Innehållsförteckning för July 2018 från Home

My neighbours are busy with comprehensive renovations. Shortly after they bought the house next to mine, Antony came around, plans in hand, to show me what they intended to do and to apologise in advance for the upheaval that lay ahead. (It was quite a commotion; the neighbours on the other side summarily cancelled their lease and fled back to the Netherlands...) I think Antony expected to be faced with opposition and a good dose of crankiness; instead, he got curious me. Little did he know what I do for a living and even less that a building site doesn’t scare me – least of all, a renovation project! Because if I can’t change my own home, I can always live vicariously through the dreams of my neighbours, right? Now…

CREATE, INNOVATE! WHO Bruce and Tariro Mutenure WHERE Sedgefield THEIR WORK When Bruce and his wife Tariro were retrenched from the same company in 2017, they drew on their experience in glass-fusing – they had been taking courses in their spare time and loved it! After a few refresher courses, the couple opened their store Mlink Glass Studio at Scarab Arts & Crafts Village in Sedgefield where they now sell their beautiful handmade pieces. To find out more, go to mlinkglass.co.za. We love the bold patterns we’ve come to expect of Skinny laMinx – and now they’re venturing into plain fabrics too! The round Colour Pop scatters (R495, including inner; 40cm D) are available in Sage, Lemon, Shell and Cocoa. They each have a complementary trim – a lovely finishing…

WHO LIVES HERE? Suzette Nieuwoudt and her sons, Rian (23) and Bennie (30) WHERE Stilbaai SIZE 140m² As a pilot, Suzette Nieuwoudt has seen the world. So when it came to choosing a holiday house that would one day become her retirement home, the options on the map seemed endless. In her search for the perfect property, Suzette came across an advertisement for this barn-style home in Stilbaai. Inspired by aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart, the homeowners had named their daughter Amelia and the property became Amelia House – Suzette felt it was ‘meant to be’ and signed a lease to rent it. Ten days later, she bought it. “This home was built just as I envisaged the ideal getaway,” Suzette says. An open-plan living area for entertaining friends and family…

WHO LIVES HERE? Kate and Rudy Gibbons WHERE Heathfield, Cape Town SIZE 96m² In 2013, Kate and Rudy Gibbons offered to house-sit for friends, not knowing that this favour would soon lead to their first home purchase and renovation. At the time, Kate, head of sales at TravelGround and LekkeSlaap, and Rudy, a restaurant manager at The Shortmarket Club, were renting a tiny loft apartment and had no intention of buying a house. “But when we found out that the house next door was for sale, we jumped at the chance and, as luck would have it, the previous offer had just fallen through!” Kate says. “We loved the quaint charm of the house and the neighbourhood. The house is bigger than the loft we were living in and the…

“In the eye of the consumer, vinyl is not king,” says Theresa Venter of Floorworx. “Homeowners have become used to the laminate concept, but are still a bit wary when it comes to luxury vinyl planks (LVPs). Those who are informed have had pleasant experiences with vinyl, but I find that those who are unsure of the benefits opt for either ceramics or laminates. “However, when it comes to durability I give vinyl a thumbs-up! In terms of design, it has also become much more colourful, modern and easy to install and maintain than it was in the past. “Laminates have also come a long way and remain my personal favourite. I’ll buy a laminate product before any other type of flooring. If you buy one of the top brands…

White floors Angela Collins of Cape Town writes We’re renovating and I’m searching for pure white vinyl floorboards – everything I’ve come across is cream or has grey in it. I’d like them to have the look of a wooden floorboard that’s been painted white. Any suggestions? Sasha Kozinsky, managing director at FinFloor, replies White brightens up your environment, making rooms appear bigger and creating a relaxed atmosphere. It’s also versatile and works with a variety of décor styles, from beach homes to contemporary spaces. FinFloor offers a variety of white flooring planks (wooden, vinyl and laminate) to choose from. Here are some of our latest products: Wood Durable, timeless and elegant, wood will give any space a luxurious feel; choose from a variety of FinOak flooring options available in…

When life gives you lemons… Carol-Ann le Roux of Kuils River writes The leaves on my lemon tree are curling up on the edges. What is causing this? JJ replies This is the work of a small insect called psylla that stings the leaves as they begin to develop, causing the leaves to curl up – its eggs then develop inside the leaf. Spray with Plant Care, which is absorbed by the leaves and spread throughout the plant. Remember, you must wait three weeks from the time you spray before harvesting fruit. The affected leaves won’t recover but any new leaves that emerge will be healthy. If necessary (and possible), repeat the dosage after three weeks. Save my avos! Leonie Muller of Naboomspruit writes We started a new orchard…

