By Jess Binns, Project Consultant Avril Elias, Property Coordinator Catherine de Vincenzo, Photography Chris Allan
The beauty of building your own home is that you don’t have to make do, or live with the previous owner’s choices. To design your own home allows you complete freedom to create a tailor-made house suited entirely to the way you live.
The desire to build a home just for them became a reality for this young family three-and-a-half years ago. Situated in the sought-after Simbithi Coastal Estate, north of Durban, this is a modern home with a coastal twist. Actively involved from the word go, the owners wanted to create a home that looked as if it belonged to the landscape. This resulted in a single-storey structure with gentle sloping roofs, set into the hilly terrain. A strong connection with the outdoors was a factor for the family; swathes of timber in the form of stairs, cladding and decking provide a conduit to the natural surroundings. The large verandah extends the living areas to connect with the garden, and commands the views beyond.
This home lends itself to social gatherings, with numerous options for indoor and outdoor entertaining – not forgetting a putting green, which blends in well with the wild grassland landscape.
The main living area and the bedrooms feature high ceilings with exposed beams finished in white. Pale-grey, timber-look vinyl flooring continues the coastal theme, reminding you that the sea is close by. Sculptural timber touches such as a statement driftwood chandelier bring warmth to the light interior palette. “The minute you walk in, you know you’re home,” the owner says.
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