Name: Anisa du Plessis
Location: Capital Park, Pretoria, South Africa
Type: House
Size: 4,400 square feet, including outside buildings
Years lived in: 14 and a bit years
Enter Anisa's Gallery
Anisa and Deon bought this home over 14 years ago for its beautiful pressed ceilings, wooden floors and "stoep" that wraps around the house. She is eccentric, flamboyant & colorful and their home mirrors her soul in every way! They are currently in the process of renovating and decorating after a decade of OTT. We were lucky enough to get a glimpse of their nest before the big revamp!
>> Enter Anisa'a Gallery
Apartment Therapy Survey:
What do you do for a living?: I’m and entrepreneur with 4 retail outlets.
What are your hopes and dreams?:To be happy and make others happy and to continue dreaming big! To be inspired by life all of the time and to give back to society in order to enrich other lives
My/Our Style: A little crazy I think. I love color and words and art. I would describe it as eclectic and eccentric — something unique to me. I love anything that has been made with meaning and passion, especially if it is made by somebody I treasure and love like an artist who is a friend or the students that work in our Décor Store. My business partner Francois is the best in the world he is so creative and helps me with refining my home. Without him, I’d probably be at a loss when it came to not only decorating my home but also running the business.
Inspiration: Life in general is my inspiration — people (their differences), the wonderful colors and textures in nature, animals, my friends, my colleagues and my family — they are all so colorful in personality and style that there is never a moment of boredom. What also inspires me are the wonderful design websites that showcase the most amazing new trends and developments in décor and design. I thrive on these.
Favorite Element: I love fabric, specifically the embellished rich and colorful fabrics we have access to today. The beautiful rich colors and textures are fabulous to play with and can create such intrigue and fun. The wonderful South African artists that design and produce home grown fabrics are simply amazing and the quality is awesome. I also have a passion for old rickety furniture that allows us to breathe new life into it. I always get a chill down my spine when I look at the before and after photos and see what magic we have created.
Biggest Challenge: To find good quality artisans — individuals that provide not only superior service but deliver a fantastic product. The other challenge is to always ensure we remain ahead of the pack when it comes to ensuring originality — life is fast paced and so are new ideas. There has been an amazing awakening in SA around the home industry and there are an amazing array of new SA décor products on the market — it is essential to to keep up with international developments, whilst also setting trends.
What Friends Say: Some think I am crazy but the majority of people think it is fabulous, over the top and generally portrays my personality and lust for life.
Proudest DIY: I am an avid knitter and I crochet a lot — so I make really beautiful décor smalls and lovely jerseys for myself and friends.
Biggest Indulgence: Anything over the top. I love big rings, lots of shoes and amazing clothing. I also spend a lot on my homes — I have a beautiful home in Dullstroom in the countryside and a wonderful lock up and go flat in Natal South Coast. I have a lot of fun decorating them and can spend hours day dreaming of my next house project
Best advice: Know what you want when it comes to decorating your home
Buy the best — rather, save that splurge money on something that is not your first choice call in a decorator if you are unsure — but do your homework and ensure that the individual will listen to your needs and that of your family. Most of all have lots of fun!
Resources:
Kitchen Hardware: : Jabu, my carpenter uses salvaged skirting boards to build the cupboards. I also have a friend that does amazing mosaic work, my kitchen will be remodeled with mosaic back splashes. Another kitchen supplier I admire is Peter Osbourne.
Accessories: :These are swap shop and flea market finds as well as some art work made specifically for me. I love expressing words on walls and Francois wrote a wonderful inspiring verse all along the top of my kitchen wall.
Lighting: : Beautiful chandeliers from Radient Lighting. A Stunning antique chandelier from a local antique store and a very decadent angel light found in a décor shop.
Paint: : I love Plascon and they have the most amazing colour coordination system. I am in the process of re painting my home inside and outside and will be using Plascon.
Art: : I love the work of Riaan Bosch he has painted most of my murals and I have a lot of his paintings in my home
Rugs and Carpets: : My carpets were bought from a collector who sold me a few. But beautiful ones can be found at auctions at reasonable prices
Window Treatments: : I have my curtains manufactured at our workshop and between Francois and I we decide on a style and what fabric is best to use
Beds: : Some were found at wonderful antique shops and others were bought or manufactured for me by our craftsmen.
