Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2020 i South African Home Owner

“There’s nothing quite like it in the Western Cape,” says the owner of the spacious double-storey property in a luxury security lifestyle estate in Cape Town’s northern suburbs. “Other gated communities can say they have golf courses but no one else can live side by side with wild animals so close to the city centre. “We are near central Cape Town and yet it feels as if we’re living in the country,” says the home owner. The home owner and his wife lived on another security estate for more than 20 years, “but when the opportunity came up to build our own home here we couldn’t resist”. “We designed the house from scratch and our brief to our architect was: ‘Modern with classical features.’ If you look around you’ll see…

“The owners never wanted to live in a complex but this one won them over.” The owner had a passion for renovations, and when she found this property in a terrible condition, she saw the opportunity and grabbed it. “I have always wanted to renovate a stone house in Provence,” says the owner. The owners never wanted to live in a complex but this one won them over. “This house was in a complex of eight units, so we thought it was small enough for us to be able to move into. All the houses are built and clad in the original stone from the area.” The renovation was a difficult one, and it took longer than expected. However, with her excellent team of contractors, the project was a huge…

Give your dishes the ultimate backdrop with Zara Home’s Dark Stoneware Tableware. The range is microwave-and dishwasher-safe. www.zarahome.com/za Available from Créma, washing up is made infinitely more enjoyable thanks to HAY’s whimsical cat-shaped sponge. www.cremadesign.co.za The perfect knife for prepping fresh fish, KAI’s Seki Magoroku Redwood Deba knife features a sturdy handle and a carbon 1K6 stainless steel blade. www.yuppiechef.com Featuring handles made from eco-friendly wheat straw fibre, Woolworths’s new range of Earth Friendly kitchen utensils are good for the environment both inside and out. www.woolworths.co.za Made from 100% cotton, these grey and white rustic woven placemats from Get Access are the perfect addition to any table setting. www.getaccesshome.co.za…

During lockdown the vast majority of the working population has found itself in the position where people are working from home, resulting in the need for a space where they can replicate a working environment. Four design experts advise on how best to create a space with minimal distractions to produce your maximum output. BE REALISTIC Lane Reeves, founder of Metaphor Design, advises that you be realistic and let go of the perfect home office ideal. “In my mind I have added on a home extension with open trusses and all white floor-to-ceiling bookshelves set off against soft oak floors. But unfortunately for me (and many others) this could not be brought into existence in the short few days prior to lockdown. I believe that the ideal workplace is different…

Ah, the hum and buzz during load-shedding, that comforting sound of generators kicking in. It is a sound that has, unfortunately, become as South African as the call of the hadeda. Here’s how you can keep the lights on in your home during times of no power. WHAT DO YOU NEED? When it comes to choosing the solution for you, start by considering your household needs and wants. What devices and appliances do you need to run? Perhaps you work from home, and need to keep your laptop and router on. Maybe your busy household needs hot water and lights for homework. And, thinking realistically about SA, many of us want our home security systems to stay up. You need to determine what devices you want to run, as well…

The rapid construction of fibre networks across South Africa has been a huge success story for the country. In just a few short years, those of us who live in urban areas have gone from being limited to mobile and unreliable ADSL connections at home to being able to enjoy the high speeds of fibre. The latest figures from the FTTX Council, an industry body, suggest that 1.8-million homes and businesses now have access to fibre connectivity, and about 800 000 are active subscribers. That’s already nearing the peak number of ADSL users six years ago. Telkom has already announced that ADSL is “end of life”. Fibre-based broadband in South Africa is available at speeds of up to 1 000Mbps, although the most common options, says Cell C’s managing executive…

Believe it or not, the internet-connected refrigerator is celebrating its 20th birthday this year. LG’s four-door Internet Digital DIOS fridge/ freezer debuted at the turn of the millennium, complete with built-in ethernet port and an LCD screen capable of displaying the temperature inside and recipes downloaded from the web. It even had a built-in MP3 player. Two decades on, and consumers are spoilt for choice when it comes to networked appliances. There are fridges that can resupply themselves by ordering food deliveries when you run low, ovens and washing machines that you can control from a cellphone application, and fireplaces that can be remotely controlled from anywhere in the world. Some internet-connected devices seem to be more about novelty value than practical application. Is it really easier to boil your…

