Category: HOMETOURS

You have seen the beautiful food posts that my sister, Anélle, has been creating. Now it’s time for me to show you the Maker & Baker’s home! Anélle lives with her husband, Nelius, and two kids in a 1970’s home that will soon be brought into the new century. And of course, I will show you the update once it’s done! But for now, have a look at this self-proclaimed colour lover’s family home.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED HERE?

We bought the house from family friends when we returned from the UK 3 years ago. It had tremendous potential, so when we heard that it was on the market, we immediately put it an offer.

HAVE YOU DONE ANY RENOVATION SINCE YOU BOUGHT THE HOUSE?

We replaced the floors in the living areas and revamped the kitchen. My brother-in-law is a builder, so when he was commisioned to build someone a new kitchen, he removed the nearly new kitchen, and we repurposed it here!

ARE YOU PLANNING TO MAKE ANY OTHER CHANGES?

We’re planning a major overhaul in the front of the house. We’re going to change rooms around – I look forward to sharing that with you once it’s done!

YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH RED.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE ITEMS IN YOUR HOME?

My Smeg oven – no doubt!

WHAT IS YOUR DESIGN PHILOSOPHY?

COLOUR BRINGS HAPPINESS!

That’s always the first thing that draws my attention. If I see something I like, I try to work it into our home. Most of our furniture is from the UK where we lived for 14 years. My husband also makes a lot of stuff – he’s very handy! I’m always on the lookout for something beautiful and colourful.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ROOM?

I love our living room. It’s the most colourful, and I enjoy it most during the day when the light falls through the windows. I also love my office and the kitchen because of the natural light.

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE ARE MUST-HAVES IN A HOME?

Bubbly in the fridge. Because you never know when you might want to celebrate!

WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THAT YOU FACED?

The house has many old-fashioned and sometimes ugly features, and I still struggle to make them functional and look beautiful. Luckily, all of those remnants from another era will go when we renovate.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR HOME TO SAY ABOUT YOU?

Our home is a friendly and joyous space. Or that’s what we’re aiming for, at least!

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO CREATE A SIMILAR LOOK?

Be bold! Don’t be afraid to play with colour. Even if you’re not sure whether something will work, try it anyway. Our home has a strong Mexican influence because we go there at least once a year for business, but as long as it’s colourful, it can work – no matter where it’s from.

For more of Anélle’s gorgeous cakes and delicacies, have a look at our FOOD section!

I first saw artists Ronel and Gerhard Human’s inspiring home when I dropped my boys off for a playdate late last year. Both living and working space, it is filled with curated items, vintage furniture, heirlooms, and lots and lots of art. There is so much personality in this house that I asked Ronel if I could photograph it and do a home tour, to which she graciously agreed. Here’s the story of the family home that they share with their two young boys and two dachshunds.

How long have you lived here?

We bought the house two years ago. The character and the high ceilings quickly sealed the deal for us. We moved to Paarl from Simon’s Town where we had a much smaller place, so the size and flow of the house were amazing. The quality of the construction of the house was another plus: the old houses were still built with such attention to detail. The window frames, doorjambs, ceiling details, everything is made from good, solid materials. Modern homes are built with speed in mind; these were still built without rushing to complete the job, with quality being a priority.

The amazing thing about these old homes is that they have been constructed with the elements in mind. The layout allows for a cross-breeze to cool things down in summer, while the warm heat raises up to the ceiling. And in winter, the rooms can close to contain the heat, so the natural temperature control in the house is excellent.

Have you done a lot of renovations since you bought the house?

Overall the house was in great condition, but the colours were not us – everything was cream, so we had to paint a lot. I believe that you truly own a place only once you’ve painted; that’s when it starts to feel like your own. Paint makes such a huge difference! At first, we tried to paint ourselves, but the walls are so high that we only painted one wall each and then decided to get help! We also took the carpets out and found fantastic wooden floors underneath.

The renovation is a gradual process. We do what we can on a budget, and paint is the one thing that makes the most significant difference.

What other changes are you planning?

There are things that I would have liked to have done quicker, like breaking down the wall in the kitchen. I want to add French doors between the living room and the kitchen and add some pendants above the kitchen table. I also want to install a gas stove at some point. But for now, we love the kitchen.  I especially love the charcoal walls in the kitchen (Spookwind from Midas). It creates such a beautiful background for the white and green tones. The previous owner’s wife wanted to rip out the cabinets and redo it, but thankfully they ended up not doing it. So these are still the original cabinets installed in the 60’s.

We like things that are handmade, that have been passed down, and that has a story. And vintage items, quality things that have been well made.

What are your favourite items in your home?

There are a lot of special art pieces, things that Gerhard made for me. Many of our paintings were also given to us by artist friends, and these are not replaceable. Our carpets are also very special to us. I love a beautiful handmade rug on a wooden floor.

