Country Strong

A contemporary farmhouse situated outside the town of Stellenbosch combines a plethora of natural textures with loads of natural light. The result? A very relaxed take on country living

- ROBYN ALEXANDER

Rolling hills, vineyards and traditional gables - all set against the backdrop of the beautiful Devon Valley - make the farmlands surrounding Stellenbosch one of the planet's most bewitchingly tranquil landscapes. Then combine all that with the area's proximity to the bright lights of Cape Town, and it becomes instantly clear why it continues to attract stylish new residents both local and from abroad.

The Swedish family that recently purchased and refurbished this property, which consists of a small pocket of vineyards centred on a cluster of traditionally styled buildings, have had a bolt hole in the Cape for a while now. Their previous home was situated in the nearby town of Franschhoek, which is another well-known winemaking area and top foodie destination. Celebrated SA design maven (and owner of the innovative local interiors store La Grange Interiors) Sumari Krige decorated both houses, and says that 'the family loves South Africa's year-round, indoor-outdoor lifestyle'.

We locals tend to take it for granted,' says Sumari, 'but when you see it through the eyes of people from northern Europe, with its months of dark, cold winter days, you start to understand the massive appeal of living here.' Unsurprisingly, one of the areas of this home that most appeals to its owners is the enormous terrace that runs the length of the ground floor of the house. 'It's huge - about 30 metres long,' says Sumari, explaining that as a result, they created two separate lounging areas, plus an outdoor dining area, within the space. The result is probably many people's idea of the dream 'stoep': a place to either relax with one's family and soak up the magnificent view fabulous space to entertain in whatever the mood calls for.