Innehållsförteckning för Dec/Jan 2023/2024 från Home

Since 2020, our December edition is no longer a Christmas issue, and readers often ask me why. The reason is simple: when we still published 12 issues a year, the December edition was on-shelf before Christmas, full of festive dishes and decorated homes. But now that we only have eight issues a year, the December edition is on-shelf for almost two months, well into the new year. And the fact is: nobody wants to buy a magazine with a Christmas theme after December 25th. Because no matter how much fun Christmas is, when it's over, it's over. Which is why our theme now is ‘holidays’. That way, you can still enjoy reading your favourite magazine till mid-January! We all know that day-after-Christmas feeling: we've over-indulged and we're all very laid-back,…

Send décor and lifestyle news to johane.neilson@tuis.co.za. #1 Minimaluxe A blend of minimalism and Japandi design, ‘minimaluxe’ describes the pared-back style that some predict will define this decade. It's known as ‘quiet luxury’ with the focus on investing in fewer, yet higher quality and more valued material items with timeless appeal. Glossy finishes are swapped for antique woods and textured stone, clutter for a ‘less-is-more’ approach. It includes tactile materials (bouclé, slubby linen, untreated wood) and a contrast in textures that makes your home feel elevated and more welcoming. Mukti is a beautifully curated Karoo cottage in Nieu-Bethesda in the Eastern Cape, and the perfect example of minimaluxe. The cabinetry in lightly oiled maple wood sits atop raw screed floors and the Caesarstone surfaces have a marble-like look that echoes…

WHO LIVES HERE? Stephen Benade and Washington Mendes with their dogs Maia, Bella and Hunter WHERE Koringberg, Western Cape SIZE OF HOUSE 168m² (excluding loft and two flats) This story begins with a Dachshund and evolves to the memorable day two city slickers bought a house on a 1-acre plot in the Swartland – in a town they'd never heard of. Stephen Benade says that when his mom died in 2018 and he ‘inherited’ her Dachshund, an eighth-floor apartment in Sea Point was no longer viable. He and his partner Washington Mendes exchanged said apartment for a house with a small garden in Observatory, one of Cape Town's southern suburbs. “Although it was good enough for the Dachshund, we both wanted more land – and then Covid-19 made that possible.…

The problem Home food editor Johané Neilson has a lovely light-filled home office. However, the only work surface was a decrepit old wooden desk, and essential technology like the inverter and printer were out in the open – a disaster waiting to happen with a toddler who loves to press buttons. The solution A sleek window seat that offers loads of storage, with a neat desk alongside for stationery, as well as a drawer and a cupboard to store both the printer and inverter out of sight. QUICK PROJECT GUIDE Hard labour 5/10 Skill level 5/10 Time needed 3–4 hours Do it yourself for ± R4 815: plain white melamine R1 485, Iceberg White melamine R1 220, hardboard R260, drawer runners R430, cabinet hinges R20, screws and nails R80, white…

Danél van Wyk of Gqeberha writes I'm not sure whether I should give my dog dry food or wet food. I've heard that wet food is bad for their teeth? Dr Elizna Boag, veterinarian at Montego Pet Nutrition, replies Choosing the right diet for our furry companions can be challenging. Pet owners are often faced with the dilemma of choosing between wet or dry food. Both options have their advantages and the decision should be based on factors such as the pet's health, age and individual preferences. Many pet owners choose to combine both options, offering wet food as a treat or supplement to their pet's primary dry food diet. It's important to remember that mixing wet food into dry food will cause it to spoil faster, and any uneaten…

ADVICE Why the smaller blooms? Jesse MacDonald of Germiston writes The blooms of my ‘University of Pretoria Centenary’ rose are so much smaller than they were in October. What could be the problem and how can I fix it? Ludwig replies It is normal for rose blooms to be considerably smaller in midsummer than they were in October. Blooms get smaller when temperatures are high, with low humidity. When the roses started to sprout in August after pruning and developed new stems and buds in September, the days and nights were cool. It is at this stage that the size of the blooms is determined. The second flush starts off in October with high temperatures. The growth is quick with even more stems sprouting and the blooms are simply smaller.…

