Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2023 i South African Home Owner

PROPERTY This expansive home in one of Johannesburg's most sought-after suburbs offers space, security, and stunning views. Set on a sizeable stand, which allows for ample garden space, it has been designed as an arrangement of “monoblocks” that designate spatial zones throughout the home. “The enjoyment of this home lies in the small, nuanced comforts and the interconnectedness of private and public spaces.” “A house becomes a home when the physical structure is personalised and made to suit a specific lifestyle, meeting required needs and in so doing, uplifting one's spirit,” says Nico van der Meulen of Nico van der Meulen Architects. The formal lounge, guest accommodation and study form one block, while the family room, kitchen and dining areas form another block. The lower ground area consists of the…

PROPERTY Standing at the threshold of this property, you immediately know that what waits beyond is bound to wow, dazzle and delight you. Soulful finishes and joyful detailing come together to create a home where relaxation, socialisation, work and play happen seamlessly and in style. “The interior spaces are where elegance and sophistication are the order of the day.” Every room in this home shows off spaces that have been created to bring a sense of luxury and elegance to everyday living. There is thoughtfulness and meticulous attention to detail in every area to ensure that these residents live their best life every day of the week. The home's architecture is based on a linear extension of space that commences at the introduction of the site and weaves down the…

This contemporary, coastal home makes the most of its surroundings with an interrupted flow between the indoor and outdoor spaces. “The design intent behind the ground floor layout of the home was to enjoy the framed view of the swimming pool and the garden beyond,” says the owner. This vista is visible immediately as one enters the double-volume entrance hall. “It was also critical to take full advantage of the sea views from the top floor bedrooms.” Standout features include the double-volume entrance hall, featuring a large front pivot door and long cantilever roof slab, large windows screened by vertical aluminium blinds, and a timber-clad main staircase. Here, frameless glass balustrades and a suspended light fitting work together to create a striking first impression. The sea is visible from the…

ARCHITECTS Building your ideal home has been a lifelong dream and you've got a folder full of design ideas. But now that you're ready, how do you turn your vision of your dream home into reality? This is where an architect steps in. Finding someone to design your home is an important decision, so take your time and look for an architect with whom you feel comfortable. Designing a house is a big project requiring substantial financial and time investment, so you and your architect must be able to work well together. James Finnie, from JFC Architect in Cape Town, says: “People often know an architect or have a friend who knows one, so they often appoint an architect on that basis. It's worth looking around at a few to…

A TIMELESS VISION Established 33 years ago, Victorian Bathrooms is immensely proud to have built its biggest and best showroom yet. The new showroom offers a bigger space with inspirational settings, extensive product libraries and a cosy corner to sit down, enjoy a coffee and discuss your next exciting bathroom project. After 22 incredible years at the prestigious Hyde Park Corner Shopping Centre, the time had come for Victorian Bathrooms to offer its beloved clients the true ‘VB Experience’ the company's Cape Town customers have come to appreciate. Kramerville, considered South Africa's premier design district, is the new neighbourhood for Victorian Bathrooms's showroom, rubbing shoulders with the best in décor and design. Not only has the company created several bathroom settings, from retro and modern classic to loft-lifestyle and safari-chic,…

PROPERTY Set in a prime location within walking distance of a premium mixed-use precinct, this six-unit development has plenty to offer. As the homes are on a triangular site, each has a unique design, enabling it to fit within the spatial parameters. The developer says the approach to ensure the homes complement rather than compete with each was “creative cubism”. Every room in each home has a generous space allocation, from the extra-large double garage to the bedrooms, kitchen, study and living areas. The driveway-facing facades are proportionally balanced, both vertically and horizontally, to a human scale. Though quite grand, the forms remain welcoming. A combination of textures, materials and heights have been used to differentiate spaces within the home Through changing elements, such as floor material, ceiling height, and…

Flow and space were key to the design of this home on a secure estate. The home owner wanted a house that moved seamlessly from indoor to outdoor living with plenty of space both inside and out. “I spend most of my time on the patio; with all the doors open, it feels as though you are outside, but you're inside enjoying the beautiful view,” says the home owner. “There is a double-sided fireplace between the kitchen, dining room, and lounge, which creates a very sociable space” –the home owner “The kitchen is unique, and there is a double-sided fireplace between the kitchen, dining room, and lounge, which creates a very sociable space,” says the home owner. When friends come around, they often comment on the chandeliers and double-height ceiling…

There's nothing to beat a truly immersive, high-quality surround sound experience in a home cinema – it'll quickly illustrate everything you've been missing out on in a shopping mall cinema. There's also magic to being able to listen to anything you like, anywhere in your home via a network of discreet, high-quality speakers distributed throughout the house. Each has its place, but they have different applications. DISTRIBUTED AUDIO HFX Systems director Eugene Oosthuizen says that true surround sound would be impossible to reproduce outside of a dedicated home cinema space as the experience requires layers of loudspeakers to reproduce decoded content. “This should not deter anyone from attempting to create a rewarding sound experience in a normal home environment,” he says. “Choice of speaker and correct positioning will go a…

Ticking all the boxes for the ultimate family home, this remarkable property offers its residents so much more than just a place to sleep at night. The owner recalls that their previous home was not designed for a family, so a decision was made to build a home that would cater to all their needs. “This is the first home that we built from the ground up. We designed it to include all that we could ever need so that we can enjoy staying here every day,” says the owner. “We designed it to include all that we could ever need so that we can enjoy staying here every day.” – the home owner “This is the first home that we built from the ground up.”–the home owner “The wine…

Both the home owner and her partner are medical professionals and they have eight-year-old twins. They were looking for a roomy house, a lock-up-and-go on an estate where it would be safe for their children to play outside. “We wanted a home with clean lines, and for us, the biggest drawcard was getting to design our own living space while following the estate's design regulations,” says the home owner.> “The most striking aspect of the home is the double-volume entrance.” – the home owner One of the unusual requirements of the estate was that the first floor of the home had to be greater than the ground floor area, giving the impression that it floats over the ground floor. The building process had some challenges. First, there were delays due…

BATHROOMS When you're looking to give your bathroom a facelift without undertaking extensive structural work, changing your tiles may be the answer. The latest designs have a high visual impact, with home owners incorporating geometric and patterned pieces in various ways. Our experts share exciting bathroom tile trends, as well as top tips for selecting bathroom tiles. SUBWAY TILES Introduced to New York City's subways in the early 1900s and moving into the home soon thereafter, the subway tile's practical and aesthetic characteristics ensure that it remains a versatile household staple. Over the past few decades, subway tiles have expanded into an enormous variety of sizes and colours. According to Jason Littlejohns, sales representative at Tiletoria Cape Town, the style in which they are tiled also lends a certain look…

ECO-LIVING As the world gets to grips with the impact of industry on our environment, most industries are accelerating their advances to substantially reduce this impact. The building and construction sector – which accounts for about 40% of global GHG emissions, according to Deloitte – is no exception. While some global greening initiatives are techadvanced, not all are new, says Roelof Jacobs, head of technical sales and innovation at Lafarge South Africa. “A lot of the technologies that the first world is looking at now have been used by the local cement and concrete industry for years. For example, we have fly ash available as a result of our reliance on coal for power. Fly ash is a pozzolanic material that, in the presence of cement, also has hydration properties…