Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2017 i South African Home Owner

“For many years, luxury trends were often seen to be ostentatious and almost overdesigned.” When it comes to luxury decor and furniture, one immediately thinks of the expensive materials from which these items are crafted. However, while this is often valid, the new face of luxury actually lies in the detail, and the way in which furniture and furnishings have been constructed. We are also currently seeing a focus on how something works, as opposed to just its form. Having spent a great deal of time over the past two years visiting prominent design expos, both locally and abroad, I have noted fine detailing as a very apparent trend. It’s not about adding elements, but rather a focus on the craftsmanship of an item, and how the various elements are…

“We put so much effort and input into the design, choosing the sanitaryware, fixtures, lighting, even door handles.” Finding the right location for their home was very important to these home owners. “We always liked this specific complex; the particular architecture and great location really appealed to us. We were also very lucky to find a unit in the complex, as the units do not go on sale too often,” says the home owner. They did their research before deciding on the design. “We were told to look through magazines to see what we liked. An architectural and interior design company immediately caught our attention – not only in its use of wood, cement, glass and steel, but also the furniture from an internationally renowned company,” says the owner. The…

Not quite open-plan, but just as inviting, this four-bedroom home in a lush housing estate just outside Johannesburg expertly mixes the old with the new. “We wanted to live in a modern house with lots of natural elements, like glass, wood, steel and stone, incorporated throughout,” the owner reveals. “As for our living spaces, we wanted an entertainment area that was part of the house, but also separate, and a kitchen that could function as a space for informal visits or somewhere for us to just sit and relax.” A spaciousness was achieved by the large glass front door, double-volume ceiling and glass balustrade. “The idea was that you wouldn’t see all the rooms when you walk in at the front door, but there would still be a natural flow…

Having made the choice to start from scratch in an eco-estate to the north of Johannesburg, 18 months ago, this family of four couldn’t be happier living in their Highveld-inspired home. “We wanted a home that was modern, yet warm,” the owner reveals, “a home with open spaces and an abundance of natural light, child-friendly, and somewhere where we could entertain our friends and family.” The home, with four en-suite bedrooms with walk-in closets, a pyjama lounge, wine room and home theatre, more than meets the requirements. “The architect was briefed with our functional requirements, but we left it to his creative design process to put it all together,” says the owner. While the double-volume ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, glass front door and glass balustrade all work to create a feeling…

“We have seen marble being used for centuries, so you can be sure that by using it, you will add timeless luxury to your space.” – Trevor King Being the epicentre of the modern home, creating a kitchen that is both practical and elegant can feel overwhelming. But here’s the good news: there are only a couple of simple rules you really need to keep in mind. FUNCTION FIRST According to the experts, as much as your kitchen should reflect your personal taste, it should always be functional first – you will need to use it for cooking, after all. Says Trevor King, marketing director at Caesarstone: “Nowadays, the kitchen isn’t just the heart of the home; it’s the living heart of the home. We’re no longer just cooking in…

Coconut oil is able to penetrate your skin deeply because of its low molecular weight and the way it bonds with proteins. Try these lovely coconut oil products from Coconut Connection. www.coconutconnection.co.za Beauty in a basin… Kohler has a limited edition of basins and sinks in its Artist Editions range. They are real works of art. www.africa.kohler.com This Carrol Boyes aromatherapy burner will fill the bathroom with decadent scent. Aromatherapy oil and a tea light are included. www.carrolboyes.co.za You can bring on the romance by casting your bath in candlelight with this beautiful candelabra from LOVEABLES. www.loveables.co.za Matte black is the hottest new trend in bathroom accessories, and Bathroom Butler has an exciting new black range. www.bathroombutler.com…

The sound rumbles across the room. The curtains whisper as they glide open, revealing the brilliant images appearing on the screen behind them. Seats recline, popcorn crunches and the rustle of the sweet paper signals the start of the show. But this movie isn’t about to be interrupted by advertising and warning messages about mobile phones; it’s your exclusive domain. It’s in your at-home movie cinema that’s been designed to suit you. From the chairs to the hidden conduits, the projector nest to the cabling, every aspect of a home cinema must be designed to fit perfectly with your home and lifestyle. “One of your first and most important considerations, before setting out to build your home cinema, is to understand exactly what you would like to use the room…

Sometimes, it can be hard to appease that nagging voice of our ecological conscience. After a hard week at work, it’s all too tempting to drive to the shops when we know we should walk. It takes willpower to leave the irrigation off when the lawn is looking dry. Other times, it’s just expensive. We all want solar panels at home, but fitting them is still a costly exercise. If only there were some way to reduce our environmental impact, cut our energy bills and make our house more comfortable that was simple, cheap and invisible to do. Surely we’d all do it, wouldn’t we? INSULATE YOURSELF We’re talking, of course, about home insulation. Whether it’s around your windows or in your loft space, insulating your house is just about…

