Text: Natalie Boruvka. Photographs: Christoph Hoffmann and Supplied. Article from the February 2014 issue of Garden and Home Magazine.
A couple swap high-rise living for a compact single-storey home in Kyalami, Jo’burg, and find that the views are just as impressive
A flat is wonderful for a lock-up-and-go lifestyle but green grass on level ground is unbeatable,” says Gideon Vos gesturing to the exterior views of the home he shares with his partner Glen Alexander in Jo’burg’s Waterfall Country Estate. The couple, who were living in a loftily proportioned apartment block, chanced upon the estate one Sunday afternoon when Gideon cruised through on his motorcycle.
“When we visited the estate together we were so impressed by the beautiful parklands and the estate’s ethos of sustainability,” says Gideon. They signed an offer to purchase the very same day for a street-facing stand within easy access to the entrance and a band of dams, meandering walkways and bridges. The day proved doubly fortuitous. While in the sales office they came across the details of the architect who would be responsible for designing the contemporary home they had in mind.
Who lives here
Business finance professionals Gideon Vos and Glen Alexander.
The house
A 410m² new build with an easy-going indoor outdoor flow. Pitched roofs, metal louvres and glass walls give this single-storey house a uniquely contemporary look.
The twin chimneys of the gas fireplace in the dining area are I a design element intended to accentuate the lofty pitched roof. The table from Weylandts has been paired with chairs from Wunders. The ones at the head are upholstered in Coco Café Noir and the rest in Loft Linen Coffee from George Baker. The pendant light fitting is from Radiant Lightning and the vases are from Woolworths.
“Gideon and Glen were very clear about what they wanted,” recalls Derick Britz of Studious Architects.” Their brief was for a free-flowing, level house where the outdoor living areas would hold as much importance as those indoors:” The design he conceived comprises two wings that open up like a pavilion onto two courtyards: one is a clean-lined entertaining deck incorporating a pool and the other a pretty landscaped garden designed specifically to attract a variety of birdlife.
Although the house is a compact 410m², every inch of space has been used efficiently. “We couldn’t have gone any smaller without compromising on living space and Derick introduced pitched roots that work with the glass walls to give our home an incredibly airy, expansive feeling,” explains Glen.
The house’s flexible spatial boundaries, in Gideon’s words, “work like a bomb” for parties. Guests are free to wander in and out as they please and can help themselves to drinks from industrial fridges in the small bar area that bridges the pool deck and living area. “Our home is in effect a ‘stoep’ that can be closed in and we love the flexibility this offers us,” says Gideon.
By their own admission Gideon and Glen found themselves in the deep-end when it came to decorating, having a sense of what style appealed to them but not knowing how to marry it with the modern architecture of their new home. A visit to Kramerville’s Casabianca Collezioni to buy linen led them to interior designer Jenna Hartell. Impressed by the smart studio she designed, they promptly set up an appointment. “It was wonderful to have clients who share my love of natural fabrics and expertly made furniture,” says Jenna, who composed a subtle scheme of natural cottons in neutral tones and solid oak finishes that suit the home’s modern minimalism.
“We couldn’t have found people who understood our needs better,” says Gideon of working with Derick and Jenna. He shares some final words of advice:” Take the time to find professionals whose judgement you trust and then let them do what they do best.”
A low wall divides the sleeping area from the bathroom in the open-plan guest bedroom. The bed is dressed in stone washed linen by Casabianca Collezioni available from The Egyptian Cotton Studio. The scatters are in fabrics from St Leger & Viney and the armchair is from Wunders.
Sliding doors open the guest bathroom up to the landscaped garden. The bath is from Plumb-It and the stool, used as a side table, from Pedersen + Lennard.
Decor inspirations
What works for Glen and Gideon is their living room.
“Come winter or summer, the open-plan living area is as comfortable for just the two of us as it is when we have a large crowd of friends over.”
Make it work for you
Combine clean-linedfurniture in plain fabrics with timber accents.
Sources
5Rooms.com 5rooms.com Acube Design acubedesign.co.za Back Interior Design backinteriordesign.co.za Casabianca Collezioni casabianca.co.za Entrepo entrepo.co.za Finfloor finfloor.co.za George Baker 011 024 2747 Jenna Hartell 011 262 0190 Mavromac 011 4441584 OKHA okha.com Outdoor Warehouse outdoorwarehouse.co.za Peace River Trading peaceriver.co.za Pedersen + Lennard pedersenlennard.co.za Plumb-It 012 653 4513 Radiant Lighting radiant.co.za Romo South Africa romosouthafrica.com St Leger & Viney stleger.co.za Studious Architects studious.co.za The Egyptian Cotton Studio egyptiancottonstudio.co.za The Private House Co. privatehouseco.co.za Weylandts weylandts.co.za Woolworths woolworths.co.za Wunders wunders.co.za
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