Bright And Breezy

This contemporary farmhouse in Jo’burg came to life with an injection of colour.

- Jo Trappitt

Wanting a secure house in a boomed suburb, this couple came across a single-storey house on a large stand, which was adequate for their needs at the time. A decade later, their taste and the family’s requirements had changed and they embarked on a major renovation.

“We had subdivided the property by this time and retained two thirds of it. This still gave us plenty of space to add on. What we had in mind was a large, open-plan entertaining area with large windows and high ceilings with exposed beams,” explain the owners. As the house is north-facing, they wanted a design that would make the most of the natural light and look on to the garden. They have three children, so five bedrooms and a guest room were also on their list of requirements.

Fortunately they’ve known architect Nicola Hawke for many years and asked her to undertake the project. Together, they collaborated on a new floorplan that would not only suit their way of life, but also work with the slight slope of the property.