I was innocently minding my own business, enjoying my space as it were when I chanced upon style network on Dstv. I know, I don’t seem style conscious and most of the time I’m not. Actually that’s not accurate, I’m not fashion conscious in a way that I will see some article of clothing and know it’s a Vera Wang or Gucci. I mean, the only way I know is if I see some really bad print with the name plastered all over the place. Whatever happened to being understated?

I think I would be interested in African designers and I’m not talking about that Congolese man on Kampala road (assuming that is where he still is) next to Biplus. I understand he is a wizard when it comes to clothes. Going on what I see in that area (kitenge central) I don’t know if that saying anything for the man’s talents.

So I’m looking for someone locally who can do a good job and have the clothes made. As far as I know Suubi of the New vision does great sketches. Must see about hooking up with her some time. To what occasion I will wear her fabulous clothes I have no idea but then again, I hear a girl can’t have enough clothes.

The style network is just that a combination of all things stylish from person (body) to house. There are a number of things you could learn actually.

The one series that got me into trouble recently was “style my nest” with Thom Filicia. It’s about him taking ideas about who you are, what you want and translating that into a space, (in your house obviously) that you would feel comfortable with. He preaches balancing your personality with space available and puts to rest some design myths.

Some times his ideas will work other times you go like “huh??” It does not help matters that his assistants are usually there to boost his ego. It’s like they are programmed to say “your work in beautiful Thom, you go boy!” every time he asks “what do you think?”

So after one too many (okay too few because they repeat the episodes all too frequently) I decided that the house needed an over haul. A complete re-organization so to speak. So I enlisted the help, albeit half heartedly, of my comrades and we started (actually more accurately I) started on this project.

Four hours later, I only had this to say: Ouch! Back. Aches. Dirty. Tired. Cant. Keep. Eyes. Open.

I got rid of so much clutter its amazing but if you came see the space I was working in, you would ask just what I did because interestingly enough aside from actually seeing the floor, it looks exactly the same.

It was then that I discovered how much of a hoarder our combined selves are. The African mentality of saving for a rainy day is still very much in evidence. There is stuff in this house we use once in maybe 2 years, if that but its still sitting here, gathering dust and making the house look much busier than it really is.

I just think its time to move on from certain things. Which reminds me, I understand there’s going to be a yard sale of sorts at KPC central so if you have stuff to get rid of, this might be a good time to do so.

Another show on the channel is “clean House”. I like this one. I had always thought Americans believed in sparsely populated houses probably because all my sightings have been through magazines. The guests on this show take the lived-in look to another level. So the “clean house crew” comes in, listens to the needs/wants of the family, clears the house, has a yard sale, money raise goes into recreating the space they are working on, then family moves back in, everyone’s happy.

The problem is when they team is done, your house looks like magazine material. We keep on wondering if they ever go back to check on those people because it would be interesting to see if they actually stuck to what changes were brought on.

So if your feeling inspired to change the way your house looks, take a peek if you can. You might learn more than you bargained for.