GARDEN PARTY This stunning home has glorious rooms and a verdant garden, but for Laurie, Danica, and their four children, it also needed a dash of personality and warmth. Enter interior designer Simone Hirsch who was tasked with creating living spaces tailor-made for spending time with family and friends. Case in point is the patio, which lent itself to organic materials, lashings of plants, and informal pieces, all supporting the brief to make comfort the priority. “It’s amazing how much time we spend outdoors now. We wanted the flexibility to dine or relax outdoors. It’s given us so many options,” says Laurie.
GAMES ROOM This room – by day a TV and music room for the kids, by night a poker room – is dominated by Christian Lacroix ‘Reveries’ in Vert Buis fabric featuring mythical creatures. The generous use of fabric allows it to be sectioned off from the rest of the home. “It’s a fun, eclectic room that contains the noise, is practical, but stills feel luxurious,” says Simone. For a similar sofa, try the Manhattan Home ‘Vinny’ sofa from Temple & Webster.
DINING ROOM The leafy scene interpreted on the handpainted wallpaper reflects the outside lounge that lies parallel to the dining room (top right), but in shadowy tones appropriate for a more glamorous, evening feel. For similar chairs, try the ‘Tall Feature’ dining chairs from French Tables.
With its grand rooms and park-like garden, this graceful house in Cape Town, South Africa held the promise of a comfortable family home for Laurie and Danica. However, it lacked the warmth and personality they wanted for their tribe of six – including pre-tween triplets. Enter interior designer Simone Hirsch who was gifted a clean slate to craft inviting living spaces that would make family gatherings and entertaining a breeze.
The couple’s previous place in Johannesburg was slick, cool and modern. The shift in cities and lifestyle required a softer touch for their new home, and Simone took her cue from Laurie’s quirky tastes. “Laurie is quite eclectic and likes fun things, but also pieces that are timeless. He’s not afraid to push the boundaries,” she says. “If their first home was minimalist, the move was towards maximalist for this one,” explains Simone, who harnessed the power of rich fabrics and unique pieces to bring the home to life.
In the hallway, a beautiful carved wooden table topped with an abundant dried-flower arrangement welcomes visitors and sets the refined tone for the home. From here, the view is of a striking staircase, the dining room and a lounge converted into a games room – two spaces Simone was keen to reclaim. “They were dead areas, and I wanted to make them interesting areas the family would be drawn into and want to be in,” explains Simone. A signature of both the dining room and the converted lounge is plush curtaining, which gave Simone a starting narrative to work from with the rest of the furnishings and design choices.
Bordering the dining room and the neighbouring room, a patio runs the full length of the home. Doors can be flung open to connect the inside and outside. Here, Simone wanted to create a destination, transforming the space into a comfortable outer lounge with a less formal dining space, all enhanced by greenery. Designers Guild fabric and combinations of natural textures expressed in the rattan furniture, grass matting, and side tables in stone and ceramic deliver warmth and understated luxury.
This is a home filled with children, and Simone says as much as she responded to Laurie and Danica’s design brief, it was the children who inspired many of her decisions. The kitchen, for example, already housed a breakfast nook, which Simone sought to make the heart of the kitchen and the home. As with other parts of the home, it needed warming up as well as a colour update. A bold blue pinstripe was chosen for the seating, the walls were wrapped with textured paper, and existing cabinetry was refreshed with navy paint. This is where the family now congregates for meals and homework.
Whether one is inside or outside the house, the success of Simone’s choices of colour, texture and pattern is what ensures the home feels contemporary yet cosy. “It was so fun to bring what was an already wonderful house to life, and reimagine it through the eyes of this family,” she says.
KITCHEN While the kitchen layout and cabinetry were solid and included gorgeous handpainted tiles, it felt cold and unused, says Simone. Thibaut textured wallpaper in a similar tone to the existing cream flooring and dark stone benchtops instantly made it feel more authentic. For similar handmade tiles, try Old World Tiles.
