Press Release
Twelve weeks of construction, décor challenges and competitions culminated in an exciting
WIN A HOME Grand Finale on SABC3 on Thursday night (13 November), where the winners of our three incredible prizes, as well as the winner of the decorating challenge, were revealed.
Out of over one million entries, both online and SMS, three finalists were drawn with SABC representatives, an SABC auditor and the production company’s legal adviser present on Friday, 7 November at 12 pm, following the closing of the competition at midnight on Thursday, 6 November.
The three finalists drawn were: 54-year old Ilona Figgins from Vanderbijlpark; 67 year-old Ursula Haslam from Paulshof; and 23-year old Josh Gloak from Morningside.
Housewife and Yorkshire Terrier lover Ilona Figgins chose the gold safe, holding the two gold bars; Book-keeper and grandmother of two, Ursula Haslam chose the platinum safe, winning the Mercedes Benz C-Class; and investment banker Josh Gloak chose the charcoal safe with the keys to the Grand Prize apartment.
For Josh, who is originally from Cape Town, and turns 24 on 16 November, this was a great surprise and the perfect birthday present. This is what he said about his win: “When I opened the safe, it took me a few seconds to realise what I’d actually won and what was actually in the safe. But when I did, it was an unreal feeling, absolutely incredible.”
“My first home. I think that’s something special,” he added. On opening the apartment and being asked what his first impressions were Josh said he loved every part of it, “right down to the intricate detail of the mining theme.”
The winning contestant in the interior design competition was also revealed.
Over six weeks, four aspiring designers – Jason Sandows, Jonathan Avnon, Donald Nxumalo and Liza Scholtz - were paired with four established designers – Stephen Falcke, Ditau Interiors’ Nthabi Taukobong, Head Interiors’ Abilene Brodie, and Design Collective’s Amanda Elliott - who acted as mentors
Each aspiring designer was given an element theme (earth, air, fire or water) to interpret when using the R250,000 to furnish their apartment. Each week, the aspiring designers were given a room décor challenge on a budget determined by their mentor.
At the end of each four-day décor challenge, we invited our judges – Kim Hutton of Kim H, Steyn City’s Head of Marketing Tammy Menton, and
WIN A HOME presenter Maps Maponyane – to determine their favourite designer.
We then engaged our viewers to have their say by voting online each week for their favourite designer theme. The judges’ vote counted 50% and the viewers the remaining 50%.
In a very close competition, 26-year old Donald Nxumalo breezed into the pole position with backing from the judges and viewers for his lateral thinking and creativity in decorating his air-themed apartment with the help of mentor Abilene Brodie from Head Interiors.
Donald was awarded with R100, 000 from Steyn City, the incredible opportunity to become one of the estate’s preferred interior designers, as well as receiving a three-month internship with Kim Hutton of Kim H Interiors, who designed the prize apartment.
“I’m just absolutely flawed, grateful and humbled,” Donald said when he was announced as the décor challenge winner. “I’d like to applaud Abilene Brodie, my mentor.”
Of the exciting new lifestyle and décor show and its outcome, executive producer Patience Stevens said: “We are very proud of this first series of
WIN A HOME, and very thankful to our sponsors for their enormous contributions and for Steyn City for hosting us, as well as to SABC3 for giving us the platform to broadcast. A huge congratulations to Josh. I’m sure he will enjoy the beautiful apartment at Steyn City and all that the lifestyle estate has to offer.”