Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2017 i House and Leisure

As I type this editor’s letter for our December Escape issue – in early October – outside it looks a little as if the world is coming to an end. An epic Highveld thunderstorm is making its way across greater Johannesburg, momentarily demanding a dramatic halt to the ongoing marathon of Sandton skyscraper construction that surrounds our office. The weather is gloomy, and conversation turns to hailstorms and the effect being pelted with hail might have on all of our cars. It’s a well-known fact that we Joburgers take our cars very seriously. The bigger they are, the better, and we think of them as a sexy reminder of all the hours we put in at work – so any threat of the car being damaged by hailstones the size…

CLAY & MUD WEAVE & WICKER METALLICS & REFLECTIVES…

Walk along Kloof Road in Clifton, Cape Town, and you’ll notice that there’s one house where the joggers, dog walkers and strollers tend to slow, stop and gather for a chat. ‘Clifton doesn’t have the typical suburban setup where people just drive. There’s a lot of foot traffic and people use the sidewalks,’ says architect Jan-Heyn Vorster of this seaside neighbourhood. Vorster and his life partner Pieter Bruwer built the abode specifically with the hope that it would be friendlier to the street than the blank, overpowering mansions typical of the Atlantic Seaboard. The properties in the area tend to follow a fairly predictable formula: get up as high as you can and face the seascape, and build as big as you can according to real-estate logic. ‘They are built…

IT’S CHENIN TIME... Here are three of our best picks: Avondale Anima Chenin Blanc 2015 Combining bright fruit with balanced acidity and elegant minerality, this superbly complex organic Chenin will age beautifully. R235. avondalewine.co.za Holden Manz Chenin Blanc 2017 Textured, complex and elegant, this Chenin features peach, pear and melon flavours – plus lingering hints of oak. From R120. holdenmanz.com Flagstone Tributary Chenin Blanc 2016 With its smooth, crisp acidity, this premium Chenin complements summery salads, chicken and seafood dishes. From R98. flagstonewines.com NOW THERE’S ANOTHER GOOD REASON TO HEAD OVER TO HERTEX’S BELLVILLE SHOWROOM TO CHECK OUT THE BRAND’S LATEST FABRICS AND RETAIL OFFERINGS – THE ON-SITE RESTAURANT, 1987 EATERY, IS A WONDERFUL PLACE FOR A HEARTY BREAKFAST, SUSTAINING LUNCH OR FRESHLY BAKED TREAT WITH AN EXCELLENT COFFEE. 12 BELLA ROSA…

SCATTER BRAIN Add subtle detail to a room with a 100% cotton and linen Blem cushion by Country Road (R349). woolworths.co.za TAKE WING A well-loved shape gets an upgrade in this Livingston wingback armchair with rattan, walnut and bronzed steel details (R40 900). eggdesigns.co.za RIGHT ON Die Regterhand lamp (from R680) can be hung as a pendant, hooked on a wall, placed on a surface or carried around like a lantern for complete versatility. douglasandco.co.za DOUBLE THE FUN With houses on one side and a geometric pattern on the other, Country Road’s Harry double duvet cover (R1 099) is fully reversible. woolworths.co.za EXPERIMENT WITH ILLUSIONS AND PATTERNS BY INVESTING IN A ROUND GEOMETRIC TIBETAN RUG (R6 800/M²) FROM GONSENHAUSERS. FINERUGS.CO.ZA THE SMALL STUFF Set up a tasteful work and play…

WEEKEND WITH Discover how South Africa’s coolest creatives spend their downtime with our regular series that reveals where to relax, eat, drink, shop and play in the country. THE ULTIMATE STAYCATION YOU DON’T HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR TO ENJOY AN ADVENTUROUS HOLIDAY. DISCOVER OUR TOP LESSER-KNOWN SUMMERTIME ACTIVITIES IN AND AROUND CAPE TOWN, JOBURG AND DURBAN. BUY 1 GET 1 FREE Buy a 12-month subscription to House and Leisure for just R528 and get a second one absolutely free to give to a friend or family member. To subscribe, visit houseandleisure.co.za/subscribe, or download the SnapScan app from your app store. Scan this icon (right) and pay using the app. Fill in your address details to complete payment. You will then be contacted to provide the delivery address for your second…

