I thought we could welcome the New Year with a Serene Dream of a house. It belongs to my friend Nicky, who is like a drink of cool clear water on a hot January day. Isn’t it curious how our homes reflect our personalities (I say this as I furtively scan the half painted pink wall covered in gold washi tape in front of me…in my own house, what does this say about me?) Anyway, back to this home… like I was saying, Nicky is composed, ultra stylish, tranquil and always a pleasure to be around. So step inside and see what I mean about a house reflecting the people who inhabit them.
How did you find your house? The house belonged to my parents in-law and we were fortunate to be able to make it ours when they retired to the Eastern Cape. It’s been special, for Gavin particularly, to raise a family in the same home he grew up in. So there’re all the memories of a couple of generations here which is nice.
What do you love most about your home? I think some of the original features are our favourite things about the house. It’s not a particularly big house, but the high ceilings and doorways give it scale and there’s a lot of light. I also love the original floors which we restored. They’re apparently Canadian beech and beautifully pale in colour.
How has covid changed your (and your family’s) relationship to your home?
I think we have a new appreciation for our home, like a lot of people, and particularly at a time like this. Spending so time much here has helped us find and fix up corners of it that we weren’t really living in or enjoying as much before.
