your practical guide to beautiful living
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March 2020
Next level renovation
NEW COMPETITION
R20 000 up for grabs! Declutter and win
Build up!
5 versatile
BON AP PPÉ PÉTIIT! T
Delicious French fare
The new heart of the home
Family homes with an STELLENBOSCH
S Steel t l fframes & high ceilings
RIEBEEK
E Exposed d beams, copper & concrete
JOHANNESBURG
R d & cement
+
T OOR SPACES
Stunning solutions for a sloping garden
SHOP IN-STORE OR ONLINE WWW.HOME.CO.ZA
IMAGINE MORE TIME OUT FEEL FREE TO ENJOY This summer spend more time at home and make the most of a space that mirrors the beauty of the outdoors. Open up your home and invite everyone over, there is plenty of space on the couch. Homeware and furniture available in-store and online.
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Reader home
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Fresh ideas
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Garden rooms
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French fare
do it yourself 64 66
in the garden
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décor 12 14 18 32 42 52
Make a herringbone coffee table A new look for an old wardrobe
Retail therapy Add a layer of fragrance to your home Fresh ideas for table settings Comfy elegance in a Stellenbosch dream home From half-built shell to stylish abode in Parkhurst, Johannesburg The perfect combination of steel, concrete and timber in Riebeek West Dining rooms take centre stage
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A beautiful oasis set in an urban forest Garden rooms A surprise around every corner Plants of the month Two climbers for green, living walls
in the kitchen
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Bon appétit! Flavours of France Lemon tart, step by step Quick food We’ve got supper sorted! Food & drinks to feed your senses
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84 90 99
Write in to Your Space and WIN Are you a hoarder? Declutter and WIN R20 000! Send us your pet pics and WIN Complete Crossword #139 and WIN a book worth R195 WIN an eight-seater WODC table worth R14 000
regulars 8 10 72
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Diary March highlights What’s new on the décor scene Advice Ask the experts 74 Trash or treasure? Let’s find out 76 Renovation Improve, don’t move! 84 Pets and their peculiarities 86 Gardening notebook Last words from Karin Brynard
Get ready for our first Tuis | Home Market! See page 71.
Cover photograph Donna Lewis • Styling Marian van Wyk
competitions
hello
O
ver the past year or so, you may have noticed that Home is no longer just a magazine. We’ve had a digital footprint for some time now – from our very first mobi page to the many newsletters we send out. Not to mention our social media presence on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. For years, the magazine has also been available in PDF format on apps such as Zinio and Magzter. Now we’re branching out even further. At the end of last year, we created the Home online shop nt (tuishomeshop.co.za) where you can buy chalk pain (other beautiful goodies will be added soon) and there’s also the Welcome Home design service that will make short work of any décor dilemma – and save you money too (see page 75). We hosted our first Home Sharing Conference, in partnership with Airbnb, and no fewer than three exciting competitions, including Rookie Stylist with MRP Home on Instagram, encouraged readers to proudly show off their creativity. Rookie Stylist was a runaway success: the competition attracted more than 1 400 entries and more than 4 million people (yes, 4 million!) engaged with it in one way or another. So many wonderful stories emerged from that competition. A reader who had never had an Instagram account wanted to be part of the action. With the help of our multimedia content creator, Suné, she set up an account over the phone and shared her first (and, to date, last) picture on Instagram. The good news is that we are running the competition again this year – so she will have good reason to post something again soon.
There was also the popular Tjhoko Champs competition, w which showcased the most amazing painting projects; the Annie Sloan tour to France (see pics below); a week spent A ccooking on a Greek isle; and our usual Fix it with Flair ccompetition which attracted fantastic entries in three ccategories (two of them brand-new). We’ll be featuring the winners in next month’s issue, so don’t miss it. w What’s next? At the end of May, you can look forward to four dayys of fun at the Tuis |Home Market at the gorgeous Nooitgedacht wine estate outside Stellenbosch (see page 71). At a later stage, we will be launching a décor school and we’re worrking on a series of online chalk paint master classes. Alsso keep a lookout for our second recipe book, a follow-up to foood editor Johané’s successful cookbook Ta-da! which was ublished in 2018. pu So it’s full steam ahead! The Tuis Dagboek with its free gardening gloves is in great •T demand. Yes, sadly this year it’s only available in Afrikaans but with very few words and loads of gorgeous garden photos, language is no barrier. This year’s issue is available until 1 March in stores nationwide. If you can’t find it in-store, call Amina Essop on 021 406 2205 or email editor@homemag.co.za and we’ll assist. Next time, we’ll definitely do an English version too.
editor@homemag.co.za
Vive la France! Antibes (right), Cannes, St Tropez... Apart from master classes in paint techniques with Annie Sloan, there g, was plenty of eating shopping and sightseeing on the agenda too.
Our Annie Sloan tour to Lorgues, France last October was a roaring success. We eventually had to organise a larger bus and extra accommodation for everyone. Johané, our food editor, joined the tour group, hence the inspiration for the French dishes on page 114. Here are some photos of the group of 23 readers whose creativity bowled even Annie over!
Mmabatho Nkambule
Helen Fabricius
Yolandi van Zyl
Annie Sloan
March 2020
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your space Write to us at Home, Readers’ Letters, PO Box 1802, Cape Town 8000; email editor@homemag.co.za, fax 021 408 3046, and join our Facebook group (facebook.com/homemag) or follow us on Instagram @TuisHomeMag.
IN SHORT The editor reserves the right to edit letters at his discretion.
WINNING LETTER
A festive success! Tanya Rabie of Stellenbosch writes I bought your magazine for the Christmas holidays, which we spend at our house in Struisbaai. We usually have cold gammon, beef and my traditional German meat salad (a family recipe) for Christmas lunch. This year, my husband asked for a hot meal. I don’t like turkey, so I looked for a nice recipe for gammon – my husband is a hunter, so we always have game in our freezer. Your recipes in the December issue of Home were perfect. I made the gammon, the venison fillet à la Wellington and Yolanda’s wild coleslaw.
We did it ourselves Chantal Nielsen of Bedfordview, Gauteng writes My 13-year-old
Before
After
An inspired kitchen! Tracey Joelson writes Thank you for many years of incredible inspiration! We bought a 1920s home in Glenwood, Durban and opened up the wall between the dining room and kitchen. Unfortunately, as we did this the old kitchen cupboards unexpectedly fell apart – and we hadn’t budgeted for a new kitchen! Thanks to your inspiration, we put in a cement kitchen and we all love it (one of my friends with a top-end kitchen wants to take hers out and do the cement but her husband won’t let her!).
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daughter Scarlett and I are avid Home readers. Recently, she was paging through our collection of magazines when she found a pegboard project in the June 2017 issue. Here is a before and after picture of our revamp of her study nook. I did a bit of sewing, her dad made the pegboard, and Scarlett completed the rest of the makeover with Home as her inspiration.
Every month, I’m so eager to purchase Home for the great recipes and gifting ideas. However, I found that the January 2020 issue really exceeded my expectations! I’d been quailing at the thought of all the Christmas leftovers sitting in the fridge. But after reading the recipes in your January issue, I had fresh impetus to create delectable dishes, using up all the ingredients I already had. The yellowtail curry and chilli tuna pasta were huge favourites in our home and no one even suspected that these dishes were made from leftovers. – Kavendree Muthu-Kurten I just want to say thanks for the crossword puzzle bounty in the January issue! It made my day! – Meryl Phillips, Port Elizabeth The writer of the winning letter receives a Linen Drawer voucher worth R1 500! Linen Drawer produces top quality bed linen made from pure cotton percale and pure linen, as well as bath linen and table linen with free delivery anywhere in SA. They also sell quality winter sheeting, duvets and pillows, blankets and throws, mattress protectors and bed wraps – all designed to ensure that you and your family have a good night’s sleep, every night. A new set of bed linen from Linen Drawer is a life-changing experience! Go to linendrawer.co.za.
WIN!
diary
Compiled by Suné Esterhuizen Send diary entries to diary@homemag.co.za at least three months before the event.
March flashes
ON THE BOX
In Open Homes (Season 1 starts 16 March on the Home Channel, 176 on DStv), expert home and garden designers take a tour through some of the most awe-inspiring properties you’ll ever see – from resort-style pavilion homes to hinterland hideaways with endless views. See on-trend interior design and even a house that floats on the side of a hill. If you’re renovating, building or just addicted to viewing stunning houses, Open Homes is the show for you.
THE TOYOTA US WOORDFEES 6–15 March: various locations around Stellenbosch The 2020 Woordfees festival offers something for everyone in 16 different categories – from music and theatre to a film and writers’ festival and even agriculture. Theatre enthusiasts can choose from 60 plays, 24 of which make their debut at the festival. You can also enjoy a walking tour of local gardens in collaboration with Home: visit the Johnman garden in Herte Street or explore magnificent gardens in the Jonkershoek Valley. Visit woordfees.co.za to see the full programme and book your tickets on computicket.com. Call 087 238 2078 for more.
The 26th Klein Karoo National Arts Festival 23–29 March: Oudtshoorn The 2020 Klein Karoo National Arts Festival (KKNK) promises a diverse programme of music, arts and culture – from choir performances and classical music shows to visual arts exhibitions and free talks. Leading actors and theatre veterans will be returning with debut productions and old favourites. Do not forget to check out the Netwerk24 Festival Café and Die Burger ‘Praat Saam’ Discourse Series. Download the full programme at kknk.co.za and go to computicket.com to book your tickets. Call 044 203 8600 for more information.
DECOREX DURBAN 2020 19–22 March: Durban Exhibition Centre Don’t miss this prestigious showcase of the latest products and trends from top designers, décor professionals and industry experts. This year’s theme, ‘Lifestyle by Design’, is all about freedom, reclaiming your time and doing things you like, and essentially creating sanctuaries in your home. Expect a wide range of installations that talk to the latest trends and recharge at one of the many cafés and bars on site. Visit decorex.co.za for a list of special features. Tickets cost R95 per adult, R85 for students/pensioners and R20 for kids under 12. Get yours on itickets.co.za and call 011 549 8300 for info.
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1–7: Art.b Gallery, the Arts Association of Bellville, presents Double Vision 2020, a visual art exhibition curated by Tiaan van Deventer. Visit artb.co.za or call 021 917 1197 for more. 4: Find out more about how to use Annie Sloan Chalk Paint at a training workshop hosted by Rosalinda Design in Brooklyn, Pretoria. Tickets cost R600 and include all supplies and refreshments. Call 087 943 5450 to book. 5: Browse arts and crafts at the Upper Bree Street Market in Cape Town. Call 021 422 0566 for more info. 5–8: Visit the 34th Randfontein Show for hundreds of stalls, funfair rides, an air show and much more. Get tickets from R80 at randfonteinshow.co.za or call 011 412 2878. 6: Longridge Wine Estate outside Stellenbosch will host its annual open-air feast featuring a delicious six-course menu by chef Maritz Jacobs paired with estate wines selected by cellar master Jasper Raats. Tickets cost R975 per person; book at quicket.co.za. Call 021 855 4082 for details. 7: Head to Genevieve MCC in Bot River for their Post-Harvest Proe Party where you can get to know the 2020 harvest, taste the older vintages and sit down to a delicious harvest feast. Tickets at R450 are limited; to book yours, call 083 302 6562. 13: April issue of Home on sale! 19–22: Travel to the annual Wakkerstroom Music Festival, a highlight for those who love classical music. The festival programme offers baroque, chamber and piano music, as well as classic-jazz crossovers. Go to wmfestival.co.za to view the programme and book your tickets. 21: Human Rights Day 27–28: Spier Harvest of the Arts in Stellenbosch promises a magical evening of music, song and dance in celebration of the annual grape harvest. Tickets cost R150 for adults and R60 for kids; book at webtickets.co.za. Call 021 809 1100 for more. 29: Visit the Rooy Food Market and car boot sale at Van Rooyen Hall in Potchefstroom for eats, treats and handcrafts. Visitors can also look forward to live music. For details, call 079 918 2092.
Please send décor and lifestyle news to news@homemag.co.za.
what’s new
Compiled by Shané Barnard
CREATE, INNOVATE! WHO Lebogang Sadiki WHERE Pretoria BUSINESS S’Africa Lamp Designs HER WORK Trained as an accountant, Lebogang Sadiki needed an outlet for her creativity so she started designing and manufacturing contemporary wax-printed lampshades. Her company, S’Africa Lamp Designs, was born in November 2019 and incorporates the bold, colourful designs of South African ethnic groups, from the Ndebele to Xitsonga. The range includes lampshades (from R250) as well as wooden and ceramic lampstands. To see more and to get in touch for custom designs, go to safricalampdesigns.co.za.
Furniture manufacturer Coricraft has collaborated with Hertex and Home Fabrics to create a range of curated pieces in an array of graphic patterns, rich fabrics and floral embroidery. The Stella Fully Upholstered Chair in Magnolia Sky fabric by Hertex (R9 999) is available in stores. Visit coricraft.co.za for more.
Tjhoko Paint has released a new range of stencils. There are 36 stencils from which to choose, ranging in size from A6 (R54) to 90 x 60cm (R550). To view the entire range, go to tjhokopaint.co.za.
We love this!
Serve something special in this delicate bowl with hand-painted bird’s nest detail (R500) from Toinette Lindley ceramics. Go to tlc-ceramics.co.za.
Fine fabrics The new Resort range from Home Fabrics is inspired by global trends including botanicals, artisanal geometrics and whimsical designs – perfect for curtaining or soft furnishings with a playful touch. Go to homefabrics.co.za. 1 Malian Geo Fern (R1 220/m) 2 Honeycomb Teal (R1 170/m) 3 Gecko Olive (R890/m) 4 Creative Flow Lapis (R1 370/m)
Freshen up your linen with luxurious ‘vintage-washed’ cotton bedding from Volpes. The premium finish is obtained by pre-washing (or stonewashing), which softens the fabric and gives it a casual appeal. The range is available in four muted colours (from R799), perfect for a new season. Take a look online at volpes.co.za.
Sleep experts Vencasa have revealed their Velfont Respira Waterproof & HyperBreathable range of fitted sheets and pillow protectors (from R350) made from extra-soft 100% organic cotton fabric to ensure a good night’s sleep. Browse online at vencasa.co.za.
TOP SHOP What started as a WhatsApp broadcast list for second-hand furniture finds that Marlene Stofberg circulated among her friends is now a permanent fixture in Dorp Street, Stellenbosch. Malhuis, a vintage furniture and décor shop, specialises in refurbished furniture, curtaining and building materials, as well as local upholstery fabrics that have been given a new lease on life after being dyed and washed. Visit the store at the Black Horse Centre or email m.stofberg@me.com.
KEEP IT FLEXIBLE This modular shelving system from Wheatley Furniture Studios is easily adjustable, so it can grow along with your needs. Available in a range of materials, including wood and steel, the system allows you to rearrange the shelf units, display boxes and wall-mount brackets (from R750 per pair) in endless configurations. Go to wheatleystudios.com.
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Plantes & Parfums Marseilles Rose Liquid Soap R199, @homee
Tulip & Magnolia agnolia scented candle in a tin (7 x 5.5cm) R39.99, Crazy Store
shopping
Vanilla scented candle (9 x 10cm) R159, Yuppieche ef
your h i oa al oa i with scented candles, diffusers and room mists. Compiled by Shané Barnard
y e a r l o a f d d A
Copp C per cand delabra (290 0mm) R480 0, Knus
Lavendula Linen Mist R119, Volpes
Ceramic pillar diffuser with solid oak base (10 x 5.5cm) R389, Wick
Geranium, Rosemary & Lemon bath oil R290, Mies Rooibosscented handmade olive soap R55, Darling Olives
Clifton Beach scented candle (9 x 8cm) R320, Knus
Mia Melange planter (medium) R355, Plantify
Amalfi mini ceramic candleholder R39.99, MRP Home
STOCKISTS @home 0860 834 834, home.co.za Babylonstoren 021 300 3919, shop.babylonstoren.com Crazy Store 086 111 1281, crazystore.co.za Darling Olives 022 492 3171, darlingolives.co.za Knus 087 550 7600, knus.co Mies 073 502 7325, miesetc.com MRP Home 0800 212 535, mrphome.com Plantify 065 161 2215, plantify.co.za Volpes 041 402 6834, volpes.co.za Wick 076 165 7004, wickfragrances.com Yuppiechef 0861 702 4969, yuppiechef.com
Plantes & Parfums traditional all-purpose cleaner with organic lemon essential oil (1L) R299, @home
Waterblommetjie Bath Oil (1L) R750, Babylonstoren
So oho Vine porcelain hurricane candleholder R13 39.99, MRP Home
African Sunset diffuser R249, Volpes
frag
! e c ran Lemongrass scented sachets R59.99, MRP Home
Musgrave Pink Gin with rose-scented candle gift box R459, Yuppiechef Green Moss Soap (250g) R180, Babylonstoren
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fresh ideas
SET THE
scene
By Suné Esterhuizen • Photographs Francois Oberholster Styling Aleit Swanepoel
Lay a table using cement accessories softened with florals and touches of silver and gold to create a look that’s effortlessly elegant.
A concrete plan
An opulent gold chair from the interior is relocated outside to create atmosphere. Aleit bought the chair from Cape to Cuba in Cape Town some years ago; here, he has combined it with chairs from an old wrought-iron patio set.
Concrete finishes are still very much on trend – not only for countertops in kitchens and bathrooms, and on floors and walls, but for furniture and décor accessories too. “It’s the attractive raw aesthetic of cement that appeals to homeowners,” says Johan Coetzee, the owner of World of Decorative Concrete (WODC) who made this sleek concrete-top table for the stoep at event guru Aleit Swanepoel’s Somerset West home (see his garden on page 92). “Concrete works well with glass, metals, linen and even paper,” explains Aleit, “which makes it the ideal medium when you want to create a contrasting look by combining hard and soft pieces.” In keeping with this theme, Aleit used a variety of cement items such as statuettes, busts, underplates and even cement-look candles on this inviting table. It’s a stunner! You can win this stunning cement-top table from World of Decorative Concrete (left). Turn to page 99 for details.
Photograph Willem Botha for kykNET
Dried hydrangeas can be used in any season and a light coat of spray paint will make the colours pop.