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[EXPERT ADVICE] Building a structure like this on your property not only needs approval from your local authority, but also from your housing estate. Architect Ann-Mari Da Silva of Swansilva Architecture explains: Petra's brief to us was to take an unused part of their property and turn it into a serene space that encourages creativity. It was a relatively simple design process. All the existing elements such as water tanks, gas bottles, gates and fence had to be incorporated to create a holistic feel. The biggest challenge was the approval process, which was incredibly arduous for such a small project. The style requirements of the estate as well as the City of Cape Town's building regulations had to be complied with. This affected, among other things, the materials we could use,…

Pork pot pie Serves 8 • 1 roll (400 g) puff pastry • a little beaten egg, for glazing FILLING • 15ml each butter and olive oil • 1 onion, chopped • 400g button mushrooms, chopped • 2 garlic cloves, chopped • 6 sage leaves, chopped • 3 ml chilli flakes • lemon juice, to taste • 2 cups cooked pork, flaked • about 1 cup gravy 1 Make the filling Heat the butter and oil and sauté the onion until translucent; scoop out but retain the oil. Fry the mushrooms until fragrant. Add the garlic, sage and chilli and stir-fry for another minute. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice; remove from the heat and mix in the cooked onions, meat and gravy. Allow to cool (it's easier to…

BACK PAGE On the first school day in January, I eagerly join the early morning coffee crowd at the pop-up coffee cart on one of the quiet streets in our neighbourhood. There are usually one or two good stories to be heard about the past holidays. Like one young mother, quite haggard-looking, who says their Christmas holiday was spent in the Karoo. Her husband's brother farms there somewhere and invited the whole clan for a camping Christmas on the farm: all three brothers and their sister from New Zealand, along with their offspring. There's a cool spot in a thorn tree thicket with a huge cement dam close by and lots of open space for the kids to run wild. “But,” she says, “it's the bundu. There's no power, no…

WINNING LETTER Travels with my favourite magazine Dalene Hawley of Struisbaai writes My husband Brendon and I recently returned from a narrowboat trip in the UK. We spent seven nights on the River Thames and the Kennet and Avon Canal. Our trip started at Aldermaston. With no experience, we took off and learned very quickly that the locks were hard work and dangerous if one is not careful. Needless to say, we had so much fun. I had many happy moments joining my husband (a retired ship captain) steering the narrowboat while I read my Home magazine. I am Afrikaans-speaking but Brendon enjoys the magazine so much that I had to change to the English version! Thank you for a most informative, inspiring and enjoyable publication! My Home magazine travels…

WHO LIVES HERE? Alma Kennedy and her husband Nico van Niekerk WHERE Kalk Bay SIZE 394m² On one of the upper streets in the idyllic village of Kalk Bay stands a house full of art and vibrant colour. With its unobstructed view over False Bay, this home encourages a kick-back-and-relax attitude. A dynamic blend of collectibles, with thoughtful contrast in every corner, welcomes guests to this laid-back and inviting heritage home – and that's exactly what Johannesburg couple Alma Kennedy and Nico van Niekerk intended. Their style is striking, innovative and eclectic, as well as fun and unpretentious. For them, it's all about a ‘mi casa es su casa’ feel when friends visit their century-old holiday home between St James and Fish Hoek. Capetonians call this part of the coast…

WHO LIVES HERE? Jeremy Puren and his dog Mia WHERE Swellendam district SIZE 6.25m2 Email your renovation projects to experts@homemag.co.za. CATEGORY: INNOVATION In the winter of 2020, Jeremy Puren bid farewell to Cape Town, returned to his parents’ farm near Swellendam, and made an unusual promise to himself: he would sleep outside in his tent every night from June to August, regardless of what the weather threw at him. “The Covid-19 lockdown brought about big changes and uncertainty in my life. I just needed a moment to sit with it all,” explains Jeremy. He wanted to be closer to nature and “really go deep into personal healing”, he says. “It was a new beginning for me but also a dark phase in my life, with very little vision of what…

