An essential guide for those dealing with the Cape Water Crisis and for general water saving in South and southern Africa, a notoriously water-scarce region.
Three provinces in South Africa have been declared national disaster zones because of drought. The way we think about water needs to change, and fast. This is especially true for those of us who have running water and flush sanitation piped into our homes. For millions of South Africans, water is already a precious resource that costs toil to collect and fuel to heat. Our middle-class expectations that water will gush steaming from our dozens of indoor taps 24/7 are going to look as bizarre to future generations as the spectacle of Cleopatra bathing in asses' milk. Our Roman-orgy relationship with water is over.

This book will hopefully help to alleviate water panic and distress. A “can-do” compendium, it's meant to be a guide, not prescriptive - not all solutions or tips are one-size-fits-all. Think of it as an ally in your fight to save water and part of your survival kit, along with the first-aid box; Valium for water-worriers.

This is a practical and useful guide to laying floors for any room in the house, using a variety of different materials. It includes practical tips for laying floorboards, wood panels, woodstrip, parquet, mosaics, vinyl, lino, cork and carpet. It is a useful guide to choosing the right flooring tools and materials for different rooms in the house. It includes preparation techniques for every surface. It shows how to remove old floor coverings, and how to sand, paint and varnish wooden floorboards. It highlights common flooring problems, such as cracks, uneven surfaces and dampness, and how to solve them. It includes decorative variations, such as distressed floorboards, rubber flooring and chequerboard effects. It shows techniques such as fitting around corners. The right design and style of flooring can dramatically change the appearance of any room. This book will help you choose appropriate materials for your floors that will harmonize with other furnishings, as well as advise on preparation, the equipment you will need and the technique to lay your particular floor. Clear step-by-step photographs show you the way.

It is a practical, illustrated guide to all the basic woodworking tasks, in step-by-step pictures. How to fit shelves and architraves, replace skirting boards and picture rails, fix cladding, hang doors, replace doors and drawers, and install door locks and security locks on windows. It offers practical information about different types of wood, boards, joints, hinges, fixtures and fittings. A guide to the hand tools, power tools and safety equipment you will need for working with wood. It offers basic steps on how to prepare and finish wood surfaces with stain, wax or paint, including helpful tips on staining and varnishing. Useful techniques include boxing-in pipes, tongue-and-grooved boarding, fixing cladding and replacing picture rails and dado rails. Most homes contain a large proportion of wood, either in the fabric of the building or as part of the internal fittings such as floors, skirting boards, window frames and shelves. This book will give you the information and confidence to tackle some of the repairs and maintenance that are always needed around the home. Do-it-yourself renovations can be satisfying, and will save you money.

What more appealing scene can you conjure up on a wintry day than a pair of comfortable armchairs pulled up to a crackling fire while wisps of smoke curl from the chimney top? All your senses are in use--the sight of the flickering flames, the sound of the crackling logs, the warmth on your face, and the fragrance and taste of wood smoke. The hearth truly is the essential core of every home, whether it is an actual fireplace or merely a mantel displaying the treasures and trophies of intertwined lives. Long past the days of strictly utilitarian purpose, fireplaces and stoves are a design feature in their own right. They are available in an array of styles, sizes, and colors; offer a variety of fuel choices; and feature benefits beyond mere aesthetics, including heat and cooking. Fireplaces and heat sources are also widely found in many rooms throughout the house, including the family or living room, bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom, as well as outdoors. And the latest innovations in fireplace and stove technologies make having one no longer an expensive proposition.
While the building market is seeing growth in the fireplace market, so too is the remodeling marketplace. In fact, many homeowners are refacing their existing fireplace, upgrading their wood fireplace to gas, or simply installing a new faux fireplace where there wasn't one before. In this book readers will find hundreds of examples of all types of indoor fireplaces--from wood to gas, freestanding, and ventless--and stoves, both wood and pellet. In addition to gorgeous photos of a full range of fireplace styles, materials, and decor for indoor and outdoor fireplaces and stoves, solid information on practical design considerations--maintaining a fireplace or stove, remodeling an existing fireplace, safety, converting a wood-burning fireplace to gas, and the like--are explained in detail, making this the only book on the market to offer the breadth of content on both the design and practical components of all types of the latest indoor and outdoor fireplaces and stoves. Aesthetic and practical design considerations for hearths and mantels, built-ins and storage, lighting, and accessories like screen, brooms, and bellows are also covered. A thorough glossary, resources, and index provide reference-like information.

This beautiful book is a complete guide to creating innovative flower designs for any occasion or setting. The 150 step-by-step projects are organized within sections on Fresh Flowers, Dried Flower and Flowers for Special Occasions. The designs use every kind of flower, foliage or natural decoration, and range from simple and restrained to rich and flamboyant. Projects include an Aurum Lily Vase, a Bride's Victorian Posy and a striking Flower Cone. Accessible to beginners, the range of ideas will challenge the most experienced flower designer. There is also advice on basic equipment, harvesting, seasonal availability and containers.

In 'n klein tuin is dit noodsaaklik dat die ruimte deeglik beplan en ook goed versorg word. Omdat 'n mens met 'n beperkte area te doen het, verander die ontwerpbeginsels ietwat, en kundige, praktiese gebruik van die beskikbare ruimte is dus essensieel.