ALEIT’S TIPS FOR HOSTING AN OUTDOOR SOIRÉE • Be sure to prepare your meal in advance if your kitchen is situated far from your entertainment space – you should be mingling with guests, not cooking in the kitchen. ůƚĞƌŶĂƟǀĞůLJ͕ LJŽƵ ĐĂŶ ƚƵƌŶ Ă ĚŝŶŶĞƌ ƉĂƌƚLJ ŝŶƚŽ ĂŶ ĞdžĐŝƟŶŐ ŝŶƚĞƌĂĐƟǀĞ cooking experience. ͻ >ŝŶĞŶ ŶĂƉŬŝŶƐ ĂƌĞ ƟŵĞůĞƐƐ ĂŶĚ elegant – and they’re less likely to blow away when a breeze picks up. • If you decide to include a ƚĂďůĞĐůŽƚŚ ŝŶ LJŽƵƌ ƐĞƫŶŐ͕ ĐŽŶƐŝĚĞƌ adding table weights to prevent a gust of wind from wreaking havoc with your hard work. >>
Aleit collects old trophies from second-hand shops! They’re filled with flowers to contrast with the hard cement surfaces.
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The mirrors on the wall are second-hand finds. Tickey creeper is slowly covering the wall, adding another soft touch to this outdoor space.
Decorative detail
Aleit’s hands were cast in cement by WODC and now create a dramatic feature as a candleholder. Cement accessories cast and dipped by WODC
Using a mould, Johan cast a set of stylish concrete underplates and used WODC’s Quickset Concrete to ensure that they set within an hour. Aleit perfected each setting by adding a simple white linen napkin and gold cutlery arranged in a playful manner. Dinner plates fit snugly into the underplates. Metallics, including cutlery and candlesticks (above and left), round off the look. “Combining gold and silver is my new thing,” says Aleit. “Gold is a major trend this season, so I incorporate it where possible. It adds a sense of nostalgia to any set-up.”
Johan offers concrete-dipping workshops at his factory in Brackenfell, Cape Town and says anything can be dipped to give it a cement look. A concrete-dipped rose will last forever!
E X PE RT A DV I CE
A grey area Johan Coetzee from World of Decorative Concrete shares his knowledge: What’s the difference between cement and concrete? Although the terms cement and concrete are often used together, cement is an ingredient of concrete; it is the ‘glue’ that holds the sand and aggregates together. Concrete is a mixture of sand and gravel or stone, cement and water. Cement is mostly used for plastering and masonry work, whereas concrete is usually used when installing floors or constructing beams, stairs, pillars and more. Matte or glossy finish? When working with concrete, the preferred finish is usually matte since it gives the concrete a more natural feel. Should a glossy finish be desired, one has the option of grinding and polishing the concrete surfaces or using a high-gloss sealant.
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CONTACTS WODC 021 982 0006, wodc.co.za Aleit Swanepoel 021 007 2739, aleit@aleit.co.za
GBR/24230/H
LITTLE KAROO 13 |
KING MACKEREL 60 |
CORAL TREE 74 |
Paint so smart, you’ll style your life around it. Introducing Duram’s new Habitat Colour Collection, a curated palette for the contemporary home. Featuring 90 beautiful designer colours from subtle earthbound neutrals to dark inky hues, choosing the perfect colour for your living space couldn’t be simpler. Inspiration comes easily with Duram’s richly pigmented interior and exterior paints that provide exceptional depth of colour, luxurious finishes and superior long-lasting results that always look smart. Ask for Duram at your local hardware store. The paint that’s made smart to look smart. Each colour is available for purchase in convenient and affordable 90ml Colour Samples at select stores. Dry paint colour and sheen may vary from colours shown.
Lize-Marié has an eye for colour; she is particularly fond of blue and green. “In my home there will always be colour! That’s how I change the look of a room.”
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reader home
COMFY
elegance This home may be filled with exquisite furniture and treasured items, but it still invites you to kick off your shoes and relax.
By Shané Barnard Photographs Donna Lewis Production Marian van Wyk Assistant Malizo Masumpa
WHO LIVES HERE? Lize-Marié and Mias van der Westhuyzen with their kids, students Mia and Mieke-Marié, and Willem (15) WHERE Mostertsdrift, Stellenbosch SIZE 500m2
reader home
It’s in the detail This circular window is one of several that were requested when the house was designed.
A
fter years spent in an old house with dark wood finishes and floors, Lize-Marié and Mias van der Westhuyzen felt it was time for a change. Added incentives for making a move were the fact that their house in the Stellenbosch CBD had become too small for their family of five and all the neighbouring houses were being turned into student accommodation, one after the other. When they noticed a property for sale right next to the Jan Marais Nature Reserve 14 years ago, they knew this was the perfect place to build their dream home. It only had a small cottage, “square like a bread bin”, up front next to the street, says Lize-Marié. “No one really knew how big the property was because it was so overgrown at the back. When we started clearing, it was a wonderful surprise to see how much extra room there was.” The two-bedroom cottage had been sorely neglected and the family needed space, so the Van der Westhuyzens enlisted Marcus Smit of Marcus Smit Jacobs Architects to design their new four-bedroom home. Mias was familiar with Marcus’s work and knew that he shared the family’s style preferences. Concrete floors, steel-frame windows and lots of light were top of their wish list for their new dream home. The existing structure was demolished and construction began in July 2006. Marcus suggested sloping corrugated iron roofs, which added extra space to the top floor. As an added bonus, they created a striking design element. The steel-frame windows provide plenty of natural light inside the house, at the same time affording lovely views of Jan Marais Park and the Simonsberg mountains in the distance. >>
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The Dover closed-combustion stove, one of three in the house, comes in handy during the winter months. The concrete floors were screeded with an ordinary cement layer and then treated with a UV-resistant polyurethane layer to prevent the sunlight from turning them yellow.
A combination of floating shelves and drawers ensures plentiful storage space in the practical kitchen. All the cabinets have stainless steel work surfaces.
Clock from MRP Home
Stools from Arabesque
A spot between the front door and the kitchen provides a handy space in which to hang handbags.
The kitchen island provides plenty of space for cooking and socialising. The island also has a simple cement slab. “It’s practical and easy to clean,” explains Lize-Marié. It was given the same protective polyurethane coating as the floors.
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reader home The steel-frame windows were bought in costeffective standard sizes, except for the ones on the stoep which were customised.
The great outdoors The Van der Westhuyzens enjoy the outdoors and walk their Jack Russell Terrier Lucky in the nature reserve almost daily – it’s easily accessible from their house via a gate. “We love the location. The children could all walk to the nearby primary school, and now my youngest rides his bike to high school. Everyone comes and goes at their own pace,” says Lize-Marié. At any given moment during the day – and at any time of the year – you’ll find at least one family member on the stoep. “We hang out here from morning till evening,” says Lize-Marié. “In summer, the steel-frame windows provide shelter from the south-easter and in winter it stays warm until late afternoon, despite the cement floor.” Initially, the stoep only extended up to the braai but because it has become the family’s favourite spot, Lize-Marié wanted to accommodate a dining table. The cement floor was then creatively extended with railway sleepers – this adds texture to the space, just like the roof with its latte ceiling. It wasn’t until the end of 2018 that they custom made the steel-frame windows to match the rest of the windows in the house. “It’s wonderful to sit here – it’s almost as if you’re in the garden,” says LizeMarié. >>
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reader home
There’s plenty of space in which to relax on the stoep adjoining the kitchen. Many furniture pieces are second-hand buys or heirlooms. Some of the chairs come from the old post office in Stellenbosch; they’ve since been revamped with new fabric. Custom-made windows by Jambmax
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This nook on the side of the house (below) is conveniently sheltered from the south-easter. Before the stoep was enclosed, the Van der Westhuyzens regularly braaied here; now it provides privacy for the kids when they have friends over. Lize-MariĂŠ had the Adirondack chairs made and then painted in her favourite shade of green.
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reader home
Lize-Marié and Mias have a gorgeous view of Jan Marais Park from their spacious, open-plan en-suite bedroom. Here on the top floor, the concrete floors were treated with white epoxy (also UV-resistant). “There used to be a different epoxy coating but it had yellowed in the sun,” says Lize-Marié. The flue of the fireplace on the ground floor helps to keep the main bedroom warm in winter. Rug from Superbalist
[ LIZE-MARIÉ’S DÉCOR TIPS ] • Don’t just buy new stuff. Use what you have and do something different with it. • You don’t have to be afraid of colour. By simply changing the colour of a piece of furniture, it will look as good as new again. It’s a wonderful way to change the style of a room. • Furniture should not only be beautiful but practical too. • The things you display must be used daily, otherwise they just gather dust!
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Creativity in their DNA As one of the founders of the popular market KAMERS, LizeMarié’s creative flair is evident in her furniture and décor choices. The first KAMERS was held in their previous home. “It was so wonderfully intimate that first year or two. I simply emptied our house and the exhibitors each had their own corner. That was in the days before pop-up stores became a thing.” Mias, an entrepreneur and businessman, shares his wife’s passion for decorating. He has sold his handmade mirrors at KAMERS and one or two of them still hang in their home. “We complement each other well as far as creativity is concerned,” says Lize-Marié. This market aesthetic is still evident in the Van der Westhuyzens’ home. From the front door to the farthest room on the top floor, beautiful accessories and furniture are tastefully combined, yet there is no sense of it being excessive. The home’s
simple lines and industrial elements provide the perfect backdrop for Lize-Marié’s beloved second-hand furniture and collectibles. Every piece of furniture was chosen with care, customised, painted or reupholstered. “I’m passionate about taking an item that nobody wants and making something beautiful of it. I don’t easily buy new furniture,” she says. “Rather, I paint something old or I move it from one room to another to make it look different. Otherwise, it gets a new coat of paint or it’s reupholstered.” Splashes of blue and green are seen all over the house, forming an underlying theme with the wooden furniture. Different textures also create interesting contrast – from an exposed brick wall around the fireplace to a focal wall subtly clad with corrugated iron and, of course, the cement floors throughout the house. Lize-Marié says she initially considered a more modern approach to the décor to complement the industrial feel of the house. “I also love contemporary style but I wouldn’t be able to live like that. I’m too fond of old things!” >>
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The en-suite is all white, complementing the tranquil palette in the open-plan bedroom.
In Willem’s bedroom, Mias installed shutters on rails which can be closed when the summer heat gets too much.
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This dresser was part of an exhibition at KAMERS in Pretoria and now provides storage for Lize-Marié’s trinkets.
Entrance Living room
Study
Dining room
TV room
Garage
Kitchen
Scullery
Garage
Stoep
Family room
Bedroom
Bedroom
Main bedroom
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Bathroom
Ground floor
Bedroom
Throughout the house, wooden furniture contrasts beautifully with the industrial cement floors. The Oregon pine dining table was made with rafters from the original cottage – a wonderful reminder of the property’s history. The vanity in the guest bathroom (left) is also made with rafters from the old house. Here, Lize-Marié chose dramatic dark grey for the walls. >>
Upstairs
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The green headboard in Mieke-Marié’s bedroom was bought at Nest, a store that has since closed. One of Mias’s handmade mirrors hangs above the bed.
STOCKISTS Arabesque 021 851 4047, arabesque-shop.com Jambmax 021 982 0660, jambmax.co.za Marcus Smit Jacobs Architects 021 852 1362, marcussmit.co.za Superbalist 087 362 7300, superbalist.com
reader home Mia, a graphic design student, has a light and airy bedroom. Her 88-year-old grandmother made the blanket as a gift last year. The simple corrugated iron ceiling adds lovely texture to the space.
This bathroom with its classic checkerboard tiles is located between the girls’ bedrooms on the first floor. Another of Mias’s mirrors adorns the wall by the open shower.
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WHO LIVES HERE? Debbie Luke, her daughter Summer, their cat TT and Bumper the bunny WHERE Parkhurst, Johannesburg SIZE 200m²
The entrance leads into an open-plan lounge, with Debbie’s home office behind the staircase. She introduced layers of texture with lots of different rugs.
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Turning a half-built house into a gorgeous home set Debbie Luke on the path to becoming a full-time interior designer.
An eye for design By Dina Venter • Photographs Elza Cooper • Styling Amanda van Wyngaardt
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It’s in the detail Debbie created a striking feature in the living room by painting the wall halfway with charcoal roof paint.
Debbie and Summer love spending time in the lounge. On the wall ledge, Debbie combined prints from MRP Home, Superbalist and Day Feels with a sketch she did herself and had framed.
Vibia Ameba pendant from Streamlight; coffee table from Amatuli; rug bought in Morocco
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hen Debbie Luke and her then partner Tim Apter started house-hunting in 2013, they stumbled upon a half-completed home in Parkhurst, Johannesburg. “The story goes that the builder contracted to do the job ran off with the money and the owners had to sell the house without fittings or finishes,” Debbie explains. Nothing was safe or compliant and with no Occupancy Certificate in place, Debbie and Tim couldn’t secure a loan. “There were walls, a roof and some gorgeous shutters. But the building had no plumbing, sanitary ware or floors – it was basically an empty shell,” says Debbie. Debbie and Tim negotiated a good price and moved in immediately. “Looking back, I don’t know how we survived – but we did! I remember how glad I was when we finally had a kitchen sink with running water. I’m not sure what we were thinking, but that’s the beauty of enthusiasm,” says Debbie.
The cement kitchen island has been left unpolished, complementing the rough open shelving made from scaffolding planks.
Debbie guided a craftsman in creating a console table from square steel tubing and Enduro Quartz for the entrance hall. Pendant from Amatuli
True passion Debbie has always had an eye for design. As a child, she constantly moved her furniture around, painted her room and redecorated. She also recalls moving offices at her previous job and presenting her boss with cut-outs of furniture made to scale to show how things should be arranged at the new premises. “He was completely taken aback,” she says with a laugh. “I just thought that was how it was done, without realising that I looked at layout and aesthetics in a different way to most people.” To get the project going, Tim gave Debbie complete control. “I’d never done anything like it before, but I think he could sense my passion and confidence,” she says. Debbie threw herself into the project – so much so that she eventually quit her job as a television producer. Shortly thereafter, friends came knocking at her door to request help with their own homes, and Debbie realised that interior design was her true passion. “The project came at just the right time: I had enough life experience, knowledge and maturity to start a business in an unfamiliar industry.” >>
It’s in the detail Debbie spotted the stump down the road where a team of fellers was busy cutting down a tree.
In the downstairs bathroom (below), a vanity of cast concrete is topped with a stone basin; the mirror is a family heirloom. Basin from Amatuli; towel shelf and mat from MRP Home
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Debbie bought the large Persian rug in the dining room for a bargain price on auction. On the wall, there’s a dedicated space for Polaroid snaps. “Summer loves sticking our memories on the wall, and I really don’t care how haphazard it looks – it reminds us of special times spent together,” says Debbie. Pendant from Amatuli; chairs from Weylandts
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The layout The home’s decent proportions allowed Debbie to subdivide and let half of the property to generate an income. She designed the space with on-street entry into the garage and entrance hall, which leads to an open-plan office and main lounge. This area then opens up onto the pool and garden. An open-plan kitchen and dining room, Summer’s bedroom and a guest bathroom are all located downstairs. The garden is terraced, so the downstairs area also opens onto a sizable courtyard. Upstairs from the main lounge is the master suite and open-plan bathroom with a walk-in wardrobe and small balcony overlooking the treetop canopy of Parkhurst. Debbie’s home is a constant work in progress and she has lots of plans in the pipeline. “I’m currently doing a DIY eco pool conversion and in the long-run I want to move the kitchen upstairs and my office downstairs, so I can just shut down after hours and on weekends.”
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The finishes Debbie is drawn to natural, authentic interiors. “I love recycling and finding new uses for old items. I find imperfections and a bit of ‘grunge’ striking and brave.” This is evident in her choice of finishes. Debbie called every builder in the area in her search for old wooden scaffolding planks to repurpose as open shelving in the kitchen and her study. This was a challenge, since scaffolding is largely metal these days. “Initially, I wanted all the wood to be the same colour but when I started receiving the planks, some of them were painted blue and green and I just decided to go with the rough look.” The cast concrete island in Debbie’s kitchen is also rough and unpolished. “The contractor who built it couldn’t understand why I didn’t want him to polish the island and he started to buff away at it. I made him scrub it all off and re-expose the stones – and I think the end result is absolutely stunning.” >>
A replica Barcelona chair next to the entrance creates a cosy corner. The cedar wood side table is another one of Debbie’s finds. “I spotted the tree being cut down while on a drive. Much to my dad’s dismay, I took it and left it to dry out for a year in his driveway.” She designed the legs herself and uses similar tables in clients’ homes.
In the main bedroom, an existing pine support beam was stained dark to contrast with the wallpaper. Debbie designed leather headboard cushions and covered two large bolster cushions with fabric from Hertex. In her en-suite shower (below middle), Debbie painted swallows using a wall stencil; the spacious shower in the downstairs bathroom (below right) is screened halfway, creating a wet room effect.
Towel rail from Superbalist; faux rock from a local nursery
Lounge
Lower floor Bathroom
Kitchen
Courtyard
Summer’s bedroom
STOCKISTS Amatuli 011 440 5065, amatuli.co.za CTM 010 003 9987, ctm.co.za Day Feels dayfeels.co.za Designed by Debbie 082 555 4965, designedbydebbie.co.za Hertex 0860 437 839, hertex.co.za MRP Home 0800 212 535, mrphome.com Streamlight 011 440 4142, streamlight.co.za Superbalist superbalist.com Weylandts 0860 103 400, weylandts.co.za
Passage
Bathroom
Furniture and décor Middle floor
Home office Double volume
Bedroom
Living room below
Balcony
Top floor
Entrance
Debbie moved from an apartment into a house and a lot of her existing furniture was too small for her new home. Apart from one or two heirlooms, she let the space – and a tight budget – guide her choices. “A lot of the pieces are custom made; my budget limited me but I can’t see where I could’ve spent more!” Debbie’s love of imperfections is reflected in a simple pallet bed, wooden furniture with steel frames, and natural elements throughout. For example, she insisted on having a decorative rock in her shower but with the bathroom located on the third floor, this proved an impossible task. “I had lots of elaborate plans involving cranes and the balcony, but I eventually settled for a faux rock bought at a local nursery,” she explains. Although Debbie approached the décor room by room, the house has a cohesive look; neutral shades are brought to life with pops of colour, bright wallpaper, and layers of natural textures. Debbie pays special attention to each part of the puzzle, rather than just the finished picture. “I think there is a key link missing between client and craftsman – the human element in every single piece. Paying tribute to that in my home and work brings me great joy.”