Lizette Reynolds of Tzaneen writes I adopted a 10-year-old parrot cock and he has started picking his feathers. I assume he’s stressed as a result of moving home; what to do? Dr Dorianne Elliott, a member of the South African Veterinary Association, replies It may be boredom, or too much excitement; not enough vitamins, or too many; separation anxiety or inappropriate care while being hand-reared. You name it, it’s been blamed! The first step is to rule out underlying disease as the cause; approximately 50% of cases are found to be due to medical problems. Speak to an avian vet about a physical exam, blood tests and a radiograph. The following may also help: • Increase the humidity in his environment by allowing him into the bathroom when you’re showering,…

SANDY SOIL Any succulents, shrubs and perennials such as: • sour fig (Carpobrotus edulis)* • pig’s ears (Cotyledon orbiculata)* • echeveria • rock sage (Thorncroftia succulenta and Aeollanthus parvifolius)* • Gazania spp.* • Arctotis spp.* • Geraldton wax plant • Plumbago* • Heliotropium arborescens • Cistus spp. • Salvia officinalis • Plectranthus spp.* CLAY SOIL Very hardy plants, or plants with special characteristics, such as: • various irises (Dietes bicolor, D. grandiflora and D. iridioides)* • marsh butterfly lily or redroot (Wachendorfia thyrsiflora)* • red aptenia (Aptenia cordifolia)*  • asparagus fern (Asparagus densiflorus)* • Agapanthus praecox * • roses • Magnolia X soulangeana • day lily (Hemerocallis) • Hosta • Weigela florida ACIDIC SOIL • king protea (Protea cynaroides)* • Cape may or white confetti bush (Coleonema album)* • Kluitjieskraal…

Q: I’m pruning my ‘Arianna’ rose for the first time and I’m not sure how to cut the stems. Must they be on a slant and do I cut to an outward- or inward-facing eye? In the old days, gardeners were advised to make a sloping cut just above the eye, so that water would run easily off the wound. But standing water on a cut wound is not an issue in our climate and a slanted cut can cause problems. Making a straight 90º cut well above the eye is easier. Less of the wound is exposed to the elements and it allows the eye to sprout new stems. It is also not necessary to worry about cutting to an outward- or inward-facing eye. We expect that at least…

BACON-WRAPPED PORK ROAST WITH APPLES Serves 8 • Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: 2 hours, 15 minutes Oven temperature: 200°C and 170°C • 1.5kg boneless pork neck roast • 15ml Dijon mustard • 5ml ground cumin • about 500g streaky bacon rashers • 30ml each butter and olive oil • 1 red onion, finely sliced • 3 Pink Lady apples, quartered and cored • 250ml red wine • 15ml honey • 45ml soy sauce • mash and Brussels sprouts, to serve 1 Cut six pieces of kitchen string long enough to tie the meat into a roll and space them about 2cm apart on a clean work surface. Place the bacon rashers next to each other on top of the pieces of string. Cover the pork neck with the mustard and season with cumin, salt and pepper. Place the meat…

Get a grip The versatile OXO Good Grips Silicone Roasting Rack (R289 for a set of two, yuppiechef.com) has an open design which allows air to circulate around the meat for more even roasting; at the same time, any fat drains into the pan away from the food. Great for cooking everything from bacon to Sunday roasts! In honour of fynbos Vondeling Wines in Voor Paardeberg between Paarl and the Swartland is celebrating a new species of Paardeberg fynbos with a change in name for its signature red Rhône blend from ‘Erica’ to ‘Monsonia’. The purple-red 2015 Monsonia (R215, vondelingwines.co.za) has an opulent nose of bright violets, dark fruit and smoky oak followed by a palate of dark fruit and chocolaty richness with a spicy finish. NEXT LEVEL The new…

