Mindful Treasures

There are few things as special as the stories our homes tell. Mariel and Martin Green share a home that marries storytelling with a bright white minimalist and modern structure

- STEFANIE TITUS

On a scorching hot Saturday, I visit an internet friend, now simply my friend, who I had been chatting to and buying vintage trinkets from. She knows thrifting is not just about the stories and beauty for me - it's one way to be kinder to the planet. Her home, a beautiful reflection of her personal style, is set in a small village near Durbanville.

These boots are made for walking - Mariel and Martin end their days in a tranquil space otherwise flooded with light for most of the day. Little bits sit pretty as a small ode to Mariel's vintage love affair.

Mariel and Martin ushered us in from the dust - into a well-curated vintage dream. Built to purpose with exposed, white-painted beams and featuring a warm, raw brick wall - the Greens have created a blank canvas over which to carefully layer treasures collected over the years.

Of light, and love - The Greens' open-plan dining area steps onto the stoep for an indoor/outdoor setting with simple decor and blooms to elevate the mood of the space while entertaining.

Unlike so many vintage spaces, theirs is uncluttered and sensible with room for growth as they collect treasures or change their space.

A slice of sweetness - A store-bought cake takes on a new life with fresh fruit and Mariel's romantic approach to entertaining in a pinch.

Mariel challenges the deep-rooted idea of chaotic clutter associated with thrifting through her ruthless knack for curation. Why buy everything new when there are stories to unfold and meaning to find in careful curations? Trinkets are stylistically shot in her charming en suite where the light falls just so and some are posed on a table so magically that one might wonder if all Mariel thinks about is how to honour the stories these fascinating, even practical, objects quietly tell through shapely designs and an array of colours from every era gone by.