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Set on a dune overlooking Scarborough beach, the home nestles in the rocky landscape and will, with time, become entrenched in its surroundings as the vegetation grows around it. -
Set on a dune overlooking Scarborough beach, the home nestles in the rocky landscape and will, with time, become entrenched in its surroundings as the vegetation grows around it. -
The building is a series of “boxes” inspired by the climate, and by African and Mediterranean architecture. -
The house is set in a landscape dominated by boulders. -
The owners’ love of antiques is evident as soon as you reach the vintage Indian front door, which was sourced at Private Collections. -
The owners received this old anchor from the Simon’s Town harbour as a gift. -
The lion carving outside the front door is from Montebello Design Centre. -
A rocker from Pezula Interiors offers a place to relax. -
The outdoor veranda is completely sheltered from the wind. -
In the living area, a botanical print above the fireplace is a reminder of an Irish family member. -
The view from the entrance, through the hall and into the garden. -
In the living area, built-in sofas have been fitted with cushions by Pezula Interiors and covered in cotton canvas. The Moroccan wool rug is from Private Collections, and the leather pouffe is by Cécile & Boyd. -
The dining table, bought at auction, was sanded and sealed, then paired with Houtlander chairs. The three-legged chair is an Ashbeys Galleries auction buy, and the standing lamp is from Cécile & Boyd. -
The kitchen features a central island with stainless-steel countertop and hand-painted plywood cabinetry. Brass accents include the custom rail on the pink Zellige tiles, pendants by Pezula Interiors and a mixer by Lavo Bathroom Concepts. Oak bar stools by Houtlander provide additional seating, their warm wood tones matched by the custom-made pine balustrade. -
The main en suite bathroom is a mix of old and new, with a freestanding bathtub from Flush, a ball-and-claw chair that was bought at auction and art by Camilla Battiss. -
A guest bedroom with a mezzanine level, decorated with the couple’s grandchildren in mind, features an antique Indian staircase from Private Collections that leads to a kids’ sleeping area upstairs. -
The terrazzo counter and copper basin in the guest bathroom were made to order. -
The inherited bench on the veranda overlooks the lush garden. -
Vintage Indian doors from Private Collections separate the master bedroom from the bathroom. Natural grey screed floors are layered with hides from Woodheads and a kilim from Isfahan.
WORDS Kerryn Fischer PRODUCTION Luanne Toms PHOTOS Greg Cox/Frank Features
The inspired architectural design of this contemporary weekender works as a series of controlled openings that respond to the area’s wild weather conditions while cleverly merging African and Mediterranean design principles with the owners’ distinctive sense of style.
What started as an occasional getaway to the coastal village of Scarborough grew into a full-blown love affair for the owners of this home – a creative director and a surgeon. “Just 45 minutes from Cape Town, Scarborough is the last village before Cape Point – a little piece of heaven within walking distance of the beach,” they say.
The couple were so enamoured with the village, they had no desire to tell anyone about it – not even their three grown children. “It was a year before we took any of them with us,” they say with a laugh. “Predictably, they immediately fell in love with it too, and suggested we start looking for a place where we could all go to as a family.”
READ MORE: The Boat House
It took a few months to find the ideal plot of land – but as soon as they stepped onto the piece of pristine fynbos with the bush all around them and the sound of the sea in their ears, they knew they’d found their slice of paradise. They also knew exactly who they wanted to bring their vision to life: architects Saskia Vermeiren and Matthew Beatty, who had previously won an award for another residence they had designed in Scarborough.
“Our brief was for a house that would sit quietly in this space,” says Saskia, “a place that would blend in as much as possible with the landscape.” For her and Matthew, who live nearby, the knowledge of the climate helped in interpreting a design that would incorporate the owners’ distinctive style while acting as a shelter for their family during the extremes of the weather in both summer and winter.
“The focus was on controlled openings that framed the views, rather than a glass architecture,” says Saskia of the final design that is raised on a plinth in the landscape, much like a veranda or stoep. “The building aesthetic is an interpretation and a merging of African and Mediterranean architecture that suits the climate,” adds partner Matthew.
Laid out over two floors, the house pivots off a central wall and a wind-still covered stoep, with a kitchen leading onto it that is at the heart of the plan. The four bedrooms – two of them plus a small loft downstairs, with the main en suite bedroom upstairs – form a series of separate volumes, each maximising views, light, privacy and cross-ventilation. Builder Micah Burger did a phenomenal job of incorporating the owners’ must-haves in the final product, including African mahogany doors and windows, natural grey screed floors, and stone and brickwork detailing.
READ MORE: Dreamy Local Beach Houses
Seen from the beach, the house looks like a pink mirage set against the mountain behind it. “We chose the shade of pink very carefully, painting different colours on the north-, south-, east- and west-facing walls, and watching them change in the light,” recall the owners. “It was a total meditation – but in the end, the final colour revealed itself because of the way it blended in with the sky, the fynbos, the rocks and even the hills in the distance.”
And for the owners, who spent two and a half months here during lockdown, it was “a dream”. “Our goal is to have that amount of time here again. We feel so incredibly lucky and blessed and excited for our future here, as we inevitably gear down our businesses and look forward to embracing life in the simplest and purest way possible.”
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