Having run away from school more than twelve times, it should come as no surprise that Alan Fennell is not your regular academic scholar. 

Completely self-taught in the ways of the world and other facts of life, he has never stopped acquiring incidental knowledge about this, that and anything else under the sun that happened to grab his interest. 

For twenty-five years Alan practiced as an interior decorator before becoming the founder/publisher/editor of Designing Ways magazine wherein he attempts to impart this knowledge on unsuspecting readers.

Nicola Hadfield is one of South Africa’s most respected décor personalities who now spends a great deal of her time living between France and South Africa. Nicola single-handedly pioneered Africa’s first multinational interior design showcase, Decorex SA in 1994, which she later expanded to Cape Town and KwaZulu-Natal. In 1998 she sold Decorex SA and after completing her directorship, moved to Cape Town. Today, sought after as a décor trend commentator and guest speaker, Nicola also consults on key blue-chip design and marketing projects such as the design retail shopping precinct – Design Quarter in Fourways, Sandton. During her consultancy with Zenprop (Design Quarter Property Developers) she successfully negotiated a complimentary five year rental lease agreement for the IID at Design Quarter. 

Amongst other prestigious awards; Nicola received an award in 2003 as one of 15 Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World from the US-based Star Group. Nicola Hadfield Enterprises also produces a  small  signature  brand range of semi-precious jewellery, produced a visually inspiring decor coffee table book ‘Beautiful Homes of SA’ (which was elected Publisher’s Choice) and  is now working on  her second book due for release towards the end of 2009. Nicola  recently presented a 13 part television series on interior decor entitled "Design Inspiration". on the Home Channel.