Text: Sarah Stuart-Reckling. Photographs: Henrique Wilding, Sieg Behm and Supplied. Article from the February 2013 issue of Garden and Home Magazine.
Charlie Hayward’s lovingly restored Cape Town home reflects her passion for period features and Provencal decor.
Who lives here
Charlie Hayward, owner of recruitment company Montana Resourcing, and her teenage son, Luc, who embrace all that seaside living has to offer.
The house
A character-filled, double-storey home in St James, Cape Town, that dates back to 1902. It’s been lovingly restored to its former glory and decorated in a uniquely French style.
“The intricate pattern of the ornate pressed steel ceilings never fails to fascinate me – I can lie on the sofa in the living room and admire them for hours,” says Charlie. The French-style chairs are from Salomé Gunter Interiors. The Venetian chandelier in the entrance hall is one of the original features that Charlie fell in love with when she first viewed this historic home. She painted the carved staircase and the floorboards white for a light, airy look. The table is from Block & Chisel Interiors and the mirror is from Salome Gunter Interiors.
I’d never dream of buying a new home,” declares Charlie Hayward with a smile. “I love the history of old properties and feel safe living in them because they’ve been there for so long and have seen so much.” So when a stone house built in 1902 came up for sale in St James, overlooking the sea and just above the railway line, she couldn’t resist making an offer.
“My teenage son, Luc, and I had lived in both a bigger house and a smaller house in the same neighbourhood and this one seemed to be the perfect size in between,” she explains. Uninterrupted ocean views made up for the interruption of a train passing every half hour – a sound which Charlie’s come to love and feels adds real character to her home’s location.
The fact that the property, which is over 110 years old, was in desperate need of a revamp also didn’t faze her. “I loved the high pressed ceilings and the Venetian chandeliers; the house had a very special feeling and I wanted to restore it to its former glory,” says Charlie. “My vision was to lighten it up and strip away all the modern finishes that had been added over time.”
Quite unusually for a home of this age, the flow of the layout was good and it didn’t require too much structural work to open the living spaces up with the help of builders John Smuts and lan McAllistair of Mc Smuts Building Services. However, when the cottage and garages burnt down in a near catastrophic fire a few years ago, Charlie took the opportunity to redesign the garage and add a utility room.
To set the scene for the light look she was after, Charlie painted all the wooden floors a neutral shade, Plascon’s White Canvas. Some of the walls were left with their RhinoLite finish for an aged feel, while the rest were painted a soft white. For the window frames and doors she selected a pale dove, Shell Grey from the International Colour Chart, which gives the house a distinctly French feel.
“The elegance and sophistication of French style really appeals to me,” Charlie admits. And not surprisingly for someone who adores history, she enjoys browsing in antique shops for furniture, art and collectables and also has a fondness for upcycled finds. “As a result my home is filled with pieces that have a special meaning to me and which I really love.”
Charlie’s developed a good relationship with interior designer and fellow Francophile, Salomé Gunter, who helped her decorate this home as well as some of her previous ones. “Salomé has an eye for classic, timeless designs,” she says.
“My furniture hasn’t changed much over the years; rather than replacing things, we just update the look by recovering pieces or adding a few new elements.”
Her relaxed, vintage style has made Charlie’s house a haven, and its restful feel is enhanced by its proximity to the sea. “We lead busy lives; the demands of my career as a recruitment specialist and Luc’s high school studies really make us appreciate the time we can spend unwinding at home. In summer we often start our day with a swim in the nearby tidal pool and end it with a walk on the beach before dinner.”
Decor Inspirations
What works best for this family is their open-plan kitchen and breakfast room
“I’m a passionate cook and this is where I connect with my family and friends. It truly is the heart of my home, says Charlie.
Make it work for you
Recreate this Provencal-style kitchen by combining open shelves with built-in units with curtains for doors. Add character with large wooden chopping boards, copper pots and ceramics.
Butcher’s rack with lighting, Ambiente Luce.
Oval wooden chopping board, Poetry.
Copper pitcher, Serendipity.
Jug, L’Orangerie.
Cast-iron frying pan, Le Creuset.
Glass jar, Artefect.
Handcrafted bowls, Entrepo.
Scalloped cake stand, Mr Price Home.
A Cross back dining chair, Block & Chisel Interiors.
Montpelier round table, Block & Chisel Interiors.
Sources
Ambiente Luce ambienteluce.com.
Block & Chisel Interiors 021 762 3131.
Chocolat at Coco Karoo 021 797 9528. Entrepo entrepo.co.za
Farriers 021 761 4767
L’Orangerie 021 674 4284
Le Creusetlecreusetshop.co.za
Mc Smuts Building Services 082 441 8383
Mr Price Home 021 671 3968
Plasconplascon.co.za Poetry 021 464 5800
Salome Gunter Interiors 021 762 9512 or salomegunter.co.za
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