Apt Kitchen & Closet Installations Pty Ltd

Well, let me be provocative and say that, for once – like the so‑called founding fathers of the United States – I hold the following truths to be self‑evident: "Before I learnt the art of cabinetry, I didn't know anything about cabinetry."  😅 This is the story of how I learnt that art and, somehow, changed the course of my life. It is the tale of how one kitchen – and the blind trust of one Mario Lacueva – led a poor soul to learn something he never dreamed of, eventually even authoring a definitive guide on the kitchen design and installation business, customised for the South African market, soon to be published. Until now, I've always wanted to write a blog about my very first kitchen installation project.  My first kitchen 😊 But somehow, I never came to it. Life got in the way. Other kitchens demanded attention. And perhaps, if I'm honest, I was waiting for the right moment – a moment like this one. With ongoing work on that soon‑to‑be‑published guide, I...

I occasionally have homeowners ask me: Why do I get those little dimples in my ceiling? It's a fair question. You look up one day, and there they are—small, circular imperfections that seem to have appeared from nowhere. They aren't cracks. They aren't stains. They're something else entirely. In the trade, we call them nail pops. Or screw pops, depending on what was used. But whatever name you give them, they're the ceiling's way of telling you that something underneath isn't quite right. This blog will explain what causes them and, more importantly, how to fix them properly. Because the truth is, most of these dimples aren't a sign of disaster—they're a sign of movement. And movement can be corrected. The Usual Suspects Understanding ceiling dimples starts with understanding what holds your ceiling up. Behind that smooth plasterboard surface lies a framework of timber A view of roof trusses from underneath  trusses and battens—specifically, 38 mm x ...

There's a phrase that's been worn smooth by overuse in South Africa—"stomping ground"—but sometimes, just sometimes, it fits like a well-worn boot. And that's exactly what Jean Gardens in Kempton Park has become for me over the years. And with this particular client, it all started with a name on a board. Mmapitsi saw my details displayed as an approved contractor at the entrance one ordinary day, and she made that call. Neither of us knew then that it would lead to this: a complete apartment resurrection, room by room, and finally—finally—a kitchen makeover so stunning it deserved its own story. An elevated panoramic view, of the Mmapitsi Kitchen, from the Kitchen entrance But let me tell you, getting here wasn't swift. The idea had been hovering between us from that very first handshake. Life, however, has a cruel sense of timing. Budgets needed to be wrestled into shape. Then came COVID-19, that great devourer of plans. Years slipped past, the dream tucked ...

The kitchen guide I wish someone had handed me about 15 years ago is almost here. And it carries sweat, hard‑earned secrets, and the wisdom of masters who can no longer speak for themselves. A view of my very first Kitchen My first wall-to-wall Wall Unit/Entertainment Centre, Barbeque Down, Kyalami, Midrand It all started on a quiet Sunday afternoon in a cramped flat garage in Kempton Park in 2012. I had no workshop, no mentor, no trade qualification—just a mental snapshot of the kitchen in our rental flat, a measuring tape, and the audacity to believe I could figure it out. My late wife Phakama stood beside me, holding melamine panels steady, wiping sawdust from her brow after we’d returned from worship, while I cut what would become my first built‑in kitchen. The client was Mario Lacueva, the award winning director and senior sports producer at DStv's Supersports International, (also the director of Duckhook Golf  the premier Golf Social League). He lived in Barbeque Downs, Kyala...