Living the dream
Home South Africa|January 2020
An adventurous South African couple weathered rough seas, an earthquake and absent builders to turn an idyllic farmhouse in Greece into a “friend to strangers”.
Annelize Visser
Living the dream

Much like you can’t control the wind, you can’t hurry a yacht – or a Greek builder…

This is the lesson that intrepid South African couple Henry Paine and Sally Kennedy, both avid sailors, learnt when they purchased a small piece of land on the island of Lesbos in Greece two years ago, and decided to renovate.

The property was surprisingly affordable at less than R1 million for a small doublestorey house on 1 700m2 of land. Although the dwelling was habitable, it was in poor condition, so the pair decided to renovate and rent it out as luxury accommodation when they aren’t enjoying the space themselves. But dreaming of a renovation in Greece and actually pulling it off… that’s a whole different bottle of ouzo.

When Henry met Sally in 2002, she was building a holiday home in Ballots Bay on the Garden Route, but conflict between her and the architect at the time almost landed them in court. Enter Henry, an award-winning heritage architect who won Sally over with his patience and willingness to listen. By then she’d run out of money, so she offered Henry unlimited use of the house in lieu of payment and he accepted.

A few years later, while collaborating on her Saxonwold home, Henry discovered Sally’s adventurous side. What tipped him off was a mad dash to Mumbai to buy miles of gold, emerald, red and lime silk for curtains.

“I thought it would be cheaper and I’d have an adventure at the same time!” Sally recalls. As it turns out, Henry was on the same page. He’d long had a dream of buying a yacht and sailing around the Mediterranean, and by then their creative partnership had blossomed into romance. In 2011, they went to Greece to buy a boat and ever since, they’ve spent at least three months of every year sailing wherever the wind blows them.

On the journey

Bu hikaye Home South Africa dergisinin January 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.

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

Bu hikaye Home South Africa dergisinin January 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.

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

HOME SOUTH AFRICA DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
Pestilence Domestica
Home South Africa

Pestilence Domestica

We usually call them dirty, dangerous and utterly gross. But what if we looked at domestic pests through a different lens, asks Karin Brynard.

time-read
3 dak  |
May/June 2023
Quick as a flash!
Home South Africa

Quick as a flash!

These 15 dinners can be whipped up in a jiffy - before the power goes out!

time-read
10+ dak  |
May/June 2023
The gift that keeps on giving
Home South Africa

The gift that keeps on giving

By taking cuttings and dividing existing plants and those from friends, Anne Turner and her son David have created a stunning garden that takes on a whole new personality as the seasons change.

time-read
6 dak  |
May/June 2023
Upcycle it!
Home South Africa

Upcycle it!

Tuis Home food editor Johané Neilson and her husband Allister revamped a second-hand melamine wall unit to create a bespoke wall-to-wall display cabinet, for less than R3 500!

time-read
3 dak  |
May/June 2023
Little house in the forest
Home South Africa

Little house in the forest

Thanks to her capable father, Neilke Pretorius and her partner enjoy an idyllic lifestyle in a custom-made home hidden in the trees.

time-read
4 dak  |
May/June 2023
Living large, inside and out
Home South Africa

Living large, inside and out

South Africans love a space where indoors and outdoors come together.

time-read
8 dak  |
May/June 2023
Modern CLASSIC
Home South Africa

Modern CLASSIC

With authenticity as a guiding design principle, a young family has created their happy space in a 105-year-old house in the heart of vibrant Sea Point.

time-read
3 dak  |
May/June 2023
Peace & quiet...
Home South Africa

Peace & quiet...

A cinematographer and a set designer found the perfect bolt-hole in the Eastern Cape Karoo where they can truly relax and unwind.

time-read
3 dak  |
May/June 2023
ART AND SOUL
Home South Africa

ART AND SOUL

Five years ago, the Krugers transformed a tired city bungalow into a unique and modern family home.

time-read
3 dak  |
May/June 2023
Group therapy
Home South Africa

Group therapy

Add impact and create rhythm using repetition and collections, as these Home readers have done.

time-read
1 min  |
May/June 2023