Compiled by Danica Hansen. Pics by Devina Haripersad
A baby’s first step, a love story, a loss, a winning goal, an exotic beach – these are moments that shape our lives and they come alive in a frame. Hall of Frames at The uMhlanga Crescent is a framing shop with a difference. Owner, Sharad Bugwandeen, knows just how to bring out the thousand words each picture has to say. “I love décor. The colours, textures, the lingering nuances that shout out, all highlight life in its intricacy and boldness,” said Sharad, as she described the art of framing.
Having grown up in the framing industry, Sharad has years of experience and a very special knack for what she does. Many of her cliental have been surprised by the little touches Sharad adds and how a simple mount can bring a picture alive. “The difference between ‘good’ and ‘great’ is as simple as a matt board,” said Sharad, and there’s no doubt that the advantages of her very special style advice are unmatched when sampling her designs. What makes Hall of Frames at the Crescent so unique is that this framer gets it. Sharad understands that framing is more than a mount on a wall, be it an expensive autographed sports jersey or an old black and white wedding photograph that you just love. Placing a keepsake in a frame adds value; your prized possession is something precious and because adding a frame is so significant when it gives a home to something special, it at once dubs an item ‘artwork.’ “It’s wonderful to see how a picture frame can change the whole look and feel of a piece, to preserve the joy of that moment,” said Sharad, and Hall of Frames at the Crescent, is certainly not limited to two-dimensional framing…
“You name it, we frame it,” said a passionate Sharad. She has put together more than 1300 pieces since the establishment of her store in 2001 and recalls that the most challenging frame to date was a whole crab, captured by an adventurous client. But the results were magnificent, as is the case with all of Sharad’s masterpieces. Anything from baby clothes, sport’s paraphernalia and even wedding dresses can be preserved in beautiful statement pieces that mean so much in a home.
And while Hall of Frames at the Crescent expertly frames cliental pieces, they also play home to the perfect piece for your house, with stunning sets to complete the sunny nook and cool stairway, the lonely kitchen clock and the wanton fireplace. Making a house a home is such a personal artistic journey and every home-maker needs an expert eye to make their vision tangible and perfectly finished. Be it simplistic canvas, ceramic twisted in paisley designs, a golden filigree-like flourish or cool chrome and reflective mirror designs, Sharad has the eye for the finish that is just perfect.
And with their unique software, Hall of Frames at the Crescent can show you how your finished frame will look against your wall. In fact, Sharad will set up several options and show you virtually what the result will be so that a thorough comparison is made before a design is selected. It’s all part of the in-store consultation that gives you the star treatment. As many home owners wander into Sharad’s charmingly eclectic store, with hundreds of samples of elegant corners decorating the wall behind the counter with choice, they meet an artisan in a field that seems to not get the recognition it deserves at shop 135 at the Crescent. They meet a compassionate framer who understands the significance of preserving that piece of one’s life that he or she may bring in. “These treasures mean so much to the people that they belong to, and to able to help them preserve and display it in the proper way, that leaves them feeling so proud of their possession, is the one of the most rewarding feelings. If I helped a mother who lost her young child preserve the last memory of her beloved, or an aspiring entrepreneur adorn their greatest achievement in a beautiful and honourable way, then I know I’ve done my job. This is what the Hall of Frames at the crescent prides itself in,” she said. Halls of Frames at the Crescent is open seven days a week. They can be contacted on 031 566 1212.