ITALTILE CROSSES THE BORDER After months of planning, passion and purpose, Italtile’s impressive new flagship Gaborone showroom is open for business. Italtile Gaborone’s exciting selection of tile ranges includes the exclusive NEWDECÒ by Ceramica Sant’Agostino, a beautiful remastering of the art of terrazzo (another current trend) with “a little piece of Italy in every tile”. Then, for focus areas in the home, there’s an unrivalled selection of mosaics. Italtile-style Beautiful Living extends beyond tiles into kitchen accessories such as a range of Smeg sinks and a stunning tap selection from Tivoli, and into the bathroom with luxury Swiss sanware by Laufen, baths by Victoria + Albert, imported bathroom accessories, and water-wise shower products carrying Italtile’s LiveGreen logo. Plot 77806, Block 10, A1 Road, Setlhoa, is Gaborone’s new homestyle mecca, easily…

Keep clutter at bay with the Beckett open wardrobe from Block Basics. Made from powder-coated steel, the wardrobe is hardwearing and stylish. www.blockbasics.co.za Neutrals needn’t be boring, as this stoneware set from Zara Home effortlessly proves. A bit of texture and pattern is all that’s needed to elevate your dining experience. www.zarahome.com/za Exclusive to Italtile, AF New York’s Program One collection is inspired by the circle and offers a timeless matt black, architectural statement to every bathroom space. www.italtile.co.za Mobelli Furniture + Living’s Franklin occasional swivel chair features a contoured shape and traditional deep button effect. It’s also available in two new colourways, including the gorgeous Raspberry pictured. www.mobelli.com Oggie Hardwood Flooring’s Versailles Living panels come pre-assembled with some small character knots. The colour variation is minimal, and the sap…

One of the most cosmopolitan areas in Johannesburg is where this family chose to settle as “it was close to our son’s school and the entertainment hub”, says the owner. This young family decided to demolish the original property they bought and went on to give it a complete facelift, perfectly in tune to what they had always wanted. A generous, hearty home with all the trimmings is what they got with these incredible additions, which include five bedrooms, all en suite, a triple garage, formal and informal entertainment rooms, a library, a home cinema, science rooms for the children, a pyjama lounge, a yoga room, a gym, an infrared sauna, a study, a music room, staff quarters, a laundry, a roof terrace, a double kitchen sporting formal and informal…

“Elements such as the layered beds and loose rugs are bliss on the skin and underfoot.” Built on a farm, this sprawling home showcases a contemporary layout, with flowing spaces, high ceilings and big windows. “My inspiration for the design of the home was nature and the perfection of it,” recalls the owner. “You will see many thorn trees, long grass, blue skies and fields outside since the property is on a farm. I wanted, mainly, to bring the beautiful outside into the house and vice versa.” In order to do this, glass windows and doors and see-through curtains were used, ensuring that there is an unrestricted view of the surrounding vistas and an abundance of natural light that enters the home and enhances the warmth throughout. If the outside…

Situated in the heart of one of Johannesburg’s most exclusive suburbs, The Emerald, a luxury residential development by Legaro Property Development, is designed to create a modern living environment like no other. As the architect explains, “Having gone through an extended phase of design development, we have been afforded the time to carefully consider each detail of the design. As a result, a lot of our attention was focused on creating an exterior that is light and not too boxed in, resulting in a dynamic façade with planes between the balconies to effectively manage the sunlight into the apartments.” “We were inspired by international trends and a desire to bring in a ‘wow’ effect to each space.”– the interior designer Moving inside, each apartment has been carefully configured to make…

For many of us, the bathroom is where we start and end our days, with a quick morning shower or a long evening soak. We spoke to the experts on how to achieve a spa-like experience in a contemporary home. “A simple shower can easily become a wellness area by introducing an integrated space for seating and an overhead rain shower.”– Zarina Patel SHOWER POWER It goes without saying that to achieve a spa-like bathroom you need the right bathroomware. According to Zarina Patel of Lifestyle Ceramics, a simple shower can easily become a wellness area by introducing an integrated space for seating and an overhead rain shower. “An overhead shower panel will allow you to experience the gentle build-up of a warm rainstorm, and then with a simple push…

Metal and rattan are given a 21st century update with brand new styling thanks to Block Basics’ Tirana lounge chair and footstool. www.blockbasics.co.za The third offering in OKHA’s Bijou range of side tables, the Bijou Black combines moody black marble with blackened and waxed mild steel for a dark, dramatic effect. www.okha.com Add texture and interest in an instant with Woolworths’s range of velvet, embroidered and paisley-print scatters in timeless colourways, including deep emerald green. www.woolworths.co.za Celebrate the continent as a whole with Native Décor’s Africa-shaped mirror from Yuppiechef. The mirror’s thick birch plywood backing helps to create a floating effect against the wall. www.yuppiechef.com Cool and quirky, Zara Home’s range of irregular-shaped glass vases are statement makers with or without the flowers. www.zarahome.com/za…

