The splendour and brilliance of decor was experienced in life-sized glory by thousands of visitors at the very first Grand Designs Live held in South Africa from the 21st to the 23nd May 2010 at the Coca Cola Dome in Northgate, Johannesburg. This consumer show, built on the success of the multi-award winning UK event, inspired, amazed and enthused South Africans with a wide array of decor ideas, cutting-edge design concepts and practical advice on how to turn a house into a home. And a beautiful one at that!

Umlilo Brands managed the branding activation for this 3-day show, developed the design themes for the four concept restaurants and executed the video production of the show. “It’s great when we get to bring in skills from our various divisions at one event”, says Warren Green, operations director of Umlilo Brands. “This gives good perspective on our full service offering and how it can maximise client spend”.

With four main feature offerings including Interiors, Build, Kitchens & Bathrooms and Gardens, Grand Designs Live enthralled visitors with top-notch South African creativity and innovation that combined new design products, interactivity and an eco-friendly message. “Grand Designs Live is the show for anyone with an interest in design, interiors, shopping, home wares, gardens, kitchens & bathrooms, build and innovation”, concludes Green.  “We believe that Grand Designs Live will be one of the premier consumer shows in South Africa”.