Outdoors Archives | Visi https://visi.co.za/tag/outdoors/ SA's most beautiful magazine Wed, 08 Apr 2026 09:02:13 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://visi.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/cropped-ICO-32x32-Black-1-1-32x32.png Outdoors Archives | Visi https://visi.co.za/tag/outdoors/ 32 32 Square by Square https://visi.co.za/haldane-superrational-outdoor-furniture-collection/ Thu, 09 Apr 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://visi.co.za/?p=655848 Haldane’s new SuperRational collection brings Memphis energy outdoors.

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Haldane’s new SuperRational collection brings Memphis energy outdoors.


WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Inge Prins


At Cape Town Furniture Week 2026, South African design maverick Haldane Martin gave us a sneak peek of the new Haldane outdoor collections, including SuperRational – a range of modular sofas with a hint of ’80s charm.

The inspiration for SuperRational stems from a very specific memory. “As a design student, I was intrigued by an image of the Memphis boxing ring sofa. Its proper name is Tawaraya designed by Masanori Umeda. The photograph showed the whole Memphis group gathered on it, headed by Ettore Sottsass. It was described as a space for intellectual sparring. But, it looked like the beginning of something far more intimate,” explains Haldane.

The upholstery is completely separate from the frame, meaning the covers can be easily removed.
The upholstery is completely separate from the frame, meaning the covers can be easily removed.

With its striking open wire-grid frames, the new outdoor collection tips its hat to the maximalist graphics that characterised the Memphis movement, but in more wearable finishes: light, open and geometric stainless-steel frames playfully contrast with weighty, textured upholstery and retro piping.

The rational form of the square is repeated at every scale – a super-rational logic that holds all the way from plan to detail.
The rational form of the square is repeated at every scale – a super-rational logic that holds all the way from plan to detail.

Comprising one-seater units, an ottoman plus a sofa clip table, the SuperRational collection offers infinite possibilities with a modular seating system that can be repeated and arranged to form multiple compositions for every outdoor space. | haldane.co.za


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Lush by Design https://visi.co.za/transform-your-small-outdoor-space-into-a-green-oasis/ Thu, 15 Jan 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://visi.co.za/?p=653632 Looking to make even the smallest of outdoor spaces feel effortlessly relaxed and super welcoming? Just add greenery.

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Looking to make even the smallest of outdoor spaces feel effortlessly relaxed and super welcoming? Just add greenery.


COMPILED BY Robyn Alexander PHOTOS Elsa Young / Frank Features (Malmesbury); Elsa Young / Courtesy of La Grange Interiors; Warren Heath / Bureaux (Cape Town); Supplied


Green Dream

Plants make everything better – and that definitely includes every sort of outdoor living space. Jacqui van der Post of Indigenus says they “always recommend the services of an expert landscaper whose work resonates with you to plan the entire space”. And it may seem counterintuitive, but smaller spaces in particular benefit from considered landscaping design: we suggest combining a natural flooring option such as decking or gravel with your choice of planters and pots. A water feature is a good idea if there isn’t room for a plunge pool – and don’t forget the climbers, as containing walls overgrown with lush ivy, or scented honeysuckle or jasmine, add a delightfully romantic feel to a space. | indigenus.co.za

This compact outdoor space (above and top) feels larger than it is due to its smart design, which incorporates pre-existing trees. Built-in planters, wooden decking and potted plants also play a part, while outdoor furniture by Douglas and Douglas provides a judicious pop of texture and colour. Wendy-Lee Douglas, creative director at Douglas and Douglas, says comfort and durable materials are the most important components to consider when planning an outdoor living space. “Of course, aesthetics plays a large part too,” she says, “as does creating flow from the indoors to the outside, and adding ambient lighting to set the mood. All these elements combined will create the ideal outdoor space.” | douglasanddouglas.co.za

A move towards rounded, organic shapes and a mix of textures – think wood or wood-look aluminium frames with woven elements – is a big trend in outdoor furnishings, and it works especially well in planted spaces. The Haven Collection by MØN Exteriors is a good example, combining rope accents with sturdy construction. | monexteriors.com

Situated off the kitchen, from which it’s visible through Crittall-style windows and French doors, is the courtyard of a Malmesbury home renovated by interior designer Etienne Hanekom. Petite but perfectly formed, the space includes a small water feature (finished with handmade tiles by Veelvlak) that provides the peaceful sound of running water, as well as delicate leopard trees, shrubs and creepers. The Fire Pit Company and Barebones (available at Yuppiechef) make similar compact firepits. etiennehanekom.com | vlvlk.com | customfirepits.co.za | yuppiechef.com

Even the sleekest, most elegant outdoor space – such as this one by Sumari Krige of La Grange Interiors – is softened and enlivened by a pair of planters combining lush underplanting with taller, more eye-catching species. Find similar planter options at Plantr and Indigenus. lagrangeinteriors.co.za | plantr.co.za | indigenus.co.za

As this Victorian house in Cape Town shows, a tiny courtyard can be a welcoming oasis: here, gravel was installed under foot, and terracotta pots used to create a feature wall. The concrete and wood table from Onsite Gallery is surrounded by a vintage daybed and chairs; it’s a charming spot for alfresco lounging or dining. | onsitegallery.co.za

Easy to assemble and disassemble, the lightweight yet sturdy AluAlu range by Kristalia is a re-issue of an outdoor furniture system originally designed by Luciano Bertoncini in 2014. The collection features recyclable, powder-coated aluminium frames and plastic slats, and includes sofas, armchairs, coffee tables and loungers. | kristalia.it

Just a single tall climber or a few potted plants can soften a space and add textural appeal to outdoor living – as do these striking Arenosa outdoor wall tiles in Cotto, a beautiful terracotta shade, which are available locally from Decobella. | decobella.co.za

A covered living space within an expansive garden is a design element worth considering for larger properties, because creating a cosy and more intimate feel is invariably the result. This outdoor room features furnishings and decor by Belgian design firm Gommaire, and includes pieces in reclaimed teak, teak root, PE wicker and powder-coated aluminium. All of these pieces are available locally from La Grange Interiors. gommaire.com | lagrangeinteriors.co.za


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Inside Out https://visi.co.za/the-indoor-outdoor-living-trend-transforming-south-african-homes/ Thu, 08 Jan 2026 04:00:00 +0000 https://visi.co.za/?p=653410 Our favourite trend in contemporary houses? Interior living spaces that open fully to the outdoors, creating a sense of connection that adds extra heart to any home.

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Our favourite trend in contemporary houses? Interior living spaces that open fully to the outdoors, creating a sense of connection that adds extra heart to any home.


COMPILED BY Robyn Alexander PHOTOS Greg Cox / Bureaux (Cape Town, Dook (Monaghan Farm), César Béjar (Tulum Villa), Supplied, Elsa Young / Bureaux (Witklipfontein), Greg Cox / Frank Features (Scarborough), Niel Vosloo (Higgovale), Jan Ras (Klein Karoo), Supplied, Greg Cox / Bureaux (Cape Town), Warren Heath / Bureaux (Johannesburg), Supplied


Think of this trend as taking open-plan living to the next level – and what better place to explore it than in South Africa, where our mild climate enables us to spend many months of the year enjoying the outdoors. From lounging around to dining alfresco and the growing trend for outdoor cooking spaces, this design direction is enabled by technically advanced fittings such as fully retractable glass doors that disappear from view when open, and sleek flooring finishes that can survive the inevitable battering they get from the elements. Also coming to the party is the selection of brilliant exterior lighting options, which range from weatherproof string lights to portable rechargeable lanterns.