An open-plan bathroom sets a relaxed tone. “I can watch Summer play in the bath while I rest on the bed,” says Debbie. The vanity is white satin Duco. Bath from CTM
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combination An architect used steel-frame windows, raw concrete and rough wood to create an earthy industrial-style home for his family.
The Raubenheimers’ daughter Tristin decorated her own room with help from mom and dad.
WHO LIVES HERE? Warrick and Theodora Raubenheimer with their children, Luke (17) and Tristin (14), and dogs, Sky and Gogga WHERE Ongegund Village, Riebeek Valley SIZE 350m² By Beatrice Moore-Nöthnagel • Photographs Francois Oberholster • Styling Marian van Wyk
The front door, a double-opening stable door, was made from 100-year-old French oak wine barrels that were discarded at the KWV winery. It’s an impressive 2.5m tall and 1.8m wide. Gravel was the ideal choice for the outdoor surfaces as it’s cost-effective, easy to install and great for texture. Supply of French oak and manufacturing of timber doors by Cape Dutch Joinery; steelwork by De Langekloof Ysterwerke
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hen architect Warrick Raubenheimer sat down to design his own home, it kept evolving into something he’d either seen or done before, but he desperately wanted to create something different. Although not a new concept, once he and his wife Theodora started to explore the idea of old-school steel-frame windows, things began to fall into place and soon other design elements such as large timber roof beams and raw concrete ceilings followed. And while Warrick says the house doesn’t have a particular style, it definitely leans towards an industrial composition, thanks to the striking black steel-frame windows. The couple started building in 2017 after acquiring a large portion of land on the edge of the Ongegund Village on the outskirts of Riebeek West. “The plot overlooks vineyards and the length of the Kasteelberg Mountain and it was this fantastic setting that was the attraction,” says Warrick. Ongegund Village was previously a centre for a PPC cement mine and today it is fast becoming a popular address as a result of the upgrade of the existing homes as new families move into the area. In May 2018, the Raubenheimers moved into their three-bedroom (all en suite) home with an open-plan kitchen, dining and living room; a scullery; TV room; guest loo; and four-car garage. “Our biggest obstacle was the budget. Then again, creating something unusual with imposing proportions within a budget also presented an exciting challenge,” says Warrick. >>
All the electrical points in the main areas consist of exposed surface-mounted galvanised conduit pipes with industrial cast-iron and brass switchgear.
The entrance garden leading to the front door (above) connects to a courtyard garden (right) that leads to the children’s TV lounge.
An open-plan living area means everyone can hang out together – whether in the kitchen, in front of the TV, braaiing or having coffee on the patio. Timber beams by Chestnut Grove Sawmill
I enjoy the natural light introduced through the windows in different shapes and sizes. – Warrick
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reader home The kitchen has a practical design and since the Raubenheimers enjoy cooking, it was incorporated into the living space. The same 100-year-old oak as used for the front door was used in the kitchen for the island and countertop behind it. The baskets and ceramics on the wall were purchased on travels through Africa.
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The large corner window frames the main view of the mountain and vineyards. The two Art Deco chairs belonged to Warrick’s grandmother from Colesberg in the Karoo, while the three wooden pendant lights, made from the dried out bases of sisal trees, were hand-carved by a Malawian artisan on the outskirts of Wilderness. Steel windows by Klapmuts Windows
Architectural elements As the architect of his own home, Warrick could take the reins when it came to selecting materials and finishes. “When working on a project for clients, one is often constrained by potential construction detail risks,” he explains. “So the freedom of choice I experienced in decision-making was a welcome change.” Warrick used the following materials to create old-world industrial appeal, while incorporating clean lines in the finishes: Standard clay stock bricks are ideal for a slightly distressed look; they are reasonably cost-effective, improve with age, and can be used inside and outside. Steel industrial-type windows in various shapes and sizes play an important role in creating the ‘wow factor’. Because of the height
The building blends in beautifully with its environment at the foot of the mountain. While it’s tall, it isn’t imposing as there’s an impressive pine grove at the back. The windmill, although just for show, adds a fun country element.
Architect and homeowner Warrick Raubenheimer
The open staircase (left) enhances a sense of spaciousness and as there are no small children in the family, safety is not a concern.
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of the opening section of most of the windows, they aren’t easily accessible from the outside which improves security. Square timber roof beams with rough-sawn timber ceilings in certain areas contributes to the industrial feel of the home. The off-shutter precast concrete ceilings on the second floor balance the power-floated concrete floors throughout the home. Surface-mounted electrics and old-world switchgear add a unique industrial element, while a smooth plaster finish in the interior prevents the home from looking “too industrial”. Outside, the patios feature steel roof constructions as well as a combination of I-section beams, exposed roof sheets and, once again, surface-mounted electrics, lights and fans.
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Natural décor According to Theodora, who was responsible for the décor, no “proper” finishes were added. “We kept it all as natural and clutterfree as possible by not adding tiles and skirtings, keeping the wood rough, and incorporating unpolished granite and unpainted concrete,” she explains. “We wanted everything to be ‘natural and real’ in keeping with a theme of ‘less is more’. We used wood, steel, cotton, leather and concrete for an earthy aesthetic.” For the colour scheme, Theodora echoed the shades of the surrounding vineyards, mountains and bush with soft greens and greys and a modern touch of black. The furniture is a mix of old and new with each piece chosen carefully to create a comfy and practical
environment that matches the Raubenheimers’ lifestyle. “We love Africa and this is reflected in our home’s aesthetic; we supported local manufacturers such as Eco Furniture Design and Ashanti Design, who run job creation projects in Cape Town, by purchasing their wooden furniture, woven beanbags, rugs and pillows.” While the kids had their own requirements when it came to painting their rooms, the main en-suite bedroom boasts an all white palette that works well with the wooden finishes. “The look is light and airy and the warm wooden finishes add a cosy touch,” says Theodora. “I can add colour and brighten things up with cushions, throws and rugs.”
To enhance a sense of space, Warrick left a well-proportioned opening between the bedroom and bathroom with the notion that it can be closed with a timber screen in future, if desired. A timber shelf in the opening offers a handy spot for personal items.
[ WARRICK’S TIPS FOR FIRST-TIME BUILDERS ] • Design within your budget and be honest with your architect regarding your financial constraints. • Get advice from professionals in the know. • Don’t cut too many corners when it comes to important elements such as the main form structure, roof, fenestration and doorways. • Create a home that you and your family love. Be bold and include personal items that speak to your heart.
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Garage
Scullery
Courtyard
Stoep
Kitchen
En-suite
Dressing room
Bedroom
Bedroom
Ground floor En-suite
TV lounge
Main bedroom
First floor
Lounge Braai
Covered patio
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CONTACT AND STOCKISTS Ashanti Design 021 461 0367, ashantidesign.com Cape Dutch Joinery 022 487 1254, capedutchgroup.co.za Chestnut Grove Sawmill 083 489 2878, chestnutgrove-sawmills.co.za De Langekloof Ysterwerke 082 784 4004 Eco Furniture Design 021 838 2441, ecofurnituredesign.com Klapmuts Windows 021 875 5885, klapmutswindow.co.za Warrick Raubenheimer 082 460 6635, wraubenheimer.co.za
dining areas
Best use of space When Sachar Pistorius and Anton Krugel moved into a smaller home in Westdene, Johannesburg in 2018, they decided to keep their custom-made 10-seater dining table, despite having less space than before. “To accommodate the large table, we had to utilise our space differently in our new home, so we changed the ‘function’ of the living and dining rooms,” explains Sachar. “Living in a smaller space makes one think differently about how best to utilise amenities. The term ‘dining room’ should be changed to ‘communal room’ as I think many households use it for more than just eating. We use this space to socialise, eat and drink, work and play, and to store and organise items.”
with us!
in open-plan homes; we look at five inspiring designs…
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By Beatrice Moore-Nöthnagel Photographs Francois Oberholster and Elza Cooper Styling Marian van Wyk and Amanda van Wyngaardt
The front door of Sachar and Anton’s cottage opens up onto the dining room, which is very much the centre point of the home.
It works, because…
CENTRE STAGE The dining room is literally in the middle of the home: it’s a mere 2m from the kitchen, living room and pool area, respectively. So Sachar and Anton are never far from the action or their guests. SPACIOUS The table and chairs take up only a third of the total area of the room, leaving enough space to move freely from the front door to the living room and kitchen. The space easily accommodates 10 people for a cosy formal dinner or 20 people for a casual stand-up braai.
MULTIFUNCTIONAL Sachar and Anton eat at one end of the table, work on the opposite side and “store stuff” in the middle. A variety of chairs, some casual and others more upright, add interest and contrast with the table made from salvaged Oregon pine floor planks; it’s on castors and can be relocated with ease. DÉCOR The look is simple and uncluttered with a warm natural palette. Different textures and styles add depth while the artworks consist of ceramics, wooden pieces, paintings and hides.
A tall display cabinet is perfect for storing drinks, extra glasses, vases and candlesticks. The architectural skylight provides plenty of natural light in the open-plan dining room. Drinks cabinet from Amatuli; table from Die Dot Shop; floor lamp from La Grange Interiors
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dining areas The side server belonged to Sachar’s grandparents; it creates a beautiful display nook in this inviting open-plan space. Pots from Liebermann Pottery
Sachar Pistorius with his Wire Hair Fox Terriers, Sebastian and Charlie.
[SACHAR’S TOP TIPS ]
ͻ ^ƵĸĐŝĞŶƚ ůŝŐŚƟŶŐ ĨƌŽŵ ǀĂƌŝŽƵƐ ƐŽƵƌĐĞƐ ƐƵĐŚ ĂƐ Ă ŇŽŽƌ ůĂŵƉ͕ ĚŝŵŵĂďůĞ ĚŽǁŶůŝŐŚƚƐ ĂŶĚ ƉĞŶĚĂŶƚƐ ŐŽĞƐ Ă ůŽŶŐ ǁĂLJ ŝŶ ĐŽŵƉŽƐŝŶŐ Ă ĐŽƐLJ ĂƚŵŽƐƉŚĞƌĞ͘ KƉƚ ĨŽƌ ǁĂƌŵ ǁŚŝƚĞ ĂƐ ŽƉƉŽƐĞĚ ƚŽ ĚĂLJůŝŐŚƚ ďƵůďƐ͘ ͻ ŚĂŝƌƐ ǁŝƚŚŽƵƚ ĨĂďƌŝĐ ĂƌĞ ĞĂƐLJ ƚŽ ĐůĞĂŶ͖ LJŽƵ ĐĂŶ ĂůǁĂLJƐ ĂĚĚ Ă ůŽŽƐĞ ĐƵƐŚŝŽŶ ƚŽ ƐŽŌĞŶ ƚŚĞ ƐĞĂƚ ĂŶĚ ĂĚĚ ƚĞdžƚƵƌĞ͘ ͻ hŶŝƋƵĞ ĐĞŶƚƌĞƉŝĞĐĞƐ ƐƵĐŚ ĂƐ ĐĞƌĂŵŝĐƐ ĂĚĚ ĐŚĂƌŵ ĂŶĚ ĐƌĞĂƚĞ Ă ƚĂůŬŝŶŐ ƉŽŝŶƚ͘ ͻ WůĂŶƚƐ ǁŝůů ĂĚĚ Ă ƐŽŌ ƚŽƵĐŚ͘
The adjoining open-plan kitchen looks out onto the courtyard with its beautiful fig tree.
dining areas White magic! During a year-long renovation, Stefan Blom and Albie du Toit replaced the roof and floor of their 1930s Green Point home in Cape Town and demolished interior walls to create an openplan living area that includes an eight-seater dining room table. “Nowadays, we prefer to cook for just a few people as we believe we can connect better with our guests this way,” says Stefan. The open-plan space features white ceilings, white walls, white floors and white furniture. “For us, white is very calming,” says Stefan. “We wanted to create a space where people can simply take a breath and move around freely and comfortably. The background shouldn’t distract the guests or detract from the meal… In fact, white is often the ideal background for big personalities!”
It works, because… JUST WHITE Thanks to the palette, the area is light and airy. The table was custom made and painted white, while the chairs and chandelier were spray-painted white to match the interior. A SPLASH OF COLOUR In this predominantly white space, upholstered seat cushions in different colours provide interest and add a playful touch. ART WORKS Stefan and Albie collect South African art; interesting pieces, such as the round cloud artwork by Vanessa Berlein, are great conversation starters, but the hosts also firmly believe that the focus should always be on the person in front of you. GOOD FLOW This space caters for everyone, with the dining room flowing seamlessly into the living room and kitchen. The couple describes it as a place where “everyone can just be”. >>
[STEFAN AND ALBIE’S TOP TIPS ] • Don’t just paint everything grey: it might work in a bedroom because it’s good for sleep, but it’s boring for life! • Think carefully about the flow between areas for cooking and socialising. • Ask yourself: will the space invite people in? Your entertainment area should be welcoming and cohesive.
Chairs and chandelier from Delos; chairs upholstered in velvet from bbellamy & bbellamy; black ottoman from Weylandts
Business and pleasure An imposing, formal dining room was the last thing Kay and Ross Lindsay wanted when they renovated their home in Clovelly, Cape Town where they’ve been living for the past 24 years. Instead, the owners of Cape Town casting company Kayos were keen to create a shared space where they can “work, eat and hang out”. “We made very few structural changes but we swapped the lounge and dining room around so the dining area is right next to the kitchen, creating a typical open-plan living space,” explains Kay. “We wanted to design an area that draws people into the room, like the lounge used to, but it had to be comfortable as a workspace too, so we included a printer and other office items in the wall unit. This is where we hang out and work as well as entertain friends and family.” Besides installing skylights to maximise natural light, an island was added in the adjoining kitchen. “Other than that, paint and wallpaper did the trick,” says Kay.
It works, because… ISLAND STYLE The new kitchen island adds both counter and storage space – and it serves as a bar. “It’s a great collaborative space where we can prepare food together and still socialise with guests in the dining room,” says Kay. COSY AND WARM This south-facing house boasts doublevolume ceilings and can get very cold in winter; however, two fireplaces, one in the lounge and one in the dining room, keep the space toasty during the winter months. LIGHT AND AIRY Thanks to the addition of four skylights and after painting the dark reed ceiling white, the space has a lovely airy atmosphere. COMFORT It’s not often that you find a fully upholstered couch as seating next to a dining room table, but it works beautifully here and guests tend to linger longer. DÉCOR Kay uses crockery as décor: “We hauled my mother’s crockery out of a dusty cupboard and made it a feature. We now use it every day, which is wonderful.”
[KAY’S TOP TIPS ] • Think about how you want to feel in the dining room before worrying about how you want it to look. • Consider the flow of the space and how best to accommodate a large party of visitors. • Wood stoves are a great investment; they’re efficient, warm your home quickly and create a cosy vibe.
The table with its oak top and steel legs was custom made by Alastair Schoon and designed by architect Nicci Drzewicki, who also designed and custom made the sofa. With the doors open to the deck, the Lindsays can appreciate the garden while sitting at the dining table.
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dining areas
The feature wall in the dining area is a showstopper with its black-and-white tropical wallpaper, built-in wooden shelving and ďŹ replace. Personal memorabilia is on display and every item is meaningful to Kay and Ross. Bar stools from MRP Home; black chairs from The Sofa Company; cane pendant from Eight Degrees South; rattan chairs from Block & Chisel; wallpaper from Hertex
Entertain in style “What a wonderful welcoming home!” is a regular refrain when guests visit Dawie and Rudean Breet in their renovated 70s-style house in Durbanville. “Guests are often surprised by how ‘open’ it is; you can see right through from the front door to the kitchen, stoep and pool in the backyard when the stacking doors are open,” says Rudean. When the Breets moved into the house seven years ago, they updated the look inside and outside, while retaining the original 1970s-inspired aesthetic. Inside, walls were demolished, a braai room
was built and better flow was created between the various living areas. Unfortunately, a year after the renovation was completed, a fire broke out in the house and they had to renovate once again! Today, the trauma is largely forgotten and the Breets love to entertain at least once a week – next to the pool in summer and inside with a braai, potjie or pizza during the winter months.
The raw brick wall was finished with white cement, while large black and white floor tiles (400 x 400mm) add a contemporary yet timeless aesthetic. Tiles from Stiles
Under-counter bar by CaterMarket; pizza oven by ItalOven; wine rack, crates with castors and table by Wood and Steel; chandelier by Candelabra; bar stools from Incanda
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It works, because… WELL-EQUIPPED With an under-the-counter bar, fitted ceiling speakers, built-in wine racks, a pizza oven and a braai with space for both a potjie and a fire, this entertainment space has it all. An industrial-style scullery fitted by CaterMarket (owned by Dawie and Rudean) serves the braai area and kitchen. PURPOSEFUL FURNITURE The high table with bar chairs next to the braai is comfortable for entertaining and the kids use it to do their homework. The kitchen island is ideally located for food preparation, while the nearby fireplace and comfy chairs offer the perfect chill spot. BALANCE While Dawie was responsible for the furniture and design of the entertainment spaces, Rudean likes to balance the darker colours with light shades such as soft greys and yellows. OPEN TO THE OUTDOORS With the stacking doors open, the couple can enjoy the birds and squirrels in the garden from the comfort of the interior. >>
[DAWIE AND RUDEAN’S TOP TIPS ]
Chairs at the fireplace in the pause area between the kitchen and stoep provide a comfy reading nook in winter.
