Tour this traditional yet trendy Jo’burg home

AvatarCaxton magazines staff
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The combination of a fresh palette and modern furnishings brought this traditional Johannesburg home into the 21st century

It was the canopy of trees shading the shingled roof that first caught the attention of the owners of this gracious old home. “But when we saw the beautiful parquet floors and the huge windows and doors with views of the big back garden, we were completely sold,” they recall.
BathroomAnother attraction was the comfortable spatial flow despite the many-roomed, rambling character of the 40-year-old house.

BedroomThe original house was quite modest in size and had been extended by the previous owners with the addition of two new wings. The first houses a TV room on one side of the kitchen with a guest bedroom and bathroom above it. The other accommodates a large study and living room with a walk-in wine cellar. “The main bedroom, which is situated above, has the same open-plan layout, but because of the high ceilings it’s a far more dramatic space,” says the owner, gesturing to the towering pitch. Its proportions are emphasised further by a four-poster bed and a freestanding wall that separates the bedroom from the bathroom and dressing area.ghg2015119102149

To bring it into the 21st century, the first thing they did was paint the exterior charcoal with crisp white accents. Then they replaced the terracotta tiles in the kitchen with Cemcrete floors that extend onto the patio.

            Living room Office

In the formal living area, a rug from Paco offsets the fresh white accents and complements the wallpaper on the feature wall, Thibaut Windward Sisal Plum from St Leger & Viney. Interior decorator Sarah Walters also designed the L-shaped sofa and had it upholstered in Sanded Linny Polar White from Mavromac | The study features a long trestle table and chair from Weylandts. “It has a beautiful view across the garden which is even better when my son and his friends are playing in it.”

With the help of interior decorator Sarah Walters, the rest of the house was given a gradual facelift. The old-fashioned light fittings were replaced and new wallpaper chosen to create feature walls. Wherever possible, the owners’ existing furniture was recycled.

Dining area Lounge
In the dining room, the existing chairs were transformed with white linen slipcovers. The table was custom made by G2 Furniture.
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The dining room, for instance, was given an elegant, contemporary feel by slipcovering their existing green upholstered chairs with white linen. Sarah was especially resourceful when it came to the patio. A wicker couch was given a new lease on life with a coat of white paint and new cushions. A perfectly proportioned coffee table was created by combining an existing table with a copy.
Patio

The patio was furnished with the owners’ existing furniture. In order to create a larger coffee table, a copy of their existing table was made by G2 Furniture. The scatter cushions are in a Designers Guild fabric and Brera Lino Lime from Home Fabrics.

Although there are plenty of rooms for cocooning in the colder months, summer is when the house really comes into its own. On weekends all the French doors leading to the covered patio are opened wide, encouraging easy socialising while the children yo-yo between the upstairs playroom and the huge garden. house