Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2017 i Home

A few weeks ago, my godchild came to visit. She is 10 years old. On the dining room table lay a tasselled woollen blanket, still folded up in its plastic packet. She enquired: “What exactly is this?” “A blanket,” I explained. “But it’s not an ordinary blanket, it’s a throw.” I could tell by the confused look on her face that this 10-year-old had no idea what I was on about. I ventured: “It’s a décor item; you know, you throw it over your bed or you can sit under it if you like – but it’s not a blanket per se.” Understanding dawned and she summed up the entire conversation in one sentence: “Oh. It’s for show, to make things pretty” she declared. In my house, “making things pretty”…

Please tell Suzelle not to get rid of her beautiful leather sofa (featured on page 20 in your March 2017 issue). Instead, just screw on new stainless steel or wooden legs. It will make a huge difference and reduce the bulkiness of the sofa. As pensioners, we did this to gain height as I had difficulty getting up from my chair. It’s easier to clean underneath and looks like a whole new suite. – Nelly Billington, Benoni Some 60 years ago, my dad planted a tree dahlia in our garden in Brixton. Years later, he gave me a cutting for my new home; I’ve since shared cuttings with many friends and family members. Each year when my trees flower, I feel as though my father is visiting my garden. (If…

For a change... This metal pegboard, used as a nifty storage unit above a changing table, is an idea Home’s pregnant food editor, Johané Neilson, saw on 100layercakelet.com. “I loved the idea and immediately started shopping for the components I needed to get the look.” Her husband Allister found the sturdy metal board at Shelco Shelving along with various hooks that can be moved around to accommodate the homemade mobile and other bits and bobs. The colourful plastic baskets and light-up letters are attached with cable ties, ready for when baby Zac arrives. In the picture above, Zac’s two-month-old cousin Dirk tested the rubber changing mat for size. Wall clock from MRP Home; plastic baskets from Mambo’s Plastics Warehouse Nailed it! Brandon de Kock set up this pretty pink pegboard…

Tucked away in a secluded spot on the Helshoogte Pass just outside Stellenbosch is Katie Farringer and Jan Schliemann's home – a sprawling, tranquil haven the couple bought together 15 years ago. Who lives here? Katie Farringer and Jan Schliemann with their kids Alexander (15), Sebastian (14), Josephine (8) and Jackson (7) WHERE Stellenbosch It might not be far from the city, but here on the slopes of the Stellenbosch mountains the family can truly relax and enjoy those cherished moments of respite. Katie, originally from the US, is a seasoned traveller, having experienced many of the world’s major cities with her parents before she and her family settled in South Africa when she was a teenager. Her love of exotic places and their vivid colours and textures is evident…

[MARTINA AND IAN’S TOP TIPS] • Make a list of what needs to be done and then decide what you can do yourself and what should be done by a professional. If you tackle projects you’re ill-equipped to manage, you may risk paying double – once for your own attempt and a second time for the person who has to repair any damage. • Always test your products: if, for example, you’re going to mix a screed for cement floors, first test a small patch somewhere and let it cure properly. • If you make a mistake, don’t try to cover it up with more mistakes; rather start again. • Get professionals to do the electrical and plumbing work! We’re lucky because Ian’s dad is an electrician and Ian can…

QUICK PROJECT GUIDE Hard labour 3/10 Skill level 4/10 Time needed 1 to 2 hours Do it yourself for less than R500 (wood and screws R450) Project notes • Ask your timber merchant to cut the wood to size – it will make your task so much easier. • Sand your timber beforehand. You will need SHOPPING LIST • one sheet of 18mm plywood, cut to: one 820 x 660mm (backing board) one 600 x 200mm (shelf) one 360 x 200mm (shelf) • one 19mm wooden dowel • four 10mm Rawl bolts • 120-grit sandpaper TOOLS • cordless drill, 8mm wood drill bit and 19mm spade bit • 54mm hole saw • pencil • tape measure • ruler • 10mm spanner • electric drill and 10mm masonry bit Get started...…