“Running a successful guesthouse takes hard work and dedication.” Evertsdal Guest House can be found in the quiet and sophisticated suburb of Durbanville, in the Northern Suburbs of Cape Town. Having recently been awarded its five-star grading, the residence at Evertsdal is the newest member of the collection, and one of six houses, comprising 32 rooms in total. All of the houses feature a “classic thread”, an example being the painted antique furniture. The Residence, which opened its doors in 2002, has five en-suite guest rooms, a conference room (seating up to 16 delegates), a generous pool and immaculate gardens. “I was going to be a housewife, but had too much energy. I went to look at a friend’s guesthouse and knew straight away that this was for me,” says…

This talented architect and family man knew what he wanted in a home from the get-go. “The stand for sale was opposite the church and I like to attend daily mass. Being so close makes it possible, and, of course, working from home is a great advantage. It is very serene, with plenty of trees and birdlife. It is also centrally located, close to hubs like Rosebank and Sandton, but with the amazing ‘green lung’ of Delta Park just down the road,” he says. The primary space is the garden, which is treated like a “suburban piazza”, around which the house, the veranda, the planter beds and the boma are arranged. At ground level and upstairs facing the garden, the connection between indoors and outdoors is direct. Doors open right…

The fact that the owner is also the architect and interior designer of this Pretoria house explains its very personal feel. The 350m² four-bedroom, double-volume courtyard home comprises an open-plan lounge, dining area and kitchen, with a separate scullery leading to a double garage. A study is located on the first floor, and leads to an indigenous rooftop garden. The courtyard area invites outdoor entertaining with a patio, built-in braai and raised pool designed to recall a farm dam. This leads to a second, private courtyard planted with olive trees. The owner, who designed the house and its interiors, explains that the home’s aesthetic was influenced as much by his small-town childhood in Schweizer-Reneke as by the distinctive elements of its location. “My home town was characterised by a vast,…

Handmade in the Cape from solid kiaat wood, Ark Workshop’s beautiful salt and pepper holder will make the transition from your kitchen counter to your dining table with ease. www.arkworkshop.co.za Designed to make week-night suppers a breeze, the Whirlpool JetChef microwave’s 6th Sense technology automatically adapts the time and energy needed for perfect cooking results. www.whirlpool.co.za The Philips 3100 series Super-Automatic Espresso Machine is user-friendly and easy to clean, to deliver the perfect caffeine fix. www.philips.co.za Falk Culinair, a Belgium-based company that has been crafting copper cookware for three generations, is now available to buy in South Africa. www.falkculinair.co.za…

We may have moved away, for the most part, from the concept of a separate “dining room” in modern, open-plan homes, but the desire to gather and share a meal with loved ones at home will always remain an integral part of South African life. As Emma Russell of Nicolson Russell explains: “Our lives in South Africa revolve around food – we love it, we love entertaining, and some of our best memories with family and friends are around a table.” According to the experts at Roche Bobois, the decline of the dining “room” has been to the gain of the dining “space”; that is, open-plan living has, in fact, given the dining table a more important place in the home. “It means that a beautiful table and chairs don’t…

Nothing beats an afternoon siesta after a long day pottering in the garden. Kick back and relax on the Henna Leaves picnic blanket by Indigi Designs, and enjoy the fruits of your labour. The waterproof back lining makes it ideal for the pool or lawn area. www.indigidesigns.co.za Designed by Alex and Manel Lluscà, the SHADOW LED dark-grey beacon lamp by Faro merges function and aesthetic appeal. Ideal for patios or verandas, the lamp’s grid-like body projects geometric shadow patterns, while the integrated LED light casts a warm glow. www.newport.co.za Reaching a height of only 30-35cm, new dwarf Inca lilies are striking container plants. These pint-sized beauties flower from spring to autumn, and are available in a range of bright shades. www.lifeisagarden.co.za Dress your patio in @home’s range of outdoor apparel.…

One of the most incredible pieces of tech news this month was that fibre-to-the-home company Vumatel is planning to connect homes in Johannesburg’s Alexandra Township to its high-speed broadband network for just R89 a month. For that, reckons Vumatel boss Niel Schoeman, residents will get up to 100Mb/s data speeds, and uncapped service. Before you get too jealous, there are some complicated details in the way the fibre will be installed under this initiative. They will mean the deal isn’t quite comparable to the quality of service you’ll get on a more expensive package in wealthier suburbs, but if Vumatel can pull it off, it’ll be an astounding achievement. And it should be keeping traditional satellite and subscription TV providers up at night. That all those customers would have access…