Room to move

Indoor-outdoor living

One of the best ways to create a sense of effortless flow between indoors and out is to use the same flooring across both areas – as seen in this space featuring Italtile’s subtly textured Bergstone tiles in Grey, which can be used on floors and walls, inside and outside. | italtile.co.za

According to Kirstyn Verbaan of MØN Exteriors, the most important thing to keep in mind when planning an outdoor space is “the unique way in which you utilise it. Beyond considerations such as quality and aesthetics, consider how you’ll make use of the area on a regular basis so that everything in the space ticks all the right boxes in a cost-effective, practical and beautiful way.”

Indoor-outdoor living

Various covered outdoor areas, decks and raised walkways wrap around this Monaghan Farm house, designed by Johannesburg-based architect Enrico Daffonchio. The result is a series of subtle, almost invisible transitions between inside and outside that root the house in the landscape. Adding an eye-catching artwork, such as this sculpture by Samuel Allerton, is a good idea too. monexteriors.com | daffonchio.co.za | samuelallerton.com

Indoor-outdoor living

This holiday villa in Tulum, Mexico was carefully planned around several existing tree clusters on the site, which the architects from CO-LAB Design Office worked diligently to protect. They also paid particular attention to maximising the amount of natural light that enters the house – not least in this beautiful living zone, which opens onto the pool courtyard via sculpturally arched windows and doors to create a fully indoor-outdoor space. | co-labdesignoffice.com

Indoor-outdoor living

In this spectacular weekend getaway on a farm south of Joburg, designed by architect Xavier Huyberechts, the living, dining and kitchen areas flow into each other – and seamlessly outwards into the pristine surrounds. The natural materials used throughout the house complement its setting too, and the volumes invite the outside in without themselves imposing on the landscape. witklipfontein.co.za | glh.co.za

“I think the most important factor is comfort,” says interior designer Sumari Krige of La Grange Interiors, “and this spans shelter from the elements as well as comfortable furniture. Convenience is also key – considering access to electricity and water supplies, for example – as is the durability of your furniture and fabrics, because the outdoors takes a heavy toll.”

Indoor-outdoor living

Rustic fabric blinds made from old sail material sourced at a junk shop in Kalk Bay by the owners of this Scarborough home provide shelter from sun and rain when required on the inviting, easygoing veranda. Classic striped deck chairs from Pezula Interiors, a rattan sofa from Block & Chisel and an inherited bench provide plenty of relaxed seating options. lagrangeinteriors.co.za | pezulainteriors.co.za | blockandchisel.co.za

Indoor-outdoor living

Designed by Kritzinger Architects, with interiors by Adam Court of OKHA, this home in Higgovale, Cape Town features resolutely bold modernist lines – and maximises its spectacular views by fully blurring the line between indoors and out. There’s simply no need for an additional dining area or lounge seating on the deck when fully retractable glass doors open the entire facade to the world beyond… kritzingerarchitects.com | okha.com

Indoor-outdoor living

“Define the primary purpose of the space – whether it’s for entertaining, relaxing, dining, gardening or a combination thereof,” says Cheryl du Preez, visual merchandising coordinator at Cielo. “This will help with knowing what furniture to choose, whether it be a dining set, lounge set or even an outdoor cocktail set such as the Gabriello. By focusing on functionality first, you can create an outdoor area that’s beautiful, practical and suited to your lifestyle.” | cielo.co.za

Indoor-outdoor living

Built in the mountains of the Klein Karoo to a design by Miguel Ferreira-da-Silva and Andrew Payne of Migs + Drew, this off-the-grid eco-cabin opens up fully to the deck area, where a firepit designed by The Fire Pit Company becomes a natural place to gather and socialise. As Michael Wagner, senior furniture buyer at Coricraft says, “I’ve found that gathering around an open flame really brings everyone to life. For me, a firepit draws guests in, bringing the familiar scent and crackle of burning wood we’ve grown up with, and creating a cosy spot for people to congregate.” migsdrew.com | customfirepits.co.za | coricraft.co.za

Indoor-outdoor living

The outdoor spaces for playing, cooking and eating at this recently renovated family home in Cape Town have been as carefully considered as the house itself, designed by Werner Lotz of Hours Clear Architects. The outdoor area is aesthetically pleasing, multifunctional and brilliantly family-friendly, and includes a plunge pool and koi pond, as well as a kitchen with a large prep area, a wood-burning pizza oven and braai. The table and benches are from Pedersen + Lennard’s KPA outdoor range. hoursclear.com | pedersenlennard.co.za

Indoor-outdoor living

Designed by architect Gregory Katz around homeowner Toni Twidale’s beloved Senegalia trees, this Johannesburg house maximises indoor-outdoor flow via a central courtyard – and a smart update on the sunken lounge. The use of colour is inspiring here too: burgundy frames on the glass sliding doors and orange accents inside complement the natural brick, the courtyard greenery and the emerald shade used on the upholstery of the built-in couches brilliantly. | gregorykatz.co.za

Indoor-outdoor living

Possibly the hottest (yes, pun intended) trend in outdoor spaces at the moment is the rise and rise of the outdoor kitchen. Buite, a new locally made range of kitchens by Sprung Outdoor Living, is manufactured in modular or fully bespoke units, so you can select whatever best suits your space and cooking needs. Built to resist harsh conditions, the units are rust-proof and UV-stable; the practical, minimalist design is another of Buite’s many attractions. | sprung.co.za


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14 Buys For Your Next Summer Picnic https://visi.co.za/15-buys-for-your-next-summer-picnic/ Mon, 08 Dec 2025 03:00:00 +0000 https://visi.co.za/?p=592301 Looking forward to relaxing picnics this summer? Take note of any of these online buys, from on-the-go cutlery to colourful cooler boxes. PS: These make great gifts, too.

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Looking forward to relaxing picnics this summer? Take note of any of these online buys, from on-the-go cutlery to colourful cooler boxes. PS: These make great gifts, too.


COMPILED BY VISI PHOTOS Supplied


The Big Bag

Made for life on the move, this is the perfect “carry-all” that will take you from the beach to the market, and beyond.

R1 200 | mungo.co.za

African Jacquard Kuba Summer Beach Towel

The Kuba Summer Beach Towel is a versatile and lightweight textile inspired by Kuba designs found in Congolese fabrics. Made from 100% cotton these towels are perfect for the beach or garden picnic.

R1 265 | africanjacquard.com

picnic

Fieldbar Drinks Cooler Box

The Fieldbar Drinks Box is a hardcase cooler box designed for superior thermal performance. 

R2 499 | Fieldbar.co.za

Picnic Checks Cheese Knife Set

Designed for soft, semi-soft and hard cheeses, this set perfect for your beach or garden party.

R399 (set of 3) | poetrystores.co.za

Guzzini Vanity Tumbler Tal

Designed for outdoors, this tumbler is made from bio-plastic to avoid breakages.

R185 | superbalist.com

Hammered Edge Dinner Plate

Crafted from durable melamine, this dinner plate’s sturdy design makes it ideal for both indoor meals and outdoor gatherings. Available in four colours.

R79.95 each | woolworths.co.za

Noobeing Original Sparkling Drink

These drinks are made with select active natural alternatives to refresh, lift your mood and give you a boost of energy.

R29.99 each | faithful-to-nature.co.za

Mepal Ellipse Cutlery Set & Case

This stylish and practical 3 piece cutlery set from Mepal consists of a knife, a fork and a spoon and is held together by a plastic holder. 

