Table of contents for DÉCOR 2023 in SARIE

See page 44 The beautiful old house on Boplaas dates from 1890 and was well looked after through the generations. The new owners, who bought it in 2014, have not changed its structure and character. Both have roots in Zimbabwe with a farming background and understand the value of caring for the land. Only a few coats of white paint were added, and it was then furnished with new and old furniture and heirlooms that go well with the authentic feel. There are four bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, a formal living room, a TV room, a separate dining room and a stunning kitchen with a large hearth. The farm garden is delightfully cool with huge old oak trees and expansive lawns. Deep stoeps, so traditionally South African, are ideal…

See page 82 Once upon a time, Villa Tafuri was a fortified watchtower and stronghold that protected the town against enemy attacks from the Ionian coast. Today it is a breathtakingly beautiful home for the owners and guests. Not only has the impressive architecture been preserved, but also the interesting history and rich culture of the province of Salento in the Puglia region. The double-storey villa is situated on four hectares of rich agricultural land, the house has sizeable lounges, four voluminous bedrooms, two luxurious bathrooms and a huge kitchen. There are also plenty of outdoor entertainment areas as well as an enticingly blue enclosed swimming pool where one can while away those long, hot summer days. The large garden offers magnificent views of olive groves, fruit orchards and vineyards. Guests…

Also see page 118 With properties in Hong Kong, France, Cape Town and Church-haven on the West Coast, Mary Chase, her husband Nigel Smith, and their children Harry and Sacha, are truly citizens of the world. Asked where she hails from originally, she says she fell from a star in Los Angeles in the United States. Mary, an interior designer, lived in Hong Kong for 24 years and in the early 2000s she met her businessman husband, whom she describes as a true British gentleman, at an African-themed party. Her African connection, however, dates from much further back. In 1994 she travelled through East and South Africa and felt a deep affinity for the continent, she recalls. But it was especially Cape Town that won her heart; she knew then already…

See page 148 Neville and Sharon Trickett need no introduction in the worlds of design, fashion, advertising and décor. Now retired, these two soulmates, who met at the Bulawayo Art School in Zimbabwe, live at their beloved farm Saint Verde in the Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal. Saint Verde, named after the fictitious Patron Saint of Green, is the place where they raised their two children, Sara and Lex. It’s here where Neville can ponder and create, and where Sharon can indulge her passion for plants, especially succulents – something she’s been interested in since childhood, as she grew up with a father who collected aloes. Sara, who shares this interest, is the owner of Saint Verde Succulents. Lex, a graphic designer, has followed in his father’s footsteps and is co-owner of Bubblegum…

See page 190 Adrian Lombard, owner of De Kleine Prince, has always had a soft spot for the Karoo. Then, while on holiday in Prince Albert in 2016, he saw a neglected Victorian house, dating from 1913, with a for-sale sign on the front gate. The property had been on the market for a while and the price was pretty steep. But Adrian tells us he did not choose the house, the house chose him. He could see the potential, though, and so his love-hate relationship with the project began. There were numerous hurdles to overcome before he could start building, because it was a heritage house and he had to receive approval from two heritage councils. Although the process moved at a snail’s pace – it took five years…

See page 56 The house was a ramshackle place. The plaster was flaking, the shutters were broken and the garden and rooms were littered with junk. But up in those green hills on the island of Corfu, Stel-lenbosch architect Hein Visser had a magical moment when he first saw the place that would become their retirement home. “There was a kind of spark. I just knew this was the one,” he says. His wife, Helene, was hesitant, even though she found the house “charming in its derelict condition”. With the weak rand in mind, and a long-distance building project looming, she could not imagine how they would cope with all the work. “But I saw Hein already had this vision – and so I agreed.” After more than two years…

COVER PHOTO See page 94 It doesn’t often happen that you recognise your dream home at first sight, but this is exactly what happened to Jane Waters and Brandon de Beer. The full history of their house is not known, but according to records it’s about 170 years old. This is one of the things that added to the appeal for Jane, who grew up in a 600-year-old house in England. When she married Brandon, who hails from the Lowveld, she came to live in South Africa. Six years ago they started looking for a new home, but obviously it had to be a house with history and loads of character. While they and their three teenage daughters were on holiday at the coast, a friend told them she had…

Nature is many things. It’s a solitary tree in the veld, the light on a leaf and a shadow against a cliff edge. It’s the moon and stars. Also the buzz of a busy bee, and a flower that turns its face to the sun. Sometimes it’s a cat-and-mouse game, a chameleon that waits patiently or a rabbit on the run. Nature is part of us, and we are part of nature. It connects us to the world and to humanity. When we understand that, we will see, smell, hear and feel it. Quite simply, it nourishes our soul. Enjoy the perfection of nature with this unique SARIEmooi tableware collection made from premium porcelain. It is crafted with care and inspired by the original ballpoint sketches of South African artist…

