Indholdsfortegnelse for March 2018 i Home

In one of the photos of their living room, the wall was adorned with three Bordallo Pinheiro plates with their distinctive cabbage design. Shortly after the issue appeared in stores, we got a call from a Mrs Pienaar of Pretoria: she had a bowl in the same design and wished to donate it to Sue Macdonald. She wanted to know how to get hold of her. To cut a long story short, Sue chatted to Mrs Pienaar and gratefully accepted the gift. “How incredibly kind; I’m completely blown away. Wow!” she said in an email to us later. She added: “Her kindness means so much to me.” Perhaps it’s because here in Cape Town – and in Port Elizabeth and the Karoo – as we watch the water crisis develop…

Who lives here? Cara-Lee Dely WHERE Kylemore I call my home the greenhouse because of the incredible natural light. You cannot sleep in late. Ever! – Cara-Lee One of Cara-Lee Dely’s fondest childhood memories is the smell of fresh paint. “One morning when I woke up, my mom had started painting a big sun and clouds on my wall,” she reminisces. This memory came flooding back when Cara (27) started renovating her home in Kylemore, a tiny village on the Helshoogte Pass between Franschhoek and Stellenbosch and a short drive to Môreson Wine Estate where she works as an assistant winemaker. When she bought her 42m² space towards the end of 2014 it was an empty shell, one of eight created from a fire-ravaged ruin. It had plumbing and stairs…

# 1 Three in one In 2013, fashion blogger Sergio Ines of whatmyboyfriendwore.com moved from Gauteng into a tiny duplex in Cape Town’s city centre. He decided to renovate the space to suit his style, but this was no easy task: upstairs, he had only 20m² in which to fit a bedroom, closet and bathroom. It was clear he would have to use every trick in the small spaces book! Sergio had the wall between the bedroom and bathroom removed to open up the space and decided to use a combination of wood, cement and glass. The glass creates a seamless, more spacious feel and recessed lighting rounds off the stylish, unfussy aesthetic. Steel bins from Pedersen + Lennard Bright idea! No matter how small your space, there should always…

QUICK PROJECT GUIDE Hard labour 1/10 Skill level 2/10 Time needed 2 hours (plus 48 hours drying time) Do it yourself for ±R314: 25kg readymix concrete R55; 1.5m x 35mm curtain rod R92; paint R167 You will need SHOPPING LIST • 25kg readymix concrete• 1.5m x 35mm wooden curtain rod• paint (we used O’Grady’s Chalk Craft Paint in the colour Misty Grey TOOLS • measuring tape• pencil• vice grip• jigsaw• 20L bucket• latex gloves• steel ruler• spirit level GET STARTED 1 For the legs, measure three lengths of 500mm along the curtain rod. Secure the rod in the vice grip and use a jigsaw to cut it into three. Tip Turn in a long screw (at a right angle) through one end of each leg to ensure the leg will…

Treasured tree Pierre Pelser of Randfontein, Gauteng writes I have a 3m-tall stinkwood tree that I’d like to move; is it possible? JJ replies It’s best to transplant it in winter when the tree is dormant but it can also be done now. Try to keep the rootball intact with all its surrounding soil and lateral roots. Water the tree well after you’ve moved it to force any air out of the soil around it. Bean pests Schalk Burger of Little Brak River writes I’m having a real problem with red spider: no sooner have our bean crops reached 1.5m in height and they’re infested with these pests! Where do they overwinter and what can I use to spray my plants, ensuring that the beans can still be safely eaten?…

Give your skin the love and attention it needs with the revolutionary SBR Repair and SBR Lipocream from the Adcock Ingram range. These products are medically designed to help restore the skin barrier function in dry skin conditions in three stages: • Reducing water evaporation from the skin; • Replacing lost lipids in the skin’s visible outer layer; • Penetrating to the skin’s epidermis to replace lost lipids for up to 24 hours. SBR Lipocream assists in treating dry skin, fortifying and repairing the skin’s barrier function by replacing two physiological skin lipids. The special formulation of SBR Repair restores the skin’s barrier, working to accelerate recovery by carrying skin-identical barrier lipids to the epidermis where they last longer. Both products are a must-have for your skin all year round.…