“Cleaning your home with household disinfectants helps reduce the risk of the virus being spread between people.”- Mar Esteve Cortes Unless you are an essential worker, you are required to spend time at home under the nationwide lockdown. This is a united effort to curb the spread of COVID-19. It is important to keep germs at bay in the home during this period. Emma Corder, managing director for industrial cleaning product company Industroclean, believes that separating myths from facts and giving South Africans clear and credible information on how to protect themselves and their loved ones is critical in flattening the curve of new infections. “For example, washing hands with soap and water for 20 seconds is by far the most effective method of keeping the virus at bay,” she…

NATURE’S NURTURE “After hot summer days and late seasonal rain showers, gardens seem to go into autumn mode almost overnight. Coloured foliage and bright blooms, coupled with heady fragrances, send bees into overdrive,” says Leoné Williams of Petal Faire Nursery. While nature ups its ante, it’s time to follow suit and prepare your garden for winter to ensure a lush spring and summer display. “Autumn is the best time for planting new plants,” notes Williams. It’s also the ideal time to transplant evergreen shrubs and trees that are in the wrong spot in your garden. THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR THE JOB Enthusiasm, check. Gardening to-do list, check. Garden tools … There’s nothing more frustrating than not having the right tools to get your garden into shape for winter. Bruce Turner,…

Thanks to the combined expertise of chef Matt Manning and sommelier Barry Scholfield, 25 of SA Home Owner’s most valued supporters were treated to a sensory experience like no other. The perfect wine pairing elevated a selection of gourmet dishes prepared at the BSH Brand Experience Centre – which is home to the Siemens, Bosch and Gaggenau home appliance brands – in Cape Town. Siemens has always stood for pioneering innovations and proven German engineering. The brand’s technologies and exclusive designs are inspired by the urban lifestyle and developed to the highest standards. In 2017, Siemens launched the world class Brand Experience Centre in the heart of Cape Town to afford its customers the opportunity to engage with cutting edge technologies and unmatched user experience first-hand. This invaluable experience within…

Home security is always top of mind for South Africans, and part of the promise of smart home technology is that it can also make your house a little bit safer. Working out exactly how it can do that, however, may be a little bit trickier. US company Sunflower Labs, for example, will sell you a drone system that will dispatch a flying camera if it detects an intruder on your property – but does it really provide better protection than, say, a normal camera? “A lot of the actual technology is already there,” says Warren Husband, solutions architect and client liaison at Homemation, the distributor for the popular Control4 automation system. “The big push now is around integration of multiple systems and how they activate on security triggers.” Husband…

Home theatres and entertainment have become a must in every contemporary home, whether it’s a designated room that’s equipped with the latest audio and visual technology, or it’s integrated into the home. We all enjoy the luxury of watching a movie in the comfort of our homes, or listening to great music throughout the house. “Some see a theatre as a space to watch films, others may use it more for gaming and music lovers might want a real-life musical performance ... in the end the closer to real-life music and visual performance the system comes, the more it will stir your emotion. Do not underplay the importance of using specialist audio sound products,” says Schalk Burger, founder and owner of Cinema Architects. If you’re working on installing home entertainment,…

The 2020 East Coast Radio House & Garden Show, renowned for showcasing design styles and leading décor trends in KwaZulu-Natal homes each year, celebrates four decades of inspiration with new takes on show favourites, unmissable competitions, exclusive deals and birthday surprises. The show this year takes place from 26 June to 5 July at the Durban Exhibition Centre. Expect edgy local designs in Discover Design, and unique craft pieces by upcoming entrepreneurs and artists in the Home Grown Design Fair. While the kids are entertained with fun, educational toys and activities in the Play Space, learn how to add DIY flair to your home in the Builders Pavilion, test the latest home appliances with Hirsch’s, spruce up your garden, stylise your patio and plan your next outdoor adventure in the…

“The first time I saw this private estate was when I was 19, in my first year at university,” says the home owner. “I would come here once a week to pick up a friend who was working on the building site as part of his civil engineering training. “Back then, in 2008, there were only a couple of houses, a polo field and sand everywhere. But I could see that one day it would be a wonderful place to live and it was my dream to move here.” Fast-forward from 2008 to 2020 and the home owner and his wife are living on the estate with their child. “My dream came true,” says the home owner, who has built a four-bedroomed home at the exclusive luxury polo estate in…

“This property offers a natural flow from one room to the next while creating a textured effect.” When these home owners decided to renovate their home, their end goal was to achieve a fresh, new and modern look that incorporated an artistic design. This property offers a natural flow from one room to the next while creating a textured effect that enhances the home’s appeal. “It is an open-plan home that allows for each space to flow effortlessly from one to the other. Each area has been designed around its function, yet works with the next,” explains the owner. The seamless flow has been enhanced even further by the selection of the same type of floor in the main living spaces. By doing this, the owners have ensured continuity throughout…