What becomes of the broken-hearted? This question was recently posed in a leading scientific journal. What a question, I thought. Of course, the broken-hearted check themselves in at the Heartbreak Hotel – courtesy of the late great Elvis – with its heavy drapes and fake flowers, playing songs like Un-break my Heart over tinny speakers. But the article wasn’t about that at all. It was all science, concerned with the hard mechanics of the old ticker – like a weak heart muscle or a fluttering one, for that matter. Or unhealthy knocks, leaky valves and scarred tissue or slowness, paralysis and, worst case scenario, complete failure. Nothing to do with achy-breakiness at all, rather with the nuts and bolts of that physical gearbox behind our ribs. Not that there’s much…

ON THE BOX The kitchen garden becomes the home cook’s favourite destination on Jamie at Home (Season 1 starts 10 July on the Home Channel, 176 on DStv). Jamie Oliver shares a variety of simple recipes, featuring easily accessible ingredients that you can grow in your own backyard – and offers cultivation tips and tricks too! In each episode, Jamie picks an ingredient from his kitchen garden and shows us how versatile it can be during meal preparation. For the foodies… 14 & 15 July: Franschhoek, Western Cape Treat yourself to delicious gourmet fare and fine wines at the 25th  Franschhoek Bastille Festival at the historic Franschhoek Huguenot Monument. Tickets from R280 are available at webtickets.co.za and include a complimentary tasting glass, five wine-tasting coupons and a R20 voucher redeemable on…

What were some of the lessons learnt during the renovation? We learnt to compromise. It’s not just about one individual’s taste. Always be aware that both you and your partner are going to live in this space, so ensure that both of your needs are met. It’s also better to have a plan. Sometimes, beautiful accidents happen while a project is underway but we found that, most times, a proper plan leads to the best results. Any cost-cutting tips? We upcycle quite a bit, instead of buying new. We’re always amazed by what a little sandpaper and a can of spray paint can achieve! The few pieces we purchased were bought second-hand on Facebook and Gumtree or at secondhand stores. And ask family and friends to pitch in. All of…

Hard labour 6/10 Skill level 5/10 Time needed 1 to 2 hours Do it yourself for less than R1 600: wood, screws and legs R1 320, wall socket R220, electrical cord and electrical plug R60 (paint/varnish excluded) You will need SHOPPING LIST • two 2 440 x 1 220 x 18mm oriented strand boards (OSB), cut to: two 1 900 x 800mm (front and back) two 800 x 130mm (sides) four 200 x 130mm (short shelves) one 130 x 90mm (divider) one 1 464 x 130mm (inner shelf) two 945 x 175mm (lids) one 1 900x 166mm (base) • four 150mm legs • four cabinet hinges • electrical socket • 4m electrical cord • three-pin plug • one packet 6mm x 40mm chipboard screws • one packet 8mm x 16mm…

Q: Where did Pippa Lea Pennington buy the gorgeous fan on page 46 of your March 2018 issue? – Kathie Roberts, Cape Town A: She found it at Build It (buildit.co.za). Q: Where can I find the rug featured on page 50 of your April 2018 issue? – Anneli van Jaarsveld, Wellington A: It’s from Hertex (hertex.co.za); MRP Home (mrphome.com) has similar rugs. Q: I love the chair covers on page 19 of your April 2017 issue; where can I buy some? – Estelle Gerber, Kuils River A: The homeowners had them custom made by Kommaweer Upholsterers in George (kommaweer.co.za); Coricraft (coricraft.co.za) stocks similar chairs with slipcovers. Q: I want to give my living areas a new look for winter; where can I find cosy, stylish…

Gaynor Walkey, Founder of Granny Goose says, “Sleep is of paramount importance to our functioning as human beings, and over extended periods of time, poor quality sleep will begin to take its toll on our health. “It’s for this reason that we have partnered with SSISA and its ‘Dream Team’ of sleep scientists, led by Dr. Dale Rae, Senior Researcher in Chronobiology and Sleep Health at UCT.” Dr. Rae shares a few simple healthy habits to improve your sleep quality: • Establish a routine by going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day. • Avoid exercising or eating too late in the evenings, as this increases your body’s metabolic rate. • Limit caffeine in the latter part of the day. • Put aside your phone and turn down the lights…

Tasks for July By Kay Montgomery There are many kinds of heroes: human heroes who fight for justice, winter plant heroes that keep the garden looking good during the bleaker months, and habitat heroes who fight to protect the environment. This year on 18 July we celebrate the centenary of Nelson Mandela’s birth, a true hero of our country and of the world who has been honoured in many ways. In the plant kingdom there’s a protea, an orchid, a strelitzia and a ‘Madiba’ rose named in his honour. Recently, a second rose – ‘Nelson Mandela’ – was launched to celebrate his centenary. 1 Plant heroes We salute plant heroes that brave the cold and those that provide much-needed colour and form in our winter gardens. Hellebores are among the…