What’s cookin’? Michelle Janse van Rensburg of Vaaloewer writes Our stove, marked with the date 1938, is in good condition; how much is it worth? Inge Beck of Ashbey’s Galleries replies This is a vintage electric stove originating from Detroit, Michigan. Detroit was once the ‘Stove Capital of the World’ and the Michigan Stove Company exhibited the first electric stove at the Chicago Exposition in 1893. CIRCA 20th century VALUE R2 000 – R4 000 Hot stuff Judi Muller of Alberton writes I received this fire ewtinguisher some 40 years ago; is it valuable? Inge Beck replies This is a Boyd copper and brass vintage fire extinguisher, highly sought-after by firefighters and collectors. However, there are safety concerns when it comes to vintage fire extinguishers, as they can contain one…

Osteoarthritis in pets John Myburgh of Johannesburg writes I have an older Labrador cross; he loves going for walks and chasing hadedas but lately he has started lagging behind and it looks as if his right hind leg may be causing him pain. What could the problem be? Dr Guy Fyvie, veterinary advisor at Hill’s Pet Nutrition South Africa, replies These are classic signs of osteoarthritis, the most common cause of chronic pain in dogs. Osteoarthritis is damage and inflammation of the joint and surrounding tissue, which causes pain, possible swelling and reduced mobility. Joints naturally ‘wear out’ with age; the situation is made worse by excess weight or even hip or elbow dysplasia, which can go undetected for years. Other signs include difficulty in rising from rest (especially when…

Echeverias are perfect for a rockery, in pots on a patio or as a mass planting in your garden. Even if you’re not a fan of succulents, echeverias are sure to steal your heart! With their pretty rosettes of blue-grey leaves, echeverias make a wonderful addition to any garden. They originate from Mexico and Central America, both of which experience harsh climatic conditions similar to certain parts of South Africa. Echeverias are easy to grow, drought-tolerant, make a great statement when planted in large groups, work well as waterwise groundcovers and are perfect for pots. Apart from their striking foliage, they also bear small flowers on slender stems carried above the foliage. Plant echeverias in well-drained soil in full sun or semi-shade. When the soil dries out, water them well…

Lantana (Lantana camara) is an untidy, spreading shrub which can grow 2m or higher. Also known as tickberry or cherry pie, lantana is grown as an ornamental plant and for hedging. All seed-producing species or seed-producing hybrids that are non-indigenous to South Africa are classified as invasive. Lantana bears multicoloured pink, red, crimson, orange, yellow or white blooms in compact flower heads from September to April and spreads by means of seed dispersal. The leaves are dark green and hairy above and paler below and can cause skin irritation. Lantana bears glossy green fruits which turn purplish-black. The plant is a problem in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and North West. Invasive status Category 1b invasive plant, which means that it must be removed from your property…

Celebrate South Africa! Homegrown (R330; Jacana Media) by Ultimate Braai Master host and chef Bertus Basson features recipes from his personal and national heritage. Alongside classics like snoek with apricot glaze and tomato frikkadels, other delectable recipes such as charred octopus with gnocchi and nasturtium paste show off his unique take on fine dining. Enjoy a lavish lunch Bosjes Kombuis, a new country kitchen restaurant on Bosjes Farm between Worcester and Ceres, offers a simple, modern menu featuring produce-driven fare (we love the trout fishcakes) by chefs Pete Goffe-Wood and Kim Cox. The exterior wall boasts a Tree of Life mural designed by artists Lucie de Moyencourt and Michael Chandler depicting the fauna and flora of the farm and its surroundings. Open for lunch from Wednesday to Sunday; booking is…

If you have a passion for renovation or you’re looking for an opportunity to flex your DIY muscles, our 2017 Fix it with Flair competition is the perfect platform! Simply send us pics of your project and you could take home your share of R73 000 worth of fantastic vouchers. For the 9th year running, our annual Fix it with Flair competition is set to showcase South Africa’s most innovative homemakers – those who aren’t afraid of getting their hands dirty and love to save a bit of cash in the process! And remember: you can enter anything from a complete home makeover to a single-room project. HOW TO ENTER Visit fixit.tuis.co.za and enter online; the new and improved microsite makes it even easier to share your project with us.…

