Johannesburg, Thursday January 12th, 2017-- Today, Furnitureshop.co.za introduced a revolutionary new way to connect furniture shoppers and craftsmen all across South Africa. Through Furniturespot, artisanal craftsmen get access to an online platform and shoppers finally are able to order their one-of-a-kind furniture with incredible ease. Why compromise, and buy expensive imported furniture from a big company, when you can have your furniture custom-made by local artisans at a fair price? Because local is lekker!

Only the best craftsmen are given access to the platform. Furniturespot’s makers make all types of furniture including tables, cabinets, chandeliers and even custom made braais.  

Furniturespot.co.za helps customers realise their furniture ideas by connecting them to talented artisanal craftsmen. Customers can upload a picture of their desired furniture they have seen on Pinterest or somewhere else. Furniturespot will send the customer three different quotations. Based on price and previous reviews, the customer decides which craftsman to take for the job.  

The founders of Furniturespot, Wouter and Lizet, spent months to find the best craftsmen Johannesburg has to offer for their platform. Wouter: “It took much more time than expected. We drove hundreds of kilometres in the city of Johannesburg. These artisanal craftsmen are difficult to find because they don’t have a website and there is no rating system available where you can pick the best furniture makers.”  

The founders got the idea when they were redecorating their home but couldn’t find what they were looking for. “It was either too expensive, too big, too small or just not the right colour. To create exactly the pieces we had in mind, we went custom. But we couldn’t find furniture makers to be trusted. This is how we got the idea to start Furniturespot.co.za,” said Lizet.  

Stimulating the local economy

Furniturespot.co.za wants to stimulate the local economy by bringing more business to craftsmen. Lizet: “When you go shopping at one of the major furniture stores you will find that most furniture is imported, and with a quality that is average at best. We believe that the lack of trust and the inconvenience to order custom made furniture are important factors for people not using local talent. Our platform connects talented artisanal craftsmen with all those customers looking for that one-of-a-kind piece of furniture. Furniturespot.co.za supports the “Local is lekker” movement.  

The website takes away the fear of trust that so many people have when they are looking for a furniture maker. Furniturespot’s craftsmen have been screened by Furniturespot on quality and trustworthiness. Wouter: “Customers want to go to a one-stop-shop they can trust”. Custom made is much more affordable than what people would think. Wouter: “Everybody thinks that custom made pieces are expensive. I would say it is quite the opposite. Our makers are much more affordable than your mainstream furniture shops, because we have cut out the middlemen. And when it is custom made, the pieces meet our customers’ exact specifications. Why buy something not quite right when you can have it custom made?”  

About

Furniturespot.co.za is a new online marketplace in South Africa for custom made furniture. Furniturespot.co.za has built an exciting platform for turning customer furniture ideas into reality by connecting them to the best artisanal craftsmen South Africa has to offer. By delivering great customer service through creative and manufacturing expertise at an affordable price point, furniturespot.co.za is making custom made furniture accessible to everyone. At furniturespot.co.za we bring one-of-a-kind ideas to life.

Towards the end of Mo'vember – when the moustaches will be in full flourish – join us for a charity fun run/walk through the Stellenbosch vineyards at Remhoogte Wine Estate as we give one final hurrah to the impressive 'Taches of the month. In aid of Operation Smile SA and The Lunchbox Fund, Signature of Hope Trust will be launching the inaugural Cashes for 'Taches 5km fun run. Your 'Tache need not be real; all mouth brows, face-grown or otherwise, are welcome. After a quick morning jaunt (or stroll) through the beautiful countryside, you can enjoy your first half-pint of Wild Beast craft beer on us in your custom Cashes for 'Taches beer glass (which is yours to keep!).

The day of family fun starts with the off-road 5km fun run/walk and continues with lounging on the lawn with your celebratory beer in hand. There will also be food stalls, a cash bar and a jumping castle for the kids. Everyone under 16 years of age can participate for free. Spot prizes will be awarded for the best Bro-merangs of the day!We encourage you to make a day of it by bringing blankets and chairs to picnic on the lawn but, please note, no food or drink (other than water, energy drinks and snacks for the race) will be permitted. There will be food and drinks (soft drinks, coffee and alcoholic) available for purchase on the day.

A first aider/paramedic will be on site for the duration of the race. Please follow the instructions of the marshals along the route at all times. In an attempt to reduce litter, there will be no water stations or bins along the route, so please bring your own water bottle or camel pack and keep your trash secure until the end of the race where bins will be provided. Secure parking will be available on the day. Facilities will be open during the event. Please arrive early to avoid the rush. The race starts at 9 am sharp, but try to arrive from 8 am to secure your parking space at the front (and perhaps grab a coffee from our on-site vendor). Dogs are unfortunately not allowed.

Disclaimer: All participants entering and participating do so at their own risk. Signature of Hope Trust and Remhoogte Wine Estate shall not be liable for any claims /s or damage arising or suffered either directly or indirectly from personal injury or harm whatsoever, including death, or any damage whether direct or indirect to personal or other property whatsoever, and howsoever caused. Furthermore shall, by doing so, be deemed to indemnify the above mentioned parties and their employees against any liability for damages, howsoever caused.