The stoep with its reed ceiling forms part of the kitchen when the stacking doors are open. Floor tiles from Stiles; table and chairs from Patio Warehouse
• AĚĚ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ͘ dŚĞ ĐŽƵƉůĞ ĨŽƵŶĚ ƚŚĞ ŽƌŝŐŝŶĂů ŐƌĞLJ ƐĐƌĞĞĚ ŇŽŽƌ ƚŽŽ ĚƵůů͕ ƐŽ ƚŚĞLJ ŽƉƚĞĚ ĨŽƌ ůĂƌŐĞ ďůĂĐŬ ĂŶĚ ǁŚŝƚĞ ƟůĞƐ ŝŶƐƚĞĂĚ͘ ͻ ĨƵůůLJ ĨƵŶĐƟŽŶĂů ƐĐƵůůĞƌLJ ŝƐ ŝĚĞĂů ŝĨ LJŽƵ ĞŶƚĞƌƚĂŝŶ ƌĞŐƵůĂƌůLJ͘ • Locate your braai area close to the kitchen so you feel part of ƚŚĞ ĂĐƟŽŶ͘ ͻ 'ŽŽĚ ŶĂƚƵƌĂů ůŝŐŚƟŶŐ ŝƐ ĞƐƐĞŶƟĂů͖ ƚƌLJ ƚŽ ŝŶƚƌŽĚƵĐĞ ĂƐ ŵƵĐŚ ĂƐ ƉŽƐƐŝďůĞ ǁŚĞŶ ƌĞŶŽǀĂƟŶŐ͘
The large kitchen island with its raw oak top has enough space around it to allow for an easy flow from the stoep to the indoor braai area. A yellow Fratelli Onofri stove forms an eye-catching focal point. Kitchen by Pierre Slabber Wood Interiors
dining areas
Downscaling When Sonja and Francois Nolte moved into a two-bedroom townhouse in Panorama, Cape Town, they had to make the most of the available space. With the help of IB Solutions, the old dining room was converted into a third bedroom for visiting family and friends and the remaining two bedrooms were enlarged by 1.6m. A new dining area and braai room was built in a previously unused space between the stoep and garage, while the wall between the kitchen and living room was demolished to create one large openplan area. The carpets throughout the house were replaced with screeded floors and the ceilings with exposed IsoBoard to enhance a light and airy atmosphere. “Although we downscaled, we didn’t want to feel caged in,” explains Sonja. “Visitors are often surprised by the interior, as it’s not what one would expect from looking at the façade. My son and daughter-in-law, who were initially against us moving into a smaller space, were also pleasantly surprised.”
is Sonja and Franco
62 home March 2020
The two old kitchen cabinets on either side of the braai are from a previous neighbour; the Noltes restored them both. Rug from Bellville Furniture
shopping
Take a seat! Refresh your dining room with a new chair or two. Bucket dining chair R2 702.50, Eight Degrees South
Button nook stool in navy R799.99, MRP Home Emma wooden leg dining chair R399, Decofurn
All seasons dining chair R1 600, Patio Warehouse
Lisboa in red R1 420, Chair Crazy
It works, because… OPEN UP Stacking doors that open onto a small swimming pool area create a welcome flow between the interior and exterior. ROOM WITH A VIEW Thanks to two large windows on either side of the built-in braai, the room is bathed in natural light and there’s a partial view of Table Mountain that looks “like a new painting every morning”. AMPLE SEATING AND STORAGE Besides an eight-seater dining table, steps leading to the pool provide additional seating. Old kitchen cabinets offer storage and display space and add to the ‘old versus new’ charm of the décor. SCREED FLOORS finished with TFC Top Seal are practical and easy to clean; they also create a contemporary look.
Sixth Floor Luna chair in mustard R999, Superbalist
[SONJA’S TOP TIPS ] • Flow from the inside out is crucial, especially if you live in South Africa and want to make the most of our lovely climate. • Quick and easy access to the kitchen is a must if you like to entertain. • An unexpected décor item or furniture with a story to tell is always a ŐƌĞĂƚ ĐŽŶǀĞƌƐĂƟŽŶ ƐƚĂƌƚĞƌ͘
Hand-stitched kitchen dining chair (seat 650mm H) R2 700, Incanda
STOCKISTS AND CONTACTS Alastair Schoon 082 866 7393 Amatuli 011 440 5065, amatuli.co.za bbellamy & bbellaamy 021 462 1357 Bellville Furniture 021 949 8880, bellvillefurniture.co.za Block & Chisel 087 015 0181, blockandchisel.co.za Candelabra 021 939 1001, candelabralighting.co.za CaterMarket 021 949 7325, catermarket.co.za Chair Crazy 021 465 9991, chaircrazy.co.za Decofurn 087 740 1800, decofurnsa.co.za Delos 021 447 5739 Die Dot Shop 076 581 8170 Eight Degrees South 076 766 9842, eightdegreessouth.com Hertex 021 914 3390, hertex.co.za IB Solutions 082 220 2925 Incanda 021 914 5832, incanda.co.za ItalOven 021 981 1372, italoven.co.za La Grange Interiors 011 444 5379, lag grangeinteriors.co.za g Liebermann Pottery 011 482 2215, liebermannpottery.net MRP Home 0800 212 535, mrphome.com Nicci Drzewicki 021 433 0422, drzarchitects.co.za Patio Warehouse 087 825 1120, patiowarehouse.co.za Pierre Slabber Wood Interiors 083 450 4547 Stiles 021 510 8310, stiles.co.za Superbalist superbalist.com The Sofa Company 021 200 5904, za.sofacompany.com Vanessa Berlein 084 614 0268 Weylandts 0860 103 400, weylandts.co.za Wood and Steel 082 377 8838
A CONTEMPORARY
coffee table
Deon de Goede
QUICK PROJECT GUIDE Hard labour 5/10 Skill level 5/10 Time needed 3 hours Do it yourself for ± R795: wood for base and edge R685, screws R10, Alcolin Fast Set Glue R30, sandpaper R10, wood filler R60 PROJECT NOTES • Make the legs from offcut wood or buy readymade ones from stockists such as Gelmar. • Sand all the wood beforehand and drill pilot holes where necessary.
Lots of offcut wood lying around in your workshop? Use it to make this trendy piece with its herringbone design.
Furniture and décor accessories from De Mooij Interior Design; round rug from Coirtex
By Deon de Goede • Photographs Francois Oberholster Styling Marian van Wyk
do it yourself
You will need MATERIALS • laminated pine plank, cut to: 960 x 460mm (base) • 22 x 94mm planed dark wood such as meranti, cut to: two 1 000mm planks and two 500mm planks (table edge) • four legs, about 400mm tall • offcut wood in a light colour, cut to: seven 400 x 22 x 69mm planks and
seven 330 x 22 x 44mm planks • offcut wood in a dark colour, cut to: seven 325 x 22 x 69mm planks and seven 370 x 22 x 44mm planks • wood filler in colours to match the wood you will be using • Alcolin Fast Set Glue • 1 packet 6mm x 50mm screws • 220-grit sandpaper
Get started…
1 Mark the centre of the pine base plank and draw 45° lines on one end (see sketch 1). Start with a 69mm light plank and position it on the line; then place a 69mm dark plank at a right angle on the end of the light plank (see sketch 2). Mark and cut off the triangle of each plank sticking out over the edge of the base. Glue and nail the planks firmly in place. Tip Position all the planks and cut off the necessary triangles before you start assembling.
1 Sketch 960 mm
TOOLS • cordless drill + 3mm drill bit • jigsaw • pencil • tape measure • try square • nail gun • router and flush trim bit
230 mm 230 mm
Sketch 2 69 mm
69 mm 69 mm
44 mm
69 mm
230 mm 44 mm
460 mm
2
3
2 Follow with a 44mm dark plank next to the first light plank and a 44mm light plank at a right angle next to the first dark plank. Repeat this pattern until the entire base is covered. Use the router to finish off the edge of the planks, flush with the base. Tip Sprinkle salt on the glue – this prevents the planks from sliding around while the glue is wet.
3 Cut both ends of the four 22 x 94mm dark table edges at 45°. Glue and screw the edges around the tabletop with the 6mm x 50mm screws, ensuring that the edges are flush with the top of the tabletop.
CONTACTS AND STOCKISTS Coirtex 021 762 2227, coirtex.co.za De Mooij Interior Design 082 674 0662, demooij.biz Deon de Goede 084 589 5026, deon@diydeon.co.za Gelmar gelmar.co.za
4
Timber supplied by Timbercity (timbercity.co.za)
4 Turn the tabletop over, place a leg in each corner and drill the required pilot holes through the table edge. Glue and screw the legs in place. Fill all screw holes and gaps between the planks with the appropriate wood filler. Wait until the wood filler is dry then sand everything thoroughly. Varnish the entire table in the finish of your choice. March 2020
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We upcycled a wardrobe from a previous DIY project for a fresh take!
Shelly Bergh
Before
A new look FOR AN OLD CUPBOARD
Artwork by Conrad Botes; sofa from Sofacompany; cushions from H&M Home; paint from Duram
Reimagine an old wardrobe with a rattan mat and a lick of paint! By Shelly Bergh • Photographs Francois Oberholster
do it yourself
You will need SHOPPING LIST • old cupboard • pine plank (22mm x 144mm x 1.8m) • wood glue • 3 x 40mm chipboard screws • wood filler
TOOLS • cordless drill • flat screwdriver • pliers • ruler • square • jigsaw
• universal undercoat • Duram NuGlo in the colours Orange Kloof and Darling White • rattan mat • white gaffer tape
• g-clamps • pencil • paintbrush • cloth • scissors • staple gun
QUICK PROJECT GUIDE Hard labour 2/10 Skill level 2/10 Time needed 1 day Do it yourself for ±R1 060: rattan mat R660, paint R400
Get started...
1 1 Remove the doors from the cupboard and unscrew the handles.
2 2 We removed the fabric from the doors on our cupboard with a flat screwdriver and pliers.
3
4
3 Measure the inside width of the doorframe and mark the same measurement on the pine plank.
5 5 Use a jigsaw to cut out the two triangles. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to cut two more triangles. You need four in total.
4 Draw a line diagonally across the section you measured in step 3 to create two similar triangles.
6 6 Drill pilot holes in the corners of the triangles.
March 2020
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do it yourself
7 7 Apply glue to the triangles and screw in place.
9 9 Paint the outside of the cupboard and doors with primer and let it dry.
11 11 Cut the rattan mat to fit over the openings in the doorframe. Cut it about 2.5cm bigger than the opening on all sides.
13
8 8 Fill all screw holes and gaps with wood filler and set aside to dry. Once the wood filler has dried, use a damp cloth to remove any excess.
10 10 Once the primer has dried, paint the cupboard with two coats of Darling White and the doors with two coats of Orange Kloof, letting the paint dry between coats.
12 12 Staple the rattan mat in place, pulling it tight as you go. Stick gaffer tape over the edges of the rattan mat to neaten it up.
13 Screw the door handles back in place and screw the doors back onto the hinges.
STOCKISTS Duram 0800 500 222, duram.co.za H&M Home 021 826 7451, hm.com/za Sofacompany 021 200 5904, sofacompany.com
68 home March 2020
PROMOTION
KEEP COOL
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soBoard offers an easy-to-install insulation solution to fit to new builds or retrofit to existing buildings. This enables your home to manage external temperature fluctuations with ease, maintaining comfortable living and working spaces for the lifetime of your building. Suitable for all the different areas in your home, this environmentally responsible thermal insulation solution is as versatile as it is effective. You’ll keep your home’s temperature steady, which means using less electricity for heating or cooling.
Get in touch
CAPE TOWN 021 983 1140, southsales@isoboard.com DURBAN 031 569 1800, dbnsales@isoboard.com PRETORIA 012 653 8204, northsales@isoboard.com For more tips, tricks and information, visit isoboard.com, like us on facebook.com/isoboard and follow us on Twitter @isoboard. Interior by Trend Merchants Interior Design and Decor (071 978 3704)
IsoBoard is easy to install; watch the video at homemag.co.za.
COMPETITION
DECLUTTER,
AND WIN!
Are your cupboards overflowing, is the spare room a dumping ground for things that will never see the light of day again or does your garage resemble a flea market?
I
Clynt Garnham / Alamy
t’s a growing trend: more and more people are choosing to downscale and live in smaller spaces. And, as we are all only too aware, if you start running out of storage space, there’s only one solution: spring-clean and throw out! Or sell your clutter on Gumtree and pocket the cash. What a great idea! Japanese declutter queen Marie Kondo has acquired worldwide fame with her KonMari method. Her message is simple: if an item doesn’t spark joy in you, get rid of it! Because we know just how difficult this can be, Home and lifestyle channel VIA (DStv channel 147), in collaboration with Gumtree, are launching a declutter competition as an incentive. We are looking for South Africa’s Declutter King or Queen for 2020! No matter whether you live in a farmhouse in Mooi River, a garden flat in Bloemfontein or a family home in Brackenfell, if you’re afraid to open your cupboard doors because of what might come tumbling out of them, we want to hear from you!
/Ĩ LJŽƵ ƐƚƌƵŐŐůĞ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ĞŶƚƌLJ ƉƌŽĐĞƐƐ͕ ĞŵĂŝů Amina.Essop@media24.com Žƌ ĐĂůů ϬϮϭ ϰϬϲ ϮϮϬϱ͘
[ HOW TO ENTER ]
[ WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? ]
• Go to homemag.co.za ĂŶĚ Įůů ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĞŶƚƌLJ ĨŽƌŵ Ăƚ ƚŚĞ ƚŽƉ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ǁĞď ƉĂŐĞ͘ zŽƵ ĚŽŶ͛ƚ ŚĂǀĞ ƚŽ ďĞ Ă EĞƚǁĞƌŬϮϰ ƐƵďƐĐƌŝďĞƌ͖ ĞŶƚƌLJ ŝƐ ĨƌĞĞ͘ ͻ ĞƐĐƌŝďĞ ǁŚLJ LJŽƵƌ ŚŽŵĞ ŶĞĞĚƐ ƚŽ ďĞ ĚĞĐůƵƩĞƌĞĚ ŝŶ ŶŽ ŵŽƌĞ ƚŚĂŶ ϮϱϬ ǁŽƌĚƐ͘ ZĞŵĞŵďĞƌ͗ ǁĞ ǁĂŶƚ ƚŽ ƐĞĞ ƉŝĐƚƵƌĞƐ͕ ƐŽ ŝŶĐůƵĚĞ ƚŚŽƐĞ ŝŶ LJŽƵƌ ĞŶƚƌLJ͘ ͻ ŶƚƌŝĞƐ ĐůŽƐĞ Ăƚ ŵŝĚŶŝŐŚƚ ŽŶ &ƌŝĚĂLJ ϭϯ DĂƌĐŚ ϮϬϮϬ͘
THE PRIZES
ƵƌŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ ŽĨ ϭϲ DĂƌĐŚ ϮϬϮϬ͕ ƚŚĞ Home ƚĞĂŵ ĂŶĚ s/ ǁŝůů ĐŚŽŽƐĞ ϭϯ ŚŽŵĞƐ ŝŶ ŶĞĞĚ ŽĨ Ă ĚĞĐůƵƩĞƌŝŶŐ ĞdžƉĞƌƚ͘ dŚĂƚ ĞdžƉĞƌƚ ǁŝůů ďĞ ĂŶŶŽƵŶĐĞĚ Ăƚ Ă ůĂƚĞƌ ƐƚĂŐĞ ;ǁĂƚĐŚ ƚŚŝƐ ƐƉĂĐĞ͊Ϳ͘ &ƌŽŵ ϭ Ɖƌŝů͕ Ă s/ ĐĂŵĞƌĂ ĐƌĞǁ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ĚĞĐůƵƩĞƌ ĞdžƉĞƌƚ ǁŝůů ǀŝƐŝƚ Ă ĨĞǁ ƐĞůĞĐƚĞĚ ŚŽŵĞƐ ĂŶĚ ŚĞůƉ ƚŚĞ ŚŽŵĞŽǁŶĞƌƐ ƐŽƌƚ ŽƵƚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ƐƉĂĐĞƐ͘ ǀĞƌLJƚŚŝŶŐ LJŽƵ ǁĂŶƚ ƚŽ ŐĞƚ ƌŝĚ ŽĨ ŵƵƐƚ ďĞ ƐŽůĚ ŽŶ 'ƵŵƚƌĞĞ͘ Home ǁŝůů ĨĞĂƚƵƌĞ ƐƚŽƌŝĞƐ ĂďŽƵƚ ƚŚĞ ƉƌŽĐĞƐƐ ;ŽŶůŝŶĞ ĂŶĚ ŝŶ ƉƌŝŶƚͿ ĂŶĚ ǁŝůů ĞǀĞŶƚƵĂůůLJ ƐĞůĞĐƚ ĂŶ ŽǀĞƌĂůů ǁŝŶŶĞƌ ǁŚŽ ǁŝůů ďĞ ĐƌŽǁŶĞĚ ƚŚĞ ϮϬϮϬ ĞĐůƵƩĞƌ <ŝŶŐ Žƌ YƵĞĞŶ͘
Weekly prizes will be awarded at random to Home readers and VIA viewers who enter the competition. The overall winner will receive a cash prize of R20 000 from Gumtree!
EVENT
SHOP TILL YOU DROP!
DÉCOR CRAFTS GIFTS FOOD
28 – 31 May 2020
Getty Images
Getty Images
Visit our first-ever Tuis|Home market for fabulous décor, handmade goodies, great gifts and delicious food.
Market
E
ach month, Home showcases beautiful décor, crafts and interesting food products from around the country. Now these pages will come to life at our very first Tuis|Home Market! With loads of exhibitors, demos and a wide selection of food and drinks, this market on the historic Nooitgedacht wine estate outside Stellenbosch promises to be full of creative surprises.
Keen to attend the market? Mark the date in your diary and buy your tickets now at quicket.co.za. Date 28–31 May 2020 Tickets Various options are available – from day passes to four-day passes, plus a Besties offer with a discount if you buy tickets for you and a friend. Go to quicket.co.za.
Keen to exhibit? Go to tuishomemark.co.za for the application form and information on the stalls. For details, email Anita Grindlay-Whieldon at anita@homemag.co.za or call her on 083 594 3349.
advice
Email your queries to experts@homemag.co.za.
Ask the experts
[ASK US ON FACEBOOK]
Compiled by Shané Barnard
Do you have an urgent question that just can’t wait? Then join our Tuis|Home Experts group on Facebook and get help from the team, professionals and other readers.
