Innholdsfortegnelse for Home Renovations 2025/2026 i Home

This editor’s note should probably come with a trigger warning – especially if you’ve had a bad experience with a builder. And if you’re still licking your wounds after a ‘botched job’ instead of a ‘beautiful job’, perhaps you’d better pour yourself a glass of your favourite tipple before reading any further. Back in February 2025, the project I wrote about in last year’s Home Renovations was finally getting off the ground (pardon the pun). The plans had eventually been approved after 14 long months. This wasn’t our first rodeo – mine or my project manager Adriaan’s – and I’ve come to realise that he’s incredibly thorough when he undertakes a building project. We’ve become friends over the years – something few people can say after having home improvements done.…

THE HOMEOWNERS Werner and Rouxlene Merbold SIZE 183.5m² Since the 1920s, Rose Cottage has been a holiday haven for generations of people who have come to unwind in the Southern Cape over the years. Werner and Rouxlene Merbold of Pretoria fell in love with Klein Brak River – a coastal village between Mossel Bay and George – as newlyweds, while spending a holiday there with a relative. “It’s quiet, small, private and full of heritage homes,” says Rouxlene. Little wonder then that this was where they set their hearts on buying their own beach home. Over the years, Rose Cottage had undergone numerous alterations and different owners had come and gone – until the Merbolds bought it in 2013. “From the outside it was a simple beach cottage with a…

EXPERT ADVICE Tile it! Creating a swimming pool showstopper is not a DIY job,” say Dirkie and Nikkie. “A highly specialised team is required to get it right.” Here’s their best advice: What you need to know before you start buying tiles: Not all pools are suitable for tiling. We prefer to work with plastered pools, but the plaster must be in good condition with no cracks or powdery residue. Pools with a fibreglass shell can’t be tiled. A built pool lined with fibreglass can, but the fibreglass must be in very good condition with no cracks or bubbles. The tile waterproofing process and products for fibreglass differ from those used for a plastered pool. A chlorine pool is better than a saltwater pool as the chemicals are less harsh…

Sharp, sharp At the entrance to Asher and Gina Stoltz’s Johannesburg home in the leafy suburb of Orchards, the front door is concealed by a pink, wedge-shaped wall. It keeps the entrance discreet and acts as a visual prompt, guiding visitors to the threshold. This bold triangle is right at home with other shapes such as semicircles, squares, diamonds and rectangles used in the design of the house (see opposite). Funhouse! Asher says that when he and his wife Gina decided to build their own home, they wanted something a bit unconventional. And there is something undeniably artistic about the mysterious brick ‘box’ they built on what was once a tennis court at the end of a long, panhandle driveway. The 10 x 10m cube, punctuated by irregularly spaced and…

WHO LIVES HERE? Henau Marais and Sharon O’Callaghan-Marais SIZE 293m² After Sharon and Henau’s impressive renovation project graced the cover and inside pages of Home in May 2019, we simply had to pay them another visit when we heard that this creative couple had once again made changes to their home. As an interior decorator and paint expert, Sharon often updates her spaces – and we are always inspired by what she does. Ten years ago, when they bought this house in Riebeek-Kasteel, it underwent a complete transformation: walls were knocked out, large windows and stacking doors were installed, extra cupboards were built in and the kitchen was improved. The couple also made extensions: Henau and Sharon wanted a larger pantry, garage, veranda and studio. Typical of seasoned renovators, they…

WHO LIVES HERE? Kevin and Lara McLoughlin with their kids Harrison (12), Georgia (10) and Archer (8); their dogs Mickey, Charlie and Frank; and their cat Felix SIZE 377m² A holiday home for the family on the canals in St Francis Bay had been a dream of this Gqeberha couple for many years. “I’ve been holidaying in St Francis since high school and love the area with its white pitched-roof houses and so does Kevin,” explains Lara. “In 2013, we bought a lovely little thatched house in the village. At that stage, our children were too young to be too close to the water.” But then disaster struck. In 2019, their house burnt down in widespread fires that ravaged the area. “We rebuilt the house and spent a Christmas holiday…

THE OWNERS Marilouise and Jacques van der Merwe SIZE 60m² (under roof 40m²) The glass house on Fazenda guest farm in the Hermitage Valley is what dreams are made of. It immediately captures your imagination, inviting you inside – where a comforting silence makes you feel completely at ease in an otherwise hectic world. You can really take a muchneeded breather here. This guesthouse isn’t new, and the mastermind behind it is no stranger to Home readers. Marilouise van der Merwe’s beautiful projects – her own and those for other people – have been featured regularly in our magazine. And this we know all too well about Marilouise: being on the go and making things happen is her forte. There’s little time for sitting still. And when winter brought a…

#1 PATTERN Patterned tiles have been popular for years – from vibrant Moroccan designs in ‘mismatched’ schemes to repeat patterns displayed in swathes to create an impressive visual effect. Although Moroccan motifs are timeless, more contemporary designs with simple shapes such as circles, half-circles and triangles are trending these days, whether laid in symmetric or interrupted patterns (see right). If tiles have a handmade quality, even better. In an increasingly digital age, raw or textured finishes are sought-after. Experts say a more tactile surface that we can experience with our fingertips can serve as a counter-measure to too much screen time on smartphones. While blue is still a popular colour and will probably remain so forever, other favourites include bold yellows, greens, pinks, and softer pastels such as sage-green. REMEMBER Patterned…

Seem familiar? We featured elements of the McClunans’ house in Home in 2025 – it was so beautiful, we just had to show the complete renovation now that it’s done! WHO LIVES HERE? Klara and Daemon McClunan with their kids Lake (4), India Rose (almost 2) and Grey (3 months) SIZE 428m² While a muted neutral aesthetic might not be considered a typical choice for a young family with three children under five, the McClunans’ home is everything they ever wanted. “We were drawn to the simplicity of white – it creates a serene, uncluttered atmosphere,” says Klara. “As for the kids, let’s just say Scotchgard as well as bicarb and vinegar are essentials in our cleaning kit! We’ve learnt that with the right products and a bit of maintenance,…

Spoil yourself! Apothecary’s Garden from Akashic Tiles (R4 773/m2) consists of three similar floral-inspired tiles that form an integrated pattern when placed together. Passing Star from Akashic Tiles (R3 738/m2) can be displayed in a diamond pattern or paired together in a square format. STOCKISTS Akashic Tiles akashictiles.co.za Italtile italtile.co.za Klay klay.co.za Revelstone revelstone.co.za Rialheim rialheim.co.za Stiles stiles.co.za Wolkberg Casting Studios wolkbergcs.com…