Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2017 i South African Home Owner

The interior designer based her brief on a well-known ocean-inspired saying: the calm before the storm. The palette consists of moody greys against weathered wood, neutral sand tones and flashes of white. The owners of this coastal home were adamant that they wanted to steer clear of the “cookie-cutter” beach-house interior typical of older ocean-view properties. The remodernisation of this house needed to be unique yet homely, contemporary yet comfortable – a building that spoke to its surroundings, not to mention the 180-degree sea view. Working with the area’s natural landscape, they selected a soft khaki tone, which helps the house to blend, and even recede, into the background. Balau timber has been used in abundance to blur the boundary lines, its weathered qualities further enhancing the visual and…

Hand-drawn patterns are one of the most endearing homeware trends to emerge of late. Bring a unique look to your table setting with this herringbone-pattern crockery from @Home. www.home.co.za The Bertazzoni range of gas cookers, featuring distinctive Euro-styling and a convection mode in the oven, comes in a range of funky colours. 08600 CHEFS (24337) Miele’s Knock2open is a fully integrated dishwasher that can blend into a fitted kitchen complete with fronts with no handles. www.miele.co.za At your next social gathering, serve trendy fruit-flavoured water from this funky water dispenser from Boardmans. www.boardmans.co.za Eetrite’s collection of bold and bright kitchen knives is perfect for brightening up your cooking area. www.takealot.com…

“Opulence need not be flashy or over the top; it can be used to add depth and interest to an otherwise neutral space.” Historians will argue that we have France’s King Louis XIV to thank for introducing the concept of opulent, majestic decor to the world in the 17th century. A deliberate declaration of his divine right to rule, the self-proclaimed “Sun King” apparently favoured reflective surfaces, marble walls and floors, and gilt... well… everything, when it came to creating the look and feel of the Palace of Versailles. The good news is, in the 21st century, you don’t have to live in a palace to indulge in luxury. Anthony Fourie, senior design partner at A-Z Design Boutique, explains: “The design world focuses on opulence because it ignites the desire…

South Africa is a water-scarce region and everyone needs to play their part in the conservation of our purest and most valuable resource. Without this liquid gold, life cannot exist. And with many parts of the country battling drought, due to rains not having been generous enough to fill the water storage dams, strict water restrictions are in place. There are many simple ways to ensure our gardens are using water wisely. PLAN YOUR PLANTING Choose locally suitable plants that are known not to be thirsty. Plant during the rainy season to give the roots a chance to develop structure before the strain of the dry months. Grouping your plants according to their water requirements will enable efficient watering. Make sure your soil is well composted and, once planted, the…

DECOREX CAPE TOWN Decorex SA, which is now the largest decor and design trade show brand in Africa, started as an unknown trade-only exhibition in Johannesburg 24 years ago, and has grown into a national portfolio of three trade and consumer exhibitions, in Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town. Decorex Cape Town will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from 27 to 30 April, while the Johannesburg event will be from 9 to 13 August at the Gallagher Convention Centre. This year’s Durban exhibition took place in March. It’s window shopping on steroids. DESIGN JOBURG What used to be the country’s other top decor and design exhibition, Grand Designs SA, is no more, but Johannesburg can now look forward to a new trade showpiece, Design Joburg. Under the…

Ensure that the design flows seamlessly. Keep it simple. The rule of thumb in small spaces, especially small bathrooms, is to keep it simple. Before you redesign or decorate your bathroom, find out exactly how much space you have, advises Jasmin Kraneveldt from Bathroom Bizarre. “A sure-fire way to make an already small space look smaller is by filling it up with lots of stuff. Instead, choose key pieces that will make an impact,” she says. Don’t forget the wonder of mirrors in creating the illusion of space. In personalising your bathroom, there is no reason why a small bathroom can’t embrace flamboyance and flair. Tiling the entire bathroom makes a space look larger than it is, but you can add interest with detailing, such as a horizontal…

SHIMMER AND SHINE Reflective surfaces and rich, warm metals are an absolute must for a regal interior. Whether this means upping your wall mirror collection (with ornate frames), adding in copper, gold or polished bronze accents, or, better still, all of the above, it’s up to you, says Lisa Bergoff Grey of Innerspace Interior Design. Roy Griffiths, owner of DL Furniture in Kramerville, notes: “I love to shop outside of the big box, putting together schemes that are classical and regal, as they last. My colours for this year are a combination of peaches on mahogany, gold leaf and silver leaf. ‘Rêves royaux’, I say…” LAYERS OF TEXTURE Plush fabric, such as velvet and faux fur, will go a long way towards creating a luxe environment, says interior designer and…

HAPPY HERBS Mint is prolific! Prevent its roots from encroaching on neighbouring herbs by planting it into a pot or a concrete brick buried into the soil. Your mint will still grow like crazy, and your other herbs will be happy! PEBBLED GARDEN BEDS Pebbled garden beds provide an attractive and water-wise method of making your garden drought-resistant. The pebbles help to moderate soil temperatures in extreme heat, and create a natural feel for a rockery of succulents. STABLE SAPLINGS Stabilise your saplings during the windy months by tying them to support poles using rubber straps. Cut a section of garden hose lengthways and secure it to the support pole to protect the tree from rubbing against the pole. WORM FARMS ARE A GARDENER’S BEST FRIEND Worms play a vital…

Your home gym equipment selection might look like this: Olympic half rack, adjustable bench, dumbbells and rack, Activa ball, kettlebells, core bags, suspension trainer, Skillmill, Wattbike, Excite Climb and floor mats. There is a lot to be said for setting up your own gym at home, that’s if you have the space and the budget. You save time driving there and back, you don’t have to deal with queues at your favourite piece of equipment, and there is no more side-eyeing that particularly sweaty guy who never wipes anything down after he’s used it. But what about the practicalities? Tracey Fourie, a wellness designer at Technogym, says designing the perfect home gym for you depends entirely on what you are trying to get out of your training. “Are you aiming…

