Open SEASON

A dated Bedfordview facebrick home gets a 21st-century overhaul in line with its young owners’ vision

- MILA CREWE-BROWN

Although facebrick has many advantages, when it’s floor to ceiling, both inside and out, some prospective owners find it off-putting. And this house also had dark, narrow passages and a warren-like layout. However, despite all these drawbacks, Gina and Derwich Zaidan decided that with some love and attention it would be ideal for their growing family.

“It was all facebrick on the outside and very dark inside. My husband couldn’t quite see it, but I knew this house had possibilities,” recalls Gina, who thrives on a challenge.

In order to unlock the potential of its great shape and north-facing rooms, the pair approached Nick Woon and Caterina Pompa, of Jo’burg-based interior design studio Plan Créatif, and tasked them with the mother of all upgrades. “We gutted the house and removed unnecessary walls. Basically, we only kept the footprint,” Nick explains.

Derwich is Lebanese and Gina Italian, and both are born entertainers with an open-door policy. “A gettogether at our home constitutes a full house on a regular basis; and that’s just the way we like it,” Gina explains. With that in mind, the new iteration of their home had to be geared for all-season gatherings. Other requests in their brief included an open layout and sleek, contemporary finishes.