By Anna-Marie Smith, Project Consultant Avril Elias, Photography Vaughan Adams
This relocation from a traditional farmhouse to an ultra-modern, eco-estate home took some getting used to, say the owners.
Their decision to replace a countrified lifestyle with contemporary private estate living to best suit the entire family’s needs was made easier by taking an open-minded approach when it came to design choices.
Fortunately the setting of Simbithi Eco Estate between Ballito and Salt Rock, along the Dolphin Coast, provided a natural point of departure from their family home in the country. Their wish to live in a functional rather than extravagant home materialised as the result of practical solutions offered by their architect and interior designer. This elegant structure reflects their architectural brief for a coastal home where living spaces are filled with natural light, and where clean lines would allow generous applications of natural wood to create a warm interior ambience.
The owners say their architect, Mark Leslie-Smith of Mark Leslie-Smith Architect, offered the ideal solution of a single-storey house as opposed to their initial choice of a double-storey structure. Mark says it is interesting that this project started with a rather conservative and traditional brief, and then eventually evolved into a cutting-edge, contemporary-styled home. “This shows the importance of getting to know the client properly so as to be able to discover and unpack possible new avenues of design.” He says one can then professionally guide the design processes fully to the level one should as an architect, thereby extracting the best possible solution to the design brief.
The design has allowed for a relaxed interior with optimum flow in the central living areas, also where outdoor views can be enjoyed through generous volumes of unobtrusive glazing. The focus on outdoor living is enhanced through an easy flow onto timber decking and patios from various living and entertainment areas.
Central to the warm timber ambience in the interior are the master-crafted oak hardwood floors and wall by Oggie Flooring featured in the living areas. Contemporary ranges of furniture in natural finishes further enhance an uninterrupted interior flow towards the green outdoors and luxuriously-sized entertainment and swimming pool areas.
A focus on matters green and all things natural is also reflected in the magnificent vertical garden planted by GroSpace that awaits visitors and residents upon arrival and departure.
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