Broccoli and cauliflower soup Under R75 • Serves 4 • Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: about 50 minutes • 1 small head each of broccoli and cauliflower • 45ml olive oil • 2 cloves garlic, chopped • 5ml Dijon mustard • 1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed • 3 leeks, thinly sliced • 1L chicken stock • 125ml cream • 1 large potato, coarsely grated 1 Preheat the oven grill. Cut the broccoli and cauliflower into small pieces, mix with the olive oil, garlic, mustard, chickpeas and leeks and arrange on a baking tray. Roast until cooked and the tips of the vegetables start to char (about 20 minutes); stir occasionally. 2 Meanwhile, bring the stock, cream and potato to the boil in a big pot; reduce the heat and simmer while the vegetables are grilling. 3 Once the…

Why should the exterior of your home be dull? Have fun and don’t take decorating so seriously! – Gorgina Franks WHO LIVES HERE? David Bolton and Gorgina Franks WHERE Cape Town SIZE 300m² As you walk through the front door of David Bolton and Gorgina Franks’ Cape Town home, a cool sky-blue entrance hall invites you to explore further; inside, a kaleidoscope of colour promises a feast for your senses... Although David and Gorgina were born in England, the couple have been living in the Mother City for long enough to qualify as locals. Their love of Cape Town is expressed not only through Gorgina’s business Stuff from Africa, a company that designs and creates stationery, but also their impressive collection of local artworks and bold colour choices inspired by…

[1] Bamboo Bamboo has emerged as a trendy, ecofriendly alternative to hardwood flooring, says Nicole Russell of Italtile. While hardwood is milled into flooring boards, bamboo flooring is usually manufactured by gluing together strands of bamboo to create a material that can be milled into a product resembling hardwood boards. WHY BAMBOO? Cost-effective bamboo is available in a vast range of colours and textures. Bamboo flooring boards are milled slightly thinner than hardwood boards, but most have the same click-in system and can be installed in the same way. ADVANTAGES Trendy bamboo can elevate the elegance of a space and provides a warm look and feel with its natural growth patterns and texture. Bamboo is more scratch-resistant than most hardwoods and offers a strong eco ethic in the form of…

You will need SHOPPING LIST • hide (we used a blesbok hide) • foam, cut to size • spray adhesive • batting • chipboard • four 420mm hairpin • sixteen 4mm x 20mm drywall screws TOOLS • pencil • measuring tape • G-clamps • jigsaw • scissors • staple gun • screwdriver QUICK PROJECT GUIDE  Hard labour 1/10 Skill level 1/10 Time needed 2 hours Do it yourself for ±R1 792 (hairpin legs R300 each, hide R450, foam R85, timber R57) GET STARTED 1 We measured and marked the biggest rectangle we could fit on our hide, and then had the foam cut 10cm smaller on all sides with rounded corners. Our rectangle measured 86 x 66cm, so we had the foam cut to 66 x 46cm; this measurement will…

Drinks are served! Amanda van Wyk of Cape Town writes I bought this trolley at an auction; can you tell me anything about it? Sophie-Louise Fröhlich of Stephan Welz & Co. replies This is an old brass drinks trolley from the middle of the previous century. They come in various shapes and sizes and are still reproduced today; unfortunately, they don’t hold much value. CIRCA 1960s VALUE R800 – R1 200 Get set! Yolande la Grange of Standerton writes We recently bought a house and this set was part of the contents. It’s not complete and a few of the side plates aren’t in great condition. There is one serving platter. The blue tea set consists of six of each and the other set consists of four of…

For the love of succulents! Mila admires a few drought-resistant beauties. – Izelda du Toit, Cape Town Centre of attention Maddie is our most beautiful garden ornament! – Gerda Reyneke-Barnard, Port Elizabeth What’s up? Nobody nose! Poeksie takes in all the winter scents. – Alta Wilters, Witbank Pot luck Mai-Tai and Cindy lend a helping hand in the garden. – Daphne Monteverdi, Kraaifontein Tiger tiger Nazar loves a good hunt. – Caitlin Stott, Rondebosch Top of the world Juliet is on the lookout. – Lynette Smith, Vereeniging Hot product Field + Forest (R210 for 2kg; R600 for 7kg) produced by Montego Pet Nutrition contains wholesome ingredients such as butternut, oranges, chickpeas, cranberries, peas, carrots and apples. The new formulation is comprised of 60% high-quality animal proteins and nutrient-rich meats and…