R249 | yuppiechef.com

Nicolson Russell Vintage Glass Straws

Made from durable, lead-free crystal glass, these straws are reusable, non-toxic, and maintain their integrity over time.

R199 | yuppiechef.com

Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore

Beosound Explore is a waterproof wireless speaker designed for adventure with up to 27 hours of playtime.

R6 999 | amazon.co.za

VISI 141

VISI 141 embraces the easy rhythm of summer – breezy coastal living, open‑air design, and the pure pleasure of being outside with salt‑dusted toes and a lounger within reach.

R145 | media24shop.com

Foldup rattan beach lounger

Inspired by Bali, this bespoke single lounger is a cornerstone in Crates of Beauty’s collection.

R5 290 | cratesofbeauty.com

Garden Trellis Picnic Blanket

Make outdoor moments even more memorable with this woven picnic blanket, featuring Babylonstoren’s exclusive garden trellis design in calming green tones.

R4 900 | shop.babylonstoren.com

Jaz Stripey Beach Umbrella with Tassels

Brings a touch of old-school charm to your sunny days.

R2 999 | poetrystores.co.za

*Updated on 5 December 2025. Availability and pricing correct at time of publishing.


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From Pool to Patio: The Spanish Modular Collection by WAZ Outdoor https://visi.co.za/from-pool-to-patio-the-spanish-modular-collection-by-waz-outdoor/ Thu, 04 Dec 2025 06:30:00 +0000 https://visi.co.za/?p=653163 WAZ Outdoor’s Spanish Modular Collection brings sculptural silhouettes, plush performance fabrics and mix-and-match modules to every open-air setting.

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WAZ Outdoor’s Spanish Modular Collection brings sculptural silhouettes, plush performance fabrics and mix-and-match modules to every open-air setting.


The Spanish Modular Collection sits at the centre of WAZ Outdoor’s design philosophy, where refined minimalism meets luxurious outdoor comfort. Created for those who see their patio, poolside or entertainment area as an extension of their home, this creation offers a level of versatility and craftsmanship that elevates every open-air space.

The spacious modular options include corner, single, ottoman and daybed units, giving you the freedom to configure a layout to suit your lifestyle, whether you prefer a compact reading nook, a generous family lounge or an expansive, sun-soaked daybed. Each unit features deep cushioning and a structured, contemporary profile that invites long, relaxed moments outdoors.

Every element of the Spanish Modular Collection is crafted using superior outdoor textiles selected for their strength and luxurious texture. Fabrics and trims are sourced locally and internationally to ensure the collection performs in all weather conditions while remaining soft to the touch. The result is a striking, minimal silhouette that stays beautiful throughout the seasons.

WAZ Outdoor

Inspired by global design and produced in South Africa, the Spanish Modular Collection balances aesthetics with practicality. It functions as a sculptural centrepiece while offering the durability and comfort required for daily living. Whether positioned beside a pool, on a sunlit deck or within a shaded terrace, it brings a sense of calm and effortless sophistication to any outdoor environment.

Discover how the Spanish Modular Collection can shape your space with comfort, clarity and modern elegance.

Explore the collection at wazoutdoor.com/spanish-collection

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12 Stylish Buys for Outdoor Spaces https://visi.co.za/stylish-buys-for-outdoor-spaces/ Mon, 01 Dec 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://visi.co.za/?p=605623 With summer in full swing, ’tis the season to spend as much time as possible outside. Here’s our pick of all you’ll need to outfit your exterior spaces in style.

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With summer in full swing, ’tis the season to spend as much time as possible outside. Here’s our pick of all you’ll need to outfit your exterior spaces in style.


COMPILED BY Robyn Alexander


outdoor furniture – Songololo sofa in outdoor fabric with powder-coated aluminium legs, and Cha Cha occasional tables.

Songololo sofa in outdoor fabric with powder-coated aluminium legs, and Cha Cha occasional tables.

POA | haldane.co.za

Made from water-repellent cotton canvas, these fun patterned outdoor cushions from H&M will add a pop of colour to any outside area.

R179 each | superbalist.com

The Sahara Porcelain Dinner Plate offers a sophisticated setting for every meal, combining a sleek design with a spacious surface that accommodates even the heartiest of meals.

R179 each | woolworths.co.za

outdoor furniture – For the love of plants – the Oromo Outdoor Planter by theurbanative is a contemporary take on wire mesh furniture.

For the love of plants – the Oromo Outdoor Planter from theurbanative outdoor collection is a contemporary take on wire mesh furniture.

R8 500 (short planter) | theurbanative.com

outdoor furniture – Add a rustic element to your veranda furniture with La Grange’s characterful teak coffee table.

Add a rustic element to your veranda furniture with La Grange’s characterful teak coffee table.

R8 900 | lagrangeinteriors.co.za

The Isla Patio Parasol Umbrella brings cintage resort charm to your outdoor space. With its scalloped canopy and soft design, it strikes the perfect balance between playful and elegant.

R3 999 | poetrystores.co.za

outdoor furniture – We’re enamoured of the new outdoor ranges by Coricraft, which include the clean-lined Gama eight-seater table and Bali patio chairs, all in reclaimed teak.

We’re enamoured of the new outdoor ranges by Coricraft, which include the clean-lined Gama eight-seater table and Bali patio chairs, all in reclaimed teak.

R4 999 each for the chairs | coricraft.co.za

outdoor furniture – Whether you’re heading to the beach or weathering regular bouts of load-shedding at home, a Fieldbar will keep all your G&T fixings ice-cold.

Whether you’re heading to the beach or weathering regular bouts of load-shedding at home, a Fieldbar cooler box will keep all your G&T fixings ice-cold.

R2 499 | yuppiechef.com

Get all the feels of a staycation with the laid-back Syros outdoor lounger. This weather-wise range is made of solid teak and adds a chic, comfy element to undercover outdoor areas.

R32 600 | hertexhaus.co.za

The European Collection by WAZ Outdoor – from the Lounger and Lounger XL to the Sofabed, Ottoman and Mattress – is crafted for both beauty and ease, moving effortlessly from pool to patio with sculptural simplicity and lasting comfort. 

POA | wazoutdoor.com

outdoor furniture – A product of ‘weaver’s folly’, the big and bright Folly towel is a must-have for summer.

A product of ‘weaver’s folly’, the big and bright Folly towel is a must-have for summer.

From R1 355 | mungo.co.za

outdoor furniture – The braai caddy from Pedersen + Lennard comes with a butchers top, removable steel tray for utensils, a shelf for pots, hooks to hang the braai tongs, locking castor wheels and a weatherproof cover.

The braai caddy from Pedersen + Lennard comes with a butchers top, removable steel tray for utensils, a shelf for pots, hooks to hang the braai tongs, locking castor wheels and a weatherproof cover.

R7 600 | pedersenlennard.co.za

*Updated on 19 December 2025. Availability and pricing correct at time of publishing.


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Pools Perfected: Innovative and Inspiring Pool Design https://visi.co.za/innovative-and-inspiring-pool-design/ Sat, 29 Nov 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://visi.co.za/?p=606265 The design of these jaw-dropping swimming pools demonstrates that a pool can be much more than an optional extra: the architects involved have ensured each one is an integral part of the avant-garde home it adorns.

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The design of these jaw-dropping swimming pools demonstrates that a pool can be much more than an optional extra: the architects involved have ensured each one is an integral part of the avant-garde home it adorns.


