THE PROJECT HAS THE GRAND PROPORTIONS OF A COUNTRY HOUSE, YET WITH THE WELCOMING WARMTH OF A FAMILY FARMSTEAD, SITTING GRACIOUSLY AMID NURSERY GARDENS AND MAGNIFICENT ROSE BEDS There are no conventional cupboards in the kitchen of Johannesdal, the farmhouse in Pniel, Western Cape, belonging to Chris Willemse and Dané Erwee. No sleek, handle-free sliding shelving; no modern glass cabinets arrayed above a marble-topped counter. Instead, a rustic wooden unit, reaching almost to the ceiling, stands against one wall, and houses assorted plates, glasses, platters, bowls and cutlery. The top shelf is accessible only via a perilously perched ladder…
This appreciation of the old and venerable as much as the new is emblematic of the couple’s personal and professional life. It’s evident in the amassed objets, art pieces, books, tapestries…