Dining Room Furniture: : My dining room is very unique and quite different — it could be daunting to some. I have a wonderful larger than life crucifix against my wall with the Lords prayer in Latin subtly painted on the wall as a background. The furniture is rust antique French wooden table with large rustic rattan chairs.
>> Enter Anisa'a Gallery
Thanks Anisa and Deon!
We've had amazing response to our Apartment Therapy House Tour Submission Form. While we will work with homeowners of our favorite homes to feature full tours, we will also share the best as House Calls — short, quick tours of readers' homes. Submit your home here.
that life size jesus is kinda creepy.
view terka27's profile
I had already made a bet with myself that the first comment will be about the life-sized Jesus. I don't know much about how catholics decorate, which got me thinking of the Buddha heads and statues used everywhere as art. They are religious symbols to buddhists, and I guess people use whatever they love and worship in their homes.
The murals are beautiful.
view wally3's profile
I really love the nude painting above the chaise that is the same as the chaise in the painting.
view msjessiemeghan's profile
wally3, this Catholic would never put a giant Jesus in her dining room....
The murals are amazing, though...
view LSUgrad03's profile
the life size Jesus is VERY VERY creepy lol...but whatever floats your boat. I think a life size Buddha is a little different only in that it's not a life-sized, realistic depiction of a man dying while nailed to a cross. Buddhas don't depict a violent act and they generally are bronze or some type of metal--not flesh colored. If the owner had opted against a flesh colored version of such a huge statue it might be a little less creepy...
view abc123's profile
Ha ha ha! Everybody pounced on the Jesus, but nobody noticed Buddha in a bathtub.
In any case, great job of making the place your own. The colors are wonderful. Love the (patio? Yard?) outdoor bit.
view whytephoenix's profile
Whytephoenix,
I totally noticed The Buddha, and my comment above yours reflected that lol...
view abc123's profile
HOT DAMN. =D
view rosenatti's profile
P.S. I totally love that Jesus (every supper is a last supper!) and the Buddha in the bathtub.
view rosenatti's profile
Everything is quit wonderful.. I feel the sense of an artist living with art in a define space but has created some really interesting rooms. I thought the jesus thing was a symbol of white man in a negative way (not negative in reality), like lets hang the big bad white man..which I understand and the other art is more reflective that women are more beautiful. I find this tour thought provoking even though I maybe really off. Still its cool and creative.
view LoriSF's profile
This is the real Grannie chic.
view hrhprincessfiona's profile
I make it a rule never to look at 4400 sq ft house tours on *Apartment* Therapy.
(Just kidding....but 4400 sq feet? That's a lotta house)
view Charlotte's profile
Is it the norm to have a giant home in S. Africa? It seems as most homes from there profiled on Apartment Therapy are huge? Could I afford a giant house in S. Africa? Hmmmmm.
view jax72's profile
I really like the murals in the space. However, it is one black gospel choir away from living in Madonna's "Like a Prayer" video.
view jax72's profile
Well that's ONE way to ensure your guests say their dinner prayers.
view Annegret's profile
jax . . . haha!
I'm in agreement with most everyone . . it's a bit too much Jesus for me. But hey . . if she loves it!!
I also LOVE the painting above the chaise . . . of the naked woman on that exact chaise. VERY cool.
I love the warmth and love that you can see all over this house. The 'word walls' may be a bit cliche at this point, but she's pulled them off beautifully.
Picture #13 is my absolute favorite. From the entire view to the luscious purple couch to the iris painting on one of the back walls. SO lovely!
view Limeliteshines's profile
Ok maybe not iris . . the colors left an impression on me. Crocus maybe? oh well . . .the lovely purple and yellow flowers on the blue background.
view Limeliteshines's profile
Even as a Christian, I still think the life-sized Jesus is a little off-kelter. It's one thing to have a plaque or a miniature statue...
But does one really need to showcase a man dying an agonizing death over the dinner table?? REALLY??
Now, the buddha is charming, I'll admit. The nude painting is really nice. The murals are a bit too much for me.
Everything else is so-so.
I rate it a 5.5.
view millerindustries's profile
What is "OTT"?
I thought the jesus thing was a symbol of white man in a negative way (not negative in reality), like lets hang the big bad white man..which I understand and the other art is more reflective that women are more beautiful.
This statement is completely nonsensical. Jesus is not normally understood as a"big bad white man". And "women are more beautiful" than what?
view Henrietta the Terrible's profile
abc123 - true, I'm just surprised no one got insulted by the fact that he was in the tub.
