On the foothills of the Wemmershoek mountains in the foodie quarter of Franschhoek, a couple has built their dream home: a holiday house and one-day retirement abode that ticks all the boxes. Built for all seasons, its high-tech, lowkey combination means that it serves equally well as a winter bolthole or a summer retreat. Making the most of a relatively small stand by South African measures, the owners maximised on space by laying out a pair of barns that hug the property’s boundary, adjoined by the dining area.
It’s a U-shaped layout that’s reminiscent of Mediterranean homes and makes the most of the available light, while the views look both inward onto a private courtyard and swimming pool, as well as outward over mountains, vineyards and valleys. When it came to designing the space, Studio 19’s championing of timeless design and honest materials was a major drawcard for the couple.
“The house was a real love project; the two factions included a passionate technology junkie and his wife, who ‘just’ wants to make things look beautiful,” interior designer and founder of Johannesburg-based Studio 19 Mia Widlake explains with a grin. While this meant the project came with a fair amount of debate during the planning phase, it also resulted in a space with both brains and beauty. Here, clever solutions and smart functionality are the invisible foundation for a space that’s very easy on the eye.
This story is from the Winter 2023 edition of Modern Living.
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This story is from the Winter 2023 edition of Modern Living.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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