COMPILED BY Annnemarie Meintjies PHOTOS Courtesy of Laav Architects (Casa Brutale, Villa Clessidra), Benjamin Benschneider (Jw Marriot Los Cabos Resort), Edmund Sumner (Casa Monterrey), Kois Associated Architects (Mirage)


ON THE EDGE

Pool-Centric Homes – Casa Brutale designed by Open Platform for Architecture (OPA)

Casa Brutale was created, say its designers, “for people who want to live, literally and figuratively, on the edge”. Indeed: this is a house one can imagine belonging to a mysterious bitcoin billionaire. But while it is obviously ultra- luxe, it’s also been designed to respect the environment, and constructed using simple materials: wood, glass and concrete. Its roof is a swimming pool with a glazed base and sides, which allows light to move through the water and into the living space. The home’s optical impact is minimal too, with just one façade on the cliff side, and no volume extruding from the ground level. With minimalist interiors, the enormous glass façade focuses the eye entirely on the beauty of the Aegean Sea. The debut project of Open Platform for Architecture (OPA), Casa Brutale’s construction was supervised by LAAV Architects – which is the architectural follow-up practice of OPA’s founding partner Laertis-Antonios Ando Vassiliou. | laav.nl


FRAME OF REFERENCE

Pool-Centric Homes – Olson Kundig’s design of the JW Marriott Los Cabos Resort in Mexico

Olson Kundig’s design of the JW Marriott Los Cabos Resort in Mexico seamlessly blends architecture and art with the site’s stark desert landscape and endless views of the Pacific Ocean. Although it’s separated from the water by a dune, the resort provides visitors with a horizon-framing view directly from the main lobby, “drawing” the water inside. Just past the entrance, two infinity pools appear to come together, creating a visual connection to the ocean beyond. | olsonkundig.com


CENTRE STAGE

Pool-Centric Homes – Villa Clessidra
Pool-Centric Homes – Villa Clessidra

A 200m2, three-level residence with an almost cubic shape, Villa Clessidra has no underground or excavated parts: it consists of a steel frame and bare concrete panelling. Its most arresting feature, though, is the swimming pool, strategically positioned in the middle of the house. The pool divides the home into two zones: the upper floor or night zone is dedicated to sleep and relaxation, with two bedrooms and en suite bathrooms. The master bedroom has a glazed floor opening, allowing direct visual contact with the swimming pool beneath the concrete bed. Below the pool level is the everyday living zone: the ground floor includes a living room, library, dining room and kitchen, opening up to the forest on the south side of the building with rotating sliding windows. Its designers say that “being required to pass through this aqueous interim distils the daily activities and purifies the mind” – and we think it looks just plain fabulous. | laav.nl


COLOUR WONDERFUL

Pool-Centric Homes – colourful Cape Town swimming pool by Etienne Hanekom

A colourful collaboration, facilitated by interior designer Etienne Hanekom and professional painter Ilaria Louw, transformed a Cape Town swimming pool into a tropical dreamscape. Over and above the graphic pattern, a standout feature of the pool is a colour- changing LED lighting system with a series of settings and movements, which creates a spectacular night-time show by playing on the existing pool patterns. “The lighting in the pool changes the design completely,” says Ilaria. “The particular colour of light that is on affects the way you see the pattern. The clients have ended up with a pool that can constantly change according to the mood of the night, and never be boring.” | etiennehanekom.com


MOUNTAIN RETREAT

Pool-Centric Homes – Casa Monterrey

Perched in the rocky landscape of the Cumbres de Monterrey National Park in Mexico, Casa Monterrey features a long, linear pool that was specifically designed to jut out from its hillside setting and provide uninterrupted views of the Sierra Las Mitras mountains. Its minimal appearance complements the geometry of the house behind it, which was laid out by Japanese architect Tadao Ando as a composition of horizontal and vertical concrete planes that appear to emerge from the landscape at different heights – as does the poolside patio. The pool itself extends from one side of the building and cantilevers over the edge of the hill, towards the horizon. | tadao-ando.com


DEEP HORIZON

Pool-Centric Homes – Mirage by Kois Associated Architects
Pool-Centric Homes – Mirage by Kois Associated Architects

Located on Tinos (a small island in the Cyclades) is this incredible home, named Mirage, by Kois Associated Architects. The landscape here consists of rugged hills, across which more than 40 tiny villages are “scattered, like marble fragments of an ancient statue”, say the architects; there are also hundreds of kilometres of ancient stone walls crisscrossing the island. The goal was to integrate the building into the rocky landscape so that it appeared part of it, forming a sort of invisible oasis, and the resulting residence faces south, overlooking the Aegean Sea. The living space is roofed and insulated by an infinity pool that produces the visual effect of the water extending to the horizon and merging with the sea. Viewed from a distance (and as you approach the house), the only visible feature is the surface of the pool, which evokes the optical phenomenon of a mirage – hence the project’s name. | koisarchitecture.com


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Inspiring Outdoor Spaces from The VISI Archives https://visi.co.za/inspiring-outdoor-spaces-from-the-visi-archives/ Sat, 29 Nov 2025 05:00:00 +0000 https://visi.co.za/?p=621136 We glance back at some of VISI’s most breathtaking outdoor spaces – in homes in SA and around the world.

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We glance back at some of VISI’s most breathtaking outdoor spaces – in homes in SA and around the world.


COMPILED BY Julia Freemantle and Steve Smith


In this Plettenberg Bay home designed by Paul Oosthuizen (above), an outdoor area under a dramatic undulating concrete roof benefits from indoor/outdoor flow and spectacular views.

Breathtaking outdoor spaces – This dramatic outdoor pavilion at Mapogo House at Cheetah Plains was designed by SAOTA and ARRCC to maximise the scenery. The perfect place to gather at sundown, it features various vantage points on different levels to allow occupants to soak in the bush that surrounds it.

This dramatic outdoor pavilion at Mapogo House at Cheetah Plains was designed by SAOTA and ARRCC to maximise the scenery. The perfect place to gather at sundown, it features various vantage points on different levels to allow occupants to soak in the bush that surrounds it.

Breathtaking outdoor spaces – This dream beach house in Yzerfontein by Evi Elsner of Home Concept was entirely location-driven – situated for perfect sun, wind and view exposure – and designed for easy summer living.

This dream beach house in Yzerfontein by Evi Elsner of Home Concept was entirely location-driven – situated for perfect sun, wind and view exposure – and designed for easy summer living.

Breathtaking outdoor spaces – Architects Anthony Orelowitz and Elliot Marsden and interior designer Julia Day created a sanctuary in Johannesburg around the “atrium house” concept. A tranquil effect is created by three porthole windows under the swimming pool, which cast calming patterns over a covered courtyard below.

Architects Anthony Orelowitz and Elliot Marsden and interior designer Julia Day created a sanctuary in Johannesburg around the “atrium house” concept. A tranquil effect is created by three porthole windows under the swimming pool, which cast calming patterns over a covered courtyard below.

Breathtaking outdoor spaces – Designed by Gregg Goddard for maximum appreciation of the natural setting and mountain backdrop, Perivoli Lagoon House proves the importance of location.

Designed by Gregg Goddard for maximum appreciation of the natural setting and mountain backdrop, Perivoli Lagoon House proves the importance of location.

Breathtaking outdoor spaces – Designed and built by multidisciplinary French firm POBA, this spectacular 16 x 5m swimming pool, flanked by Ampilly flagstones and terraced gardens planted with olive trees, cypresses and pines, is Provençal summertime bliss personified.

Designed and built by multidisciplinary French firm POBA, this spectacular 16 x 5m swimming pool, flanked by Ampilly flagstones and terraced gardens planted with olive trees, cypresses and pines, is Provençal summertime bliss personified.

