Rural Bliss

This contemporary farmhouse was designed for family living and entertaining

- Dina Venter

When Jacques and Karien Gresse started house hunting, they had their minds set on Southdowns Estate in Irene, Centurion. “It’s within walking distance of our son’s school, with easy access to Jo’burg, Pretoria and the airport,” they say.

With only a few stands available at the time, they weren’t spoilt for choice and eventually bought a panhandle with a north-east entry. They knew the stand wasn’t ideally suited to the single storey they wanted, but this didn’t deter them and they started to explore the estate, taking note of all the homes they liked. “Coincidentally, most of these were designed by Devilliers du Toit, so we knew which architect to approach,” they recall.