Need help with mounting a floating shelf or looking for a specific décor item? You ask – we find the answers. A sturdy solution Paul Vogel of Pretoria writes On page 36 of your November 2019 issue, the homeowners installed scaffolding planks as bookshelves. Can you tell me how they attached them to the wall to carry the weight of the books? Home’s DIY guru Deon de Goede replies I recently put up similar shelves in my own house. To ensure they will be sturdy, drill 12mm holes in the middle of each scaffolding plank, then hammer 10mm metal rods (see sketch) into the holes and cut them off so that 120mm of the rod still sticks out. To mount the shelves, hold them in position against the wall and mark where the rods press against the wall. Drill 12mm holes in the wall, but drill them at a slight downward angle. Hammer each shelf with its metal rods into the holes. The shelf will now have a slight upward tilt; bend it down gently until it is level.
Sketch
72 home March 2020
Quick questions
Q: Where did the homeowners find the curtains on page 43 of your January 2020 issue? – Marna Opperman, Fochville A: The curtains are from Biggie Best (biggiebest.co.za); you can find similar ones at Volpes (volpes.co.za).
Q: Where can I buy the gorgeous rug featured on page 69 of your December 2019 edition? – Amy Ackerman, Mossel Bay A: The rug is from Black Fabrics (blackfabrics.co.za).
Q: Where did you buy the metal name plates for your DIY project on page 68 of the February 2020 edition? I’ve been looking for some for ages! – Margie Grant, Bathurst A: They are from Baltic Timber (baltic.co.za).
Q: I like the wall-mounted shelving featured on page 77 of your December 2019 edition; where is it from? – Lenard Hall, Langebaan A: Eco Furniture Design (ecofurnituredesign.com) can make a similar shelf unit.
Stash it or trash it? Copy that!
Nadine Parker of Cape Town writes My father-in-law’s sister passed away recently and while clearing out her house, we came across a JH Pierneef linocut, Fisherman’s Harbour, Hermanus. Is it valuable and who can we contact to have it verified? Ruarc Peffers, managing director of Aspire Art Auctions, replies The artwork is in fact a facsimile copy of the original JH Pierneef linocut depicting the fisherman’s harbour in Hermanus. Although it is difficult to ascertain exactly what happened as historical records are limited, my understanding is that after his death, Pierneef’s widow May, who inherited the estate, arranged to posthumously reprint a set of all his linocuts. She got Zakkie Eloff, a Pretoria-based artist, to be in charge of the printing process, and Lantern, the eminent arts publication at the time, to market them. Schweickerdt, a prominent Pretoria art dealer of the time (who acted as Pierneef’s agent and presented his exhibitions), was also involved in selling them. As far as I know, the reprinted editions were limited to 10 or 12 of each. Be aware of the difference between the terms ‘original’ artwork and ‘unique’ artwork. While the linocuts on which this facsimile copy is based are indeed original, they are not unique. Linocuts are prints or multiples, which means they are produced in an edition. The number of the edition can vary significantly – anything from just a handful, to dozens, to hundreds or even thousands, depending on the type of print-making method. Linocut, being a relatively soft medium, is usually printed in smaller edition sizes. So while each linocut that comes out of the edition produced by the artist is original, none of them are unique.
This work would be catalogued as After JH Pierneef (implying it was made after his lifetime, albeit legitimately and with the consent of his estate) and the value is consequently much lower than one of the original linocuts produced within his lifetime. While the originals trade for anything from R10 000 up to as much as R50 000 (and occasionally more), the posthumous editions fetch less on auction, depending on size, quality and condition. VALUE Between R500 and R2 500 CONTACT aspireart.net
Colourful & Ro ust Garden Hose wi with Fittings 12mm x 20m Garden Hose available in three bright colours - fittings included. Matching coloured Pyramid Sprayers are available. t Durable t Cost effective t Kink Free t 8 Year Warranty on Garden Hose
A Rain Gauge with a Difference! t Can be moved to any spot in the garden simply by replacing the mount bracket with a stick or rod. t The easy mount bracket with its clever groove design enables the gauge to slide on and off effortlessly. On a Post
On the Farm
In the Garden
t UV Resistance makes the WATEX Rain Gauge STRONGER and COST EFFECTIVE.
Available from Leading Hardware Stores and Nurseries.
t Accurate readings. t Locally manufactured. www.watex.co.za 5908 WATEX Home 1/2 pg march’20
PROMOTION
YOUR DREAM HOME
STARTS HERE
Struggling with a décor dilemma and in need of expert advice? Look no further than Home’s new one-stop professional design service, Welcome Home. Choose from three packages and we’ll provide you with design ideas for any
space in need of a makeover, whether it be a bedroom or living room that requires a fresh look, or a kitchen or bathroom that needs a complete overhaul.
1
Go to welcomehome.co.za
2
Fill out the questionnaire
Click on GET STARTED and select the space that needs a makeover.
Complete the questionnaire and select your package.
3 Your box is customised...
4 ...and delivered!
A professional interior designer will put together a bespoke box with custom floor plans and sketches, samples of items such as flooring, countertops, curtains and upholstery, as well as paint swatches and a list of furniture suggestions to transform your space.
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You’ll get up to 15% discount on everything you buy from the box – so it pays for itself!
advice
ĞŵĂŝů LJŽƵƌ ƌĞŶŽǀĂƟŽŶƐ ƚŽ ĞdžƉĞƌƚƐΛŚŽŵĞŵĂŐ͘ĐŽ͘njĂ
Don’t move, improve!
Extraordinary vision and out-of-the-box thinking has transformed an eclectic 1950s home into an airy family abode with lots of natural light. By Shané Barnard Photographs Francois Oberholster Styling Marian van Wyk
STOEP
Arches lined with klompie bricks were incorporated to give the house a softer, more feminine feel in contrast to the clean lines of the rest of the building.
WHO LIVES HERE? Catherine Crawford WHERE Newlands, Cape Town SIZE 340m2
Under construction
Paint colour
FAÇADE
A waterwise courtyard with a Kei apple tree leads to the front door. The original façade with its classic Cape Georgian sash windows was extended to the new first floor.
Plascon Midland’s Marsh ENTRANCE HALL
“A staircase presents an opportunity to do something playful,” says architect Yoram Shabat. He designed a curved concrete staircase constructed by Structaform who specialise in in-situ solutions. Engineered oak floors by Lalegno; rugs from Coirtex
atherine Crawford wasn’t actually looking for a new home when she bought an old house in the leafy Cape Town suburb of Newlands. But when she learned that a house near her sister’s property would soon be on the market, the idea of living closer to her twin in Newlands Village was very appealing. The 1950s Cape Georgian-style cottage had small, dark rooms leading off from the entrance hall and the bathrooms were situated in the middle of the house. Catherine wanted to modernise the space to include open-plan living areas and let in more natural light. She enlisted the help of her architect brother-inlaw Yoram Shabat, who transformed the house into a functional family home. Catherine started collecting ideas on a Pinterest board and drew up a detailed brief, including everything she wanted for her new place: high ceilings, lots of natural light and texture. “Initially, we thought we could just ‘tweak’ the layout,” says Yoram. But after considering every possibility, they decided the only way to realise her vision would be to start over. “We would have compromised on too many things that I wanted,” Catherine says. Apart from the front wall and the original garages, one on either side of the house, everything else was demolished. A new upper storey was added to maximise the living and entertainment space on the ground level with the bedrooms, bathrooms and a study on the new upper level. The project started in January 2018 and ended in September that year. The result is a bright and spacious entertainer’s dream! >>
March 2020
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STOEP
The outdoor entertainment area leads directly off the kitchen and offers lovely views of the back of Table Mountain while being sheltered from summer winds. Skylights in the latte ceiling ensure that the space is flooded with plenty of natural light, while the polished concrete floor adds texture. Mat from MRP Home
The natural elements and textures add warmth to the clean lines of the building. – Catherine
It’s in the detail
zŽƌĂŵ ĚĞƐŝŐŶĞĚ ƚŚĞ ĮƌĞƉůĂĐĞ ǁŝƚŚ ŝƚƐ ĂƉĞ ƵƚĐŚͲƐƚLJůĞ ŵĂŶƚůĞƉŝĞĐĞ ʹ ŝƚ ĐĂŶ ďĞ ƵƐĞĚ ĂƐ Ă ďƌĂĂŝ Žƌ Ă ĐŽƐLJ ĮƌĞƉůĂĐĞ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĐŽůĚĞƌ ŵŽŶƚŚƐ͘
advice
Take it up a notch The challenge with every design, especially a home, is to create something that meets the needs and aspirations of the client, both practically and aesthetically, says Yoram Shabat of Y.S. Commercial Projects architecture. “Cathy initially did not want to do a major renovation. When she bought the house, she was expecting to make a few minor internal modifications, such as knocking out a wall here and there and creating a new kitchen and bathroom – certainly not a rebuild!” says Yoram. “The existing house was an old cottage that had been added to over the years, resulting in a low, dark building with internal corridors and bathrooms in the middle – not very conducive to the light, modern, open-plan look Cathy had envisioned. It did, however, have a charming Cape Georgian-style façade that set the tone for the overall style, which was very much in keeping with what Cathy wanted: a Georgian-style townhouse.” Adding another storey allowed them to free up as much garden space as possible. If you’re considering going up a level, keep the following in mind, says Yoram:
The blue-and-white wooden table and benches came home with Catherine when she moved back to South Africa after living in Sydney, Australia for several years.
Sofa from Ercol
1 Light steel-frame and timber-frame construction is quicker and cleaner than traditional bricks-andmortar. All second storey additions to an existing house will require building approval from Council, irrespective of which materials are used. 2 Any type of construction for an upper level – brick, lightweight steel-frame or timber-frame – will require that a structural engineer specifies the structural load-bearing components of the design. >> CONTACT yoram@yscp.co.za
They say you should never work with family, but in this case they were wrong! It ended up being a successful and thoroughly enjoyable project. – Yoram
March 2020
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The living room with its high ceilings still feels cosy; light voile curtains soften the other more contemporary finishes. Catherine left the wall behind the fireplace unplastered for added texture. Built-in bookshelves provide additional storage space. Curtains sourced by Jean-Pierre de la Chaumette Interior Design
DINING ROOM AND KITCHEN
The open-plan living room, dining room and kitchen is lovely and spacious. Beams in the ceiling help break down the scale and demarcate the different spaces. LIVING ROOM
Custom-made sliding doors by RA Woodcraft lead to the TV room and guest suite.
Sideboard from The New Modernist
Scullery Bedroom
Entrance Living area
Courtyard
Dining
Garage
Pantry
Kitchen
Stoep
Store
Ground floor
Top floor
Passage
Braai area
advice
TV room
Bedroom
Bathroom
Landing
Another skylight in the kitchen provides ample light and creates the feeling of a conservatory.
Bedroom
Guest room
Bath
Bathroom
Garage
It’s in the detail
The hearth above the freestanding oven was designed with an old-fashioned fireplace in mind. “I wasn’t sure how it would work, but somehow it all comes together,” Catherine says. >>
Paint colour
Plascon Midland’s Marsh
Dining table from Saks Corner; pendant sourced by Jean-Pierre de la Chaumette Interior Design; kitchen cabinets made by Core Interiors; green and white terrazzo tiles from Lovric Dittberner Terrazzo Tiles; chairs from Guideline Design
If you have the privilege of designing and building a house exactly the way you want it, you may as well have fun and include some playful elements. – Catherine
The brass fittings in the kitchen (below left) and all the bathrooms are from Victorian Side Bathrooms.
A pink vanity from The New Modernist adds a playful touch to the second bathroom.
Bathroom tiles from WOMAG; towel from Mungo
BATHROOMS
The porthole windows in both the bathrooms upstairs were one of the design elements that Catherine loved while putting together her inspiration board for the renovation. “They’re lovely, but very impractical,” Yoram jokes. “You can only put them in places (such as bathrooms) where you don’t need to dress them in any way.” A vanity cupboard in the main bedroom en suite offers plenty of storage space. Vanity from Saks Corner; brass taps and finishes from Victorian Side Bathrooms
BEDROOMS
Catherine decided to add three bedrooms to the new upper level of the house to accommodate a bigger family. There is a separate guest suite and bathroom on the ground floor. The military chest in the main bedroom belonged to Catherine’s father. Throw from The Alpaca Loom; rug from Coirtex; curtains sourced by Jean-Pierre de la Chaumette Interior Design STOCKISTS AND CONTACTS Coirtex 021 762 2227, coirtex.co.za Core Interiors 021 712 6147 coreinteriors.co.za Ercol ercol.com Guideline Design 021 534 0334, guideline.design Jean-Pierre de la Chaumette Interior Design 021 461 1549, jpdlc.co.za Lalegno 021 851 0054, lalegno.co.za Lovric Dittberner Terrazzo Tiles 084 547 1410, lovrictiles.co.za MRP Home 0800 212 535, mrphome.co.za Mungo 021 201 2374, mungo.co.za RA Woodcraft 082 327 0588, rawoodcraft.com Saks Corner 021 447 2966, sakscorner.co.za Structaform 021 795 0204, structaform.co.za The Alpaca Loom alpacas.co.za The New Modernist 082 414 0317, thenewmodernist.com Victorian Side Bathrooms 021 982 0461, victoriansidebathrooms.co.za WOMAG 021 447 6161, womag.co.za
H ALLSTAT P9 30 P9 00 OP P9 00 CL
PENDANTS
PENDANT
P9 8 0/ P 9 81 / P 9 8 2
P1 05 8
ROM AO FL205
Cape Town (Head Office) : 9 Racecourse Road, Milnerton, 7441 | Tel: +27 (0) 21 528 8400 | Email: info@eurolux.co.za Johannesburg: 72 5th Street, Wynberg, Sandton, 2090. | Tel: +27 (0) 11 608 2970 | Email: jhb@eurolux.co.za Durban: Talksure House 62 Umhlanga Ridge Boulevard, Umhlanga, Durban. | Tel: +27 (0) 31 263 0088
advice
Email your queries to pets@homemag.co.za
Animal antics Compiled by Beatrice Moore-Nöthnagel
Too hot to handle!
When it’s just too hot…
I dare you…
Mias takes ownership of the birdbath. – Jana Louw, Pretoria
A tin bath does the trick for Lila. – Unike Venter, Pretoria
Fun in the sun
Casey makes the most of the sprinkler. – Helen du Plessis, Pretoria
Hot product WUMA! now comes in bold new packaging as part of Montego Pet Nutrition’s rebrand roll-out. The range varies from premium (WUMA! Adult and Puppy) to super-premium (WUMA! PLUS) and is available in 1.5kg, 8kg and 20kg bags. Go to montego.co.za.
Q&A
Remedy for skin sores Jonathan Niehaus of Durban writes
My Labrador has small red sores behind his ears; what can I use to treat them?
High ’n dry
Ti finds a shady refuge on the jungle gym. – Ilana van Rensburg, Brackenfell
Sink or swim
Rusty has taken over the bathroom basin. – Anrie Roux, Swellendam
Pool party!
Gracie knows how to keep cool. – Judy van Rensburg, Vanderbijlpark
Each owner whose pet is featured here wins a medium K9 Castle for dogs or a Nap Sack for cats from Wagworld (wagworld.co.za), available from leading vet and pet shops. The outer bolster of the K9 Castle is made of strong waterproof canvas, which can be spot cleaned or hosed down. The removable pillow cover is machine-washable. The Nap Sack, available in four linen-look canvas designs, is ideal for cats and small dogs. Simply roll the sides over to suit your pet’s height preference; it’s machine-washable. Send your pics (at least 2MB each) and contact details to pets@homemag.co.za – you could be a winner too! See competition rules on page 129.
WIN!
The experts at Bayer Animal Health reply Certain breeds with thick coats such as Rottweilers, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds and St. Bernards are prone to these sores. Pyotraumatic dermatitis, commonly known as ‘hot spots’, is a bacterial infection of the skin associated with inflammation. Hot spots are more common in warm, humid climates and can be extremely uncomfortable. Often triggered by Staphylococcus intermedius bacteria, the main causes are: • Infections that occur when the skin has been broken. • Chronic exposure to moisture, which causes the skin to become macerated. • Bacterial flora that have been altered. • Impaired circulation. RISK FACTORS INCLUDE • Allergies caused by fleas or food. • Parasites, especially Demodex mites. • Fungal infections. • Endocrine disease such as hypothyroidism or sex hormone imbalance. • Immune incompetency, especially in young animals. • Conformation including coat length and skin folds. • Trauma due to grooming, scratching or irritants and foreign bodies such as thorns or grass awns. TREATMENT • Your vet will most likely clip or shave the hair from the affected area, which can then be washed with an appropriate shampoo. • The lesion must be dried and a suitable ointment applied; this may contain antibiotics to eliminate surface bacteria and an anti-inflammatory to alleviate pain and inflammation. In certain cases, it may be necessary to put your pet on a course of oral anti-inflammatories and/or antibiotics. • In most cases, the skin will return to its normal condition within 7–10 days. But it’s important to identify and remove any of the predisposing causes to prevent recurrence. PREVENTION • Ensure proper flea control. • Prevent excessive swimming. • Groom long-haired dogs regularly. • Avoid sudden changes and extreme variations in your pet’s diet. CONTACT animalhealth.bayer.co.za March 2020
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advice
Send garden info and queries to gardens@homemag.co.za.
Gardening notebook
Gillian Eva
Keep your garden looking colourful by trimming off spent flowers to encourage more blooms well into autumn.
ON THE MOVE Autumn is a good time to move or plant trees and shrubs so they can become established when there is less heat stress and evaporation, and the soil has cooled down. Choose plants that are healthy and well established with good root growth, but are not pot-bound.
