Pretoria Family Home

WORDS Lindi Brownell Meiring IMAGES Malan Kotzé

Devilliers du Toit Architects is behind the design of a functional classic-meets-contemporary family home in Pretoria’s Southdowns Estate.

The homeowner, who runs a fresh produce business, wanted a three-bedroom farm-style home with modern accents, including an open-plan living space and a separate guest cottage.

“The style of the house is slightly more traditional, evoking the unembellished Victorian residences built in the Highveld around the turn of the century,” says Devilliers. “Contemporary design elements include exposed steelwork on the patio and balcony, as well as timber screens for privacy.”

The design is inspired, in part, by the location itself. The house is bordered on both sides by cow pastures with views across the estate. “To make the most of the location I placed the house and the cottage parallel to each other to create a courtyard and to ensure proper solar exposure for all of the rooms,” says Devilliers.

The family, who actively participated in the design process, wanted their home to have a relaxed atmosphere, something which can be felt throughout the space, from the open-plan dining area to the entertainment area on the patio. The neutral colour palette features pops of colour in the form of scatters and artworks, while a combination of carefully selected lighting and plush rugs has been used to add a sense of warmth to the pigmented screed and engineered timber floors.

To see more of Devilliers’ projects, visit devilliersdutoit.com.