Breathtaking outdoor spaces – In this joyful Menorcan family home, reimagined by French outfit Atelier du Pont, a terrace’s wide arches lined with bougainvillea frame a panorama that stretches to the sea.

In this joyful Menorcan family home, reimagined by French outfit Atelier du Pont, a terrace’s wide arches lined with bougainvillea frame a panorama that stretches to the sea.

Breathtaking outdoor spaces – Julia Day’s cheerful take on outdoor living in this Johannesburg courtyard, with its bright loungers and custom-designed golden planters with potted palms, is relaxed and comfortable yet fun – the very pinnacle of sunshine living.

Julia Day’s cheerful take on outdoor living in this Johannesburg courtyard, with its bright loungers and custom-designed golden planters with potted palms, is relaxed and comfortable yet fun – the very pinnacle of sunshine living.

Breathtaking outdoor spaces – Seen from the garden, architect Sean Mahoney’s house, gradually being engulfed in vegetation, features covered verandas from which to enjoy the wild, naturalistic planting.

Seen from the garden, architect Sean Mahoney’s house, gradually being engulfed in vegetation, features covered verandas from which to enjoy the wild, naturalistic planting.

Breathtaking outdoor spaces – Drawing on the charm of the Portugal’s Comporta region – the vernacular of fishermen and farmers’ huts in particular – interior architect Rita Andringa of Andringa Studio and architect Nuno Lopes created the ultimate in a simple and serene summer escape.

Drawing on the charm of the Portugal’s Comporta region – the vernacular of fishermen and farmers’ huts in particular – interior architect Rita Andringa of Andringa Studio and architect Nuno Lopes created the ultimate in a simple and serene summer escape.


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26 Enchanting Garden Homes https://visi.co.za/enchanting-garden-homes/ Wed, 08 Oct 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://visi.co.za/?p=639165 Whether nestled among indigenous plants or surrounded by centuries-old trees, these homes invite you to escape the everyday and immerse yourself in a world of natural beauty. These houses from the VISI archives showcase the timeless allure of a gorgeous garden.

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Hidden garden havens.


COMPLIED BY Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Niel Vosloo (Robertson Cottage); Elsa Young (Scarborough House, Umdloti home, Greenside Home, Malmesbury Home, Johannesburg Home Pniel Farmhouse, Witklipfontein Eco Lodge, Eclectic Hout Bay Home); Dook (Monaghan Farm House, Keurboomstrand Home, Montagu Home, Modern Pretoria Home, Minimalist Joburg Home, Oudtshoorn Heritage Home); Greg Cox (Steenberg Home, Modular Scarborough House, Nieu-Bethesda Home, Modern Hout Bay Home, Lanseria Estate Home); Nicolas Mathéus (Menorcan Home, Provence Farmhouse); Paris Brummer (Franschhoek Home, Kerala Estate Cottage); Warren Heath (Klein Karoo Home); Lar Glutz (Salt Rock Home)


Whether nestled among indigenous plants or surrounded by centuries-old trees, these homes invite you to escape the everyday and immerse yourself in a world of natural beauty. These houses from the VISI archives showcase the timeless allure of a gorgeous garden.

Robertson Cottage

Garden Homes – Robertson Cottage

For three years, Etienne Hanekom drove past a derelict 150-year-old cottage on his way to his grand old Victorian in Robertson, without noticing the nondescript ochre building. Then, one day, a friend told him that a small cottage near his house was for sale. Upon finally noticing it and entering it for the first time, Etienne instantly fell for both its dimensions and the price.

“It was a forgettable, run-down, sad little house,” Etienne says. “A long, narrow house built of clay with four windows and a front door. Yet I walked in and knew I wanted it. The house had a certain atmosphere that I liked, a feeling that resonated with me.”

There is always a house that winds its way into Etienne’s heart. These are his personal projects. And they are always very personal, even when they’re not meant to be.

As he began to transform the dilapidated cottage, Etienne fell more for it. He mostly works with large spaces, but he has a particular fondness for small ones. By the time he had completed the pink vaulted bathroom, he had sold his much larger Victorian house down the road and was making plans to move into the narrow little cottage.

Read the full story on this Robertson Cottage.


Scarborough House

Garden Homes – Scarborough House

“I thought I was a city girl – until I spent lockdown in Scarborough,” says South African film director Nicole Ackermann. That this small coastal village just outside Cape Point Nature Reserve in Cape Town is now her home was as much a surprise to her as it was to her family and friends. A place of wild winds and brutally cold water, its untamed beauty is not for everyone – yet it struck a chord with the globe-trotting Nicole the moment she arrived. “My time here changed my outlook and values significantly. Up until then, I was more outwardly seeking for inspiration; now I realise the value of looking inwards more.”

When the world returned to “normal”, Nicole found herself back in Los Angeles for work, but regularly trawling property websites in the hopes of finding a home in Scarborough. “It was quite a revelation that, although living here wasn’t necessarily what I had envisaged for myself, it was what I desperately craved.” So when this house came up for sale, her family were sent to check it out. “I remember my sister sending me a video that she took outside the back kitchen door,” says Nicole with a smile. “Hearing the cicadas and the sound of the ocean made me incredibly emotional; it was like a homecoming. Just like that, it was a done deal – I literally bought it unseen.”

Read the full story on this Scarborough house.


Umdloti House

Garden Homes – Umdloti House

It was a serendipitous Sunday drive that delivered the current owners to this prime property in Umdloti. They were met by spectacular views out towards the local surf break, and a 400-year-old milkwood standing sentinel in the front garden. “We had been thinking about buying a home in Umdloti for a while, so to happen upon this place without trying too hard felt like the realisation of a dream,” they say.

Although the couple live full time on a farm on the North Coast, the family have a long association with Umdloti, dating back to the early 1900s, when a great-grandfather lived there.“ We have great memories of the times we spent here over the years, and we wanted to emulate that with our own children,” say the owners. “The original house was tucked away behind such an overgrown garden that you couldn’t see the sea, and you had to fight your way through an impenetrable banana plantation to get to the milkwood,” they add.

Read the full story on this Umdloti house.


Monaghan Farm House

Garden Homes – Monaghan Farm House

This house in Monaghan Farm in Lanseria, on a beautiful spot overlooking a bend in the Jukskei River, began with a bold, Brutalist architectural idea – but the result is an incredibly subtle, sensitive response to its setting. The owners, Wendy and Lukas van Niekerk wanted a home made entirely of steel and raw, exposed concrete, and this spectacular plot of land offered them the chance to build from scratch. Lukas, an engineer, is a huge fan of the work of 20th-century Italian architect Carlo Scarpa, who is famous for his sensitive use of concrete as well as experiments with concrete and steel – and the Van Niekerks’ architect, Enrico Daffonchio, went to school in Scarpa’s hometown of Venice in Italy. The fates had aligned.

Despite what Enrico refers to as its “strong architectural language”, the house they designed together is nestled into the landscape and, when viewed from higher up the hill, is practically invisible (helped by the green roofs planted with endemic grasses to recreate the landscape it’s built on). It is, quite literally, sunken into the landscape to keep its presence unobtrusive.

You descend from street level to the front door via steps that lead to a path through a courtyard. The bold simplicity of the forms – the slim, straight lines of the roof and overhangs – belie the complexity of the way the house is knitted into its setting, with courtyards and “green fingers” all around bringing the landscape and vegetation up to and between the rooms.

Read the full story on this Monaghan Farm house.


