Rich in character

Lois Kuhle learns the value of calling in an expert.

With a lick of paint he can transform the mundane to the spectacular. Sounds easy, you say, but believe me it’s not. I decided to fashion a creative masterpiece in my beau’s bathroom recently and merely managed to make a huge mess of it. Lesson learnt, I should have called in the experts to take care of it.

Eddie de Lima comes from a long line of perfectionists and artists. His grandfather, whose name and details have been lost in the mists of time, hailed from Portugal. All that is known is that he was an artist in the true sense of the word, painting murals on walls with a skill that was passed on to his son Toni, Eddie’s late father.

“If I am a tenth as good as my father, I would be happy,” said Eddie de Lima. “He was a total perfectionist and very strict. I wasn’t allowed to do anything until I had learnt the hard way. I had to figure things out for myself.”

As harsh as his training sounds, it has paid off. Eddie de Lima has an outstanding reputation for paint techniquing. His skill has taken him to exotic locations like Monte Carlo, Majorca, Mauritius and the UK.

“South Africans who have relocated have asked me to do jobs for them in their new homes, be it on walls or furniture.”

Eddie has this incredible talent that enables him to emphasise the brilliance in a room, or to transform a dull furnishing into a conversation piece.

“I have a passion for chairs,” he said. With great skill and years of expertise he can revitalise a simple piece of furniture.

“Painting walls with a technique adds character to a room, it brings depth and ambience to the décor.”

The De Limas have an established and well-known client base, some of whom have been using the family for generations.

“My dad was active until the end. He passed away at 63 from the results of a stroke, but even close to the end he had managed to paint 34 doors in one day. He believed in working seven days a week, and couldn’t understand why anyone else wouldn’t want to!”

This is obviously a hard act to follow, and although Eddie allows himself a little slack – time on the golf course and weekends off – one still gets the feeling that the discipline has been instilled and is an integral part of his work ethic.

Eddie also achieved Springbok colours numerous times for karate, another explanation for his dedication and conviction to all that he does.

“Eddie is a very relaxed and laid back person,” said his wife, Heather, in his defence. He is visibly besotted with Heather, having married her eight years ago after a serious career of bachelorhood.

Eddie described work that he has done in kitchens, on grand pianos, valuable antiques and to screeded (cement) floors. “Instead of installing new fittings in a kitchen we are able to refurbish the cupboards to give them a new lease of life. In many instances we also work on newly fitted kitchens adding quality and character to the room”.

Screeded floors have become very popular. Eddie applies a pigment colour wash to the cement floors transforming a dull area by adding interesting solid colours, checks, squares or a weathered look. Intricate paint techniques have been applied to grand pianos to give them that extra classiness.There isn’t anything, it seems, that Eddie can’t do.

So, if you’re like me, and liable to make a hash of it. Save your time and energy and call in someone who really knows what he is doing!

Eddie de Lima: 082 414 5888