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Birds of a feather : Following the loss of the view, David even altered the orientation of his bed to face inward. A collection of Panama hats and leather bags is on display. -
Birds of a feather : The concrete sheep sculpture adds to the farmyard feel. -
Birds of a feather : Many summer evenings are spent on the patio beside the fish pond. -
Birds of a feather : Although David likes to move things around, the heavy wooden leopard, bought form African Image is the one obect that stays pt since it can only be lifted by six men. -
Birds of a feather : The hatch in the garden wall frames the only view of the ocean David has left. -
Birds of a feather : David's enviable collection of cookbooks line the walls of the new mezzanine level. -
Birds of a feather : Designer, world traveller, collector and bird lover, David Strauss relishes the presence of animals in his living environment. -
Birds of a feather : A quiet corner in the house features this beautiful tablescape composed of an Art Nouveau lamp with unusual studded detail, a pipe stand and an African sculpture David bought in Amsterdam.
PHOTOS: Alain Proust | PRODUCTION: Sumien Brink | WORDS: Alma Viviers
Interior designer David Strauss lives in an exotic menagerie that’s home to an eclectic collection of animals, art, books and bowls.
This is certainly not the first time we have visited David Strauss at his home in Blouberg but this master of reinvention continues to surprise us with the deft alterations of his space.
What started out as a pretty standard 1970s face-brick beach house for the Strauss family has, over the past three decades, undergone many transformations as it has been reinvented and adapted from holiday home to family home, then to bachelor’s pad and now an exotic menagerie.
Its latest incarnation, which can best be described as Mexican hacienda meets rural farmyard, was prompted by the construction of a two-storey house on the property in front of his home. The new neighbour not only stole the sea view, which David had been enjoying for the previous 30 years, but the house also had a significant impact on his privacy.
“We only realised our view would be completely gone when they started constructing the storey above the garage, which goes right up to the boundary wall,” he recalls.
The perfect backdrop
A designer by trade, he responded immediately. The result is a house that has turned inward with new, more moody and intimate spaces both inside and out.
Contributing to this feeling of intimacy is the unusual dark seaweed-coloured walls throughout the house.
“The thing with colour is that you can’t only have a little bit; it’s an all-or-nothing situation,” he explains. “So I opted for one colour – the seaweed walls are the perfect backdrop for my art.”
David also decided to go up by adding a mezzanine level above the kitchen, which affords him a view of the ocean and Table Mountain in the distance. For this he employed his accountant’s husband, which, he jokes, was the best decision ever since they never fought about money.
However this doesn’t mean the building process was all plain sailing.
“The Blouberg area has an 8m height restriction and a minimum internal roof clearance of 2,4m, which meant we had very little room to manoeuvre in the existing structure,” he says. “Initially the design was 20cm too high and relaxing the height restriction would have meant getting permission from all the surrounding neighbours, which would have delayed the whole process.”
So the problem was resolved with an exposed wooden beam structure, a specialised roofing technique and some creative measuring.
Bringing the outside in
The idea of turning inward also applied to the outdoor spaces, which David decided to make the most of since he no longer had a view beyond them.
“The garden’s saving grace was a gift of four large manatoka trees from a friend. They withstand the salty sea air and instantly transformed the garden into a lush haven,” he says.
Dotted throughout the garden are large terracotta clay pots filled with ferns, rosemary and geraniums. Two fishponds also provide focal points for quiet meditation in the courtyard and along the stoep, lending the space a touch of the tropics. Pergolas made from wattle battens provide shaded privacy for outdoor and adjacent indoor areas, helping to define the exterior spaces as rooms.
As if pre-empting trend forecaster Li Edelkoort’s recent prediction that the world of birds will be our future source of inspiration, David acquired a flock of his own. The courtyard is now home to a coop of chickens and pigeons.
“There is something life-affirming about living with animals,” says David, who also owns two cats and three dogs. “I find the simple task of feeding and taking care of them every day extremely grounding.”
The most recent additions to the feathered family are Frieda and Pablo. The feisty young African Grey parrot is named for Mexican artist Frieda Kahlo and, although one would assume that Pablo the Golden Mantel parrot hails after Picasso, David explains that the bird is named for his favourite hotel concierge in Buenos Aires.
Stories from across the globe
Travelling is one of David’s great passions and, like a magpie who carriers all that glitters to his nest, he collects objects and artworks imbued with stories from across the globe. From the carved wooden leopard that dominates the living room to the smallest Ming bowl, everything that populates his home is accompanied by a colourful tale.
“There are two characteristics I’ve always wished I had in life: Firstly, that I was soft-spoken and mysterious – you know, one of those pensive types who occasionally speaks great truths,” he muses. “My other wish is for minimalism – not the sleek and cold version but rather something like the spare economy of a monastery: a simple bed with a wooden table and chair.”
However David resigns himself to the fact that neither of these attributes are in his blood. For him, being surrounded by beautiful things, be it art or animals, is the most natural and rewarding way of life one could have.
• David Strauss: 082 565 1607, davidstrauss@mweb.co.za