A friend recently tweeted something along the lines of, ‘Why are all of my exes suddenly coming out of the woodwork and apologising for past transgressions?’ She sounded slightly taken aback, but there was definitely a mixture of delight and relief in her words. Another friend shared in a Facebook post, ‘More and more people I know have stopped – or are planning to stop – drinking alcohol. Age makes us think about where we want to be in life, what we spend our money and energy on, and how to make the most of both.’ As we draw closer to the end of the year, we begin to take stock of our lives. And as we get older, we start to reevaluate what’s important to us and make necessary…

 A few years after sculptor Edoardo Villa’s death in 2011, art dealer Warren Siebrits and interior designer Lunetta Bartz became the custodians of his house in the suburb of Kew, Johannesburg. Villa, one of South Africa’s most important 20th century sculptors, commissioned the house in 1968, and lived there with his wife Claire for the rest of their lives. The house itself is an architectural gem, rich with Joburg art history. Italian-born Villa first lived on the property after WWII, after he was released from Zonderwater where he had been a prisoner of war. He quickly immersed himself in the South African art world, and fashionable artist Douglas Portway and his wife invited him to stay at their home in Kew. ‘What is now Edoardo’s studio was actually the Portways’…

In a house with an ordinary layout consisting of standard plastered walls, you can do what you like with the decor. But when the architectural design is striking and powerful, ensuring that the furnishings work in harmony is essential. In this Umdloti home, architect George Elphick of Elphick Proome Architects worked with the topography of the site to create a two-storey residence that responds to both the climate and the context. He paid no mind to traditional square and rectangular geometries, and instead allowed for interesting configurations of space, with walls built on the diagonal and rooms with unusual footprints. ‘The living areas are upstairs – resulting in extensive elevated views of the sea – and private zones are created with courtyards and screens,’ Elphick says. ‘The house opens to…

CHARRED TOMATO AND ONION SALSA 400g mini Rosa tomatoes 1 small red onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges 1 red chilli, or to taste A handful of fresh coriander, chopped Zest and juice of 1 lime Salt and pepper, to taste Grill the tomatoes, onion and chilli on a braai or griddle pan until charred. Roughly chop, mix in the coriander, lime zest and juice, and season to taste. This salsa pairs well with charred prawns, crispy tortillas and creamy avocado as a light meal. MAKES 375ML/1½ CUPS GRILLED WILD ASIAN MUSHROOMS WITH COCONUT PAK CHOI 800g assorted large wild mushrooms 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2T Chinese five-spice powder 100g soft butter, melted 2 × 400ml cans coconut milk 2T grated, fresh ginger root 1 lemongrass stalk, bruised 2T…

HANGING OUT Two overlapping convex capsules form the Capsula Suspension light by Lucie Koldova Brokis (R22 808 per capsula). The clear-glass outer shell and coloured-glass internal capsule create a 3-D effect, with a gentle glow provided by the LEDs. cremadesign.co.za SITTING PRETTY With its slender legs and charcoal velour upholstery, this 2.5 seater Marta sofa by Malene Lillelund (from R10 599) adds a modern and exclusive look to a space. za.sofacompany.com DEEP AND DARK Simple, industrial and luxurious, the Gravis table in metal and black marbled resin (R5 500) is a striking decor element. studio19.co UPDATE ANY INNER SPACE WITH THIS GALAXY RUG IN HUBBLE (R11 750) IN A MIX OF GLIMMER AND MATTE PILE. AVAILABLE IN FIVE STYLES. HERTEXHAUS.CO.ZA CROWNING GLORY Enhance any room with a colourful…

I was born in Mount Coke in the Eastern Cape, and grew up in Bhisho. I am the Prestige director of Pernod Ricard South Africa. We target high-net-worth and affluent individuals in the country, and introduce them to our portfolio of brands by having them available in five-star hotels, restaurants, private members’ clubs, bars and, most recently, nightclubs. I like what I do because I love luxury, beauty, excellence and creating experiences for people to enjoy. My earliest memory of summer is when I was about three years old on the beach with my mom and brother, wearing a navy and red jumpsuit. We were playing in the sand and later rode the Smartie miniature train for kids. My favourite pieces of design at home are my Paco rugs. They…