ON THE BOX Architect George Clarke returns for a brand new series of Restoration Man (Season 4 starts June 5 on the Home Channel, 176 on DStv). He travels the length and breadth of the UK, helping people from all walks of life to transform Britain’s neglected historic buildings into stunning and unique homes. Don’t miss it! Port Elizabeth Homemakers Expo 2017 22–25 June: The Boardwalk Exhibition Centre You’ll find all the inspiration you could possibly need to show your home some love. Also sample a wide selection of meals, local wines and craft beer at the food market! Tickets cost R40 for adults, R20 for pensioners, and under-12s enter free; visit homemakersonline.co.za. Good Food & Wine Show 2–4 June: CTICC, Cape Town All the latest trends will be dished…

[WOOD] Nothing beats a wood fireplace when it comes to cosiness and atmosphere. However, not all wood fireplaces are made equal. CLOSED-COMBUSTION FIREPLACES or slow-burning stoves with a glass door in the front are much more energy efficient and they also burn for longer before you have to add more wood. They can even keep your home warm throughout the night. However, a good-quality stove can be rather pricey! COST R4 990 upwards OPEN-FLAME FIREPLACES are affordable and they create a lovely atmosphere. However, they’re not very effective since between 60–80% of the fire’s heat is lost through the chimney. It also uses much more wood – in fact, only 5% of the wood’s energy is converted into heat for the home! And if the smell of old fires…

QUICK PROJECT GUIDE Hard labour 1/10 Skill level 2/10 Time needed 3 hours Do it yourself for ±R240 (1m fabric R100; fluff R60; string R10; toggle R3; 2 large black buttons R7; embroidery thread R20; felt square R40) You will need SHOPPING LIST • 1m fabric of your choice (ours is 1.5m wide) • thread • 2 metal eyelets • 1m fluff • 2 different coloured felt squares for the patch on the eye and nose • 2 large black buttons for the eyes • black embroidery thread • 2m nylon string • toggle TOOLS • pencil • L-square ruler • sewing machine • overlocker • scissors • measuring tape • pins • eyelet tool • hammer • needle • embroidery needle • safety pin Get started... 1 Fold the…

Flaming flower Ronel Coetzee of Vaalpark, Sasolburg writes I received this vibrant flowering plant as a gift; can you tell me what it’s called? JJ replies This is the indigenous bulbous plant Scadoxus puniceus, also known as the fireball or paintbrush lily. Spots of bother Rachel Simpson of Kokstad writes I’m struggling to kill off a swarm of brightly coloured grasshoppers and locusts in sections of our garden. They eat everything they can get hold of and are slowly destroying the garden I’ve been coawing out of a farm wilderness. Please help! JJ replies Grasshoppers and locusts can be quite pesky! I suggest that you try Karbaspray by Efekto. You can dilute the Karbaspray in water as directed on the bottle and spray onto the affected plants; this should have…

Inspired by the vivid colours, fragrant aromas and exotic flavours of spices, Le Creuset’s new cookware collection, Colours of Spice, will reinvigorate your kitchen. From Petite Bowls to Indian Condiment Jars, this enticing range will add the finishing touch to any recipe. EACH HAMPER, WORTH R5 175, CONSISTS OF: • 1 x Le Creuset 26cm Signature Round Casserole • 1 x Le Creuset Classic Pepper Mill (20.5cm) • 1 x Le Creuset Classic Salt Mill (20.5cm) • 1 x Le Creuset Indian Condiment Jar • 3 x Le Creuset Petite Bowls For more information, call 0861 177 3321 or visit lecreuset.co.za. Top quality cookware For almost a century, Le Creuset has been recognised the world over for cooking excellence and an attractive rainbow palette of colours. The various ranges of…

Our experts Neville Orsmond of Create a Landscape in Pretoria, well known to Home readers, has 12 years’ experience in garden design. Petro Jacobs of Petro Landscaping in Cape Town was a teacher before she started doing garden design. Sarah Stevens is a horticulturist and landscape designer from Port Elizabeth. Sharon Walker of Sharon Walker Designs in Bloemfontein is head of the Sharon Walker School of Gardening and co-author of Making Sense of Garden Design. SLATE Slate is a wonderful surface for garden paths, says Petro. It’s a natural product and is available in different shapes, sizes and colours. Remember, however, that it’s thinner than pavers, so it can easily crack or break if the ground is not levelled properly beforehand. GRAVEL Gravel is ideal in…

