Space-saving ideas abound in this modern Joburg cottage

Emma Holtmann and her partner, DP, have found their perfect cosy abode: right behind her parents’ home. Small in size, yes, but a perfect example how living with less can give you more.

Emma Holtmann and DP’s open-plan cottage began life as a triple garage at the back of her parents’ property in suburban Johannesburg. After the couple embarked on a search for their own home, Emma’s mother suggested converting the garage instead and they thought, why not? Emma’s parents had bought the property in the early ’90s to use as an office space and then the plot next door became available, where they built their home. So it seemed natural to have a cottage on the property too. “We get on really well with them,” says Emma. “It’s like a little community.”

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The project started with a consultation with an architect, then the walls started coming down, sash windows and fittings went in and a screed floor was poured. The architect suggested a few space-saving design features, including sliding doors from lounge to bedroom making the space more fluid and creating privacy when needed, and the idea of giving the bathroom two doors, so guests can enter directly from the dining room rather than having to traipse through the couple’s bedroom.

“We decided to go with the same windows as the main house - even though they were costly ,” says Emma. These are classic wooden-framed sash windows and have a dual purpose of complementing the aesthetics of the main house and letting in lots of light.

The kitchen proved to be a challenge as the space is small and a bit awkward. The concrete countertops are slightly higher than average (to accommodate the washing machine and dishwasher) and yet work wonderfully as a height for preparing food, says Emma. And while storage is a problem in any small space, the couple’s solution in the kitchen has been to have open shelving to display their vintage crockery and Wonki Ware; the cooking knives are on a magnetic strip attached to the wall. They can see what they have quickly and easily, and use it effectively - rather than forgetting all about that casserole dish that got shoved to the back of a cupboard.

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Overall the space is simple, sustainable and neat. “Everything is good old South African – no imported taps here,” say s Emma. The paint colours in lovely shades of grey with a subtle mauve for the kitchen cupboards all come from the same palette. Much of the kitchenware and furniture was given to Emma by her grandmother when the latter recently downsized her home, including the bread bin that takes pride of place on the kitchen counter, canary yellow pie dishes with scalloped edges on display on the kitchen shelves, and a beautiful old radio. And all the soft furnishings have been kept simple: bed linen in tonal light greys is subtly complemented by the texture of a knitted neutral Country Road throw, for example.

“I think everyone needs a spot to put their laptop,” says Emma, which explains the concrete “bar” that doubles as a study area around the corner from the kitchen. This is where the couple catch up on e-mails and DP puts in the study hours needed for his master’s degree. Two bar-stools with a ’70s design feel from @home live here too.

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The couple are fans of poster art and this is evident in the bedroom, where there’s a large framed Peter Eastman illustration for the 2010 World Cup. Standing to attention in the living room is another poster with a unique story. It’s from the Zanzibar Film Festival, and when Emma asked for one to take home, she was directed to the artist’s studio, where he quickly drew one up for her, in a splash of primary colours. It adds a gorgeous pop of abstract colour to the space.

There’s also a wood-burning Morso stove in the living area, close to the front door, and although it’s the smallest one in the range, “it’s actually the perfect size for the space and wasn’t as costly as we anticipated”, says Emma. It warms up the whole cottage in a few minutes.

Emma and DP’s home is compact and functional, yet beautifully executed. Every element of this house – from the clever arrangement of space to the upcycled glass bottles Emma uses to serve water (they originally held tomato purée) and the burgeoning veggie garden out back - adds to the idea that combining simplicity with sustainability means you don’t need heaps of space to live beautifully.