We had the pleasure of renovating a family home in the charming neighbourhood of Parkview, Johannesburg. Our primary focus was on redesigning the cottage and transforming the kitchen of the main house. The project presented unique challenges due to the heritage nature of the main dwelling’s layout.
However…the generous garden area that sprawls the back of the property made for the perfect opportunity to create a serene retreat for guests or a grown up space for the parents of three small boys to escape to and unwind.
“The cottage feels like a gem… something you expect to find on AirBnb Lux, but in your back garden.”
Overlooking the swimming pool, the cottage was a completely new build project. We designed it with a farmhouse folly feel, incorporating stone cladding to harmonise with the main house. The cottage features a spacious stoep covered in an 'afdak' offering panoramic views of the meticulously landscaped garden and pool.
The clients were reluctant to move the kitchen, so we left it in the position it is now. It had many doors leading into it, which we knocked out to open up the space a bit. The kitchen is often the heart of the home, but in this instance, we like to refer to a space like this as ‘The Knuckle’, which is essentially the pivoting point of the home.
We knocked out the bathroom behind the kitchen and closed up the access to the guest wing. Next, we opened the walls up to a play area and added large doors leading out onto the terracotta patio. The result of these tweaks created a beautiful circulation of living spaces. The style of the kitchen itself is something slightly different to what we normally do.
Our clients were very brave and simply said to us: “We trust you- decide!...” We went with a vintage feel, and the end product stands as a real triumph! A memorable and comfortable space, with touches of old and new, and a playful yet timeless colour spec that really reflects the character of the family it serves.