Compiled by Gillian Eva â&#x20AC;˘ Photographs Francois Oberholster and supplied
Stonecrop
Boston ivy
Hydrangea quercifolia
Day lily
I Physostegia
Gaillardia
Japanese anemone
n this golden season, this autumnal equinox of the Southern Hemisphere, it is a time of celebration; of harvests gathered, fruits ripened on the vine, veld grasses the colour of ripened corn, road verges bright with pink and white cosmos, and gardens donning their autumn dress amidst the faded grandeur of summer. There is always movement in the autumn garden as the breeze moves among the trees and leaves spiral down to spread carpets of yellow, orange and red. Virginia creeper and Boston ivy are a mosaic of flame and gold on garden walls, while ripened berries on shrubs and hedges provide a feast for birds. In borders, roses that faded in the fierceness of the summer sun are now showing rich colouring, and dahlias are as generous in their autumn flush as they were in summer. Oak-shaped leaves of Hydrangea quercifolia begin to take on colours of rich mahogany and red-purple. Dependable day lilies, dark-eyed Rudbeckias and Gaillardias in yellow, orange and bronze are partnered by pastel and brightly coloured chrysanthemums. The flat flower heads of stonecrop (Sedum) change
from dusty-pink to rusty-maroon, a pleasing contrast to their grey-green succulent foliage. Eucomis autumnalis, with its pineapple topknot of long-lasting flowers, is unusual in rockery pockets or planted in groups. Do you grow Plectranthus to add shades of pink, mauve and purple in your autumn garden? They provide a long-lasting display in autumn on low-growing, medium and tall shrubs in light shade. Another worthwhile autumn-flowering shrub that can take more sun is the lilac-flowered ribbon bush (Hypoestes aristata). When so many plants are shedding their leaves, the first of the camellias, the sasanqua with evergreen glossy green foliage, creates a feeling of stability in the garden, while their satiny flowers in white, pink and red add a touch of elegance. Pastels are also in evidence at this time of year in lavender Caryopteris, amethyst Perovskia, mauve Physostegia and pink frilly Nerines. Pink and white Japanese anemones move in the lightest breeze, their frail-looking flowers somewhat misleading as they enjoy robust health, and given adequate moisture and a shady spot, will soon spread.
The wonder of woodlands International Day of Forests on 21 March raises awareness of the importance of forests. Wildlife needs forests for safety and food, and as a refuge from man and protection from the elements. Forest bird species rely on forest habitats for shelter, nesting and food and are in decline due to deforestation. Make a part of your garden an urban ecosystem with a ‘mini’ forest garden that will provide shelter for birds. Further benefits of a woodland garden are that fallen leaves enrich soil fertility; tree roots hold soil, control water run-off and protect soil from wind and erosion. Buy the sturdiest, tallest trees you can afford, as trees take the longest time to establish, and group them quite closely. Trees should not cast too dense a shade and may need to be lightly pruned to allow light in. Dais cotinifolia, Nuxia floribunda, Searsia pendulina, Vepris lanceolata and trees with berries and fruits will attract birds. By Kay Montgomery
Water smart
We love succulents!
Agave attenuata The tall arching flower of this plant has given rise to two common names – foxtail and swan’s neck. It is a large, beautiful succulent perennial that stands out as a feature in any garden with its soft silvery-green rosettes that resemble an open flower. Originally from Mexico, it is equally at home in this country and is a great asset, being waterwise, drought-tolerant, non-invasive and easy to grow. How to grow Plant in well-drained soil in full sun or semi-shade. Water occasionally to prevent the soil from drying out completely. There is no need to fertilise. Pups (clonal rosettes) form around the base of the plant and if left will form a sizeable clump. These pups can be separated from the mother plant and set out as new plants. As it matures, the plant forms stems, up to 120cm tall, which add height to the garden. Garden uses In succulent gardens, these make a show if used as large, impressive individual specimens surrounded by low-growing succulents. If left to form clumps, the effect is rather dramatic. It makes an ideal accent plant in tropical gardens, as well as in dry Mediterranean gardens, city and coastal gardens. Agave attenuata is also a good container plant for high impact. Common problems Plants are not frost-hardy and should be kept in a sheltered spot in winter. Snails and slugs like the young foliage. If grown in too much shade, they may develop anthracnose fungal disease and overwatering can cause root rot. CONTACT Ngena Succulents; email john@ngena.africa.
Patio plant of the month
‘Little Missy’
‘Little Master’
A perfect pair
Sedum ‘Little Missy’ and ‘Little Master’ are a pigeon pair of groundcover succulents that perfectly complement one another. They are best displayed in pots or hanging baskets as the dense, mat-like foliage tends to grow into a naturally round shape. ‘Little Missy’ has tiny green-and-white variegated leaves and in summer is dotted with miniature pink flowers. ‘Little Master’ has heart-shaped emerald-green leaves. Suitable for patios, they need good light and shelter from frost. Pots must drain well, and plants should be watered deeply or drenched when the soil is completely dry. If grown indoors, keep the plants near a sunny window. CONTACT ballstraathof.co.za
Waterwise plant of the month
Photograph Carol Knoll
African dogwood African dogwood (Rhamnus prinoides) is an attractive evergreen large shrub or small tree up to 4.5m tall, with glossy foliage. Inconspicuous flowers attract bees and are followed by decorative fruit between December and June; the fruit is green in summer, changing to red then black, and it attracts many bird species. It is a hardy, frost-resistant plant that is good for hedges.
advice
Ludwig’s rose corner Jeremy Sykes of Somerset West writes My garden has heavy, clay
‘Peach Melba’
Ludwig replies With clay soil that is sticky or lumpy, it is not good enough to just add compost around the roses and dig it in lightly. Aeration needs to be improved by bringing in coarse soil-conditioning materials such as peanut shells, crushed apricot pips or pine bark chunks. Dig this into the soil to a depth of at least 40cm. It is not a problem if some of the roots are cut or loosened in the process. After this, water very well once and then keep on watering maybe twice a week. Only when the rose shows lots of new stems and leaves can you consider applying a rose fertiliser.
Why don’t my ‘Ann Wrighton’ roses flower? They get plenty of sun.
‘Ann Wrighton’
Ludwig replies I recently encountered a similar problem in another garden. The beds were mulched and watered weekly. I dug a hole between two bushes and found moist well-composted soil 20cm deep. Beneath that level the soil was hard and bone dry. The sprinklers did not run long enough. Extend your watering to 40 minutes and after an hour or so, dig down and inspect the soil. The water needs to penetrate to at least 30cm and deeper. CONTACT ludwigsroses.co.za • Visit the Autumn Rose Festival on Saturday 21 March at Ludwig’s Rose Farm north of Pretoria. Walk or picnic among the roses, ride the rose tractor train, view new roses, and enjoy breakfast, tea or lunch in the rose restaurant. For details, call 012 544 0144.
Regional rose tasks for March Summer rainfall Towards the end of March, spray roses with Chronos twice a month to prevent black spot. Fertilise with a double dose of Vigorosa to compensate for the roses starting to withdraw food from their leaves; water well afterwards. Continue with regular watering (at least twice a week), as plants that are stressed from underwatering are more susceptible to thrips. Winter rainfall Give extra fertiliser to flowering climbers such as ‘Cocktail’, ‘Joseph’s Coat’, ‘Wedding Garland’, ‘High Hopes’, ‘Isidingo’ and all the Panarosas to encourage repeat flowering. Water well afterwards. Once the rains start, spray with a
Leaf deformity Wendy Davies of Durbanville writes
soil and my ‘Peach Melba’ roses are not doing well; please help!
Johan de Vries of Springs writes
Ask JJ
combination of Ludwig’s Insect Spray and Chronos every month to manage pests and prevent black spot and mildew. If thrips are a problem, spray with Plant Care. Continue with regular watering. Lowveld and KwaZulu-Natal coast Water regularly and renew mulch. Fertilise with Vigorosa and water well afterwards. Towards the end of March, spray twice a month with Chronos mixed with Ludwig’s Insect Spray to control pests. For bad infestations of thrips, spray with Plant Care. If plants have lost their leaves because of black spot, pinch off the upper new shoots to encourage new growth.
My 14-year-old milkwood tree has started getting these knobs on its leaves over the past year. What is it and how do I get rid of it? JJ replies It’s called psylla; these insects lay their eggs in the foliage as the leaves develop. Spray the tree with Aphicide or Plant Care – this will be effective for about three weeks. Alternatively, you can water the tree with Complete, which is systemically taken up through the roots and will be effective for about six months. Unfortunately, those leaves that have been affected won’t recover, but the new leaves should be healthy.
Pesky moles Malcolm de Roubaix of Bloubergstrand writes A piece of municipal land adjoining my property is teeming with moles. I don’t want to kill them; I just want to encourage them to go and dig elsewhere. Are there any natural, organic products or methods? Do the ultrasonic repellents that you see advertised work? JJ replies Yes, you get natural repellents that drive them away – they usually consist of strong concentrates of garlic, onions and other plant extracts (Efekto makes an organic one). The ultrasonic systems (look on takealot.com and builders.co.za) only work if your soil has a high clay content, because sandy soil doesn’t ‘carry’ the signal. Listen to JJ’s gardening tips and tricks on Derrich Gardner’s show Brekfis met Derrich at 07:40 every Saturday on RSG. March 2020
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crossword #139
Compiled by Gerda Engelbrecht
WIN!
One of eight NB Publishers books worth R195 could be yours.
Whether they are called creation myths or origin stories, children and adults alike love these highly imaginative tales of the origins of people, animals and the natural world. How Lion Became King of the Animals by Chris Venter features 14 such tales, with a focus on the animals, people and breathtaking natural beauty of Africa. It includes the Sanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intriguing tale of how the stars and Milky Way were formed, how the hippopotamus came to live in the water, how the jackal got his black saddle and more. The first eight readers whose correctly completed crosswords are drawn will each win a copy of How Lion Became King of the Animals worth R195. Note: The solutions to Crossword #133 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 137 are available online at homemag.co.za.
Send the completed crossword, and your details, to Home Crossword #139, PO Box 1802, Cape Town, or scan in your completed crossword and email it to competition@homemag.co.za to reach us by 31 March 2020. See our competition rules on page 129.
Name ............................................................................. Address .......................................................................................................................... Postal code .................. Cell .............................................. Tel. (w) ............................................. Email .........................................................
90 home March 2020
A garden
for Aleit When the thought of planning your outdoor space seems overwhelming, you make another plan… By Marié Esterhuyse Photographs Francois Oberholster
FOUNTAIN PLANT LIST • Crassula ovata ‘Hobbit’ • Crassula pellucida • Sedum spectabile • Senecio mandraliscae • Echeveria elegans • Aptenia cordifolia • Airplants such as Tillandsia ionantha
Aleit was bowled over by the succulent fountain created by landscape designer Eti Buys. Instead of water in the top three tiers, she filled them with soil and planted a variety of succulents with airplants inbetween. Since these plants require very little water, not having drainage holes in those tiers was not a problem; the plants only get watered every two to three weeks. The pond at the bottom of the fountain was added later as Aleit loves the soothing sound of water; borehole water is used for the pond.
reader garden
WHO LIVES HERE? Aleit Swanepoel and his daughter Kateline WHERE Somerset West SIZE OF GARDEN 800m² TYPE OF SOIL Clay
March 2020
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Eti told me we have to make the garden smile, and she has achieved that with colour. – Aleit
Paint colour
Dulux Weatherguard Ultrasmooth Deep Onyx
A
leit Swanepoel’s garden gives you the feeling of being in the middle of a forest, far from the hustle and bustle of the outside world. “I’m crazy about my garden. It is surrounded by tall trees and is bordered by a green strip. When I bought the property in June 2018, it was sorely neglected, with just a patch of dead grass. I don’t have green fingers but I love a beautiful garden. I knew that if I wanted to transform this outdoor space, I would need help, so I approached Eti Buys of Kimko Gardens,” says Aleit, chairman and Eti Buys founder of event management company The Aleit Group. “Eti knew what my previous garden looked like and what I like. She showed me plenty of photos of ideas she had for the new garden and I gave her free rein to get on with it. It was such a wonderful surprise – until the day I moved in, I had no idea what she was up to!” Eti started the project in July 2018, two months before Aleit took up residence. Structurally, the garden was well established, albeit badly overgrown, with lovely big trees and a beautiful purple bougainvillea.
94 home March 2020
reader garden
More is more “The idea was to keep the garden natural and retain as much of what was here as possible, but to bring back life and colour,” Eti says. “After drawing a design, I tackled the project in various stages. My team first cleared the garden and took out the invasive plants. We also had to get rid of the clay soil that was excavated for the swimming pool. Then the area was levelled and we could start gardening.” Huge amounts of compost were needed and this had to be brought in via the greenbelt. “It was the only access into the garden, other than the steps next to the house. All the other garden accessories such as the fountain, pots and plants had to be brought in via the steps. The fountain’s bottom bowl was so heavy that 15 men had to carefully slide it down the steps using blankets. It was quite a challenge!” Eti put in lots of new plants in the bed between the upper and lower level of the garden. Agapanthus, irises and Bulbine natalensis, as well as foxgloves, hydrangeas, spurflowers and arum lilies were planted for seasonal colour. She re-used lots of the ferns and simply trimmed the existing trees such as the wild olive, white stinkwood and Chinese maple to neaten them up and encourage new growth. “Detail is created throughout the garden in the form of statues, pots and even an old frame hanging in a tree. But that’s Aleit style. He gave me a lot of ornaments and I had to find a spot for them in the garden, because he believes more is more. There are still loads in the garage – but I had to draw a line somewhere!” >>
[ ALEIT’S FAVOURITES ] “I’ve always wanted a bougainvillea in my garden and now I have this beautiful purple one that flowers all summer long. It is my favourite plant. I also love the tickey creeper that is slowly but surely covering the cement bricks. I adore the foxgloves in the bed bordering the peach pip pathway and I can’t wait for the hydrangeas to get bigger. I also love the ferns in the shade garden – I want them to take over there.”
All the décor and other garden necessities were either carried, rolled or dragged down the steps.
reader garden
Eti had the steel for the arch bent into this circular shape. It weighs 350kg and had to be rolled down the steps to get it into the garden, where it was buried halfway into the ground for stability. It creates the effect of a secret entrance to another part of the garden, with Chinese jasmine growing up it. Steel from Crawford Steel Services
96 home March 2020
Eti showed Aleit photos of garden chessboards and he knew instantly that he wanted something similar. He often enjoys a game with Kateline.
[ STALWARTS IN THE GARDEN ]
• Wild olive (Olea europaea subsp. africana) • Chinese maple (Acer buergerianum) • White stinkwood (Celtis africana) • Sacred bamboo (Nandina domestica) • Hydrangea spp. • Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) • Catnip (Nepeta x faassenii) • Australian violet (Viola hederacea) • Flax lily (Dianella tasmanica ‘Variegata’) • Rose-scented pelargonium (Pelargonium graveolens) • Iris spp. • Various lavenders (Lavandula spp.) • Spurflower (Plectranthus spp.) • Arum lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica) • Mint (Mentha) as a groundcover • Tickey creeper (Ficus pumila) • Various herbs in pots
The lawn around the fountain and next to the pool failed to thrive due to a lack of sun. “The peach pips (right, top) were born out of necessity,” says Aleit. “Top Billing came to do a shoot here and I realised that we would have to do something about the awful grass. Eti and I considered several options and finally decided on the peach pips. Their dark colour complements the exterior of the house and they last longer than bark, for instance. The texture also adds interest.” Foxgloves (right, centre) bloom in spring and summer. Aleit loves garden ornaments like this cement statue (right) that was previously used as wedding décor. >>
reader garden [ MAINTENANCE ]
Gibson Banda, Aleit’s right-hand man, and his neighbour Antoinette Stockley help with the maintenance of the garden. “Until recently, I wasn’t even aware that Antoinette had a remote control for the gate; she comes and goes as she pleases. She and Gibson fertilise the plants, do what is needed and maintain the herb planters (left). I bought the wooden crates for the planters at a church bazaar – I love a church bazaar! Antoinette planted up the crates and knows just what to do to keep the plants healthy. To prevent the wood rotting, the crates were lined with black plastic before the soil was added. Eti makes sure the place is spick and span before any major events are held here. And me? I just stroll around the garden and enjoy it!” says Aleit with a smile.
The circular pavers for the pathway (left) were custom made; a mould was set in place and then filled with cement. They are interspersed with slate stones for contrast.
STOCKISTS AND CONTACT Crawford Steel Services aspectgroup.co.za Kimko Gardens kimko.garden Plants from Cape Garden capegardencentre.co.za Shadowlands Wholesale Nursery shadowlands.co.za
98 home March 2020
COMPETITION
WIN
One lucky reader will get an eight-seater WODC table valued at R14 000!
This table can be used indoors or outdoors!
T
he Latin word concretum has been synonymous with strength and durability throughout history. Ancient traces of the tough and durable material known as concrete date back 7 000 years and have been discovered in some of the most celebrated buildings of the Roman Empire. Yet, despite this early evidence, somehow the art of making concrete was lost. It wasn’t until the 17th century that concrete was rediscovered and once again became one of the most commonly used construction materials of all time. Today, World of Decorative Concrete (WODC) – the experts in construction and decorative concrete including ground and
polished concrete floors, countertops, tiles, overlays, wall claddings, furniture and décor accessories – continues the legacy of this versatile material, transforming the ordinary into timeless, luxurious products. WODC is one of the largest concrete grinding and polishing contractors in South Africa and showcase projects can be seen from the Ivory Coast to Mauritius, Namibia, Botswana and South Africa. Today, leading architects routinely specify WODC products for their high-end projects. WODC is a proudly South African company and all products for walls, floors and work surfaces are locally designed and manufactured. WODC also enjoys the
professional backing of two well-established companies: Quickslab and Stucco Italiano. • For more information, visit wodc.co.za or call 021 982 0006 or 021 982 1490. THE PRIZE An eight-seater table (2.4 x 0.9m) with either a pine or meranti base and a polished concrete top. HOW TO ENTER SMS the keyword WODC along with your full name, physical and email address to 33406 (each SMS costs R1.50); see our competition rules on page 129. CLOSING DATE 31 March 2020 March 2020
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A surprise EVERY CORNER Take a walk with us through the beautiful rooms in this structured garden.
By MariĂŠ Esterhuyse Photographs Francois Oberholster
100 home March 2020
reader garden
A
garden with structure, steps, low walls and an abundance of blooms. This was a long-time dream for Beatrice Moore-Nöthnagel, a member of Home’s editorial staff for many years and now a regular contributor. However, her garden had quite a steep slope and the clay soil was a problem; Beatrice and hubby Christo soon realised that they would not be able to achieve the garden of their dreams on their own and called in Wouter Kruidenier of De Kruidenier Exclusive Gardens for assistance. “We explained our wishes and Wouter and his team took care of the rest,” says Beatrice. “He drew up the plans, chose plants that we love and managed the entire project. I always tell people that we decided not to extend our home but rather to ‘build’ a garden. Our garden gives us immense pleasure. It was worth every cent!” >>
WHO LIVES HERE? Beatrice and Christo Nöthnagel and their three kids, Emma (9) and twins Philip and Nielen (3) WHERE Durbanville SIZE OF GARDEN 418m² TYPE OF SOIL Clay with loamy topsoil
reader garden
The rose tunnel that connects the pool garden to the front garden adds structure to the space. Red bricks and cement surfaces are used throughout to create a cohesive whole.