Email your queries to experts@homemag.co.za. ASK US ON FACEBOOK Do you have an urgent question that just can't wait? Ask on Facebook so that the team, experts and other readers can help – and don't forget to include a photo! A winning design! In our April 2023 issue, Milestone Kitchens units worth R100 000 were up for grabs in the Dream Design competition. Readers were invited to conceptualise their ultimate kitchen, measure up and select their favourite items online at milestonekitchens.co.za – and then put pencil to paper. Robyn van Niekerk of Sedgefield in the Garden Route submitted the best design and motivation as to why an update with Milestone Kitchens freestanding units would be the perfect solution for her family – and this won them a R100 000 discount on…

Send garden info and queries to gardens@homemag.co.za. It's the holidays! Time to get creative and have some fun in your garden… TOP SEEDLING TIP When transplanting seedlings into the garden, avoid pulling the plants up by their stems. Rather push them out gently from below the punnet base. Unleash your creativity and dare to express your unique personality in the garden. With so many cute and unusual planter ideas, the holiday season is the ideal time to experiment. Let Mother Nature (and the scrapyard) be your inspiration! Try these ideas: FLOWER BATH An old bath painted in your favourite colour or pattern can become a dreamy love boat filled with azaleas, dahlias, camellias, agapanthus, pansies and portulaca. Bright idea! Coat your bath planter in blackboard paint so that the kids…

Poinsettias are the world's most popular indoor plants and gift ideas for Christmas – just one plant will brighten up a space. They like a warm room that gets bright light. Keep the soil moist, but don't overwater as the roots may rot. With the right kind of care, poinsettias will look good indoors or on the patio for two to three months or more. After they've bloomed, cut the plant down to 10cm and repot into a larger pot or transplant into the garden in a spot that gets plenty of sun. Cutting back every year after flowering keeps poinsettias bushy and attractive. CONTACT lvgplant.co.za…

Irresistible chocolate chip cookies Makes 32 cookies • Preparation: 20 minutes Baking time: 12 minutes • Oven temperature: 180°C • 220g butter, at room temperature • 250ml (1 cup) treacle sugar • 125ml (½ cup) white sugar • 2 extra-large eggs • 5ml vanilla essence • 580ml (2⅓ cups) self-raising flour • 150g milk chocolate, coarsely chopped 1 Preheat the oven. Beat the butter and two types of sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour and chocolate and mix through. 2 Arrange small spoonfuls of the dough onto baking trays lined with baking paper – not too close to each other, as they will spread slightly. 3 Bake for 12 minutes or until golden-brown around the edges. The cookies will still be…

FRESH IDEAS Cool contrast Alma Kennedy and Nico van Niekerk are not afraid of colour – and with the help of interior designer Sihan Wiid of Mink Design, they've turned their home in Kalk Bay into a feast for the eyes! “I played with contrasting patterns that you wouldn't expect to work, but they add to the character and unique style of this artistic house,” says Sihan. (See Alma and Nico's complete home on page 22). Yellow Wire World table available from Mink Design; green Acapulco chair from Chair Crazy; rugs from India Ink; side table from Esque; floor tiles from Ceramica Dive in! We've often featured creative projects executed by Cape Townbased interior designer Etienne Hanekom, and this collaboration with professional painter Ilaria Louw of Paintiques has transformed a…

