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Local builder Rick de Araujo helped create different pockets of space that allow moments away from the group should guests need it. A boule court sits adjacent to the three-metre-tall fireplace, where concrete chairs from a local nursery are a favourite spot at the end of the day. The house’s two pitched roofs define the two bedrooms, both of which lead out onto the decked terrace with views to the pool. The outdoor dining table and chairs are by James Mudge. The trees and plantings were conceptualised by Eugene Bosini of Groenbos. -
The kitchen, with its brushed-steel countertops and dark-grey cabinets, is by Green Way Interiors, the Tolix bar stools are from Chair Crazy. The artwork on the far wall is by Cape Town- based Polish artist Katarzyna Stefanczyk (known as Kasia). -
Local builder Rick de Araujo helped create different pockets of space that allow moments away from the group should guests need it. A boule court sits adjacent to the three-metre-tall fireplace, where concrete chairs from a local nursery are a favourite spot at the end of the day. The outdoor dining table and chairs are by James Mudge. The trees and plantings were conceptualised by Eugene Bosini of Groenbos. -
The entire front of the house opens onto the 20-metre lap pool, which provides a calming, contemplative view. -
Scarborough Home -
In the main bedroom, the wooden shoe lasts on the wall were collected by Leigh and Lucy when they lived in London.
WORDS AND PRODUCTION Kerryn Fisher PHOTOS Greg Cox/Frank Features
This modular home in a Cape coastal village has been created to host the friends and family of an outdoor-loving couple.
As the owners and founders of hope distillery, one of the first small-batch distillers of craft gin in South Africa, Leigh Lisk and Lucy Beard had grown tired of living on-site at their distillery in Cape Town, and wanted a bolthole to which they could escape every weekend. “Both Leigh and I are keen cyclists and runners who love the outdoors, and so the natural beauty of Scarborough and its proximity to the city made it an obvious choice for us,” says Lucy.
Initially, they had bought an old, abandoned tennis court in the coastal village with a view to building on that, but the prospect of a two-year brick-and-mortar build saw them buy an old one-bedroom, prefab home in the village as a stopgap. “We initially saw it as an interim house that would allow us to stay in Scarborough while overseeing the build – but we ended up loving the house so much that it has become our home.”
READ MORE: Dreamy Local beach Houses
Having long admired the German Huf Haus (a prefab-style home) as well as the tiny house movement (an architectural and social philosophy that advocates the simplification of living spaces), the idea for something small and sustainable quickly took hold. “We liked the idea of building a modular structure that would blend into the environment with minimal impact, and a container home made sense as it’s less expensive than building from scratch,” says Lucy.
The couple worked with Dean Westmore of Podula to custom-design and make a lightweight steel structure to suit their needs. “Our own home is too small to host guests, so the idea was to create a hospitable place where friends and family could stay when they come to visit, and somewhere that we could entertain en masse,” says Lucy.
Today, Twin Peaks, as the couple call it, sets a svelte stance with its black exterior, clean lines and a pair of barn-like pitched roof structures. Laid out on one level, the 110m2 home is a minimal, utilitarian retreat comprising two en suite bedrooms that flank a generous open-plan kitchen, dining and living area, which leads out onto an entertainment deck. The second bedroom functions as a separate, independent space. “It was part of the design brief,” says Lucy. “Our thinking was that those friends with families and teenage kids could have their own access to the beach and outside entertainment areas, without the need to disturb the main house.”
READ MORE: Olive View Luxury Eco-pods by untether
Leigh and Lucy kept to a simple palette of black exterior and white interior walls, allowing their furnishings, art and trappings of daily life to animate the space. “The great thing about a pod-style home is that it comes with all the finishes, so we had none of that admin to deal with.” They did have their hands full, however, with trying to make the house off-grid in terms of electricity. “We initially put in one battery and 14 solar panels, but soon realised that to run the house overnight required the entire battery,” says Lucy. A second solar battery got them comfortably through the summer months; winter was another story. “That’s when we knew we had to connect to the grid to ensure continuity of power, come rain or shine,” she adds. Still, to date, they’ve used Eskom to supply just 10% of their total energy requirements. “Given the unique circumstances in South Africa, it’s a good result,” says Leigh.
Leigh and Lucy’s commitment to achieving the best outcome, their interest in getting things right and their enjoyment of the overall process are evident in the finished result.“We’ve learnt so much,” says Lucy, “and we feel privileged to have been able to create a space suited to our lifestyle that is also sustainable and imbued with the simplicity we prefer.”
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