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The project kicked off in April 2015 and lasted about nine weeks (the pool was installed beforehand). This is how it was done:
First, the site was levelled The propertyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s slope made gardening difficult. In addition to the soil that was excavated for the pool, another 85 cubic metres of good loamy soil was brought in to level the surface. With this quality garden soil as a top layer, the poor clay soil was no longer an issue. In the lower part of the garden, French drains were installed to improve drainage. A sturdy low retaining wall was also built between the pool and the boundary wall to support the weight of the additional soil and to prevent the boundary wall from toppling over.
[ GARDEN ROOMS ] 1 4
1 Main garden with water feature 2 Entertainment area 3 Lower level 4 Front door 5 Pool garden 6 Rose tunnel
3 6
2 5
Next, building could commence
Before
The swimming pool takes shape. . .
Structures being built
Illustration by Jade Cupido
The garden takes shape
With the ground levelled, low walls and steps could now be built; these created different levels and garden rooms. Cement paths with a red brick edging that complements the red facebrick of the house links the various parts of the garden. This edging ensures that the garden and house form a cohesive unit. The NĂśthnagels love the look of small klompie bricks and were keen to use them in the garden, but they are expensive and buying the amount they would need for all the paths and low walls would have cost a fortune. Wouter chose class 2 red De Hoop bricks from Corobrik and turned them on their sides, creating more or less the same effect with much cheaper bricks. Clipped hedges feature throughout the garden, adding structure to the rooms and helping to conceal boundary walls. They also add privacy and serve as green walls. >>
Colour adds life
During
The cement surface used for pathways and benches creates an earthy and timeless feel. Some of the cement walls and the pizza oven were painted with red iron oxide powder (available from hardware stores) to achieve a rusted look; it is mixed with water and brushed on and only needs to be applied once to permanently create this look. Stone cladding creates a textured finish around the pillars of the rose tunnel and entertainment area. This was chopped by hand and then fitted like a puzzle.
The concrete benches, small fire pit and pizza oven are perfect for outdoor entertaining; a bowl of echeverias adorns the fire pit when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not in use.
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Meranti beams from Rare Woods SA; stonework by Van Staden Retaining Systems
[ PLANT LIST ]
A variety of hedge plants add structure, contrast and privacy: • Australian brush cherry (Syzygium paniculatum) • Indian laurel fig (Ficus microcarpa) • Ficus ‘Hawaii’ and F. ‘Gold King’ • White pear (Apodytes dimidiata) • Tarwood (Loxostylis alata) • Viburnum sinensis and V. tinus ‘Compactum’
Chincherinchee
Tickey creeper growing up the brick walls softens the exterior of the house; repetition of this element creates uniformity. (Read more about this climber on page 112.)
Different rooms The garden is divided into seven garden rooms, each with its own character and palette:
1 Main garden with water feature the side of the property and conceals the driveway. The first sight that greets you as you walk through this hedge is the circular water feature. This element adds structure to the front garden and is further emphasised by neatly trimmed low salt bush hedges. Blue, purple and white forms the palette in this part of the garden. The borehole water fountain is enjoyed by dogs and kids alike! It also attracts an abundance of birds, while the soothing sound of the water can be enjoyed from inside the house.
Beds of statice blooms are framed by low salt bush hedges. Bulbs such as chincherinchee and Dutch irises provide seasonal colour.
[ PLANT LIST ]
The garden can be appreciated from every room in the house; throughout the year, there are plants in bloom and so many things that bring us joy. – Beatrice
Blue, white and purple blooms provide colour in the front garden: • Buxus microphylla ‘Faulkner’ around the fountain • Statice (Limonium perezii) • Bulbs such as chincherinchee (Ornithogalum thyrsoides hybrids) and Dutch irises • Salt bush (Einadia hastata) for contrast
reader garden
2 Entertainment area What was previously a misshapen dead corner is now the most sociable entertainment area! The existing boundary hedge of Australian brush cherry has grown tall enough to hide the neighbour’s two-storey house so the space is perfectly private. The entertainment area is a step higher than the pool garden to create the feel of a separate garden room. The cement floor was framed with the same red brick edging. Pillars were built and a meranti pergola installed to provide respite from the summer heat. The pergola is covered with an ornamental grape for shade, while different types of jasmine that bloom at various times of the year provide heady fragrance. >>
[ PLANT LIST ]
Climbers and ornamental plants provide greenery in the entertainment area: • Azalea hybrids • Starry wild jasmine (Jasminum multipartitum) • Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) • Tree forget-me-not (Duranta erecta ‘Sheena’s Gold’) • Yesterday, today and tomorrow (Brunfelsia pauciflora ‘Eximia’) • Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) • Crane flower (Strelitzia reginae) • Acorus ‘Golden Edge’ (Acorus gramineus ‘Golden Edge’) • Mirror bush (Coprosma repens ‘Marble Chips’) • Viburnum tinus ‘Compactum’
Practical jarra wood furniture that can remain outdoors permanently is perfect for the entertainment area. It is not sealed; instead, it is washed with a special plant soap two to four times a year. The outdoor pendant creates a lovely ambience in the evenings. Table and chairs from Hope Garden Furniture; pizza oven from Italoven; outdoor pendant light from Ambient Luce
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3 Lower level A wide variety of pink flowers provide colour in spring in this part of the garden. A rusted steel French-look urn from Plaisir du Jardin is the focal point of this garden room. Symmetrically placed, it draws the eye when you look from the pool garden through the rose tunnel towards the pink garden.
[ PLANT LIST ]
These plants provide pink blooms for an extended period: • Inca lily (Alstroemeria aurea) • Harebell (Dierama pendulum) • Hibiscus rosa-sinensis • A variety of Pelargoniums • Egyptian star cluster (Pentas lanceolata) • Purple leaf plum (Prunus cerasifera ‘Nigra’) • Kruschen’s pink (Rhaphiolepis x delacourii ‘Kruschenia’) • Watsonia spp. • Elephant's ear (Alocasia macrorrhiza) for structure and Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Garnettii’ trimmed into topiaries to add height
Pink is our favourite colour! – Beatrice 4 Front door Here, mainly autumn shades with touches of pink have been used. The two liquidambar trees take on beautiful autumn shades, emphasising the colour scheme. Slate tiles at the front door were chopped up and replaced with a concrete surface edged with red bricks to complement the pathway to the water feature. The wooden front door was painted blue-grey (Tjhoko Paint Godfrey’s Glimpse) while a hanging basket with a red Pelargonium creates contrast. >>
[ PLANT LIST ]
These autumn-coloured plants greet you at the front entrance: • American sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) • Joseph’s coat (Alternanthera ‘Purple Knight’) • Inca lily (Alstroemeria ‘Indian Summer’) • Canna ‘Tropicanna’ • Crassula multicava ‘Maroon’ • Carex ornamental grasses • Dodonaea viscosa ‘Purpurea’ • Tea bush (Leptospermum scoparium ‘Big Red’) • Sacred bamboo (Nandina domestica) • Tickey creeper (Ficus pumila) to soften the walls
Lights in the garden transform the plants into focal points at night and illuminate the garden paths.
5 Pool garden This garden is on a higher level than the front garden; red brick steps connect the two sections. The pool garden is located on the west-facing side so it gets very hot. Blue flowers have been planted next to the pool, while a hedge of Duranta erecta ‘Sapphire Showers’ conceals the boundary wall. Here, Beatrice plants annuals for colour, such as petunias in summer and pansies in winter. The pool also has a red brick surround to match the rest of the garden. The pink garden with its rusted urn focal point can be seen from the pool garden, through the rose tunnel.
The grapes above the stoep are delicious! Once the fruit appears, it is sprayed weekly with Margaret Roberts Organic Fungicide; the clusters are wrapped in brown paper bags to prevent them from being devoured by birds.
6 Rose tunnel All the flowers in the beds around the tunnel are white, which also adds impact in the evenings. White banksia roses and four pale pink scented ‘Nahéma’ roses adorn the rose tunnel. The roses initially took quite a bit of a knock and many perished due to the high salt content of the borehole water. Now Beatrice waters them with a watering can or Christo and the boys water them with a hosepipe and pump using the tank rainwater. Beatrice removes any shoots at the bottom of the stems to encourage more foliage and side stems to cover the tunnel. Two hanging baskets with white Pelargoniums complete the picture.
[ PLANT LIST ]
Blue flowers add a cool touch to this hot garden room: • Duranta erecta ‘Sapphire Showers’ • Cape scabious (Scabiosa africana) • Statice (Limonium perezii) • A variety of Salvias • Petunias • Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus ‘McConnell’s Blue’) • Vitex trifolia ‘Purpurea’ • Grapevine for shade and Gongoni grass (Aristida junciformis) for movement
Steelwork by Durbanville Engineering; carpentry by Llewellyn Williams
[ PLANT LIST ]
Plants with white blooms are grown around the rose tunnel: • White agapanthus (Agapanthus ‘Alba’) • Bulbs such as white Freesias, Dutch irises, watsonias and chincherinchee • Stardust bush (Cuphea hyssopifolia ‘Alba’) • Dianella tasmanica ‘Variegata’ • Lychnis coronaria ‘Alba’ • Cape May (Spiraea cantoniensis) • Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) • Arum lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica) • Plumbago auriculata ‘Alba’ • Leather-leaf fern (Rumohra adiantiformis) for lushness
STOCKISTS AND CONTACTS Ambiente Luce 021 853 2555, ambienteluce.com De Kruidenier Exclusive Gardens dekruidenier.co.za Durbanville Engineering 021 976 8267, durbanvilleengineering.co.za. Hope Garden Furniture 021 448 7485, hopegf.com Italoven 021 981 1372, italoven.co.za Llewellyn Williams (carpentry) 073 478 9011 Plaisir du Jardin plaisirdujardin.co.za Rare Woods SA 021 535 2004, rarewoods.co.za Van Staden Retaining Systems 071 360 9122, vsrs.co.za
Green,
LIVING WALLS These two climbers will create a pretty picture on exterior surfaces. By Marié Esterhuyse • Photographs Francois Oberholster
Tickey creeper
I
f you have an unsightly wall you’d like to cover or you just want to create contrast against an exposed brick wall, tickey creeper (Ficus pumila) is an excellent choice. This climber clings to almost any surface and doesn’t need extra support or tying back. Initially, it grows slowly but the small, young leaves that cling to the wall make a lovely show – it almost looks as if the young stems with their bright green leaves are creating a pattern all along the wall. After a while, horizontal stems that grow away from the wall will form on the thin main stem. These stems don’t have the ability to grip onto the surface like the initial new growth, and the leaves that form are larger. If the plant is left to develop these side stems, the leaves will not only be larger, but the plant will become shrubbier and form thicker, woody stems. If you prefer the smaller leaves that grow against the wall, trim off some of the side stems. New small leaves will keep on sprouting, so your wall won’t look bare when you trim off the larger growth. Tickey creeper is an easy grower and other than pruning it needs little maintenance. Plant it in compost-rich soil that drains well. Keep the plant well-watered until it is established. Thereafter, it doesn’t need a lot of water; however, the soil should not be allowed to dry out completely. It’s also easy to multiply these climbers. Cut off a small stem of about 10–15cm and trim off the top 3cm – this soft, new growth wilts quickly. Remove the leaves from the lower half of the stem and place the lower half of the cutting in a pot with potting soil. Keep moist. You can also use those shoots that creep along the soil and form roots to make more plants. Dig out these stems, cut into smaller pieces and plant them in a pot. Cut off excess leaves so that the cuttings have more energy for rooting.
Plant guide Tip Tickey creeper won’t harm foundations but should not be used to cover cracks as the roots will grow into them and make the crack worse. So check your plants regularly and keep them trimmed.
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Common name Tickey creeper Botanical name Ficus pumila Sun to semi-shade Average water needs Frost-hardy Evergreen
plants of the month
gardens
Necklace vine For a dainty climber that grows well in the shade, necklace vine (Muehlenbeckia complexa) is just the ticket. This climber is evergreen in warmer parts of the country and deciduous in colder regions. It grows quickly and soon forms a dense mass of interlaced twigs. The small, dark green foliage contrasts beautifully with the reddish-brown of the stems. Necklace vine needs a light framework to grow up but doesn’t need to be tied back – the stems will thread themselves around the support. Plant it in moist, compost-rich soil that drains well. Don’t plant it in too hot, direct sun and make sure that it doesn’t dry out. Only prune this climber if it becomes untidy or grows where you don’t want it; otherwise it requires little attention. Use some of the older, harder growth to make cuttings. Cut a sprig of about 10cm long and remove the leaves on the lower part. Press it halfway into a pot with potting soil and keep it moist until there is enough new growth – this is also an indication that roots have formed. Necklace vine makes a lovely pot plant, with graceful stems that droop over the edge of the pot. Or place a framework in the pot over which it can grow; it will form a striking focal point. And feel free to pick the twigs for indoors – they last a long time in a vase.
Plant guide Common name Necklace vine Botanical name Muehlenbeckia complexa Semi-shade to shade Average water needs Frost-sensitive Evergreen and deciduous Sources Gardening with Keith Kirsten by Keith Kirsten; plantophiles.com; portlandnursery.com
FLAVOURS OF
France As the leaves on the trees take on their rusty hues and the evenings start to get cooler, these recipes will transport you to the French countryside. By JohanĂŠ Neilson Photographs Francois Oberholster
Chicken with pastis Recipe on page 120.
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french fare
Potato bake Ă la Normandy Recipe on page 120.
food
Pork fillet with brandy prunes
Traditionally, pork with prunes is a slowly braised one-pan dish but if you use fillets, this fragrant meal is ready in a jiffy. Makes 4 generous servings • Preparation time: 20 minutes • Cooking time: 20 minutes • • • • • • • • • • • •
12 dried prunes, pitted and halved 90ml brandy 2 x 800g pork fillets 30ml each butter and olive oil 12 small carrots, peeled and halved 2 stalks celery, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2 bay leaves 2 sprigs thyme a few sage leaves 5ml flour 125ml each stock and cream
1 Soak the prunes in the brandy overnight so the flavours infuse and the fruit plumps up. (Alternatively, boil together for a few minutes.) 2 Cut each pork fillet into four pieces. Place on a chopping board, cut side up, and flatten with a meat mallet until about 2cm thick. Season the meat well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 3 Heat the butter and oil in a pan and fry the meat quickly over high heat until goldenbrown all over. Remove from the pan and allow to rest; retain the leftover oil.
4 Fry the carrots and celery in the same pan until glossy. Stir in the garlic, prunes, brandy and herbs and cook until almost all the liquid has reduced. 5 Stir in the flour and fry for a minute. Beat in the stock and cream and cook until the sauce thickens. Return the meat to the sauce and heat through. The meat should have cooked through during the resting time but still be juicy (if you’re unsure, test a piece by cutting it open with a sharp knife). Serve immediately on mashed potatoes with a green salad.
french fare
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Cauliflower soup with almonds The butter and potatoes make the soup creamy without having to add cream or milk, and a pinch of truffle salt adds an exotic flavour. Serves 6 • Preparation time: 10 minutes • Cooking time: 35 minutes • • • • • • • • •
a large knob (30ml) butter 1 medium-sized cauliflower, chopped 3 medium-sized potatoes, diced 2 sprigs thyme a generous pinch of fresh nutmeg 1L quality stock 15ml each olive oil and butter 100g almond slivers a pinch of truffle salt (optional)
1 Melt the butter in a large pot and fry the chopped cauliflower until fragrant. Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir in the potatoes and fry for a few minutes. Season with the thyme and nutmeg and add the stock. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to low and simmer with the lid on for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked.
2 Melt the butter and oil together in a small pan and fry the almonds until golden-brown. 3 Blend the soup until smooth with a stick blender. Taste and season with the truffle salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with the almonds and the melted butter from the pan. Serve with fresh bread. >> March 2020
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french fare
Lamb with tomatoes and olives Recipe on page 120.
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Crème brûlée These mini desserts are the perfect size for when you’ve just had a sumptuous meal but still have a little space for pudding. Serves 6 • Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus setting time • Cooking time: 1 hour, 5 minutes • Oven temperature: 120°C
Accessories Plan B Vintage (082 491 3677, planbvintage.co.za)
• 250ml milk • ½ a vanilla pod, seeds scraped out • 6 egg yolks • 120ml castor sugar • 125ml cream • brown sugar • fresh sliced banana and berries (optional)
1 Preheat the oven. Heat the milk and vanilla seeds until just below boiling point (the milk should steam but not bubble) then remove from the heat and set aside for a few minutes. 2 Using a balloon whisk, whisk the egg yolks and castor sugar together until light and fluffy. Stir the cream into the milk and slowly beat the milk mixture into the egg yolks until smooth. Try not to beat so briskly that foam forms. 3 Place 6 glass or ceramic bowls with a 100ml capacity in a deep ovenproof dish. Pour the egg custard into the bowls, skim off any foam and
pour boiling water into the ovenproof dish to halfway up the sides of the bowls. Carefully place the dish in the oven and bake for about 1 hour. This may sound long for such small puddings, but keep the low oven temperature in mind. 4 Remove the bowls from the boiling water and allow to cool to room temperature; then refrigerate until cold. 5 To serve, sprinkle a layer of brown sugar over the top of each dessert and use a blowtorch to carefully caramelise the top. Sometimes, I add a few slices of banana underneath the sugar before I caramelise it for added texture, but a few berries on top is also delicious. Serve immediately. >>
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french fare
Chicken with pastis Pastis is an anise-flavoured French liqueur. Mixed with water and ice it looks milky but beware: it packs a punch! My recipe is inspired by Mireille Guiliano’s pastis chicken from French Women for All Seasons, which she finishes with black olives, tomato and basil. I add figs and honey as an ode to Provence. Makes 6 generous servings Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus marinating time Cooking time: 1 hour, 20 minutes Oven temperature: 180°C • 1.2kg whole free-range chicken • Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper • 15ml honey • 6 shallots or small onions, peeled and halved MARINADE • 125ml Ricard Pastis de Marseille (available at Makro) • 60ml olive oil • 60ml water • 1 bouquet garni • 1 long strip lemon peel • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed • 60g dried figs, coarsely chopped 1 Mix all the ingredients for the marinade. Place the chicken in a bowl with a tightfitting lid and pour the marinade over. Refrigerate overnight. Turn the chicken occasionally so that it is well coated. 2 Let the chicken reach room temperature before you cook it; preheat the oven. 3 Place the chicken, breast side up, on a wire rack in an ovenproof dish, then season generously with Maldon salt, freshly ground black pepper and honey. Pour the marinade into the dish, add the onions and about a cup of water (the water prevents the pan juices from burning). Roast the chicken for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Traditionally, a roast chicken is rotated every 20 minutes so that it browns all over – if you don’t want the
hassle, you need not turn it. The chicken is ready when a drumstick pulls away easily from the thigh and the skin is golden-brown. Rest the chicken for about 10 minutes before carving. I love the fruity flavours with brown rice or barley and, of course, a fresh baguette.
