The IID AGM 2011

So here I am sitting at Joburg International Airport waiting to fly back to Durban. I have just been to the IID AGM, this was held at the Pretoria University yesterday the 1st November 2011.

Although the AGM did not reach Quorum so no voting could take place, the AGM went ahead with the very comprehensive IID presentation and the report on the Financials.

The presentation was given by Madelaine Biezanek, and it was truly impressive to see the strides that the IID has taken in the past year, for example:

1) Membership has increased by 12% in the last year

2) The IID has a new legal team giving members support and advice where required

3) The IID and the legal team have travelled to all the regions conducting seminars on the Consumer Protection Act that affects all out business activities

4) The Legal team has produced a standard contract that IID members can use

5) The IID legal team is working on a standard fee structure for IID designer and decorator members

6) The newsletter is being sent out and members are advised to make use of this advertising opportunity as well as to keep informed of what is happening in the industry through the use of the newsletter

7) The IID website is getting several hits from members of the public therefore this is also a valuable marketing opportunity for members

The new National Council was introduced to the members present at the AGM:

• Myself, Jocelyn Jones being the KZN Regional Head

• Helen Buhrs - Pretoria Regional Head

• Dave Nemeth – Johannesburg Regional Head

• Trish Strydom – Eastern Cape Regional Head

• Heidi Jager – Eastern Cape Regional Head

The National Office is made up of Secretary Stefan Blignaut, Executive Manager Madelaine Biezanek, Membership and Public Liaison Manager Fehmida Jordaan. Then of course there is the current President Desmond Laubscher. The new President Elect (due to take over from the current President when his term is up) is myself, Jocelyn Jones.

It has been great working with the above mentioned National Office and current President and I am looking forward to working closely with them this year and with the new National Council.

Now it is pretty much time to board my plane back to Durban. I will keep you updated with progress about the IID but for more information visit www.iidprofessions.com or www.jossi.co.za

ARTWORKS

If you love contemporary design (as I do) you will probably be tired of the same old framed prints you see at the traditional decorating shops and professional framing companies.
Don’t get me wrong, it is not that I do not like prints, I have bought and displayed these in homes before at clients’ requests, there is just something that is more inspiring about original artworks. I find that you can almost always tell the difference between a print and an original, there is just more depth in a genuine artwork and for reasons I cannot explain, they capture and hold your attention much more than a print.


I think many people out there feel that original artwork is just too expensive and therefore they go straight to a supplier of prints and get these framed.


However I am here to tell you that if you look around and keep am eye open at markets, furniture retailers, designer showrooms, even some restaurants and coffee shops display artworks to sell, then you will find something right up your street, whether it is contemporary or traditional that you are after.

 Here are some examples of contemporary artworks that I have displayed at the moment. The first one is actually a mass produced oil painting from @ Home. This might not be what everyone has in mind when I say “original” artwork but it is an oil painting (not a print) that has depth due to the thickness of the oil on the canvas. The only draw back here is that each one at the retailer looks identical to the next one, but unless all your friends shop at the same shop as you, you will probably get away with this and no one will know the difference (also this shop is continually changing stock).

The next artwork is a photograph that has been produced onto photo-board. This one does not have depth in terms of paint on canvas, but the colours are so vivid and move across the canvas to create a vibrant and totally original piece. This artwork was purchased from a furniture retailer in Johannesburg.

And finally there is a true original artwork which is a combination of watercolour and oil on the canvas. This one I had commissioned for my daughters bedroom. The artists go by the name AHHA, and they will come to your home and see the room where the artwork is to be hung. They bring with their colour fandeck and choose the colours on site so that the artwork will work in that space. You give them the concept that you have in mind or you can visit their website and get inspiration from their previous works www.ahha.co.za. I have used AHHA many times on the various homes and commercial spaces that Jossi Design has designed and decorated and I have been thrilled with the artwork every time.

The best thing about all 3 examples above, they are affordable. If you look around at all the retailers and establishments already mentioned and cannot find something that grabs you consider contacting someone to create the artwork for you as AHHA does, and they are not the only ones out there.

Take it from me, a print might seem to be inexpensive, but by the time you have had it professionally framed it has cost you the same as one of the above mentioned artworks.

All I am saying is don’t go straight for the prints, explore other options and then if you go back to the prints at least you know that you are sure about your purchase.

The Consumer Protection Act

The South African Institute of the Interior Design Professions (The IID Professions) held a workshop for its members last week on the Consumer Protect Act and how this affects those in the Interior Design and Decorating Field.


The IID has formed a close relationship with Write Rose-Innes Inc. Attorneys, who have travelled to the various regions and held these workshops for IID Members. Members who attended had the benefit of not only learning more about the Act and how it affects their businesses, but also got to ask some in depth questions and had many of their concerns put to rest.