What could be more eye-catching than window boxes or hanging baskets filled with pelargoniums, their colourful blooms spilling over the edge? With this plant’s multitude of colours and varying growth habits, gardeners are spoilt for choice! Pelargoniums – incorrectly called geraniums by many – are indigenous to South Africa, need little water once established and are easy to propagate. The showy hybridised pelargoniums propagated and grown all over the world today all originate from our indigenous pelargoniums. Of the more than 270 Pelargonium species worldwide, more than 200 occur naturally in Southern Africa – mostly in the southern part of the country, between Nieuwoudtville in the west and Port Elizabeth in the east. Over the years, pelargoniums have been crossed many times, resulting in the wide range we have available…

Moth catcher (Araujia sericifera) is a vigorous climber with a milky sap; it reaches 5m or taller. Its leaves are dark green and smooth above and pale green or whitish below with short, dense hairs. White, cream or pale pink flowers appear from November to April. It bears green, spongy fruits that turn hard, brown and woody, then split to release numerous blackish seeds. Invasive status Category 1b invasive plant, which means that it must be removed from your property to avoid prosecution. Why is it a problem? The entire plant is poisonous, causing skin irritation. It smothers other species and is a particular problem in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, Gauteng and Mpumalanga. CONTACT invasives.org.za…

CROQUE MONSIEUR SANDWICHES The ooh la la of these French ham-and-cheese sandwiches lies in the rich white sauce and mustard; topped with a fried egg, they become croque madame sandwiches. Add pickles and fries for a hearty meal. Makes 4 generous sandwiches • Preparation time: 20 minutes • Cooking time: 10 minutes • Oven temperature: 200° • 8 slices of wholewheat bread or seed loaf• spreadable butter• Dijon mustard• 8 thin (or 4 thicker) slices of smoked ham• 200g mature white Cheddar (or Gruyère), grated WHITE SAUCE • 30ml butter• 45ml flour• 375ml hot milk• 2 bay leaves• freshly grated nutmeg• 30ml wholegrain mustard  1 Make the white sauce Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour; cook until light brown and foamy. Remove the saucepan from…

Behind closed doors Set aside a space in your home where you can enjoy your hobbies in peace and nurture your creativity – even if it’s only a cupboard or desk. Amori van Jaarsveld of Graaff-Reinet had steel sliding doors installed which she can close when things get too messy inside her craft room. The industrial-style doors (opposite) add a striking contrast to an otherwise romantic space. Pastel perfection Two-year-old Jua van Rensburg’s bedroom is the picture of sophistication. The pastel palette and timeless white furniture provide the perfect setting for Jua to grow from tot to teen. On the rails We love the simple clothes rail displaying pretty party dresses in five-year-old Nieke van Rensburg’s bedroom. The easily accessible rail allows her to select the perfect party frock at…

turns 10! When the Fix it with Flair competition was launched in 2009, we had no idea that it would grow into the showcase of renovation talent it has become over the years. This year, we’re celebrating the 10th anniversary of this popular competition, and we’re eagerly awaiting your entry! Since we are giving away more than double the money in vouchers, we’re keen to get the ball rolling sooner rather than later, so entries have opened early. The 2018 Renovator of the Year will walk away with a R100 000 product voucher from BUCO and TimberCity! Note that entries close on 31 May 2018 – so get cracking! WHAT CAN YOU ENTER? No project is too small or too big; whether it’s an entire house or a single room, all…

# 1 GREEN AND SERENE Catherine Crawford bought her Cape Town home after falling in love with its gorgeous courtyard. The previous owners had already trained an ivy to cover most of the dark grey walls and created a beautiful arbour by growing an ornamental grape over a light framework of driftwood. Maintenance-free, vibrant green artificial lawn adds to the lush look of this space. # 2 FRENCH ELEGANCE This space in Allison Graham and Samantha Robinson’s Melville home was once an unsightly brick-paved area used only for hanging up the washing. The couple, who love to entertain, decided to turn it into an intimate outdoor dining area dedicated to long, relaxing lunches. They decided on a French theme and commissioned a Provençal-style canopy made up of a curved steel…

