THE BIG easy

At the heart of this modern makeover is a spacious, open-plan area perfect for family living and easy entertaining

- NATALIE BORUVKA

Five years ago, Fran and Stuart Wilson bought this property in Hout Bay. “Despite the dated ’80s interior of the house and the overgrown garden, what appealed to us were the generous rooms and spacious flow across three levels. We also loved the idea of our young sons having an enormous garden to play in,” says Fran, an architect with her own practice, CellaHunt Architects.

Having renovated their previous home, the Wilsons were no strangers to the challenges of a major renovation. They started with the garden, which in addition to being unkempt, sloped clumsily from one end of the property to the other. “To define the large area and make it easier to maintain, we built terraces using stone retaining walls,” explains Fran, adding that this required the delivery of 10 tons of stone. The brick around the pool, which was in disrepair and dangerous to navigate, was replaced with a Garapa deck for a soft feel underfoot.