Ideas

I’m folding away a few tops that I haven’t worn for years. Beautiful and cool as they are, I just can’t bring myself to face the world completely sleeveless anymore. They’re going into the ‘give away’ bag. By the door stand stilettos that I classified as ‘too lovely to throw out’ during the last clear-out, but with time one feels less attached to one’s old things. It’s time to let them go. Now, there are other things for which I must make space. Just like the seasons outside so too are my own seasons changing, and my wardrobe and I must adapt. You can’t cling to summer forever while you’re surrounded by the most beautiful autumn leaves. In the same way the home adjusts to the changing seasons each year.…

A discreet gate provides access to the property off the narrow street (it is only a single car wide, as is the case in many other parts of this historic village). The gate is made of metal, painted dark green – matching the house’s equally traditional shutters – with hinged doors that fold back to allow cars access and a pedestrian entrance set into the wider gate. After the narrow confines of the street and entryway, the view just beyond the gate is a real eye-opener: around the side of the house there is an expansive garden, swimming pool and outdoor living area that sweeps the eye out towards the towering Tramuntana mountains beyond. It’s an instant dose of calm. Across the space immediately in front of the house, rough…

LIKE A CLOUD White makes a space seem larger and more expansive because it reflects light. It’s ideal for any room, especially smaller ones. The International Color Institute’s Pantone Colour of the Year for 2026 is a shade of white with light grey and vanilla undertones, called Cloud Dancer. Locally, Plascon’s Cloud White is a similarly delicate hue: not pure white, but rather a white with a creamy undertone that looks warm and fresh in any space. The solid couch has been covered in a light fabric that works perfectly with the wall colour. Scatter cushions and throws in the same colour family add to the feeling of calm, as do the marble, gypsum and ceramic décor elements. The pale wood flooring warms the space. Not all homes boast doors…

My daughter always says that if there had been a recording of her childhood in our Parys home on the banks of the Vaal River, it would have been a beautiful song. From her bedroom she could hear me crooning to my beloved dog in the kitchen every morning: ‘Quinnie, Quinnie, Quinnie-Quinnie-Binnie.’ In her mind she can still hear the endless call of the turtle doves: ‘Work HAR-der, work HAR-der.’ When I think of that house, I still hear the rustle and scratching of pigeons building their nests under the roof of the stoep. Teenagers and their friends hanging out around the kitchen table, the tinkling of the keys on the piano and the high-pitched whine of the Speed Queen washing machine with her endlessly full tummy. I still miss…

EMBROIDERED WALL ART YOU WILL NEED ♥ linen or cotton fabric ♥ leaves and/or twigs for printing ♥ acrylic or fabric paint ♥ sponge or roller ♥ sheet of paper ♥ embroidery hoop ♥ embroidery yarn and needle TO MAKE 1 Cut a round piece of fabric with an excess of a few centimetres, to fit the size of your embroidery hoop. 2 Arrange the leaves and/or twigs on the fabric and decide on your design. 3 Lift each leaf/twig and apply a thin coat of paint using a sponge or roller. Lay each piece on the fabric, painted side down. Once the design is complete, cover with paper and press down to leave an imprint on the fabric. Remove the plant material. 4 Place the painted fabric into the…

CHAIR COVER DIFFICULTY: intermediate to advanced TIME: 1-2 days YOU WILL NEED ♥ fabric of your choice ♥ matching thread ♥ sewing needle ♥ large sheets of paper and a pencil TO MAKE 1 Using sheets of paper, make a template for each part of the chair (front, back, arms, seat, etc). We simply placed paper against the chair and traced the outline of the area for which we were making the template. 2 Cut out the template pieces and then trace them onto your fabric. When cutting out the fabric, remember to add 2cm for the seam allowance. 3 Sew the various pieces of the cover together by hand. Start with the front and back, then the arm rests and then move down to the seat. Place the cover…