SMART ART The art you should buy for your house, based on your personality. HAPPY HOME We explore hygge. Here’s how to embrace the cosy Danish concept in your home. OLD AND NEW Capturing the essence of Milanese flair, iconic designer Patricia Urquiola has pulled out all the stops to create this bold and beautiful interior for Room Mate’s newest hotel, Guilia. 2017 MUST-HAVES The top home decor trends to look out for this year. ENTER & WIN! Win a Pinda Furniture Design Ndalo side table, valued at R3 799. ziora.co/vendor/pinda-furniture/ GET IN TOUCH! @SAHomeOwner…

For many years, people classified great interior design as being large, overstated and ostentatious. Imagine huge mansions with oversized rooms and elaborate finishes, which, in many instances, were in rich materials and gold leafing. Fabrics were also rich, and velvets were a popular choice, even in more contemporary homes. The furniture itself was often oversized and adorned with embellished scatter cushions. Window treatments added to this grandeur, and there was a host of stylised pelmets, large cast finials and intricately detailed tiebacks. But design continually evolves, and so do the tastes of consumers; you would be hard-pressed today to find a home that has anything but blinds or simple curtains, with no pelmet at all. It is not just the styles that have changed, but also the definition of words…

FDT ARCHITECTS 084 944 5788 Specialising in high-end holiday homes, in addition to boutique hotels and lodges, FDT Architects has worked across Africa and internationally. With a brief from the owner’s to respect the memory of their previous home in the same location, but to make the new build current and contemporary, FDT Architects chose a mix of steel, glass and timber, keeping the palette neutral in soft beiges and greys, so that the house would fit perfectly into its surroundings, even receding into the bush. CANNON ROCKS HOMEBUILDERS 082 829 5317 Cannon Rocks Homebuilders, together with the architect, delivered an aesthetically pleasing home to the client’s brief, without obstructing the neighbours’ views or disturbing the surrounding vegetation. This entailed demolishing their old house and removing about 3 000 cubic…

Smouldering shades of white, charcoal and grey appear throughout the house. BIANCA SUTTNER 082 308 1653 For a comfortable home for the family that would not only inspire, but also provide a sanctuary, the home owner called in Bianca Suttner, an interior designer who would use a fusion of smouldering colours to great effect. A suite of white, charcoal and grey was selected as the base palette, reflected in the furniture, which is linear in design. This was then highlighted with designated pieces in the colour Turmeric. Fabric in the same shade was used to soften the strong linear repetition. The company set out to ensure that the spaces were both aesthetically pleasing and functional. The planks are finished in Pale Wheat Oleum and boast an unfinished wire-brushed surface with…

The basis of a user-friendly kitchen is its layout. It’s a kitchen that makes good sense. The basis of an efficient, user-friendly kitchen is its layout, a space that allows you to move seamlessly from the oven to the countertop, from the fridge to the cabinets, from the hotplates to the table. It’s a kitchen that makes good sense. “The cooking, preparation and storage functions need to be easily performed in conjunction with the social and activity function that is demanded of the modern kitchen,” explains Philip Richards, brand director of blu_line kitchens. To achieve this successfully, most modern kitchens are open-plan, in a U-shaped design with modular cabinetry, creating a natural flow around the kitchen. Or, in a tighter space, the appliances, countertops and built-in cabinetry will be lined…

Good-quality linen is one of life’s best luxuries. Buttery-soft and beautifully “aged” via stonewashing, Volpes Vintage Laundered Linen is available in three classic colourways. www.volpes.co.za Say goodbye to fridge magnets with Miele’s K20.000 Blackboard Edition fridge-freezer, and write those notes directly on the matte black surface using chalk or liquid chalk markers. www.miele.co.za Incorporating brass, polished oak and bare bulbs, the perfectly proportioned Archer pendant from Studio 19 is a wonder in understated yet stylish design. www.studio19.co Collaborating with renowned designer Jaime Hayon, Portuguese decor giant Vista Alegre has rewritten the rules when it comes to must-have tableware with the Folkifunki collection. www.vistaalegre.com Equally at home inside as out, the Loop and Breeze patio collections from Weylandts make spending time in the last of the summer sunshine even more enjoyable.…

“With the advancements of social media and the Internet, international designs are readily seen by designers and the public in South Africa, and have a big impact on architectural styles.” Architectural design is both an art and a science. The shape and form of the home are an expression not only of how we would like our safest retreat to be, but how we wish that to be presented to the world. Styles around the world vary with different cultures, geography and climate, and within those styles occur trends that can be shaped by other influences, such as conservation, environmental awareness and ecological sustainability. With our weather in southern Africa favouring outdoor living, home owners have a wide selection of design elements from which to choose – locally and from…

COME WINE WITH US Wineries participating in the Elgin Cool Wine & Country Food Festival invite visitors to the Elgin Valley to tailor-make their experience, enjoying fine wines, delectable cuisine, a plethora of outdoor activities and live entertainment. The festival will take place on 29 and 30 April. No alcohol will be sold to under-18s. www.winesofelgin.co.za CREATIVE FLOORING Belgotex Floors’ newly launched Belgotex Design Centre in Century City, Cape Town, will showcase the brand’s flooring solutions and application possibilities in a design-led environment. Architects, interior designers and other creative professionals are encouraged to explore the space alone or meet with their clients in the informal coffee bar, or the boardroom, which they can book for more formal meetings. www.belgotex.co.za FOR THE LOVE OF OLIVES The towns of Riebeek-Kasteel and Riebeek-West…