Without healthy soil, no garden will thrive. However, copious amounts of compost and fertiliser are not always the answer. It is important to know what type of soil your garden has so you know how to treat it and what to plant in it. And it’s a simple process to have your garden’s soil tested professionally. Dr Pieter Raath, a soil scientist at Stellenbosch University, explains... 1 Test your soil For a mere R250 you can get your soil tested at any agricultural laboratory. This test usually indicates the chemical composition of the soil, the amount and type of nutrients it contains and whether it is brackish (has an excess of salts), acidic or alkaline. Certain tests will indicate whether the soil is sandy, loam or clay. If you’re not…

Pompom weed ( Campuloclinium macrocephalum ) is an erect perennial that grows up to 1.3m tall, with pink fluffy flower heads and leaves concentrated on the base of the plant. It dies back to its root crown every year. Pink flower heads consisting of hundreds of tiny, star-shaped florets surrounded by purple bracts appear from December to March. Invasive status Category 1b invasive plant, which means that it must be removed from your property to avoid prosecution. Why is it a problem? Pompom weed is one of the worst problem plants in South Africa as it causes serious degradation of the veld, lowering the biodiversity. It invades the grassland regions of Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape, so properties bordering open veld are at particular risk…

Stuffed pork loin with tomato rice Pork loin is a delicious, lean cut of meat, perfect for a rich filling. Cook it with care to retain its succulent flavour – and the crispy crackling makes it a showpiece! Serves 8 Preparation time: 1 hour Cooking time: 1 hour, 40 minutes • 1.5kg pork loin, skin on • 250ml beer, white wine or stock • 3 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted • lemon or lime juice • micro coriander, to serve FILLING • about 30ml avocado oil • 400g mixed mushrooms, chopped • 1 clove garlic, chopped • 1 red chilli, finely chopped • about 2 rounds feta cheese, crumbled TOMATO RICE • 15ml avocado oil • ½ onion • 2 fresh jalapeño chillies, seeded and finely chopped • ½ red pepper, seeded and finely chopped • 15ml harissa paste (optional) • 250ml jasmine rice, rinsed • 500ml…

When cooking venison, do it with respect. The low-fat content means it can dry out, but that shouldn’t intimidate you. Lean cuts can be fried, while shanks, shoulders and necks are best braised.– Andy Fenner, Meat Manifesto The secret to these mouthwatering shanks: a long, slow cooking process! Springbok shanks with gnocchi Makes 6 generous servings • Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus marinating time • Cooking time: 6 hours • Oven temperature: 160°C • 6 springbok shanks • 30ml olive oil • 250g thick-cut bacon (or gammon), cubed • 4 leeks, rinsed and cut into 4cm-long pieces • 3 garlic cloves, peeled • 1 tin whole tomatoes • 45ml balsamic vinegar • 250ml beef stock • 30ml brown sugar MARINADE • 1 bottle (750ml) red wine • 2 bay leaves • 6 cloves • 6 juniper berries • 5ml coriander seeds, crushed • 1 cinnamon stick • 1…

FindWine is a new online wine service that uses a smart rating system and price comparison to make it easy for you to buy award-winning wines online. Its sleek desktop and mobile design makes it simple to search for wine by price and connects you to online merchants who will deliver to your door. All bottles listed on findwine.com are award-winning vintages; each wine comes with a list of available retailers and prices, so you can select the price that best suits your budget.…

The temptation of delicious fried food is hard to resist, but it can have a serious effect on our health and weight. Now, more than ever, it’s important to watch what we eat – but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be able to enjoy the foods we love! You can still treat yourself with the brand-new Philips Avance Twin TurboStar XXL Airfryer – its advanced fat-removal technology makes it the most powerful Airfryer ever made, helping you to prepare yummy yet healthy food at home. The combination of a powerful heater and motor (2 225W) with new Twin TurboStar technology means that the hot air in the Philips Avance Twin TurboStar XXL Airfryer swirls like a tornado throughout the cooking basket, extracting the fat from the food while still sealing…