A TOUCH of theTROPICS

This 1930’s Tamboerskloof dame has notes of art deco and an easy-going, tropical energy in tune with its owners’ penchant for design

- MILA CREWE-BROWN

It was a January afternoon in 2017 when Nicole O’Connor got an e-mail from her husband, Chris, titled ‘Must Open’. It was one of many mails with houses for sale that Chris kept an eye on, but this one was different. “I was instantly drawn to the look and feel; it was all white, in immaculate condition and had tall palm trees in the garden. It was also well located within the City Bowl,” Nicole recalls.

The tropical feel was something of an attraction for the couple, given that both their families have roots in KZN and a love of plantation-style homes is in their DNA. That the previous owners had a parrot was serendipitous. Chris’ mother, Dominique, and sister, Gigi, own Dominico House, an interior design company known for understated, layered interiors. They have also had a marked influence on Chris’ taste, and in turn Nicole’s.