Potato bake à la Normandy Creamy baked potatoes are a South African institution (with or without the brown onion soup powder). The origin of this popular side dish is probably the French potato au gratin: slices of par-cooked potato baked with cream and cheese. The addition of tart sweet apple, decadent crème fraîche and Camembert makes it a delicious vegetarian meal served with a salad. Serves 4 Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: 40 minutes Oven temperature: 200°C • 500g potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced • 45ml butter, plus extra for greasing • 3 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into thin wedges • salt and freshly ground black pepper • 1 ripe Camembert, sliced • 125ml pecan nuts, coarsely chopped • 200g crème fraîche or sour cream 1 Preheat the oven. Boil the potatoes in salted water for about 8 minutes or until just tender; drain carefully. 2 Melt the butter in a pan and fry the apple wedges for a few minutes on each side until they start to brown. Set aside. 3 Grease 4 individual ovenproof dishes with butter. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper and arrange the potatoes, apple, cheese, nuts and sour cream in layers until everything is used up – try to finish with a spoonful of sour cream and an extra sprinkling of salt and pepper. Bake for about 30 minutes. Enjoy hot or at room temperature.
Lamb with tomatoes and olives Plump ripe tomatoes, dark purple brinjals, shiny olives and pure white garlic – these ingredients remind me of a French food market and the flavours are exquisite with lamb. Serves 6–8 Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour, 30 minutes Oven temperature: 160°C • 8 lamb shoulder chops • 5ml each crushed coriander and cumin • 60ml olive oil • Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper • 2 medium-sized brinjals, sliced • 400g cherry tomatoes, preferably with stalks • 15ml capers • 100g black olives, pitted • 2 cloves garlic, chopped • 60ml red wine vinegar • 3 sprigs thyme • 1 red onion, chopped • 500g baby potatoes, cooked 1 Mix the spices and oil with the lamb and season generously with Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat an ovenproof pan (use one with a lid) and fry the chops over high heat until golden-brown all over. Remove the chops then fry the brinjal slices in the same pan until cooked. 2 Preheat the oven. Spoon the lamb back into the pan with the rest of the ingredients, except the potatoes. Cover the pan with the lid and bake in the oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Serve the lamb and vegetables with the potatoes to mop up the delicious sauce. Tip If you have time, fry the brinjal slices on a griddle pan. The smokiness of the char lines adds extra flavour.
Salted caramel ice cream This easy Nigella Lawson ice cream consists of just three ingredients and it’s so deliciously rich you’ll be forgiven if, like the well-known TV chef, you eat it by the spoonful – directly from the freezer. Makes just less than 1L • Preparation time: 5 minutes, plus freezing time • 1 tin (397g) sweetened condensed milk, boiled and cooled completely • 250–375ml cream • a pinch of sea salt flakes Whisk the condensed milk and cream until thick. Mix in the salt and spoon into a container suitable for freezing. Freeze until hard, but not rock-hard – it’s as easy as that! The original recipe uses double-thick cream (available at Woolworths) but I’ve found that regular whipping cream works just as well and makes a slightly lighter ice cream.
[ HOW TO COOK CONDENSED MILK ] Put a tea towel in the bottom of the saucepan in which you will be boiling the condensed milk (this prevents the tin from unnecessarily bumping the bottom of the pan). Put the tin in the saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low so that it just simmers, put the lid on (this prevents excessive evaporation) and simmer for about 2 hours. Let the condensed milk cool in the water and don’t open the tin before it has cooled completely. During the boiling process, check occasionally to ensure that there is enough water covering the tin, otherwise it might explode.
Salmon with pink pepper en papillote En papillote means “steamed in a parcel” – and it’s much easier than it sounds. Serves 4 as a starter • Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 12 minutes • Oven temperature: 180°C • 4 x 100g portions salmon, skinned • 4 crescent-shaped slices of orange • 4 bay leaves • 5ml pink peppercorns, coarsely crushed
SAUCE • juice of 1 large orange • 15ml lemon juice • 15ml dry white wine • 30ml soy sauce • 2cm fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced • a pinch of sugar
1 Place all the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Boil rapidly until the liquid reduces by half and the flavours become concentrated. 2 Preheat the oven. Cut 4 sheets of baking paper and place 1 portion of salmon, an orange slice and a bay leaf in the centre of each sheet and sprinkle with pepper. Now add a spoonful or two of the orange sauce to each piece of fish and carefully fold each one into a parcel; seal by folding the edges over tightly. The parcel must be airtight for the technique to be a success. 3 Place the sealed parcels on a baking tray. Bake the fish for no longer than 8 minutes; serve immediately. Rice and roasted radishes are an optional extra.
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Tarte au citron Versatile shortcrust pastry is the starting point for many impressive tarts – try this lemon and lavender combination. By Johané Neilson Photographs Francois Oberholster ‘Blind baking’ means you bake the pastry case without the filling until it is partially or completely cooked before you pour in the filling. This ensures a crispy crust.
Make the shortcrust pastry This recipe is enough for at least two pastry cases 23cm in diameter, depending on how thick you roll the dough. • 280g (500ml) cake flour • 10ml sugar • a pinch of salt • 190g cold butter • 1 egg yolk • 20–45ml ice water • 5ml lemon juice
1 1 Sift the flour, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Using the coarse side of a grater, grate the butter into the flour mixture; use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Alternatively, you can pulse all the ingredients in your food processor.
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2 2 Mix the egg yolk, 20ml of the ice water and the lemon juice and knead everything to a smooth dough. Note The amount of liquid in a dough recipe is a guideline as the moisture content of flour can vary – judge for yourself if you need a little more water to get the dough to come together.
3 3 Divide the dough into two equal quantities and shape each into a disc; cover with cling film and leave to rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. This makes the dough firm and easier to roll.
step by step
Roll the dough, line the tin and blind bake
1
2
1 Roll out the dough evenly so that it is slightly larger than the fluted tart tin you will be lining. Then take a rolling pin and wrap the dough around it; lift the dough-covered rolling pin over the tin, lower it and unroll it over the tin.
3 3 Trim off the extra dough evenly by rolling the rolling pin over the top of the lined tin to create a neat finish.
[ FILLING ] For a classic French lemon tart (without condensed milk) beat 2 eggs, 100g sugar, 150ml cream, zest and juice of 2 mediumsized lemons and 50g melted butter and pour into the blind-baked crust. Bake the tart for 15 minutes at 180°C, reduce the temperature to 160°C, then bake for another 20 minutes or until the filling is just set. Cool. Tips • Always let the crust cool before filling it. • Give your tart a bit of oomph by adding a sprinkling of lavender flowers to the filling. • Garnish the lemon tart with dollops of meringue and scorch with a blowtorch.
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2 Fold the edges of the dough inwards and make sure it covers the entire bottom of the dish. Fold the excess dough back up against the edge and press lightly with your fingertips against the sides of the tin to complete the crust.
4 4 This step is optional, but I always press the dough into the grooves of the tin with my fingertips so that the case takes on the shape of the fluted edge. Prick the bottom all over with a fork and refrigerate for 30 minutes – this prevents the dough from shrinking during baking.
5 5 Line the crust with baking paper and fill with a layer of dried beans – the weight of the beans prevents the dough from shrinking in the oven. Bake for about 10 minutes in a preheated oven at 180°C. Remove the baking paper and beans and bake for another 5 minutes or until the base is done.
We’ve got supper sorted! Four easy chicken dishes with a touch of French flair. By JJohané B h éN Neilson il • Ph Photographs h h F Francois i Ob Oberholster h l t
Chicken with mushrooms and tomato
Under R130 • Serves 4–6 Preparation time: 20 minutes • Cooking time: 40 minutes • • • • •
15ml each butter and olive oil 300g mushrooms, sliced 6 small onions, peeled and halved 2 cloves garlic, chopped 8 chicken thigh fillets, halved
• • • • •
15ml flour 350ml stock 15ml tomato paste 3 sprigs thyme rice to serve
1 Melt the butter and oil in a pan and sauté the mushrooms and onions until golden-brown. Stir in the garlic. 2 Roll the chicken in the flour and season with salt and pepper to taste. Move the veggies to one side of the pan and fry the chicken in the pan until sealed. Add the stock, tomato paste and thyme then cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and the sauce is fragrant. Serve with rice.
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Creamy chicken with white wine Under R100 • Serves 4 Preparation time: 15 minutes • Cooking time: 25 minutes • 15ml each butter and olive oil • 400g mini chicken fillets • 2 shallots, chopped • 30ml brandy • 250ml dry white wine
• 125ml cream • 1 large orange sweet potato, sliced and cooked • a sprinkling of fresh parsley • 1 fresh baguette
1 Melt the butter and oil in a pan. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and fry in the oil mixture until golden-brown all over. Remove the chicken and fry the shallots for a few minutes in the same pan until glossy. 2 Add the brandy to the shallots and cook until nearly all the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the white wine and cook until it reduces by half. Stir the chicken and cream into the pan and simmer for a further 5–10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Add the sweet potato and parsley to the rich sauce and serve with bread.
quick food
Herbes de Provence chicken Under R120 • Serves 4 Preparation time: 25 minutes • Cooking time: 30 minutes
Basque chicken Under R140 • Serves 6 Preparation time: 30 minutes • Cooking time: 30 minutes • 30ml olive oil • 8 rashers bacon • 4 chicken drumsticks and 4 thighs • a pinch of chilli powder • 1 yellow or red pepper, cut into strips
• 3 sprigs thyme • 1 tin (400g) chopped tomatoes • 30ml chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and fry the bacon until crispy. Remove and fry the chicken in the same pan until brown all over. 2 Season the chicken to taste with salt, pepper and chilli powder. Add the pepper strips and cook for a few minutes. 3 Return the bacon to the pan, add the thyme and tomatoes, cover and simmer for 20–30 minutes or until the chicken is done. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with your favourite starch.
• 4 chicken quarters (thighs and drumsticks) • a pinch each dried thyme, origanum, marjoram, rosemary, lavender and parsley* • about 5ml Maldon salt
• zest and juice of 1 small lemon • 30ml olive oil • 400g vegetables such as broccoli, baby corn and baby marrow • a handful of watercress
1 Using a sharp knife, cut three or four deep incisions through the skin of each piece of chicken. Mix the herbs and salt and add the lemon zest. Rub the chicken all over with this seasoning and the oil. 2 Braai the chicken over hot coals or in a griddle pan on the stove until golden-brown and cooked. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the chicken just before you remove it from the heat. 3 Steam or fry the vegetables as desired and serve with the chicken and watercress. * It isn’t always clear which herbs actually constitute a classic herbes de Provence mixture. Buy a pot of ready-mixed herbs at the supermarket or add your favourite herbs to the above recipe. March 2020
home 125
food & drinks Treat yourself and try something new! By Johané Neilson • Photographs supplied
Best of the best
Does 2 Ingredient Dough, 3 Ingredient Cheesecake or Steri Stumpie Mousse ring a bell? Well that’s because you’ve probably come across these Foodies of SA recipes on social media. Foodies Top 100 (R390, Quivertree) is a selection of the brand’s best-loved and most-shared recipes from the past two years – conveniently packaged in one beautiful cookbook! We can’t wait to bake the chocolate cake decorated with a shweshwe-inspired Allsorts pattern!
Vegan variety
FOR YOUR TABLE Jazz up your table décor with a cotton DSA Hibiscus tablecloth (from R1 119 for 180 x 230cm, yuppiechef.com). Beautiful!
Keep it dry Robertson Winery has extended its popular range of non-alcoholic sparkling wines to include a dry option. The Dry Sparkling White (R55, robertsonwinery.co.za) is refreshing without excessive sweetness – it’s the perfect sparkle for poolside sipping and sundowners at the beach.
Cherry on top
Happy Culture’s probiotic tea range now boasts two new flavours! The Cherry CBD bursts with fruity goodness and is infused with premium-quality CBD oil, while the Zesty Energy Kombucha is infused with refreshing citrus and energyboosting guarana and ginseng to invigorate mind and body. Visit happyculture.co.za.
Linda McCartney Foods (exclusive to Checkers and Checkers Hyper stores) is a gourmet range of vegan and vegetarian products made from the finest ingredients. Try the Red Onion & Rosemary Sausages (from R29.99 for a pack of 6) and succulent Burger Patties (from R29.99 for a pack of 4).
Take it outside
Cotton canvas Wild Cat picnic blanket (140 x 140cm) with leather strap R1 500, lovemilo.com
WINE AND DINE Chefs and creative caterers Johnny Hamman and Marius Uys are bringing South African heritage food with modern global flair to the historic Blaauwklippen wine estate in Stellenbosch with their new restaurant Hamm & Uys. The relaxed country-style eatery offers the “nostalgia of your mom’s cooking, re-invented for the modern palate” and the classic roast Sunday lunches are a must! They’re open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00; go to blaauwklippen.com. Plus a brand-new range of three handcrafted, small-batch distilled gins (from R385, blaauwklippen.com) can be sampled at the tasting room, seven days a week from 10:00 to 17:00; a gin-and-nougat pairing costs R135 per person.
LED Death Star Stainless Steel Pendant Code: K-LED-9027 in Extra Large, Large, Medium or Small; Cool White or Warm White
DESIGN • SER VICE • QUALIT Y Viewing Showrooms Only, K. Light Import supplies only to Retailers and not to the public directly. Cape Town: 7 Kunene Circle, Omuramba Business Park, Milnerton, 021 552 4370 Johannesburg: Units 8 & 9, The Arena, Capital Hill Business Park, Halfway House, Midrand, 011 312 1247 info@klight.co.za I www.klight.co.za I Facebook.com/klightimport
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128 home March 2020
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THE
neighbourhood GROUP
“I need help with a message bed, one with a hole where the face goes?” This cry of distress recently appeared on my neighbourhood’s WhatsApp group. I’m not active on the group, but keep the casual eye out for relevant info. But this call for help had me pause for a while. For quite some time, actually. Life is busy and I want to get on with mine, but the next thing I know I’m back to puzzling over that bed with its ‘message’. And the hole with the ‘going face’. I don’t know many people in the neighbourhood, which of course doesn’t help. I’m missing context, see. But it’s a lively group so I also struggle to keep track. It’s exhausting enough just to keep track of the comings and goings of all the doggies and cats. They are either missing (tons of pictures, all very pitiful) or they’ve been found somewhere they don’t belong (more sorry pictures). And then there’s the riddle of the bunny. It’s a ghostly grey creature of which I have about seventy thousand pictures in my phone, snapped by countless concerned neighbours in countless different backyards over many years. Is it just one rabbit? Or an infestation? You can’t really tell; they look the same in every picture: long-eared, red-eyed bewilderment. And yet it is caught on camera all over the place. And who does it belong to? No one knows. A riddle wrapped in mystery, inside an enigma. Sometimes you come across something that grabs you by the throat. Like the distress signal about the tablet. I pick up the story with Moses. Someone has written: “Ask Moses. He was the first person to use a tablet.” Intriguing, I think. What could the question have been? In my mind’s eye I see an anxious elderly gentleman with a tablet. His first. An un-wished-for iPad, maybe, the result of good intentions from the grandchildren. Ag shame, man. But: the Moses text is funny. Then another one pops up: “And Abraham was the first backpacker.” Ha ha, cool! I remember Abraham of old: way back in Genesis, he lived with his parents until he was
130 home March 2020
75. Then hit the road for unknown parts. And became the father of all nations. Super cool. But this doesn’t help our elderly oom one bit. I worry, but get distracted by another cri de coeur: “Does anyone have a lounger for a blocked drain?” I know it’s a typo, spell-corrected by the phone’s resident spelling nazi. But the image of an oozy sewerage pipe lounging about in a neighbour’s backyard is disturbing. Still, I keep thinking of grandpa and his frigid tablet. Then I spot a new comment: “People, the Ten Commandments of Moses weren’t written on marble. That’s Hollywood fiction.” Marble? What’s marble got to do with it? From outer left field someone needs a phone number for dry wood. The response is instant: “Literally or figuratively?” We never find out because a large white dog is reported running around, tearing up rubbish bags. “He’s too fast to see his name or number.” And there’s a new sighting of the ghost bunny. But what about oupa, people, I think anxiously. Someone posts a YouTube video about kintsugi. I won’t get sucked in, I decide prudently. But I look all the same. It’s about the ancient Japanese art of repairing cracked porcelain using a mixture of lacquer and gold. Deep stuff. All about embracing imperfection, and Hemingway writing about how life breaks all of us and how we become stronger in our “broken places”. Okaaaaay. But what about grandpa? His problem is quite different. Then someone posts a picture of a weird-looking mushroom and wants to know if it is edible. Someone else comes back with an enthusiastic yes, double exclamation. “It’s especially good for cancer!!” Hmmm, curing it or getting it, I wonder? And still nobody seems bothered about grandpa. I scroll up the thread. And make the disappointing discovery that there is no grandpa. No tablet either. All that fretting for nothing. The story had started with a crack in someone’s marble top. I put the phone aside, annoyed. Lesson learnt. And the bed with the face apparition? It’s a massage bed. Of course. Duh.
Illustration Paula Dubois • Translation Annelize Visser
We all have it these days, the WhatsApp group, and whether we love it or loathe it, we’re compelled to stay in it – or so says Karin Brynard.