Every aspect of the design of Shed_Farm has been carefully considered to emphasise the dynamic tension between the convenience of urban living and the tranquillity of the countryside. The location of the home in Hills Estate plays a key role here, says Gavin Williams of 86redBRICKS Architects, as it provides proximity to the economic opportunities offered by the city, while offering a serenity unknown to urban-dwellers. “The house allows harmony between our conflicting ideas of the ideal life,” he says. The home’s aesthetic – red facebrick with exposed king trusses – adds to the effect, reminiscent as it is of old farm-style buildings, while features such as an industrial-style lean-to roof bring in a grittier element we’re more accustomed to seeing in factory spaces. Further dichotomies are present in the…

The “next-level” bathroom is a piece de resistance in technology, matched, in equal measure, by aesthetic flair. It’s a bathroom that shows off your personality, in key design elements from light fixtures to tiles, but also in high-tech sanitaryware and accessories that put you firmly in command of your bathroom experience. The natural centrepiece is the designer freestanding bath, and trending is French-inspired minimalist design exquisitely crafted from the best materials, as you will find in baths from Bijiou. Baths today also come in an inspired choice of shapes, contoured to fit the body, such as Cabrits bath from Lifestyle Ceramics. HI-TECH CREATURE COMFORTS Technological advancements, meanwhile, have elevated the bath and shower experience to one of sensory delight. The spa bath, with strategically placed jets, offers a spa-like experience,…

Dedon has partnered with Phillipe Starck to create a modular lounge suite that looks as good indoors as it does out. The RAYN collection can be configured to suit any space. www.canetime.com Imported from Belgium, this range of indoor/outdoor rugs from Mobelli Furniture + Living is beautiful to look at, and even easier to maintain. www.mobelli.co.za The newest addition to designer Timothy Oulton’s Hosted Living concept, the Night Rod pendant is inspired by a kaleidoscope, and features long, elegant prisms of optical-grade glass. www.weylandts.co.za With a sealed, solid oak form and movable epoxy-coated galvanised steel shelves, this LIM unit stylishly adapts to suit your display needs. www.lim.co.za Warm and welcoming, Pictured Rocks, the Dulux Colour of the Year 2018, is a grown-up pink inspired by natural elements such as wood…

“Open wardrobes are great for shoes, as you can easily see them.” When planning a walk-in closet, you may have a sense of what you’re looking for, but it’s always a good idea to ask a professional design consultant for advice on what works best. “The first question I always ask my clients is how much space they have, followed by how many pairs of shoes and handbags they have,” says Danielle Sterling of Sterlings. “These are very important questions, because shoe and bag storage is quite different from clothing storage.” “We always need to be practical and start with the basics. For example, we ask our clients if they have a lot of hanging versus packing clothes. Then we move on to shoes and jewellery,” adds Francois de Villiers…

GAMES CONSOLE One of the easiest ways to watch popular streaming TV is to go via a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. Both of these games consoles have apps for Showmax, Netflix and Amazon Prime, and can connect to the Internet if your TV can’t. It’s also a great way to use an old console the kids have abandoned – the PS3 also has an up-to-date app store. LG SIGNATURE OLED TV W At the top of LG’s range of smart TVs you’ll find this 77-inch screen from the Korean company’s Signature range. It combines an intuitive motion controller with great picture quality and network connectivity for streaming your favourite shows. What really sets it apart, though, is that it’s incredibly thin – less than 6mm at its widest point.…

From a quick look to see who’s at the gate to damning evidence following a break-in, security cameras are an important part of home security that you should be considering. Once upon a time, this would have meant an expensive installation process with lots of cables and clunky CCTV cameras in secure housings everywhere; today, video cameras are small, cheap and can be installed without any expertise. If you shop around, you can find cameras that are suited to low-light conditions, which connect to the Internet so you can control and view them remotely, or are so small they can be hidden inside other objects to fool intruders. Such a lot of choice might obscure the main questions you should be asking: how reliable and secure is the camera itself?…

POLO WITH A PURPOSE A top event on the Western Cape’s social and polo calendar, the prestigious Cintron Pink Polo returns for its 8th consecutive year, bringing special emphasis to breast-cancer awareness, on Saturday 4 November. This highly popular Polo event will be hosted at Val de Vie Estate. Tickets are limited, available from Computicket, at R100 per person. www.cintronworld.com NEW, WITH REPLENISHED ENERGY Vanilla House Interiors recently moved to Cape Town, where the company will be celebrating its 20th birthday, coupled with new ranges and launches. “A decision to move to Cape Town came through the love of aesthetics and visual stimulation Cape Town offers, which activated all my senses,” says Carol Bourgonje, owner of Vanilla House Interiors. www.vanillahouseinteriors.co.za BOOK - LOVERS, LISTEN UP! The Abantu book festival has…