Q&A WITH JEREMY Q: What was the most expensive surprise? A: Since all my building materials were free, the roughly R10 000 for the gas geyser and the pipe to get water from the stream was a bit of a shock! Q: What was your biggest saving? A: Having access to a barn full of salvaged building materials, from windows to timber and roofing sheets. And my initial stern instruction to myself to only work with what was already available on the farm. By the time the basic structure was up, I had spent R700 – and that was mainly on gas for the blowtorch, and roofing screws. Q: What was your biggest mistake? A: Because of my ‘no shopping rule’, I didn't use decking screws at first, and when…

ADVICE Email your queries to pets@homemag.co.za. Festive fun! Surf's up Harley is going for gold. – Amy and Daniel van Wyk, Durbanville On safari When Dad pulls out the Land Rover, everyone is on board in a second! – Antoinette Goosen, Mbombela Oh crab! Tinkerbell is ruffled by the sight of those pincers. – Pieter Rossouw, Oyster Bay On the lookout Stuart has a bird's-eye view of the caravan park. – Estelle Swanepoel, Mbombela Hot product! We love this cute 50cm Watermelon Pet Cooling Mat (R169.99, mrphome.com). Made up of pressure-activated gel that cools down when your pet sits on it, it can help with allergies, skin conditions and post-surgery recovery. Safe and non-toxic, the mat is just the ticket in a heatwave! Spirit of adventure Rescue pup Rosie is…

An African violet sonnet Rayno Lourens of Brackenfell writes | decided to write a sonnet about the lack of flowers on my African violets. How can I get them to bloom? I have these two African violets I look after them like planes by pilots… They grow well in their leaves, But no beautiful flowers to please. How do I get them to flower Do they need a special powder? Do they need more light? I don't want to give them a fright… They say Epsom salts might help – Or what about some kelp? I would love them to blossom That will be so joysome! Please give me a clue… I want to give them their due. JJ replies I love your sonnet! Epsom salts and kelp both help…

WHO LIVES HERE? Petra and Schalk Krusche WHERE Tokai, Cape Town SIZE OF SHED 13.5m2 CATEGORY: SUSTAINABILITY It's a common problem for many homeowners: a long, narrow area on the side of the house where the washing line, garbage bins and water tanks are usually located. This was also the case for Petra and Schalk Krusche on their otherwise gorgeous property on the Steenberg Golf Estate in the southern suburbs of Cape Town. Although their back garden is north-facing and gets lovely sun in winter and shade in summer, it included an area that was completely underutilised. Then the Covid-19 pandemic hit. “The lockdown meant that all my creative pursuits, including my pottery, had to take place at home,” says Petra. “It soon became clear that doing these activities in…

Leg of lamb à la Jamie Jamie Oliver's, leg of lamb with anchovies, garlic and rosemary is always a winner. Make mint sauce or gravy to go with it and serve your showpiece with steamed greens. Serves 8-10 Preparation: 30 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes Oven temperature: 200°C • 1 large leg of lamb (about 2.2kg) deboned, shank on • 3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced • 4 anchovy fillets, cut into thin strip • 2 rosemary sprigs, leaves stripped • 15ml olive oil • salt and pepper • 2 large onions, peeled and quartere • 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks • 3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped • 250ml water • a few bay leaves, sprigs of thyme and parsley 1 Make sure the…

FOOD & DRINKS Taste South Africa Celebrate local flavour with The South African Table three-course lunch and wine-pairing experience at Leopard's Leap in Franschhoek. Allow Chef Christiaan Visser to reintroduce you to the diversity of our cuisine. Available from Wednesday to Saturday at 13:00; reservations are essential. Visit leopardsleap.co.za. Liquid gold Crafted in exceptionally tall stills, matured for 10 years in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels and finished in the finest aged Oloroso sherry casks from Jerez in Spain, Jura Single Malt Scotch Whisky (R589, cutlerdrinks.co.za) is sweetly smooth with flavours of rich cacao and vanilla cream. NEW YEAR, NEW YOU The South African Vegan Cookbook 2 (R395, NB Publishers) by Leozette Roode is bright and beautiful – and filled with 80 delectable vegan recipes designed to make planning plant-based…