Steenberg Home

Garden Homes – Steenberg Home

There are houses in beautiful settings that try to disappear into the landscape. Others like to perch on a prominent spot and lord over all they survey. This one – a holiday home on a big semi-rural plot on the side of the Steenberg mountains in Cape Town – does neither. Its weighty walls and solid masses seem to emerge from the ground and assert themselves unapologetically on the mountainside, yet the indigenous gardens around its edges blend with the natural fynbos, so it looks as if it is being reclaimed by nature. It is undeniably there, but somehow doesn’t seem like an imposition.

Parts of it form big, monolithic blocks, and others are almost pavilion-like – glass-sided, so you can see all the way through the house from one end to the other – but even they have heavy-looking roofs. An oversailing canopy seems to rest on one section but float above another, overlapping. In many ways, the house has no obvious “face”. It twists around, without a clear front or back. It’s a house that, from the moment you see it, prompts questions. Why does it have those angles? Why doesn’t the floating roof touch the roof below? Why is it even oversailing? But that’s the point. “It’s a bit of a mystery,” says its architect, Chris van Niekerk. There’s a randomness about the way parts of the house have been assembled, intuitively, “like a child playing with blocks”. It has a pleasing, comfortable composition, but it doesn’t explain itself or seem to comply with any rigid and ordered logic.

Read the full story on this Steenberg home.


Menorcan Home

Garden Homes – Menorcan Home

Location, they say, is everything – and “they” would certainly give this one the thumbs-up. With the sea on the horizon, and framed by dry-stone walls softened by pines, olive trees and palms, this idyllic four-hectare estate is situated on Menorca – one of Spain’s Balearic Islands clustered in the Mediterranean.

Known for its sandy beaches, warm waters and megalithic stone monuments, as well as a population that loves a good music fest (including the International Organ Festival) and its unique wine-based gin, Menorca is certainly one of the ideal places on the planet to build a family getaway. This property, originally a farmhouse, was once owned by a family from Barcelona, who had the temerity to divide it into three separate flats. Thankfully, the beautiful home has now been remodelled and restored by its new owners, who proved to be far more sympathetic to its origins.

Read the full story on this Menorcan home.


Greenside Home

Garden Homes – Greenside Home

It takes a good eye to spot potential in a fixer-upper, particularly in a city like Johannesburg. There are some real gems – almost always undervalued – but their qualities are often lost beneath the add-ons that barnacle their way onto houses over time. Christo Vermeulen and Nico Venter are serial renovators. Inevitably, after a few years of living in a house, they find their eyes wandering.

They most certainly do have a knack for recognising the signs that something special might be lurking beneath the surface a nondescript exterior. Christo is a former textile designer turned builder/renovator – with a sideline in manufacturing bespoke features, especially metalwork and ironmongery – and Nico is an urban designer with an interest in the city’s architectural history. Together, they make a formidable team: insightful and capable, with the perfect combination of vision and respect for the innate qualities of a good find.

Read the full story on this Greenside home.


Modular Scarborough Home

Garden Homes – Modular Scarborough Home

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.”

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.

Read the full story on this modular Scarborough home.


Keurboomstrand Home

Garden Homes – Keurboomstrand Home

There was a non-negotiable in the client brief: respect the land. It’s not difficult to see why – the parcel of earth the residence was built on is pristinely beautiful. “The farm is situated near Plettenberg Bay, on a large portion of land filled with indigenous forest, with rivers running through it and a view of the Tsitsikamma Mountains,” says architect Paul Oosthuizen, giving context to his client’s instructions. “There was one patch of invasive wattle on the land, which was cleared – this became the area we developed.”

To find the perfect spot on which to build, Paul surveyed the sloped piece of land by climbing some of the tall trees on its periphery, then decided on the bottom of the hill, so the house could be nestled into the forest and give his client a view of the riverbed. Next up, Simon Hart and his team at No Fuss Construction brought Paul’s vision to life. The result is a home that feels intimately connected to its woodsy surroundings, and secluded from the world beyond. In fact, reaching it is a pursuit that requires visitors to make the last 60-metre journey on foot.“ As you approach, you drive along a road that’s right up against the forest to your left,” says Paul. “You then park in a garage that’s buried underground, get out, and walk along a boardwalk that goes through a canopy of trees, about eight metres off the ground, before you arrive in the courtyard. It offers the guests the sense that they’ve ‘discovered’ a house in the middle of a forest.”

Read the full story on this Keurboomstrand Home.


Malmesbury Home

Garden Homes – Malmesbury Home

“There was a wonderful feeling of glamorous decay to her,” says interior designer Etienne Hanekom of the grand old Victorian home he is lovingly restoring in Malmesbury. Languishing elegantly on a ridge overlooking the historic farming town an hour west of Cape Town, the generously proportioned four-bedroom house was built in 1850, when Malmesbury was still a popular destination for its revered hot springs.

Recent history, however, has not been kind. Rapid industrialisation of the town, as well as the ignominious positioning of a busy arterial road right in front of the house, threatened a fate of idle deterioration. Until Etienne stepped in. “I’d been keeping an eye on her, as I frequently used to drive past on my way to visit my parents,” he says. On an impulse, he decided to stop for a closer look, and discovered that the rambling 2 500m2 property took up an entire residential block, and had several unused outbuildings. The main house still retained original, metal- pressed ceiling tiles, timber floorboards and shutters, cast-iron fireplaces, and a deep front stoep so particular to its era.

Read the full story on this Malmesbury home.


Johannesburg Home

Garden Homes – Johannesburg Home

In Johannesburg, there’s no mountain and there’s no sea,” says architect Anthony Orelowitz, referring to homes in Cape Town that tend to look outwards, seeking to catch a glimpse of the ocean or frame a view of Table Mountain. “Here, you have to create your own habitat.” And that, at heart, was the basis of his response to Johannesburg’s urban character when he designed his own home in the city’s forested suburbs. Anthony’s firm, Paragon, is responsible for some of the city’s most significant commercial architectural landmarks – but, he says, “I hadn’t done a house in nearly 15 years.” Nevertheless, working closely with architect Elliot Marsden and interior designer Julia Day, he conjured a vision of what it means to make a home in Joburg, at once perfectly suited to the city and utterly unlike its neighbours.

To create his habitat, Anthony turned to the archetype of the atrium house: an internal courtyard wrapped on all sides by the house, creating a peaceful sanctuary at its heart, open to the sky. He calls it a “self-contained oasis in the city”. The house is essentially a series of pavilions, with vast sliding doors and screens that can be opened and closed to reconfigure a mosaic of spaces in a variety of ways. (A new rail system had to be designed to manage the massive glass panels that make up the sliding doors.)

Read the full story on this Johannesburg home.


Provence Farmhouse

Garden Homes – Provence Farmhouse

One might’ve expected a couple to pick Tuscany as their European home, but it was an area northeast of Marseille in Provence that they chose instead. Dazzled by the beauty of the place and its historical heritage, for 20 years this globetrotting family had rented houses in the area, waiting for the ideal moment to buy their own. A few years ago, they were lucky enough to find a Provençal farmhouse in its original condition that had once belonged to the family of 19th-century French novelist Alphonse Daudet – and its renovation turned out to be a fascinating journey.

Steering the makeover was architect Pierre-Olivier Brèche, head of the multidisciplinary firm POBA. “I was immediately drawn to the wonderful topography of sloping land – it was an opportunity to play with levels of patios, terraced gardens and roof lines,” he says.

Read the full story on this Provence farmhouse.