When these home owners set out to build their second dream home, there was more to the plan. The owner shares: “Our family dream started taking shape when my late mother’s and my safety was an issue. Mom and I decided that within 10 years we would change the way we drove from our homes in Pretoria to our business out at our herbal centre in De Wildt, North West. After running the farm for more than 33 years together, we needed to build around our family and be next door to one another, refocus our intentions on rare fruit, vegetable and medicinal gardens and then above all create our dream of the fragrant ‘Hanging Gardens of Babylon’, a garden we had not ever done before. “We had started building…

The Lovee Bath Tub from Kohler was designed for long, relaxing soaks. www.africa.kohler.com Add some greenery to your bathroom with a plant (or two) like this Rohdea in a ceramic pot from Woolworths. www.woolworths.co.za Make a big impact with this Birch Round Frameless Mirror by Native Décor. www.yuppiechef.com Black taps are not just the hottest thing in bathroom design but are also the beginning of a new era in modern living. Make a statement with the Magnetite matt black range of taps from Tile Africa. www.tileafrica.co.za MacNeil stocks a wide range of bathroom products from sanitaryware to plumbing and flooring. www.macneil.co.za…

With winter here and load shedding not going anywhere anytime soon, it is time to consider investing in other reliable heating methods for your home – like a good solid fireplace. In this issue we unpack all there is to know about owning a fireplace. > THE EVOLUTION According to Chad-O-Chef’s David Fanner: “Fireplaces have come a long way since their start as smouldering wood in a sandy pit. With fire being such an integral part of the human success story, it has always been in the home and has now become a centerpiece for entertainment at our social gatherings.” Rudie Scheepers of Home Fires agrees: “We have all seen over time how most household furniture items that were once designed purely to perform a specific function are now being…

Just the thought of stepping out of a warm bed barefoot onto a cold floor in the middle of winter is enough to send shivers down your spine. If you prefer the thought of stepping onto a warm surface, then underfloor heating is something you should consider. THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND Like most elements in the home, before installing underfloor heating, you should start by doing proper research. Industry experts agree that electrical underfloor heating is not something that should be considered anymore. “Electrical is no longer a viable option,” stresses Wolfgang Stöhr, the technical director of EcoSmart. He explains that although the installation costs are cheap, the running costs are exorbitant. Theresa Sebastian, the director at Sonnenkraft SA, says water-based underfloor heating is now the norm, as with…

Effective insulations ensure that the preferred indoor temperature is maintained in your home, whatever the weather. CONSIDER THIS Insulation is beneficial to your home all year round – keeping it warm in winter, and cool in summer. Cobus Lourens from Swartland, the local distributor of world-leading Knauf mineral wool insulation, adds: “There are many benefits that come with properly insulating your home, which include reduced energy bills, a reduced carbon footprint and more obviously, a more comfortable home. Many homes in South Africa are very inefficient in terms of heat retention and energy consumption. Installing proper insulation is a cost-effective solution to this problem.” As much as a quarter of your home’s heat is lost through the roof. Alison Groves, regional director at WSP, says that proper roof insulation will…

Whether you’re after surround sound or creating a custom mood in each room, music and streaming technology has advanced dramatically, and there’s a plethora of speaker systems on the market – from small to large-scale, stylish to super hi-tech. DYNAMITE IN SMALL PACKAGES Size does matter, but the tech in speakers is getting smarter and smaller, meaning that the “cheap and cheerful” speakers are producing better sound than ever. Pair your phone with a portable speaker, from a brand like Ultimate Ears, JBL or Volkano, for a budget-friendly no-fuss option. SERVING SOUND “With TVs getting ever thinner, the sound quality leaves little to be desired,” says Homemation’s Warren Husband, “and not everybody is looking to create a multichannel immersive audio experience.” “A soundbar offers a great solution that takes up…

THE PERFECT BATH Are you looking for a way to update your bathroom? We share our top tips to create a spa-worthy space in the comfort of your own home. YARDS OF FUN Expert advice to create a kid-friendly garden that adults will love too. SOPHISTICATED STYLE Ten beautiful living rooms that demonstrate how a neutral décor palette is unmistakably stylish. A FITTING FRAME The latest contemporary four-poster beds to update your bedroom (as well as gorgeous linen to complete the look). BRILLIANT BAR CARTS You’re going to want to throw a party when you see our round-up of glamorous drinks trolleys. GRAND DESIGNS First impressions count, so it’s important to go for a front door that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also tough enough to withstand the elements.…