ON THE LEVEL

CAPE TOWN interior designer ETIENNE HANEKOM has ensured that this multilevel abode on the slopes of SIGNAL HILL makes maximum use of its compact footprint, creating a home that facilitates SUMMER LIVING AT ITS FINEST.

- ROBYN ALEXANDER

It’s already become a cliché to say that the Covid-19 pandemic – and in particular, its lockdowns, which confined us to our homes for months on end in 2020 – changed the way we think about domestic space. These days, walk through a prospective new home, and one of the first questions that comes to mind is how you’d feel about being confined to that house for two months. And in the case of this cleverly remodelled abode in Cape Town, the answer is, “Bring it on immediately!”

Located in the upper regions of Green Point, the house is perched on the edge of Signal Hill, and unfolds over multiple levels to accommodate the steepness of the sloped plot. Past the street entrance and parking garage at the top of the house, a short, covered walkway – encased on one side by metal palisade-style balustrades, coated in an eye-catching trio of brass, copper and bronze – leads to the main door. Inside, one is quickly drawn into an expansive, open-plan lounge, dining and kitchen area, which works seamlessly as the main living space.