Nieu-Bethesda Cottage

Garden Homes – Nieu-Bethesda Cottage

Most famous for its legendary, reclusive, eccentric resident, artist Helen Martins, and her home, the Owl House, the town of Nieu-Bethesda is as far as you can get from South Africa’s big metropoles. From Joburg, it’ll take you just under nine hours to get to this remote dot nestled among the koppies of the semi-arid Great Karoo; it might be 15 minutes less from Cape Town. And that’s just one reason that made Joburg couple Marc Watson and James Moffatt’s decision to buy a house here a brave one. The other was that they bought it without seeing the interior.

Visiting here as tourists in 2018, they bought the cottage based purely on its charming iron friezes and traditional wooden shutters, only guessing at what was hidden behind the heritage façade. “But we had a good sense of what such a traditional home would hold,” says Marc.

Read the full story on this Nieu-Bethesda cottage.


Pniel Farmhouse

Garden Homes – Pniel Farmhouse

Smitten by its location in the picturesque village of Pniel at the foot of the Simonsberg mountain in Stellenbosch, Dané Erwee and Chris Willemse bought this 2.5-hectare piece of land 10 years ago. The idea was to start a flower farm that could supply their floral retail business, Okasie. “There was nothing here then besides a few gardenia bushes and plum trees,” recalls Chris, a horticulturist. “Our first mission was to build a road that would allow the builders to access the land.”

Architect Henri Comrie was entrusted to design the house. “We chose Henri for his strong ideas, and because we knew he’d give us something timeless,” says Dané, a master florist and landscape designer. “In fact, his answer to our brief for a re-imagined farmhouse was so spot on that, from the moment we received the proposed plans for this house, we honestly didn’t change a thing.”

Set between two peaks, the 400m2 house strikes an iconic pose against its backdrop of majestic mountains. “It’s like a temple that locks the peaks into its power forever,” explains Henri. “The idea was that, by establishing itself as a central place in this huge landscape, the house is able to command a potency far exceeding its size.”

Read the full story on this Pniel farmhouse.


Witklipfontein Eco Lodge

Garden Homes – Witklipfontein Eco Lodge

Architect Xavier Huyberechts has a wonderfully poetic way of describing the way he designed the weekend getaway he and his brother, Damien, built on their farm in the Vredefort Dome – the oldest and biggest meteorite impact site on the planet. He wanted to “gently lift the carpet at the bottom of the hill and slide the house underneath”.

And that’s exactly what he’s done. A green roof runs seamlessly from the hillside and over the house, like a blanket of earth that renders it almost invisible from many angles. In fact, the way it has been designed and built means it can – and will, at the end of its life – disintegrate and become reabsorbed into the earth. It’s made almost entirely from the earth, and emphatically for the earth.

Xavier runs a commercial architectural practice in Johannesburg known for pioneering sustainable architecture. With Damien taking on the role of building contractor, they set about creating an earth house using local materials. It may be built of stacked stone, rammed earth, handmade compacted earth bricks and earth bags, but this is no Hobbit burrow. Beneath that green roof is a clean-lined, low-slung, modernist-inspired villa, with lofty volumes and floor-to- ceiling glass doors that slide away into wall cavities and open the house completely to the surrounding landscape.

Read the full story on the Witklipfontein Eco Lodge.


Franschhoek Home

Garden Homes – Franschhoek Home

It has been a 21-year-long labour of love. Marti Heyns-Foster admits that, when she first moved into her corner home on a shaded street in the Winelands, it wasn’t her dream abode. But it had good bones, high ceilings, original wooden floors and plenty of natural light, and the young mother knew she could work with the basics. Over the following two decades, with her sharp eye for the quirky and the unique, Marti lovingly curated a sanctuary filled with French-inspired decor and objects. “In my opinion, a home should evolve over time, reflecting your changing tastes as you develop as person,” she says. “A real home is a representation of how all the members of the household live and grow.”

The property is set far back from public view, at a jaunty angle. In front, a formal French garden spills out towards the road, the result of a visit to a château in the Loire Valley that overlooked a striking landscape. “My friend, designer André Carl van der Merwe (author of Moffie), was there with me to celebrate a friend’s birthday, and he sketched out the garden for me, creating an illusion of symmetry.” Today, dominated by two ancient white stinkwood trees, Marti’s indigenous rhus-hedged garden is not yet two years old – and is a genteel alternative to the white pebbles that filled the space before.

Read the full story on this Franschhoek home.


Kerala Estate Cottage

Garden Homes – Kerala Estate Cottage

The vast tracts of private land that fan out from the Witte and Bastiaanskloof rivers in the Bainskloof Valley are home to the elusive Cape leopard and impressive birdlife. This is the Kerala Estate and reserve, and being here is a nature lover’s ultimate escape – a chance to unplug while appreciating the fynbos-scented air and the thrill of bracing mountain-water swims.

Keri Paddock and husband Sam understand this appeal, and after purchasing their sweeping Bainskloof property in 2018, set about creating serene living spaces so their family and friends can fully benefit from the surroundings. In fact, their 800-hectare chunk of paradise forms part of the Boland Mountain Complex in the Cape Floral Region, one of nine areas in South Africa designated by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites.

With a clear idea in mind, the couple tasked architect Bridget George of KLG Architects with updating the existing buildings. They also contracted landscaping company Oasis Design to integrate the dwellings into the terrain, and to create unexpected garden spaces filled with fynbos and proteas.

Read the full story on this Kerala Estate cottage.


Montagu Home

Garden Homes – Montagu Home

The scenic Route 62 o the Klein Karoo unfolds into vivid pictures of rolling rocky mountains and lush vineyards, followed by a slow ascent as you head into the historic town of Montagu, as well-known for its beautifully preserved buildings as it is for its hiking trails. The old town might seem an unusual location for this modern and minimalist home, but it turns out to be ideal for a hideaway in which time stands still.

“Hendre transformed the design into something we love,” says homeowner Martly Calitz of the interior designer who pieced together the significant details that make this home unique – including the decision to paint it mostly white with touches of black, which sets off the warm, earthy terracotta floors beautifully. Hendre Bloem is known for his clean and modern yet luxurious aesthetic, and he very much shared the couple’s vision of creating a home that embodies the maxim “less is more”.

Read the full story on this Montagu home.


Klein Karoo Farmhouse

Garden Homes – Klein Karoo Farmhouse

With a reputation for designing trailblazing buildings across the globe, Greg Truen and his partner Nancy Kashimoto chose to use a different approach when taking on the renovation of a 200-year-old farmhouse. Instead of putting their own contemporary spin on the structure, they breathed new life into the property in the most respectful way. “The idea was always to keep what I found on the farm as pure as possible,” says Greg. Lured by the charming building in Buffelsdrift, a farming district nestled between the Swartberg and Langeberg mountains, Greg embarked on a design and renovation process that spanned four years and would transform the neglected property into a working olive farm.

The property included outbuildings that Greg also saw potential in – the old wine store, for example, would be given a second life as a guest suite. One of the challenges he faced was that some of the previous additions hadn’t been done particularly sensitively and, he says, “I wanted to strip the farmhouse back to what it was, and let it sit in a less encumbered way in the landscape.”

The buildings had been constructed using the poured earth method, and covered with various types of plaster over the years. Greg chose to collaborate with architect Jaco Booyens, who has a particular interest in building with clay and earth.

Read the full story on this Klein Karoo farmhouse.


Eclectic Hout Bay Home

Garden Homes – Eclectic Hout Bay Home

The Hout Bay home that creative director, interior designer and curator Tracy Lynch and husband Frank van Reenen (the equally off-the-charts artist, sculptor and animator) share with their teenage daughter Franny perfectly expresses their unique view on the world. As founder of Studio Lee Lynch and the creative director of Nando’s Design Programme, much of Tracy’s is work is about reinvention; Frank’s is also inventive, but with a side order of dark, playful and wacky.

