Treasure Trove
House and Leisure|May - June 2019

The Killarney apartment of interior designer Michele Throssell reflects her love of heritage and the glamour of Johannesburg, but adds a little Durban flavour for good measure.

Zodwa Kumalo-valentine
Treasure Trove

Michele Throssell of the eponymous interior design company and her husband, Bruce, fell in love with, bought and renovated a three-bedroom flat in Killarney, one of Johannesburg’s original apartment suburbs.

Located in the highly sought-after Rapallo building, the apartment is an ode to art, retro design and vintage and romantic sensibilities. It almost feels like an extension of the Rapallo itself, which was built in the 1950s by Italian prisoners of war and features an original Art Deco water installation and Picasso-inspired oil painting by Armando Baldinelli in the entrance hall. It’s not surprising that the building immediately attracted Michele, and they secured a corner apartment with gorgeous views overlooking Johannesburg.

While Michele is mostly based in Durban, Bruce, who is in financial services, and their son James, who works as a lawyer, both live in Johannesburg. They acquired the inner-city apartment so they could have a permanent Johannesburg family home base – Michele visits once a month for a night or two or the odd weekend. Her other children, Joseph and Rebecca, both work in interior design and live in Cape Town.

This story is from the May - June 2019 edition of House and Leisure.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the May - June 2019 edition of House and Leisure.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM HOUSE AND LEISUREView All
At The Breakfast Table With Jonty Rhodes And Family
House and Leisure

At The Breakfast Table With Jonty Rhodes And Family

Recently renovated, the historic Cape Town home of Jonty and Melanie Rhodes is an adaptable base for an active, clean-eating clan of six

time-read
4 mins  |
April - May 2020
LUNCH IN THE GARDEN with siblings Bronwyn and Jonathan Cane
House and Leisure

LUNCH IN THE GARDEN with siblings Bronwyn and Jonathan Cane

Alfresco gatherings are the order of the day at this updated century-old semi – the home of a design-centric sister and brother in Brixton, Joburg

time-read
5 mins  |
April - May 2020
IN THE KITCHEN with Karen Dudley and family
House and Leisure

IN THE KITCHEN with Karen Dudley and family

For Karen Dudley, food informs the family dynamic and her home is as multilayered and as delicious a delight as her colourful personality and cooking style

time-read
4 mins  |
April - May 2020
THE TRADITIONAL KITCHEN
House and Leisure

THE TRADITIONAL KITCHEN

The perfect piece to pull together a country-style kitchen is a beautiful wooden table that will age with time and hold its place in the memories made around it.

time-read
1 min  |
April - May 2020
IN THE FRAME
House and Leisure

IN THE FRAME

'The history of architecture is the history of the struggle for light.’

time-read
1 min  |
April - May 2020
DRINKS AT THE TABLE with David Cope and Donné Bullivant
House and Leisure

DRINKS AT THE TABLE with David Cope and Donné Bullivant

A dream kitchen renovation meant wine lovers Dave Cope and Donné Bullivant could finally settle down in their wondrously moody City Bowl apartment

time-read
4 mins  |
April - May 2020
THE MODULAR KITCHEN
House and Leisure

THE MODULAR KITCHEN

DECOR TIP Modular elements like these USM Haller systems are a great way to create interesting, non-permanent storage that can be customised to your needs.

time-read
1 min  |
April - May 2020
SUPPER IN THE BARN with the Thatenhorst family
House and Leisure

SUPPER IN THE BARN with the Thatenhorst family

Munich-based interior designer Stephanie Thatenhorst transformed the barn at her parents’ farm in Bavaria into an eclectic family retreat

time-read
4 mins  |
April - May 2020
BREAKING BREAD
House and Leisure

BREAKING BREAD

The pendulum has swung back for this nutritious, crusty staple of flour, yeast, water and time – the much-beloved artisanal loaf

time-read
2 mins  |
April -May 2020
SNACKS ON THE TERRACE with sisters Vicky Crease and Maira Koutsoudakis
House and Leisure

SNACKS ON THE TERRACE with sisters Vicky Crease and Maira Koutsoudakis

The traditional Cycladic home of dynamic sisters Vicky Crease and Maira Koutsoudakis on the island of Serifos is a reminder of what it means to be a part of a close-knit family

time-read
5 mins  |
April - May 2020