Not far from the picturesque Overberg village of Stanford, you’ll find Coot Club, a handful of historical stone cottages and contemporary boathouses situated in a private nature reserve of around 464 hectares. One of the founders explains that the idea for the development arose one day while he stood under the centuries-old milkwood trees. Admiring the clear Klein River Lagoon in front of him, and the Maanschynkop in the background, he realised it needed to be preserved for future generations. Coot Club had to be a venue where friends and family could spend time together in nature, build loving memories and form new friendships. A place where people could see, once again, that the little things in life are what matter most. Architects Jed and Julia Kritzinger helped them to…

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See page 30 Geraldine and Eric’s home in the suburb of Melville, where they live with their two boys, Hugo and Felix, is a bit like a treasure chest. Which is appropriate, because they are two of South Africa’s most exciting contemporary jewellery designers. As people who work with small, intricate designs, it’s not surprising that there is a level of detail in their home that suggests they understand the power and significance of objects. Geraldine and Eric point out two characteristics of jewellery that they feel colour all aspects of their lives. First, says Geraldine, jewellery is surprisingly intimate. It’s worn close to the body, so it’s personal. Secondly, says Eric, “There’s always a story involved.” People give each other jewellery to mark significant occasions; pieces often come with…

See page 70 Joe Phelan, who grew up in London and still lives there, has visited Cape Town regularly for holidays and work over the past 15 years and says the neighbour-hood of De Waterkant has always been his first choice for staying over. The attraction for him is that although he is in the city, he is also close to the mountain, nature and the ocean. During the pandemic when another lockdown was threatened for London, Joe got on a plane and rented a house in De Waterkant. He didn’t intend buying a property here, but when a for-sale sign appeared at the house across from his rented accommodation, the die was cast. The house was once part of the original hotel, De Waterkant Lodge, and was a maze of…

See page 106 One often hears of the challenges when restoring a house in another country, but for the Oppermans it was a positive experience. They are full of praise for the French craftsmen and the Polish builders who helped them. In the relatively short time of eighteen months, the biggest improvements to the once-dilapidated farmhouse were completed and Michelle, who is an interior decorator, could start with the fun part of the project. Michelle and Craig met as students at the University of Cape Town. He is a farm boy from Graaff-Reinet who studied engineering (and later law), and she is a city girl who studied literature and psychology. In 1991 they moved to California. They both love France and wanted to own a place there. Their search, which started…

See page 134 With its long and storied history, instantly recognisable tile-clad buildings and beautiful evening light, the Portuguese capital has been attracting admiring visitors for centuries, many of whom have decided to set down their travellers’ bags and stay a while … among them South African fashion designers and property developers, Christiaan Gabriel du Toit and Malcolm Klûk. “We first visited in 2015 and fell in love with the city,” explains Malcolm. “One of our travel group stayed on in Lisbon then and there, and lives in the city to this day,” he adds. “When we returned to visit her later that same year, we decided to start looking around for a property here.” With considerable experience in renovating and developing property in Cape Town, where the couple’s fashion…

See page 176 Marapi consists of five houses built at the tip of the peninsula, but each property is so secluded, it feels as if you have the whole island to yourself. Should you, however, feel like popping in at the neighbours, boardwalks connect the houses. Adjacent to the Vilanculos Coastal Wildlife Sanctuary, with some of the richest biodiversity in Mozambique, you are steps away from the crystal-clear ocean, and nestled among palm and mango trees in which birds and monkeys playfully cavort. The nearest large village is Vilankulo, with an airport you can reach in two hours from Johannesburg, but once you are here, you will never want to leave again. The building style is authentic, with thatched roofs that look as if their fringes need a clipping, but this…

A @home 086 111 1761, bash.com AMC Cookware 086 111 1262, amcsa.co.za Ashley Furniture HomeStore 012 749 3100, ashleyfurniture.co.za B Block & Chisel 011 442 0809, 010 593 9308, 021 712 5193, blockandchisel.co.za BLUM South Africa 087 352 4232, 011 444 8118, 021 555 2282, 031 579 2620, 041 581 0219, blum.com C Caesarstone 083 608 5810, 011 822 1350, caesarstone.co.za Coricraft countrywide, coricraft.co.za E Eezi Quartz 083 608 5810, 011 822 1350, eeziquartz.co.za Eurolux 021 528 8400, eurolux.co.za G Garden Studios 083 524 1520, gardenstudios.co.za I Incanda 021 863 1965, incanda.co.za Infinity Surfaces 083 608 5810, 011 822 1350, infinitysurfaces.co.za Italtile 010 271 2272, italtile.co.za J Jeeves 0861 JEEVES (533 837), jeeves.co.za K K.Light 021 552 4370, klight.co.za M Milestone Kitchens 082 891 1719 (Gauteng), 076 908 0565 (Western…