This heritage house sits unassumingly in Tamboerskloof, and might not turn the heads of pedestrians strolling by, but on entering, they would be met with quite a contrast. ‘This house underwent a complete renovation, but because of the heritage guidelines which had to be adhered to, all the architectural aspects were left intact, especially on the exterior,’ explains Jaco Janse van Rensburg of Envy&Co, the boutique consultancy that oversaw the creative direction. ‘The clients entrusted us to create a space that allowed more light into the rooms with plenty of colour for the interior.’ It’s fair to say that they not only fulfilled, but far exceeded, the brief, having designed a home interior that is bright in more ways than one.
The homeowners are lovers of bold colours, art and the outdoors, all of which have been thoughtfully included into the decor of their house. While these might seem like a mix that’s a little too eclectic, thinking outside of the box and applying it to the space is exactly what makes the end result such a success. But before they got
to the trimmings, there were first changes and additions that needed to be made to the house itself. ‘The most important elements to the owners were that we changed up
the colour of the original floors, which we stained a light grey,’ says Jaco. ‘They also wanted us to create a courtyard with a plunge pool, a second patio on the top floor and to modify the kitchen to an open-plan layout that incorporated both indoor and outdoor spaces.’ While the bones of the house were left as they were since having been built, the central staircase received a modern upgrade to allow more light in. The walls were painted white, giving Jaco and his team a blank canvas on which to create their magic.
Local, as they say, is lekker, so it’s great to see more people supporting South African stores and industries when decorating and furnishing their homes. ‘While some of the pieces were imported, such as the outdoor fittings, 95% of the furniture was locally sourced,’ says Jaco. There was also a bit of upcycling, such as the turquoise chairs in the lounge, which were bought at an antique store, restored and reupholstered. Another major aspect of the client’s brief was that they find a way to use the colourful artwork in the home in a sophisticated way – all the pieces being from their personal collection. The challenge was accepted, and met, with outstanding results. 
For more, page through your November issue of Livingspace.