Work with wood Marianne Sanders of Cape Town writes I’ve inherited some wooden furniture and I’m thinking about painting it – I want to freshen it up a bit to go with the rest of the décor in my home. But I don’t want to lose the lovely look of the wood’s natural grain! Is there a product or technique you can recommend so that I can transform the pieces but still maintain some of their original qualities? Claire Bond, Plascon colour expert, replies Plascon’s water-based WoodCare Varnish Range – as used on the wooden floor of this bathroom – features six standard colours and a transparent tint base that extends the colour range to a selection of 20 on-trend colours. The product is engineered to work on a variety of wooden…

Ah, big mouth! Tiertjie has a big yawn after his morning nap. – Niki van Heerden, Stellenbosch  Hello dahling… All set for a stylish summer. – Carla Hauman, Bloemfontein Leaf me alone Meraai takes time out in the shade. – Sanet Smit, Nigel Ears to summer! Zara the Weimaraner lives for her daily dips in the ocean. – Ansonet Ungerer, Dana Bay Dig it! Pit Bull Terrier Zara knows how to cool off on a hot day. – Kim and Steffan Raubenheimer, Port Elizabeth On the prowl Junior loves to hunt mice in the wheat fields. – Hendrico Grobler, Bellville Hot product Keep your pet cool with the SnuggleSafe Instant Pet Cooling Pad (from R375, shingavet.co.za). It automatically cools down when an animal sits on it and, thanks to a non-toxic…

Who lives here? Annemi van Zyl and her cat Garfield WHERE Stellenbosch Back in 2011, when Annemi van Zyl started her garden, it consisted of just an ancient Chinese elm, a hibiscus, one red rose and a bougainvillea. “The house had stood empty for more than a year before I moved in, so almost everything was dead. I kept the tree and the few plants in my back garden that had managed to survive and gave them all a good pruning. The rest of the plants were invasives,” says Annemi. Her three sisters – Elmarie, Sita and Nini – are also avid gardeners and provided plenty of help initially. As her home’s living areas flow out towards the back, Elmarie focused on the rectangular backyard; she came up with the design…

Veggimentals Focusing on health and nutrition, different trends in vegetable gardening began with ‘Farm to Fork’, ‘Grow Your Own’ and ‘Ornamedibles’. Vegetables moved from the side to the centre of the plate and in many restaurants, in an effort to limit waste, there was a move towards a ‘Stem to Leaf’ approach with parts of a vegetable that used to be discarded now served in new ways. Stems of broccoli were shaved and served in salads, raw baby marrow ribbons became a tasty salad, and cauli-rice was served as a low-calorie substitute. Contemporary gardeners want their vegetable gardens to be stylish, colourful and elegant and a new gardening term, ‘veggimentals’, has been coined to describe this new trend as a marriage of the traditional with the informal where vegetables, herbs…

Q: I bought 10 ‘Tawny Profusion’ rose bushes and I’m so pleased with their performance. I have been told that I must not deadhead them, but I don’t understand why because I’d like them to flower in profusion! Why shouldn’t I? The only time deadheading is not recommended is when water restrictions limit the amount of water roses receive. The theory is to retain as many leaves on the bush as possible. Fortunately, ‘Tawny Profusion’ keeps on blooming, whether deadheaded or not. If the petals blow off or look faded, remove only the flower and the upper two leaves. Q: My fragrant ‘Bella di Todi’ rose produced an astonishing number of perfect blooms and then beetles suddenly decimated the flowers within a week! My other perfumed roses were ignored. What can…

Pork steaks with dukkah and mango salsa   Under R120 • Serves 4 • Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes • 4 small rib-eye pork steaks• 45ml oil• 45ml dukkah• 1 small cucumber• 1 ripe mango• ½ small red onion, chopped• 1–2 red chillies, seeded and chopped• 100ml chopped coriander• 15ml lemon juice• 5ml honey• sweet potato chips, to serve 1 Rub the steaks well with the oil and dukkah. Heat a thick-based pan until sizzling hot and fry the meat until golden brown and cooked through. Set aside to rest while you prepare the salsa. 2 Make the salsa Peel the cucumber then seed and dice it. Peel and pit the mango then dice it. Mix the onion, chilli, coriander, lemon juice and honey and…