Anyway. To heck with the world; love your home and make it yours. I'm neither a Buddhist or a Christian, but I think this is super. And I want to steal the blue flower painting.
view whytephoenix's profile
Not my cup of crucifixion.
view jooly's profile
Who the hell would actually be able to relax and enjoy a meal with any sort of huge half-naked statue literally hanging over them??? Talk about killing the feng shui...
view CJBird's profile
Who the heck could actually relax and enjoy a meal with a huge half-naked statue literally hanging over them??? Seems like it just gives off bad vibes in general, Jesus or no...
view CJBird's profile
The house seemed eclectic enough but the moment I saw the crucifix looking over the dining table, I changed my mind. This is taking eclectic a bit too far! I would never be able to eat a meal in peace at that table.
view D or me's profile
Whoa... this is a really dated style and -not- something I needed to see on AT. I feel like I was just spiritually violated... by the giant Jesus, the plethora of crosses, and the 'AMEN' on the wall. Yikes.
Sorry, i try not to leave negative comments but... dried flowers and hearts? really, AT?
view Jesse Lu's profile
Awesome! Ii is just the house of my dreams. That is what I mean: a dream house, those representatios that generally appear while sleeping, when your subconscious images desires/tastes -related suddenly crop up reflecting your inner fantasy representations. The house of your dreams, but not necessarily the house where you want to live day after day. Shocking Jesus Christ, made me scare. I do not want him standing up onto my head while eating in the dinning-room. Other place? Other room for him, suffering and bleeding in his flesh sacrifice? Personally, I would make appart with all that religious stuff. Great murals. Two important details: those murals are the "reproductions" of John William Waterhouse and Tamara Lempicka paintings. Great ideas. Those paintings make you feel like living in a dream. As I said before, living a dream that perhaps you do not want to last endlessly. Stunning house, creative owners and a dream that came true.
view Daily Proof's profile
Wow!
Very very surreal house. I have to say I absolutely love the textures running about, the arched hallways, and especially the wall murals - the style, the grand scale, everything about them. However the life-sized Jesus is extremely creepy - personally I could not eat in that dining room thinking about the sculpture of a great man dying an agonizing death nailed to a cross. I do understand that people decorate with Buddhas and other religious symbols all the time, and to each their own, but... yeah.
It does come together in a fascinating, dream-like way, though.
view NadyaN's profile
I love this house, i agree about it being a "dream house" like daily proof said. I see the soul of an artist here, someone who is passionate and not afraid to do what they love, and live with what they love. As for the Giant Jesus, its no more offinsive than The Buddah in the bathtub...but its a personal observation,just my humble opinion. (I love the AMEN there too) Well done, and I hope to see the remodel as well.
view crash's profile
The bed says it all.
view EAM's profile
This takes me back to the time I was in an antique store. I was in the back storage room and there was a giant Jesus with a missing arm. There was something unsettling about it then and def unsettling on the dining room wall.
Religious art and artifacts - of all faiths - have always sort of freaked me out. (an I am a church go-er) I didn't like the buddah in the bath. (I still don't like the Virgin Mary in the back yard fountain of the retired Catholics in my neighborhood either).
I did like the printing in the sayings.
I did like the "amen" - I guess because it was a little more subtle.
view tenbar's profile
I love your home, what a inspiration!
view mschina's profile
I love all of the fabrics and the different textiles piled up and playing against each other.
Dara
view Dara-Bayanjargal's profile
great place to have your last meal. thanks for the look.
view zoo's profile
very cool house, but thats a whole lot of suffering Jesus in the dining room!
view nj21's profile
This has a surreal Dali feel to it.
view oaxacaborn's profile
I love magical realism and "folklorico" artists like Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. And I feel very much like the owner of this home is reach for that look and feel. I am usually a "say something nice or constructive or don't say anything at all" kind of person. But I have to say I feel this home needs to ditch every last bit of the faux victorian-romantic furnishings and replace them with ornately carved Spanish colonial style pieces to make it all work. And while the crucifix at the supper table doesn't bother me, it should be a lot smaller. Or the room should be about 5x bigger with 20' ceilings.
view kimg924's profile
I agree with the above statements about folk artistry, as well as those about the giant Jesus. I like the murals, and even most of the religious art, especially the nude and the bathtub Buddha.
All that being said, I have to draw the line at the bed. That canopy/flower thing really is kind of bad.
view ElevatorLady's profile