Al fresco!

A well-appointed stoep is a must for outdoor summer fun.

- Beatrice Moore-Nothnagel

Country cool

WHO LIVES HERE? Sharon O'Callaghan and Henau Marais

WHERE Riebeek-Kasteel

SIZE OF STOEP 60m2

When Sharon and Henau tackled their renovation the first time around, they opted for a roofless stoep, but they didn't account for the harsh summer sun in Riebeek-Kasteel. The house got too hot, so we had to move fast and initially erected a Bedouin tent, says Sharon. It was the most affordable option at the time.

Later, we fitted a proper roof with white IBR sheets and an IsoBoard ceiling. We opted for a smooth ceiling, instead of tongue-and-groove, as we didn't want to create a cottage look. While the stoep remains open in the front, the roof is deep enough to protect the space from rain. We love to sit outside and watch the rain fall, says Sharon.

The unpretentious cement floor boasts a brick inlay in a square format as detail, all sealed with a polyurethane sealant.

Since we had the space, we built a rather big 2m-wide braai. Going smaller would have looked silly. With Henau being on the tall side, we also built the braai lm high and it works perfectly.

The 1.2m pizza oven is also bigger than your standard 900mm oven and it's the main attraction on this stoep. “Every Friday is pizza night at our house, says Sharon with a laugh.

Our German neighbours joke that we are Riebeek-Kasteel's best kept secret.

Farm style in the city