Still Life

A heritage cottage in South Africa's arid outback is saturated with expressive furnishings, magpie finds and earthy hues to set a new tone for a couple's retreat

- LORI COHEN

The town of Nieu-Bethesda has 150 residents. Two of the newcomers are Marc Watson and James Moffatt, who were drawn to the remote, semi-arid landscape of South Africa’s Great Karoo and the drilled-down lifestyle it offers. The couple chose the house based on its charming iron friezes and traditional wooden shutters, only guessing what was hidden behind the heritage façade. “We bought the property without viewing the inside, but we had a good sense of what such a traditional home would hold,” says Marc. Retaining the cottage layout and many existing antique pieces, they added layers of rich hues and hand-picked treasures, and thoughtfully selected South African art to imprint their energy and vision on the 142-year-old property.

The town is most famous for its once reclusive resident, artist Helen Martins, whose eccentric property is now The Owl House museum and the primary drawcard for visitors. A solid eight-hour journey from Marc and James’ Johannesburg base, the couple committed to creating a second life in this scorched outpost in 2018 after they, too, had swept through the dusty streets as tourists. The advertising duo admits they didn’t really think through the challenges of renovating from afar, but Marc took on the project with a clear vision of what he wanted and stuck to the plan.