An Urban Barn

This Constantia home has been given new contemporary life through judicious and thoughtful decorating

A successful house makeover requires a few essential ingredients: a measure of imagination, plenty of expertise and a little luck.

When the owners of this property in Constantia, Cape Town, wanted to give their house a refresh, they called on Cape-based interior designer Lesley Arnot to provide guidance and oversee the project. It was a happy choice. Her experience is wide-ranging and her approach attentive.

“My brief,” says Lesley, “was to work with much of what was already there – cherished family pieces – but also to give it all a new edge.” The challenge was to bring focus to the disparate elements and combine them into a cohesive whole. Some of the changes were subtle, others were substantial, but the result is unequivocally dramatic and yet still inviting.