Three years ago, when they decided to swap their inner-city Victorian home in Cape Town for a spacious out-of-towner, they were looking for a well-designed space they could move into immediately. “A new, modern space is contrary to anything we’d ever lived in before, but as my days are creatively charged, I was hankering after something calm, structured and resolved,” says Tracy. But that never happened. Not long into the house-hunting process, they fell in love with – and bought – a garden… with peacocks, a vineyard and a garden cottage as part of the package.

Read the full story on this eclectic Hout Bay home.


Salt Rock Home

Garden Homes – Salt Rock Home

It’s a great house to wake up in every morning, and a great house to dwell in,” says interior designer and artist Lisa Twyman of her home. “It makes you feel free, positive, motivated, excited.”

Lisa and husband Will Haynes fell in love with the plot situated in Salt Rock, on the Indian Ocean coastline north of Durban, because of its geography – so much so that the build became very much about the garden. “We did not want to impose on it or mess up the flow of it too much,” she says. “During the first few years that we lived here, any extra budget was spent on the garden and planting.”

The key principle for Lisa and Will was that the house needed to become a part of the landscape. This meant including elements such as a ground-floor living area that opens up completely to the outdoors, allowing the spaces to be opened or enclosed as required. This “blurred boundary” – as Lisa describes it – between interior and exterior is further enhanced by the fully open-plan nature of the living, dining and kitchen spaces, as well as the application of simple, low-maintenance materials such as unadorned off-shutter concrete, and the balau wood used for cladding and screening where necessary.

Read the full story on this Salt Rock home.


Modern Hout Bay Home

Garden Homes – Modern Hout Bay Home

It was 13 years ago in 2007, that New Yorkers Jim Brett and Ed Gray were first enchanted by Cape Town. At the time, Jim was Head of Home at leading US retailer Anthropologie and was on a buying trip to South Africa with local design promoter and exporter Trevyn McGowan of The Guild Group. The three of them embarked on a trip cross-country, visiting the studios of artisans and designers, and formed an immediate bond. “I had never met anyone who could match my passion for handicraft and design,” Jim says of Trevyn.

“As we travelled to South Africa more often, we fell in love with the country, specifically Cape Town and its environs,” Ed says. So, it came as no surprise to family and friends when he and Jim decided to build a home for themselves in Hout Bay, just 30 minutes from Cape Town’s city centre, in which they hope to eventually spend six months of the year. Enlisting the help of Trevyn and her husband and business partner Julian, it was only natural that they would continue their trajectory of working with local designers, furnishing the home with pieces by some of the country’s most prominent names.

Read the full story on this modern Hout Bay home.


Modern Pretoria Home

Garden Homes – Modern Pretoria Home

Our journey on this project started with a phone call, which turned into a fascinating conversation,” says architect Greté van As of meeting the owners of this striking home for the first time. Having distilled their passion for balance between nature, people and architecture into an award-winning signature style, architectural duo Johan Wentzel and Greté van As of W Design Architecture Studio were, she says, thrilled at the opportunity to design a new residence for a like-minded family on one of the last pieces of pristine bushveld in Pretoria.

Blessed with spectacular views towards the north, and with the magnificent Bronberg Mountain as a backdrop, the architects were inspired to design a home that would merge unobtrusively into this very unique landscape. “We challenged ourselves to leave behind the smallest of footprints while introducing built structures into the sensitive surroundings,” Johan says.

Read the full story on this modern Pretoria home.


Lanseria Estate Home

Garden Homes – Lanseria Estate Home

When architect Gillian Holl set about designing a house for the generous piece of paradise she shares with her husband Ivan, an engineer, and son Noah, one of her first considerations was to create a space that did not simply blend in with the surrounding grasslands and Magaliesberg foothills, but was actually knitted into the landscape.

To this end, the Holls excavated to allow the steel-framed building with floating concrete slabs and swathes of glass to settle unobtrusively on the riverside terrain. But estate regulations required all excavated earth remain on-site – and even after creating the grassy berms that hug the garden, there was still plenty left over. The solution? A central rammed-earth wall that forms an axis from the entrance all the way through the airy house.

Read the full story on this Lanseria Estate home.


Minimalist Joburg Home

Garden Homes – Minimalist Joburg Home

Edoardo Villa’s journey had been a long one: from Italy to South Africa as a prisoner of war, and from classic realism to abstract modernism as an artist. After his release, he chose to stay on in Johannesburg and for a time lived and worked at the home of artist Douglas Portway in Kew, a suburb on the eastern fringe of the city.

Villa soon became a prominent figure in the local art world and in the great surge of creative innovation that lit up the middle of the century. He was able to buy the Portway house in 1959, and in 1968 commissioned Ian McLennan to design a house for him on the same property, giving him no brief and a very small budget.

It was a time when the symmetries and conventions of old suburbia were being turned inside out. Streets were walled off, living spaces opened up, on to courtyards, bricked patios and a new seclusion. Flow and transparency became all-important, framed in a new vernacular of simple materials and earthy textures.

Read the full story on this minimalist Joburg home.


Oudtshoorn Heritage Home

Garden Homes – Oudtshoorn Heritage Home

All Karoo towns have their own rustic appeal, but Oudtshoorn has panache. The flamboyant spirit of the feather barons lives on in its lavish sandstone buildings with their broekielace fretwork – and in its feisty charm.

Interior designer David Strauss succumbed to this charm five years ago while looking for a house to buy for once-a-month getaways from Cape Town. He found a solid old sandstone classic, built in the town’s Victorian heyday, in West Bank. No palace this: a deep stoep, a string of small rooms off a wide central passage, the only flourish a wagon-wheel precast fence. Some renovation was necessary, but the age of the house meant the exterior could not be modified and any alterations would have to be undertaken under the strict eye of the heritage authorities.

“I was a bit lost to start off with because I knew nobody,” says David. “But this is such a friendly town. And everybody knows everybody else, which is very helpful. If you get stuck, you just ask somebody, anybody.”

Read the full story on this Oudtshoorn heritage home.


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TheUrbanative Expands its Contemporary Outdoor Hues https://visi.co.za/theurbanative-expands-its-contemporary-outdoor-hues/ Tue, 07 Oct 2025 04:00:00 +0000 https://visi.co.za/?p=650861 TheUrbanative has introduction Dusk – a striking new colourway in its layered collection of outdoor pieces.

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TheUrbanative has introduced Dusk – a striking new colourway in its layered collection of outdoor pieces.


WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Sarah de Pina


An ode to seasonal transition, Dusk reflects the beauty of change as we slowly make our way into summer. Balancing the play of shadow and light, TheUrbanative’s newest colourway moves easily between structure and softness, thanks to its monochromatic tones.

“With Dusk, we wanted to capture the beauty of transition: that in-between space where light fades, shadows lengthen and a new season begins,” says Mpho Vackier, Founder and Creative Director of TheUrbanative. “It is our way of saying hello to summer, with an arrangement of hues that feels timeless yet contemporary. In Dusk, the combination of Black & White finds new expression as a statement for life lived under open skies and shady trees.”

TheUrbanative

Joining the brand’s existing outdoor colourways – Coral, Palm, Sand and Ocean – the new palette embodies a sense of balance, contrast, and timeless modernity. Together they form a vibrant composition for contemporary outdoor living. | theurbanative.com


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