A monograph on leading South African architecture studio SAOTA.

Light Space Life is the first monograph from internationally recognised South African architecture studio SAOTA, known for crafting exceptional modern buildings that forge powerful connections to their extraordinary settings. Presenting memorable and distinctive residences selected from its wide-ranging global output, the book celebrates thirty-five years of innovative residential design from Lagos to Los Angeles, including houses from the dramatic South African coast where it all began. SAOTA is led by Stefan Antoni, Philip Olmesdahl, Greg Truen, Philippe Fouche, Mark Bullivant and Logen Gordon, and has designed luxury residential and commercial projects on six continents. With reference to South African Modernism, and a grounding in the International style, its projects take advantage of wildly beautiful settings, and are rooted in place by the relationship between the building and its site. The practice cites spirit of enquiry and close examination of function and form as hallmarks of its work, as well as the use of the most current technology, including virtual reality, in its design processes. This monograph features twenty-three recent residential projects from around the world, with a particular focus on Africa, illustrated with colour photography and including a foreword by SAOTA's client Reni Folawiyo, founder of the West African fashion label, Alara.

Escape and unwind with this breathtaking collection of contemporary homes - each designed with relaxation in mind. Packed with the spirit of sanctuary, Architecture on Vacation is an inspiring showcase of spaces used exclusively for retreat and rejuvenation; from sun-drenched private islands and peaceful lakeside cottages to intimate mountain hideaways and secluded desert villas. This volume goes further than any other in search of the world's most desirable havens, featuring fabulous, architect-designed homes from across the globe, each illustrated inside and out with carefully curated photography emphasizing each home's stunning location.

A trove of master interior designer Tom Scheerer's latest projects in his signature style: sophisticated, yet relaxed and unpretentious. Tom Scheerer's second book, 16 of his latest projects are featured, including city houses and apartments in New York, Dallas, Houston, and Paris; summer houses in Nantucket, the Hamptons, and Maine; and tropical houses in Harbour Island, Antigua, and Abaco. Each project exudes a serenity and a sense of comfort and ease that derives from its perfect proportions combined with fresh, unpretentious beauty. It all seems completely effortless, belying the fierce intelligence and impeccable eye behind every decorating decision. Illustrated with Francesco Lagnese's luminous photographs, Tom Scheerer: More Decorating is a master class in interior design for aficionados and practiced professionals alike.

The international literary icon opens his eclectic closet and shares photos of his extensive unique personal T-shirt collection, accompanied by essays that reveal a side of the writer rarely seen by the public. Haruki Murakami's books have galvanized millions around the world. Many of his fans know about his 10,000-vinyl-record collection, and his obsession with running, but few have heard about a more intimate, and perhaps more unique, passion: his T-shirt-collecting habit. In Murakami T, the famously reclusive novelist shows us his T-shirts - including gems found in bookshops, charity shops and record stores - from those featuring whisky, animals, cars and superheroes, to souvenirs of marathons and a Beach Boys concert in Honolulu, to the shirt that inspired the beloved short story 'Tony Takitani'. Accompanied by short, frank essays that have been translated into English for the first time, these photographs reveal much about Murakami's multifaceted and wonderfully eccentric persona.

Tuinmaak is deur die eeue 'n baie besondere stokperdjie wat werklik alle aanslae oorleef het en deel geword het van tuiniers se leefwyse. In Suid-Afrika stel tuinmaak in al die streke van ons land unieke uitdagings aan ywerige tuiniers.

Só maak ons tuin - maand in en maand uit verdeel Suid-Afrika in vyf tuinstreke wat ooreenstem met die erkende klimaatstreke.

No project offers more aesthetic or financial satisfaction than DIY concrete and masonry projects. Homeowners can routinely save thousands of dollars in labor costs by buying and installing materials that are readily available. This updated 4th edition of Black & Decker The Complete Guide to Concrete & Masonry includes traditional techniques for laying concrete, adapted to make them easy for ordinary homeowners, and also features completely modern materials and techniques, such as tumbled concrete pavers, acid-etching for colored concrete slabs, and important green paving options, such as rain-garden arroyos and permeable pavers.
Several cutting-edge projects, like polished concrete countertops and stamped concrete walkways, are included in this book. An exposed aggregate patio, a reinforced concrete block wall, and the latest tools and materials for handling new products are featured. A completely new section on foundation walls shows you all the options, including the latest structural insulated panels, that are now more DIY friendly than ever.
No homeowner or do-it-yourselfer will want to miss this chance to master the best methods to create lasting beauty around the house.

The Black & Decker Complete Guide to Landscape Projects is a hardworking, comprehensive manual for renovating, building, and 'greening up' your landscape. Inside, you'll find complete directions for time-tested landscape building projects as well as new environmentally sustainable projects. From designing your landscape to putting the finishing touches on an arbor or custom gate, everything you need for landscaping success is right here.
Learn how to make and install: compost bins, garden walls, dry beds, rain gardens, water features and irrigation, patios and walkways, all the most popular styles of fencing, and more. You can build a sustainable, low-cost yard with the most efficient, cost-effective methods and products with the help of this book. Just because you live in the city and don't own a half-acre plot doesn't mean you can't have a spectacular landscape. In this updated, new edition you will find a special section just for small yards and urban settings. Jump right in and build the landscape of your dreams!