bit of painting being done on the walls.
By 5pm, three very relieved and proud design duos emerge from their now completed living rooms. It’s quite emotional as this little design family walks through the Eye of Africa Estate reminiscing about the journey they have been on together.
In fact, the occasion is so emotional that the heavens also shed a few rainy tears to mark the judges arrival. Plascons colour expert Katlego Kondlo and Win a Home Season 1 Winner Donald Nxumalo are joined by the guest judge for this week: the acclaimed interior designer Stephen Pelleradem the CEO of Pellerade Design House.
Team Habitat’s lounge is the final flourish of their unconventional design style and they managed to include a partition, bar and lounge area into a relatively small living room. Their signature razzle dazzle elements are custom Truk lights, made from re-cycled truck air filters and designed by Stephen Pikus. which reflect off of the myriad of mirrors throughout the room. The judges first impression is that the space isn’t particularly comfortable or inviting. Katlego is saddened by the lack of editing in the design and Stephen Pellerade finds it quite cluttered. Donald, however, likes the lighting feature on the ceiling.
Team VISI’s lounge is the last piece of their 'concrete jungle' theme that they’ve employed throughout the home. They wanted to keep the room relaxed but still added an element of sophistication in the form of a signed David Ballam photograph, the feature wall and their unique mid-century armchair. Katlego is impressed with their choice of colour palette and their unique paint technique. Stephen compliments the duo on their use of space in the lounge, keeping it open and inviting. Donald feels they should have continued the monochromatic feel from the kitchen but enjoys the comfortable and airy space.
Team House and Leisure have employed the boldest use of colour in the competition. Their room showcases a trimvirate of complimentary colours that blend the lounge seamlessly into the kitchen. The duo chose beautiful timber furniture from Houtlander and once again showed off their fine curation skills with a selection of bespoke art pieces to give the room character. The judges immediately applaud the striking wall colours and pastel colour pendant lights. The international Scandi feel of the design aesthetic merging with African style and art impresses the judges but there’s one thing they struggle to overlook. There’s a broken television on the wall as a placeholder and it splits opinion about whether it’s a negative or a practical representation in the room.
The teams await the verdict with bated breath and Danilo draws out the tension of the winner announcement. Finally the winners are announced. Breaking the three way tie are: Team House and Leisure.
Although Team House and Leisure have one more challenge win over the other two duos, it might not influence the judges final verdict for the overall winner. That can only be decided by judging the overall design of the homes as whole finished units. The question still remains: which duo will win that R100,000 cash prize and be crowned design champions of Win a Home?
Make sure to cast your vote, in order to be able to win the grand prize.
Entries for the grand prize and team voting closes on Sunday 29 October at 23:59
Cast your vote at the Private Property website, here.