TREND ALERT! Pantone purple Pylones Thermal Mug R399.95, pylones.co.za Reason to celebrate J.C. Le Roux’s new Vibrazio sparkling wine range includes a dry Sauvignon Blanc, an off-dry Demi-Sec and a Demi-Sec Rosé (R76 per bottle; available nationwide). These sparkles are perfect for cocktails or experiment with fruity combinations and create your own ice pops! Visit jcleroux.co.za. Fermented flavour Simply Garlic is a local company based in Pretoria; their fermented black garlic (R24.50, simplygarlic.co.za) adds a sweet-savoury flavour that’s much milder than raw garlic – and won’t give you garlic breath. Delicious! COFFEE WITH A CONSCIENCE Vida e caffè’s Constellation of Coffees coffee pods (from R79 for a sleeve of 10) are fully recyclable through a partnership with Trufflex, a recycling business that uses them in the production of plastic…

ON THE BOX Architect Dermot Bannon is back with Room to Improve (Season 6 starts 5 March on the Home Channel, 176 on DStv), featuring a diverse mix of renovations, rescues and new builds. As always, each one is fraught with drama: overstressed budgets, last-minute changes of heart, unexpected disasters, and the vagaries of an architect trying to convince his clients that he knows what’s best. Check it out! Hobby-X Jo’burg 1–4: Ticketpro Dome, Johannesburg Hobby–X provides a platform for those who have a passion for hobbies and crafts and are hungry for fresh ideas and new products. Visitors can enjoy a wide variety of exhibitions, demos, activities and hands-on workshops; call 011 478 3686 or go to hobby-x.co.za. Decorex Durban 21–25: Durban Exhibition Centre Themed ‘Rhythm of Life’, Decorex…

Who lives here? Craig Olckers and his pooches, Zac and Zoe WHERE Observatory, Cape Town We love the combination of the Nguni hide and coir rug for warmth and texture. There are two things Craig Olckers is absolutely passionate about: flowers and interior design. In his home business, floral boutique Oolong Blue, he has turned his love of blooms into a thriving career. His love of design is expressed in his “downtime” – most recently having renovated his two-bedroom home in Observatory, Cape Town. While modest in size, there is nothing average about Craig’s Victorian-with-a-modern-twist abode. The front door opens onto a pristine all-white passageway, the walls adorned with tall mirrors framed with ornate mouldings added to draw the eye upward to the dramatic chandeliers. The elegant bedrooms and bathroom…

Who lives here? Pippa Lea Pennington WHERE Koringberg in the Swartland With a population of just over 1 000 people, hot dry summers and rolling yellow wheat fields, Koringberg couldn’t be further removed from the tropical KwaZulu-Natal coast. However, when Durbanite Pippa Lea Pennington first visited her friend Anna Kemp in this wheat-growing farmers’ community in the Swartland a few years ago, she instantly fell in love with the peace and quiet. “I loved the landscape, the mountains and the freedom of living in a village where you can find yourself walking in a wheat field just two minutes from your front door,” says Pippa. “In 2015, on my third visit, I had a look at this house and although it was certainly no beauty, I put in an offer.” Built…

QUICK PROJECT GUIDE Hard labour 3/10 Skill level 3/10 Time needed ± 1 hour Do it yourself for less than R400: wood and screws (paint/varnish excluded) You will need SHOPPING LIST • 18mm plywood, cut to: one 600 x 300mm piece (flap) one 600 x 150mm piece (fixed top) one 600 x 130mm piece (back) two 250 x 130mm pieces (supports)• wood glue• one packet 6mm x 40mm chipboard screws• one packet 6mm x 16mm chipboard screws• four 75mm flat hinges• wood filler• six 55mm nail-in screws• 120-grit sandpaper• paint or varnish (optional) TOOLS • pencil • jigsaw • tape measure • cordless drill and 3mm drill bit • paintbrush • scraper • spirit level Project notes • To make your task easier, ask your timber merchant to cut the wood to…

