From the outside Anina and Deon’s home still tells tales of its ’80s heritage. It was the location and view that initially attracted them to the house, and certainly not the interior, which was old fashioned. However, once you step inside, you’ll find yourself in a contemporary home with a palette of cool grays and cement finishes. A full renovation was in order and Anina, being an interior decorator, jumped at the opportunity.

First to go was the mix of tiles, carpets and linoleum, which was replaced with a cement screed by Stucco Italiano. The kitchen was totally revamped and Anina reused all the original wood from the cupboards to create the new units on casters, staining the wood a dark walnut color. Much of the wooden furniture in their home was found at various second-hand stores; to avoid having too many different shades of wood, Anina had quite a few of these pieces bleached and then stained in a grey finish.

In the main living area, walls were removed to open up the space and create a better flow. Anina’s little office nook now sits in one of these openings, with a view of False Bay in the distance.

Every square inch was painted…like walls, bedroom cupboards and all the door and window frames. And each area was given a focal wall, which has been plastered with a cement finish to create a lovely textured effect.

Although Deon also has an “eye” for interiors, most of the details were left up to Anina. One of the perks of running her own interior decoratoring business is that she often chances upon amazing finds while out hunting for items for clients.

Their home is a lovely mix of custom pieces, retro finds, and family collectibles all put together in a relaxed laid-back style.

Our Style: A mix of urban, contemporary and mid-century with plenty of recycled pieces, hand-me-downs and a heavy dose of botanical elements.

Inspiration: Nature, honest materials. We love cement, wood, glass and metal.

Favorite Element: The view! As well as the general feel of our home and our gold sofa in the lounge.

Biggest Challenge: How to turn an ugly ’80s house into a Bauhaus looking house.

What Friends Say: “I can live here now.”

Biggest Embarrassment: Mistrusting the builders and then loving them afterwards…

Proudest DIY: Anina – Reusing the wood from the original kitchen cupboards to create a new mid-century looking cabinet units on casters. I wanted to add a more industrial feel to the kitchen, inspired by functional restaurant and hotel kitchens.

I also love our “no irrigation” garden, especially since water shortages are becoming a real issue for us in the Western Cape. I took out nearly everything, made level surfaces, planter boxes, brick retainer walls. I planted mostly indigenous plants and trees with a limited variety of favorite plants like wild irises, vygies, aloes, strelitzias and wild olive trees.

Biggest Indulgence: Choosing to renovate and break out all the dividing walls, instead of living with green carpets, white tiles and 35-year-old linoleum! The concrete screed floor was also an indulgence and the ice making fridge was a marriage saving device!

Best Advice: Do your homework. Enjoy the process and be a bit adventurous.

Dream Sources: James Mudge, Okha, Tonic Design, Egg Designs, LIM, La Grange Interiors, Pezula Interiors, Weylandts, Onsite Gallery, Barn & Werf, Cecile & Boyd, Wunders

LOUNGE
Gold sofa — used to belong to a client
’50s armchairs — bargain find at a second hand store
Leather sofa and chairs — belonged to Anina’s parents, she had them recovered
Mirror — Weylandts
Coffee table — they had it custom made from reclaimed wood
Rug — bought at an auction
Candelabras — one was a gift and the other was a second hand find
Standing lamp — Weylandts
Roman blinds — custom made by Anina’s curtain makers
Copper basket — Anatomy Design

DINING AREA
Dining table — custom made for Anina
Chairs — bought second hand for a bargain.

KITCHEN
Art — Anni Hennop has a seventies feel.
Black bowls — Weylandts
Set of black ceramic dishes — Diana Ferreira Ceramics
Odds and ends — collected and from Anina’s mom and second hand shops
Bull platter — Babylonstoren. Deon bought it for Anina’s birthday
Tolix style stools — Chair crazy

TV AREA
Side tables — hand me downs
Armchairs — one from Anina’s grandfather and the other bought at a school auction
Sofa — bought many years ago, Anina had it refurbished and added the casters
Orange cushion — Jenny Gifford dyed velvet
Rug — auction
Painting — by Anina

PATIO
Rattan chairs — La Grange
Grey cane Malawi chairs — bought on sale from Weylandts many years ago
Plant stand — custom made

GUEST BEDROOM
Chair — second hand store
Linen flat sheet — Weylandts
Painting — by Anina, a copy of a well known artwork

MARGUERITE’S BEDROOM
Light — Eurolux
Cabinet — bought from a store that was closing down.
Black cabinet — Anouk
Artwork — made by a friend in her student days

PIANO ROOM
Chair — Weylandts
Giant beanbag — made up for Anina
Standing lamp — Weylandts
Art — Anina

MAIN BEDROOM
Round table — bought at a sale from Weylandts
Bed — Anina had it made up about 20 years ago
Linen flat sheet — Weylandts
Beside unit — used to be Anina’s dads
Green vases — second hand finds

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