The CPA seems to have become a word that creates fear in the hearts and minds of all those who run their own business. However the experiences I have had over the past few months with contractors and suppliers has left me disheartened and I can actually see why the CPA has come about. The consumer has put up with so much rubbish service for so long now that I think it has come to a head and the result is the dreaded CPA.
Some examples of the service I have received in our line of work recently on just one project:
1) My client saw a dining room table made of a stainless steel base and a glass top at a show recently in Durban. The client asked me to order this for her from the supplier at the show, but wanted the glass top in a 1600mm diameter top instead of triangular as seen at the show, the supplier agreed and I promptly ordered the table (in writing). Low and behold the table is delivered with a triangular glass top, but the supplier kindly wrote 1600mm diameter in black marker on the glass top. Perhaps he thought by writing it there the client would be fooled into thinking it was round!? Of course I complained, the top was removed by the supplier and a few weeks later a round top was delivered, but this was now a 1500mm diameter top – not the 1600mm diameter I ordered. Of course the client is now loosing patience and somehow this has become my problem (even though I didn’t even attend the show in question). So The 1500mm diameter glass top was removed and a few weeks later (now over a month late) a 1600mm diameter glass top arrives on site with a beveled edge (which I did not order but by this time I could not care that it was beveled), but the top edge of the glass was not polish… you could have cut your finger off on this glass edge it was so sharp. The glass top has now been rejected and another company is making this for us.

2) At the same house (the house is jinxed I tell you… jinxed!) I ordered a chaise with a right hand arm. We ordered the fabric, delivered it to the chaise manufacturer, but when it arrived we saw it was a left hand arm chaise. Of course this was duly returned. The upholsterer agreed to remake the chaise but wanted Jossi Design to pay for the new fabric… But why, we did not make the mistake! Of course we eventually got this concept through to the manufacturer and now a new chaise is being made, and lets hope it arrives with the arm on the right side.

3) Again at the same house… (I kid you not) 2 upholstered bed bases are delivered. They arrive with oil marks all over them, of course I send them back. They arrive again with the one now clean, however the other one is still marked and now has a tear in the fabric. When we complain the supplier collects the bed bases while the client is out, I later get a call from my very confused client to say that they collected the wrong bed base! They took the one that was perfect and left the damaged one behind. We had to wait 3 days for the bed base to be returned (complaining daily) and for the damaged one to be collected. The supplier has since called Jossi Design to complain that they now believe the fabric is inferior. I have tried repeatedly to tell them that not only is the fabric contract upholstery weight but each bed base had fabric for different fabric houses (surely the common denominator here is the supplier and not the fabric). But of course when a supplier wants to be stubborn you can argue till you are blue in the face and they will never admit that it might be a problem on their side. Somehow both fabric houses delivered marked fabric to the supplier, that makes much more sense!
What I want to know is, is there no quality inspection done BEFORE the items are delivered? Does no one take pride in their work today? This is just and example of what we deal with on one project, and I have at least 10 projects going at one time. It is incredibly frustrating.
All I can do is apologies constantly to my clients for things that are out of my control. No matter how well Jossi Design is run, no matter how hard we try to please our customers, it seems we are constantly being let down by our suppliers and contractors.
It is time for a change, perhaps the Consumer Protection Act is the answer, perhaps it is the dreaded monster we all fear. As it is still new and relatively untested, we will just have to wait and see.

Jossi Interior Design - last week of August 2011

We are making headway on the new bar/ lounge area that Jossi Interior Design is working on, this is on Florida Road in Front of Spiga D'oro but will be the Upstairs section.

It is always fun working with creative and passionate people, and this is definitely the case here.  We all want to see this come together so we are hard at work choosing pantone colours, fabrics, stain samples and finalising designs, as well as tweeking the budget of course!

Another of our projects is moving along, this is the house right on the beach in Glenashley.  The views from this house are fantastic and I can't wait to get the furniture and finishes in.

Yesterday I had a brief meeting with the client and the shopfitters for this same hosue, we finalised the designs of the Bedroom headboards, dressing tables, BICs and tv units.  The end result should be impressive.  I then forwarded on the paint colours for the exterior walls to the client, I am hoping to see the builder painting these samples on the walls next week so we can make some final decisions here.  Next week I need to look at the fabrics, carpeting, interior paint colours, wood finishes and sprayed supawood colours.  Lots to do!

And tomorrow I am meeting a client about their wallpaper options for their Lounge area of their House in Zimbali.  All the other rooms have been confirmed in terms of the decorating but now the entire lounge scheme hangs on their wallpaper decision.  And after this I am meeting a potential client on Silverton Road...

What a week!

Jossi Design, the IID and KZNIA

Jossi Design has been working closely with the IID regarding important seminars, contractual documents and legal matters that may concern IID designer and decorator members.

The IID has now managed to negotiate with their attorneys to host a seminar on the Consumer Protection Act and how this may affect Interior Designers and Decorators and the way they conduct business.

I am very happy that we have managed to bring this together. IID members are going to greatly benefit from this. I am also extremely happy that it has come about in time to be announced at the IID ZKN General Meeting this evening. This evening’s meeting is being hosted by Cobra Watertech and The Dawn Group. The Dawn Group are now founding members of the IID which is a great achievement and we look forward to a close working relationship there.

Jocelyn has also been busy speaking with KZNIA regarding their upcoming events and functions as this may be of interest to IID Members as well as Interior Designers and Decorators within the KZN Region. There are some upcoming functions that we are now greatly looking forward to such as the Annual Architectural Education Conference, this year’s theme is Architecture, Education and Housing. Speakers include Peter Rich (giving his Sopia Gray Lecture) and notable Mexican Architects Oscar Hagermann and Paloma Vera. This takes place on Thursday 15th September 2011 all day at the Innovations Centre, UKZN. Attendance fees to be approx. R650 for non-members. Kindly contact the KZNIA for more information.

For more information on the IID please visit www.iidprofessions.com and for KZNIA and their list of events and functions go to www.kznia.org.za