Q: What’s the name of the wall colour on page 52 of your January 2017 issue? It’s beautiful! – Gwendolyn Phillips, Welkom A: City of Green from Plascon. Q: Where can I buy a bed like the one on page 29 of your April 2010 issue? – Vanessa van der Watt, via Facebook A: The homeowner had it specially made; take the pic to a seasoned handyman and ask if they can make you something similar. Q: Where can I find the striking artwork featured on page 39 of your October 2017 issue? – Yvette Loots, Pretoria A: The artwork is by David Kuijers (davidkuijers.com). His work is available online at capegallery.co.za, houtbaygallery.co.za or infinart.co.za; they all ship worldwide. Q: I’m looking for an office chair with a bit of…

Mason van Niekerk of Bellville writes I have no intention of breeding dogs and there is no female on my premises, so why neuter? Dr Denver Mudie of the South African Veterinary Association replies Every year, thousands of dogs and cats are put down due to unwanted pregnancies and litters that can’t find homes. The good news is that every pet owner can make a difference. By having your dog or cat surgically sterilised, you’ll help prevent the birth of unwanted animals and you’ll enhance your pet’s health. Male and female dogs and cats reach maturity between six and nine months. Bitches come into season with a swelling of the vagina and a bloody discharge for two to three weeks; it is during this time that she can fall pregnant. Intact males…

Who lives here? Arina Vermeulen and her Jack Russell Kahlúa WHERE Franschhoek My compact garden allows me to pay special attention to each and every plant and to keep a close eye on their growth. My garden gives me so much pleasure. I even enjoy pulling out weeds! – Arina Colour, plant combinations, interesting shapes and textures are all important considerations in Arina Vermeulen’s garden in Franschhoek. And that’s exactly what you’d expect from a graphic artist, not so? Arina’s small 6 x 6m garden consists of a circular lawn with a colourful flowerbed surrounding it. The flowerbed is filled with an interesting variety of plants that provide colour virtually throughout the year. And because she likes to do her own gardening, Arina has designed the bed in such a…

Persian violet (Exacum affine) is a new addition to flowering house plants. Exacum ‘Princess Deep Blue’ has violet-blue, five-petalled flowers with a yellow eye, while the white variety Exacum ‘Princess White’ is even more impressive. Exposed to bright, indirect light in a cool room and kept moist (but not waterlogged), Persian violets will flower for three to four months indoors. Choose a plant with plenty of buds that are starting to open as this extends its flowering time. Make sure you don’t overwater because root rot is a problem – if the leaves start to wilt, you’re watering too much! It’s a good idea to place the pot on a tray of pebbles – this keeps the pot above the water that drains through, while also improving humidity. CONTACT ballstraathof.co.za…

PORK-AND-BEAN TORTILLAS Serves 4 • Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes • 15ml oil• 500g pork stir-fry strips• 1 bunch spring onions, chopped• 1 clove garlic, chopped• 30ml sesame seeds• 1 tin red kidney beans, drained• ½ cucumber, peeled and chopped• 200g cherry tomatoes, chopped• a handful fresh coriander• 4–6 toasted tortillas• sriracha chilli sauce and mayonnaise to serve 1 Heat the oil in a pan, add the pork and fry for a couple of minutes until it starts to colour. Add the spring onions and garlic and fry for another couple of minutes. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds, add salt and pepper to taste, and fry until golden brown. Be careful not to overcook the pork; it will become tough. Add the beans and warm through. Remove…

My mother was strict about words. I was always under the impression that she could physically see them. Able to determine their potential for offensiveness a mile away so she could quickly head them off at the pass. I was convinced there were invisible signs on the wire fence around our house: Prohibited. Only she and the bad words could read them. The front gate, one of those that one could buy at the co-op, had a specific screech to its hinges. In my child-like wisdom, I was convinced it was one of Mom’s alarms. Because my mother was always on the alert. Even when she looked calm – in her cool workroom with her embroidery frame set up, dozens of colourful threads unpacked around her. Reminiscent of an old…