KITCHEN Avid home-cook Laurie with Danica and their children Felix, Layla, Emelia and Mila-Belle, in their revamped farmhouse-style kitchen. The informal but vital space is where the family gathers in the mornings and evenings, for everything from meals to homework sessions. A considered makeover saw the existing breakfast nook revitalised with a bold blue pinstripe fabric used for the seating, while the turquoise cabinetry, which dominated the kitchen, received a new lease of life in a more muted and sophisticated navy, and the light oak counters of the nook were stained dark for a cohesive look. “It was cold and stark and now feels warm and homely,” says Danica. For similar lights, try Restoration Online.
MAIN BEDROOM Simplicity reigns in this open-plan master bedroom. With vast windows and a balcony, scenes of the garden below are in full view, and interior designer Simone says she responded by keeping the room pared back. It features a stunning pitched ceiling and a pale and restful colour scheme, with an antique bed making the only statement. For a similar bed, try the ‘Jepara’ mahogany timber four-poster bed from Living Styles. For similar blue-and-white floral cushions, try The Decor House or Alfresco Emporium.
ENSUITE Featuring oak flooring and a vintage-style freestanding bath that’s perfect for soaking, the ensuite is a luxurious pamper zone. Shutters are a practical window treatment option – they can be left open so the room is bathed in light or simply pulled across when privacy is required. Simone added side tables and bespoke towelling, small touches that make it feel special, she says. The beautifully indulgent space also includes a walk-in shower with a wall of plants to evoke the stunning scenery beyond the windows. For a similar bath, try Harvey Norman.
PATIO Decorating an outside area calls for the same consideration and attention to detail that defines indoor styling. The dining section on the patio invites relaxation and connection, thanks to a layer of hanging plants that refresh the zone, and laid-back canvas chairs to enhance the sense of informality. With its tropical-style look and ceiling fans keeping things cool and comfortable, the patio is an idyllic setting for midweek dinners or leisurely weekend brunches. “The wonderful green-tiled bar [pictured opposite] offset by all the navy furnishings as well as the hanging greenery make the space sing,” say the homeowners. “We also wanted lighting that was in keeping with the style of the house – timeless.” For similar director’s chairs, try the ‘Wylie’ director chair from MCM House. For a similar planter pot, try the ‘Laura’ rattan pot from Zanui.
INSIDE STORY
DANICA & LAURIE’S HOME
WHO LIVES HERE?
Danica, a full-time mother, and her husband Laurie, an ex-fund manager; their children Emelia, Felix, and Layla, 11, and Mila-Belle, nine; plus dogs Lily, Truffles and George, and cat Leo.
YOUR FAVOURITE ROOM?
Laurie: “The patio. We now spend most summer afternoons down by the pool swimming and cooking casual suppers.”
WHAT’S THE SECRET TO SUCCESSFUL INDOOR-OUTDOOR SPACES?
Danica: “Having a place for everyone to sit comfortably.”
ANY TIPS FOR CREATING A KID-FRIENDLY HOME?
Danica: “Use performance fabrics that are easily cleaned.”
1. A true multi-tasker, the games room is designed for a range of activities.
2. The kids get into the swing of playtime.
3. Resort vibes in the bedroom. See Pottery Barn for a similar canopy bed.
4. Delicate Boråstapeter ‘Paradise Birds’ wallpaper features in Emelia’s bedroom.
5. Christian Lacroix ‘Reveries’ in Vert Buis fabric was used for the games room curtains.
6. Existing outdoor furniture was covered in outdoor fabric from Ralph Lauren.
7. Dramatic and elegant, the spiral staircase sits in the centre of the home.
DiscountMags is a licensed distributor (not a publisher) of the above content and Publication through Magzter Inc. Accordingly, we have no editorial control over the Publications. Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers or other information or content expressed or made available by third parties, including those made in Publications offered on our website, are those of the respective author(s) or publisher(s) and not of DiscountMags. DiscountMags does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness, or usefulness of all or any portion of any publication or any services or offers made by third parties, nor will we be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on information contained in any Publication, or your use of services offered, or your acceptance of any offers made through the Service or the Publications. For content removal requests, please contact Magzter.