Town and country: two homes with top looks

Two very different properties share one feature: they’ve been designed in sympathy with their environment

sub_head_start Rural Revelation sub_head_end

Sitting in the sunny living area, with views of the veld and thorn-tree-covered hills, it’s clear that the design of this home, situated on Monaghan Farm, just north of Lanseria, has been influenced by its surroundings.

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Take the parquet floor, for example, which makes reference to the trees on the estate, or the rock wall, which echoes the stones outside. The colours have been kept to a simple natural palette of greys, whites and browns, combined with textural accents of wood, cement and metal. It’s uncluttered, as everything has a purpose. In fact, the whole design of the home has a greater aim, which extends beyond being sensitive to its landscape, of achieving more with less.

Developed by Saint-Gobain, along with design agency The New Order and Thomashoff and Partner Architects, the house, named Stand 47, has been constructed with innovative materials to use its resources without compromising comfort and style.

While the home’s external frame is fixed, constructed of light steel, the interior can evolve with the needs of the family, with drywall partitions and continuous ceiling and floor planes allowing for repositioning of the space.

The wall, ceiling and flooring systems regulate the temperature, so no mechanical heating or cooling is needed. Other energy-efficient factors include positioning the house on the northern slope to benefit from the sun, and installing solar panels and double glazed windows. Tanks at the back of the house harvest rainwater, and most of the building materials are sustainable.

Despite all of these technicalities, and more, the house doesn’t lose its welcoming, or aesthetic, appeal. It’s a successful case study of how technology can work seamlessly with good design to create a beautiful home.

Sourcebook:Ebony

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sub_head_start City sophistication sub_head_end

Like most city residences, this duplex apartment in Cape Town’s De Waterkant has certain spatial constrictions – most notably an internal floor space of 65 square metres and high, double-volume walls. For the design team of Mark Reilly, Michele Rhoda and Adam Court from Antoni Associates, the challenge was to work with these limitations to create a modern sanctuary that still reflects its African urban setting.

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Mark and Michele chose a theme of “day and night”, in keeping with the functions of the apartment, with the living area mostly white and the bedroom upstairs decorated in darker hues. This monochrome palette has a crisp, minimalist effect, which is not only soothing, but is well suited to the small interior.

The large glass windows, which make the most of the views of the city skyline and Table Mountain, and the transparent cantilevered bridge, used as a library platform, add a sense of spaciousness. Floating shelves also contribute to an open feel. The kitchen has been cleverly tucked under the stairway, and features a multipurpose island for both preparation and dining.

Other space-saving elements include customised furniture, supplied by OKHA, which is modular, so it can be rearranged to fit in various areas if need be, and multi-functional, such as tables providing storage.

Adam introduced African graphics and colour, reflective of the apartment’s vibrant location, with accessories such as scatter pillows, and a striking artwork by Daniel Orme placed above the staircase. The overall result is a chic, contemporary home, in keeping with its urban environment, yet it is a retreat from fast-paced city living.