What are must-haves in your home?

I can’t imagine my home without art or plants. Plants are so important; they give life to a space. Gerhard has green fingers; he cultivated the potted Yellow Wood in the kitchen from a small seedling.

What was the biggest challenge that you faced in this house?

The biggest challenge in this house was the studio. It used to be a stoep that was closed in the 50’s or 60’s. They covered the floor with Novilon and painted the walls in blue! The light in there is incredible, so it was the perfect space for my work. There is also another room adjacent that we are using for our graphic design work. We painted the walls and lifted the vinyl to have a cement floor put in. Once we started the work, the renovators made such a mess that it took the fun out of the project. There were a lot of mistakes and things that had to be fixed afterwards. But now it’s a great space. We spend most of our time as a family in the kitchen or the living room, and the kids also spend time with me in my studio, drawing or colouring.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to create a similar look?

Everyone has a unique taste in art and things that they like, and it’s important that your home shows that. We love to support local artisans instead of buying mass-produced. We love unique handmade items, something with a story and history and something that has meaning. I also prefer natural fibres and raw materials. In that way, it’s sustainable as well. Decorating your home is a personal thing because it’s your personal space.

Have a look at Ronel’s art here and follow her Instagram account here. You can also follow Gerhard’s work here.

The Wilkinson’s have lived on Le Bonheur wine estate for the last 5 months. In spite of their fairly recent move, the house has an amazingly comfortable and lived-in feel that attracted me to it immediately.  William is the winemaker on the estate and shares the house with his very creative wife, Belinda and their 5-year old boy, Turner. This home is filled with little styled vignettes that are evidence of Belinda’s keen eye for detail and her love of beautiful things. I spend a cold and overcast morning with Belinda, chatting about her approach to interior design over plenty of tea.

Q: What is your philosophy or approach to decorating your home?

BW: I believe that you must use what you’ve got, to make it work. You don’t need the most expensive furniture or accessories. I also love to use natural elements like flowers and natural fabrics.

Q: What is your favourite room in your home?

The living room. It’s a great space with lots of light – and of course, these high windows!

Q: How would you describe your style?

The term is probably eclectic. It’s a bit of French, some farm, a little boho. It’s got African elements mixed in as well. A lot of our furniture pieces are antiques or inherited pieces, so there is a lot of history in it.

Q: What do you always have in your home?

Plants and greenery! Green is my favourite colour and leaves from outside are free.

Q: What is the biggest challenge that you faced in your home? 

To actually make the space livable and pretty! Apart from the windows and the patio with the vine, it didn’t have a lot going for it. Our things are quite big and bold, so luckily it filled the space. The tiles in the living/dining room were also a challenge. I was used to having pressed ceilings and wooden floors. I really don’t like the stairs and that’s something we hope to change in the future.

Q: What is the next project? 

My husband’s wine room. It’s his man cave. I’d also love to have light linen curtains. And eventually, I want to redo the kitchen!

Q: What would you want your home to say about you?

I want it to be chilled, humble, lekker. I suppose everyone wants their home to feel homely – that’s what I want but I don’t always realize that I have accomplished that.

Q: What advice can you give if people want to put together this look?

All the things we have are inherited or things that other people threw out. Don’t be afraid to rework something, or to change things with paint.

lookbook

\\ living room

Vintage silver plates adorn the wall next to the gorgeous high steel windows.

This quirky little fireplace has been styled with crisp white candles.

Belinda made the pretty floral cushions with fabric salvaged after the dogs destroyed an upholstered sofa.

An old burlap bag serves as a welcome mat at the front door.

BW: I inherited the silver pieces from my paternal grandmother. My dad is a hunter, so that is where the skulls and horns come from.

A pretty framed petit point takes pride of place in the middle of the gallery wall.

BW: this grand old wardrobe was passed down from my brother.

BW: I reupholstered the vintage dining chairs with fabric from some cut-up scatter cushions from H&M.

\\ kitchen

The previous owners used this anteroom to the kitchen as a breakfast room and later, as a home office. Currently, the Wilkinson’s use it for intimate meals and to store crockery in 2 beautiful vintage pine cabinets.

\\ main bedroom

With a distinct French influence, the dreamy main bedroom is home to Belinda’s grandmother’s ornate bed and dressing table. Belinda reupholstered the stool with traditional toile in contemporary black and white.

\\ Turner’s room

Any little boy’s dream bedroom, this car-themed bedroom is filled with vintage steel pieces, contrasting beautifully with the original parquet floor.

\\ bathroom

BW: I really dislike mouthwash bottles! They’re ugly and don’t go with my decor. So I decant it!

\\ patio

BW: We built this boma in a few hours – it really makes the outdoor area for me!