Time Travel

A collection of Mid-Century furniture, vintage objects and carefully selected artworks characterise a creative couple’s renovated Cape Town apartment

- Robyn Alexander

Seventeen years ago, Heather Moore and Paul Edmunds bought their first home together – a modest two-bedroom, top-floor flat in Gardens, Cape Town. Situated a few blocks from Kloof Street (then by no means the bustling social hub it has now become) and in one of a group of low-rise 1930s buildings tucked behind the Mount Nelson hotel, it was the ideal ‘starter property’ for a young couple both venturing into creative fields.

Fast forward to 2018: Heather is now the founder and co-owner of beloved design brand Skinny laMinx, having found her niche as the creator of brilliantly beautiful textiles. And Paul is an internationally acclaimed fine artist whose works form part of museum collections and adorn the walls of art lovers across the globe. So you might expect them to have moved to a grander and more spacious abode.

In Heather and Paul’s own unique way, they have. ‘We’ve renovated twice,’ says Heather, recalling an initial change to the very small kitchen, followed by a more extensive upgrade three years ago. The latter involved a complete reorientation of the apartment because, after many years of waiting for the opportunity, it happened when the couple were finally able to purchase the bachelor flat next door and incorporate the additional space into their apartment.

It now has only one bedroom, however. Heather and Paul have no children, and their beloved Siamese cat Monkey is the sole other occupant. ‘Our architect Daniel Maggs asked us if we really wanted a guest room,’ says Heather. ‘And we thought that apart from not having lots of visitors, “spare” rooms so often become just that – awkward, unused spaces. So we stuck with one bedroom.’