When Vusani from Native Décor contacted me regarding a give-away on lovilee I was amazed by his gorgeous hand finished products! By day he is a sales manager for an office consumables business and by night/weekend a mad craftsman with an eye for beautiful, natural creations. It was when his girlfriend bought him a cordless drill for valentines day in 2015 that it all started. He went on a power tools course and shortly after that embarked upon a frenzy of DIY projects. He just had to have a jig saw, scroll saw, circular saw, impact drill, planer, and a multi-tool for all the projects that she had found on Pinterest for him to bring to life.
How did Native Decor start?
I decided that I needed to take my DIY’ing up a notch and join a digital crafting community. After months of researching, I had a CNC machine built in Cape Town and had it couriered down by road freight. The machine arrived wrapped in bubble wrap – 1.5m x 1.2m wide. The plan was to have it sit on an old table in my living room and not take up much space. It took up about four square meters of my living room but I didn’t care because I had a CNC machine.
After making my first piece, I was convinced that this is was the right decision. My living room was caked in dust and my vacuum cleaner was working overtime. Many weekends of prototyping flew past. My neighbours didn’t complain about the noise and neither did my girlfriend (most of the designs were her brainchild so she was only too happy) so I pushed on and eventually completed my range. It was exhausting, frustrating, and expensive in so many ways. This machine had consumed my existence for what seemed to be the longest time. Everything was trial and error. It’s no wonder that it is said that starting a business will always be 3 times harder than you anticipated, take 3 times longer than you expected, and cost 3 times more than you had budgeted.
Once the website was complete and ready to launch, it all made sense and the first sale was simply the biggest rush ever! Some moments just can’t be relived.
Tell us more about the design process?
The current designs are brought to life with the help of a draughtsman who plays a vital role in figuring out the more technical aspects of how our designs fit together as most of them are flat-pack pieces. Once our designs are ready, we then make use of open source maker software to “speak” to the machine and tell it where to cut, when, and how. It gets a bit technical but really is a simple process once you get the hang of it. After digitally crafting, every item is then sanded down two to three times before it’s edges are coated with bees wax and then buffed down to create a smooth overall finish. This is where the love comes in. If you don’t love you’re product, this process can very quickly become a painful one.
What are the current best sellers in store?
The favourites in store are the Jock Desk Lamp, Caprice Coffee Pod Holders and the Calabash Desk lamp.
For more information or to purchase
Web: www.nativedecor.co.za
Facebook: Native Decor
Twitter: Native_Decor
Email: [email protected]
(Wholesale options also available)
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62 Comments
I would get the Jock desk lamp, it’s too cute
Thank you for the entry! Holding thumbs.
If I win, I will use the voucher towards the button and Mandela coasters. Love it!
Those are some of my favourites too!
Beautiful things, really love the lamps 🙂
Thank you for the entry! Holding thumbs.
Ooo I love these designs! I would love one of those wine bottle holders – they would look great on any table and even better when entertaining guests!
Totally agree!
Such an AMAZING giveaway…..thank you so much 🙂 I would buy with the voucher the Jock desk lamp…which is simply stunning. Fingers crossed.
Crossing fingers with you!
I love love love the reindeer wineholder!
Thank you for the entry! Holding thumbs.
A lamp for my new home without a doubt
Good choice!
I think I’d put the voucher towards a Calabash desk lamp – it’s gorgeous! Holding thumbs 🙂
I would invest in the Africa Coasters, they would add such a great touch in my home. The Wine holders are also Fab!
Id love to add the Calabash Desk Lamp to my new apartment which I just moved into with urgently needs some special lighting 🙂
The button coasters, they are so clever!
I would get the PENGUIN WINE HOLDER it’s so adorable:) also really loving the lamps.
Love the Mandela Coasters!
I would use the voucher towards buying stunning lamps …
Calabash Desk Lamp – Ill have to add a little extra moola to get this beauty ( but its worth it! )
The dog wine holder is super cute ! That would be on my list 🙂
It would have to be the Jock Desk Lamp – this is by far the cutest lamp I have ever laid eyes on. And what a conversation starter
I use the voucher to buy the Jock desk lamp
I think one of those desk lamps would work amazingly in my study! #love
Just love the Africa coasters. They’re so sleek and stylish 🙂
I would love the Mandela coasters. My husband admires him so much.
Love that reindeer. Ho ho ho!
I Love the Concept. Interesting architecture with natural material.
I would definitely get the set of Africa coasters for my bare glass coffee table.
The elephant wine holder is the best! Would definitely get that!
I’m in LOVE with the lights! Such a gorgeous range.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE everything but if I had to choose it would be the Calabash Desk lamp! Oh My Goodness, be still my beating heart <3
#lovelamps
I would buy the Reindeer Wine Bottle Holder – They are all fab!
The coasters are beautiful.??
GORGEOUS! Holding thumbs big time. I love the wine holders – all of them. And also the Mandela coasters. Such beautiful goodies 🙂
A fabulous range of products. Quirky and fun. Me likey a lot.
Thank you for always introducing us to such great products!
I love the Africa coasters, they are unique and beautiful and I’d love to have them in my home.
Thank you for always introducing us to such great products!
I love the Africa coasters, they are unique & beautiful and I’d love to have them in my home.
Wouldn’t know what to buy first…. but I do love love LOVE the button coasters….. Such a fun way to make sure my tables won’t get damaged….
Practical and beautiful designs
I love the Africa coasters.
i would get the JOCK DESK LAMP or one of the wine holders 🙂
I would buy me the Elephant Wine Bottle Holder
Adore the AFRICA coasters ♡ definitely would be my buy!
I’d buy the calabash desk lamp or the Africa coasters… I love anything symbolic of Africa
It’s a tough choice but I think the dog lamp is fabulous 😀
If I win the voucher I will buy the Black Crochet Mini Carpet.
Love the dog lamp but everything is beatiful
I would definitely get the quagga desk lamp
Oh wow these are amazing, I absolutely adore hand crafted products and wish vuyani all the best in his endevours
I would get the Africa Coasters
I absolutely LOVE the Africa coasters…I would definitely buy that!!
Oooh I love the Calabash desk lamp. It reminds me of a Protea which makes me smile!
I just love the Jock Desk Lamp. Stunning to see unique, creative work coming out of South African small business. All the best!
Love the bottle holders.. so stylish and unique
Ooh tough one… it’s a toss between the dog lamp and the Africa coasters 🙂
The Africa coasters are beautiful, rustic and rootsy, and the button coasters are exceptionally cute – I would definitely purchase these.
What unique products! Everything is beautiful!! I just love the jock lamp, but the reindeer wine holder is also amazing!! so hard to choose
love the Penguin Wine Holder
I would love to buy the Jock Desk Lamp