LISA VAN ASWEGEN Lisa is a freelance travel, food and lifestyle journalist who moved to Berlin from Cape Town in 2016. She documents her travels with her seven-year-old son on her blog, lilylovespickles.wordpress.com, and for this issue, created our guide to visiting Barcelona, Spain (page 106). What’s your top travel-related memory? Travelling on my own to Paris for a weekend when I was on a working holiday in London. My hotel was in the dodgiest area, but I was so happy just to be there. I had to chuck out my trainers to make space for Japanese teacups I bought in the Marais district. Priorities, you know. Who do you like travelling with the best? My son, Kevin. Seeing him explore the world is utterly inspiring. How are you planning…

Challenging and thought-provoking, subtle and striking, memorable and sensitive – a tribute commission is nothing if not intimidating to design. In the case of the recently unveiled ‘Arch for Arch’, a wooden framework dedicated to Nobel Peace laureate Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu in the Company’s Garden in Cape Town, it was about paying homage to a hero, but also about creating a public space that signifies human rights and freedom. ‘It’s so important to have these symbols and metaphors for what it is to be a South African,’ says founder of Design Indaba Ravi Naidoo, one of three key contributors to this piece. ‘[The Arch] is really a metaphor for the Constitution – it comprises 14 arches of wood for 14 chapters of the Constitution.’ After Cape Town mayor Patricia…

Bringing comfort, elegance and a mix of organic textures into a home is what Sumari Krige of La Grange Interiors has always done best. So it made sense for a Johannesburg family looking for a ‘home away from home’ to entrust her with the task of transforming their new build – which overlooks Lookout Beach in Plettenberg Bay – into a haven to which they could retreat. With a vast green belt and iconic coastline setting the scene, Krige says that the game-changing decision to stay clear of contrived ‘beach cottage’ references and azure hues is what makes the space so special. ‘We chose neutral shades with yellow accents to pick up the tone of the local granite used in the house,’ she says. The entrance to the home takes…

On the gleaming glass surface, Radisson Hotels’ newest launch, Red – situated in Cape Town’s Silo district – ticks all the boxes of a contemporary high-end hotel. Yet inside the vibrant space, which is imbued with a youthful energy, you’ll find the brand is about more than ticking the right boxes. At its heart is a genuine motivation to understand modern travel needs and meet them in an exciting, different way. ‘As a departure point, the design team looked at the individual components of a hotel, questioning what is truly necessary and relevant,’ says Mardre Meyer. As creative director of interior architecture studio Source IBA, Meyer has overseen a number of hospitality projects, injecting into them Source IBA’s ethos of ‘orchestrating human experiences’. It’s with this philosophy that the…

We were warned about Arderne Gardens at school in the ’80s. ‘Stay away from the fence,’ our teachers said of the adjoining property, ‘and no shortcuts through the gardens, girls.’ Occasionally we were taken on outings into that shadowy, mysterious place, to play hide-and-seek among the shoulder-height roots of the towering ‘wedding tree’ and walk the overgrown paths that snaked between camellia bushes, our teachers patrolling for unsavoury loiterers. Then, as we discovered in senior school, if we leaned from the windows of the upstairs science lab, we could get a good look at the occasional flashers in raincoats who lingered at the fence of that neglected garden, hoping schoolgirls would see them: an education of sorts. These days, this public space in Claremont has been lovingly restored to its…

FOOD ART These Pop Art side plates by Carrol Boyes (R795 for set of four) are most inspiring. carrolboyes.com SURFACE LEVEL Functional and appealing, the Phoenix Stone quartz countertop by Bianco Extreme (R3 876/m²) makes for a beautiful work surface. womag.co.za HANDCRAFTED AFFAIR The ceramic Sang de Boeuf bowl by Christo Giles (R2 680) is perfect on display or for serving sumptuous salads. liammooney.co.za WELL GROUNDED In solid oak, the Allo mortar and pestle by Country Road (R349) will do a fine job in your kitchen. woolworths.co.za FRESHLY SQUEEZED There’s nothing better than ice-cold lemonade on a hot summer’s day. Plus, Smeg’s new Citrus Juicer (R2 099) is bursting with personality. smeg.co.za ON A HIGH Hee Welling lifted the design of a basic bar stool for Hay (R4 452), turning…