A cool Cape Coast getaway that’s a balm for the soul
Walking the line between contemporary and casual, this seaside escape delivers on both rest and recreation.
Having outgrown their seaside cottage in a popular holiday town on the Cape Coast, a UK-based family set their sights on a holiday home that would cater for their rapidly growing numbers (including a brood of children and grandchildren). With their roots in South Africa, the owners wanted an interior that celebrated a variety of local talent, but in a way that appeals to their modern sensibilities.
Together with architect Johann Slee of Slee & Co, designers EBONY/CURATED took on the brief for a space that would cater for large family numbers, entertainment opportunities and an interior that promotes calm. “Our brief was to design interior spaces that were comfortable, elegant and easy to live with, but never formal or grand, explains Dewald Prinsloo of EBONY/CURATED.
With a new, clean-lined and understated shell to work with, they set about creating spaces that celebrate the home’s seaside location, while pulling inspiration from its context, such as the muted hues from nearby fynbos and coastal bush. All furniture and accessories were either custom designed by EBONY/CURATED or sourced from local brands such as Vogel, James Mudge and Pierre Cronje with a handful of family heirlooms that the owners wanted to incorporate into the new space.
While the home naturally makes the most of its views outward onto the coast, it also offers its inhabitants privacy (and shelter from inclement weather) by way of an enclosed courtyard which brings natural light into the interior. This bright and breezy space is enveloped by cement floors and crisp white walls with a wonderfully open layout that champions contemporary coastal living and effortlessly manages the influx of family members over the holidays.
Master Bedroom: This is our client’s favourite room in the house. All furniture has been custom designed by us at EBONY/CURATED. We were guided by our client regards the colour palette but also tried to accentuate some of the colours seen in the beautiful views from this corner of the home. The rug, upholstery and fabrics all add texture. The daybed is a new design; bespoke for this room and placed next to it is a side table from Pierre Cronje which came from one of the owner’s other properties. At the foot of the bed is our Impala Bench whilst a contemporary take on a classic Slipper Chair sits at the desk-come-dressing table. We particularly like the sense of calm in this space.
Guest Bedroom: In this bedroom we were guided by the views of the beautiful fynbos right outside the windows for the colour palette. The blue woven bench at the foot of the bed and playful Nguni Coat Hooks are by Vogel Design. The custom headboard and, specifically commissioned bed throw, both complement the fabrics used for the scatter cushions.
Children’s Bedroom 1: In this, the first of a series of children’s bedrooms, we decided to have a bit of fun with bright colours and playful accessories. The teddy bear is from Heartworks. The bedside table and custom headboard are by EBONY/CURATED. The single bed has a pull-out mattress stowed away in the base as additional sleeping space when required.
Children’s Bedroom 2: More colour and playfulness here – but created for an older child. The rug is by Mae Artisan Rugs and the bedside table from our showroom. This bed also has a pull-out mattress. The handmade woven raffia lion mask is by the late Zimbabwean artist Felix Mukuze.
Bookshelves: This is a family of readers: lots of books from previous homes needed to be accommodated. The architects, Slee & Co, designed these beautiful shelves along the corridors on the first floor leading to the bedrooms. With help from a family member we had fun arranging the books by interspersing personal (and newly acquired) objects in between. These break up the formality of a traditional library.
Courtyard: This really is the centre of the home: the courtyard is a wonderful, semi-open space around which the entire home is built. We kept the furnishings here minimal as the space needed to be flexible. It is a great spot to have breakfast, coffee or lunch, especially when the weather doesn’t allow the use of the ocean-facing space at the front of the house. The courtyard also doubles as an additional dining area for large parties. We used trestle-style tables from Pierre Cronje that can be stored when not in use. They of course also look beautiful when set up. We paired these with our own benches featuring lovely detailing in saddle-stitched leather upholstery in navy blue.
Dining Room: Here we used a 6-metre ‘Harvest Table’ by the talented James Mudge – it seats 20! We wanted to use benches on one side and chairs on the other to make the space less formal. Our clients, however, are not fans of benches at very long tables so we set about designing individual benches (or backless stools) that work really well. These benches and chairs are upholstered in leather (for practical reasons) but we used two different shades to further reduce the formality of the space. A vintage post office sorting table provides a great contrast to all the new furniture and works really well as a server. Above this, we hung paintings (freshly reframed) from our clients’ collection and then combined these with ceramic plates by John Newdigate.
Living Room: This is another space where the colour palette takes its cue from the outdoors. All three sofas were created by us using complementary fabrics sourced from Warwick. Although a little more formal in appearance, this room is very comfortable, cosy and inviting. The coffee table is another of our EBONY/CURATED creations entitled ‘Safari Table’ and is crafted from oak. The side table in the foreground is by KZN-based studio Egg Designs. The accessories are a combination of the client’s collection and a few newly sourced ones. Our clients bought the painting in London and works perfectly with the colours in this space.
Stoep: This space is used most frequently by both our clients and their guests. It is adjacent to the courtyard and the more formal living room. It features two large curved sofas by EBONY/CURATED paired with an existing cubist-style sofa (reupholstered with new fabric). A cluster of trunk tables serves as coffee tables. EBONY/CURATED’s Karoo Riempie bench pokes out from behind the blue sofa.
Stoep (Detail): The server and stools are by Vogel Design. The artwork is from the clients’ own collection. Displayed are ceramics by Dale Calder (right) and Christopher Giles (left). The stools add lovely texture but are also practical, pulling out for extra seating.
Study/Home Office: This room is probably the only really ‘formal’ space in the home. We were asked to re-use an existing yellowwood and stinkwood table as a desk and combined this piece with our ‘Parisienne’ Chairs in walnut and leather. Shelves are populated with books, small paintings and photographs from the clients’ own collection as well as a few extra ones to add further interest. Opposite the desk is the seating area which features our ‘Oribi’ Chairs in walnut and leather, a ‘Winter Sofa’ and a further Karoo Riempie Bench. The rug is by Mae Artisan Rugs whilst the wall monochromatic and gold plates are by Theo Kleynhans.
WORDS: Mila Crewe-Brown CAPTIONS: Dewald Prinsloo of EBONY/CURATED PRODUCTION: J-P de la Chaumette ARCHITECTS: Slee & Co INTERIORS: EBONY/CURATED PHOTOGRAPHY: Karl Rogers