Q: I live in Cape Town and my ‘Clocolan’ rose has a heavy infestation of what I believe is spider mite. I was considering pruning it to strip off the diseased leaves. Is it too early? To correctly identify the problem, rather take samples to our Wynberg branch at Chart Farm, Klaasen Road for identification and remedial action. If it is caused by red spider or, more likely, by thrips, pruning now would result in new leaves but if the pest is not eradicated, the new leaves will be immediately infected again. Do not prune back but spray with Milbeknock for red spider, or Plant Care for thrips. Repeat the Milbeknock in a week’s time to eradicate newly-hatched mites. For thrips, spray when new growth emerges to protect it. Q:…

This easy batter forms the basis of our three syrupy treats. BASIC BATTER • 175ml buttermilk• 30ml oil• 2 extra-large eggs, separated• 100g (180ml) self-raising flour• 30ml Huletts Castor Sugar• pinch of salt Whisk together the buttermilk, oil and egg yolks. Sift the flour. Whisk the egg whites and sugar together until the mixture forms stiff peaks. Fold the flour and egg white mixture into the batter and allow to rest for 20 minutes. 1 Flapjacks with maple bacon •  8 rashers streaky bacon• 30ml Huletts Maple Flavoured Syrup, plus extra for serving• 15ml olive oil• 1 quantity basic batter• oven-roasted cherry tomatoes• fresh basil or oregano 1 Fry the bacon in a non-stick pan until almost crispy without adding any extra oil. Drizzle the syrup over and fry until caramelised – be careful not to burn it. Set aside. 2…

Recently, an article penned by Tom Goodwin, a young man working in the highly competitive advertising and marketing industry, caught my eye. With much enjoyment, I read his article entitled: “Why I miss old people in the workplace.” Goodwin wrote about today’s professional world, which obsessively appoints young people to jobs. Youngsters have boundless energy, brilliant ideas and technological skills, all that is essential for success in the business world. In the meantime, the older “dead wood” is trimmed from the workplace. After all, what could an old lady or man in their fifties possibly know about the contemporary world, the fast-paced development of technology, social media and the internet? This is completely the wrong approach, says this (wonderful) young man. Even though the youth have incredible vision, an abundance…

HOT PRODUCTS If geometrics do it for you, these metal pendants from K. Light are right up your street. The eye-catching fittings (R1 670 each) are available in black and white, both with a striking gold inner shade. Take a look at klight.co.za – then buy them from lighting retailers nationwide. It’s no wonder blue hues are all the rage – they’re tranquil, beautiful and so versatile. We love this affordable MRP Home range by Cape Town designer Gaby Beyers; named The Sea Inside, it includes art pieces, a duvet cover and scatters. Go to mrphome.com . Must have! If you’re crazy about pastels, you’ll be smitten with the latest Candy Love collection from Urchin Art with its range of mugs, jugs, trays, plates and vases in pink, grey…

“We love everything about our home and if we go away for any length of time, we long to come back.” Who lives here? Gert and Martie Koegelenberg and their kids, Annieke (20) and Gerrit (12) WHERE Caledon SIZE 550m2 Martie Koegelenberg sings the praises of her family’s charming home in the Overberg, but the house today is a far cry from the smallholding they saw for the first time in 2007. The property had been sorely neglected and the asking price was way more than they could afford – they didn’t even venture through the gate. Back then, the Koegelenbergs lived in Hout Bay. “We'd promised our daughter Annieke that she could get a horse when she was 12 years old and we were running out of time,” says…

Who lives here? Martina Klopper, Ian Goodes and their son, Kaspar (9) WHERE Boston, Cape Town SIZE 285m² She studied architecture for a while and has always been interested in design; he’s always been handy and comes from a long line of carpenters. So it’s no surprise that Martina, a full-time data scientist, and Ian, a part-time photographer, are now living their dream as home renovators. Their most recent project saw them update the interior of this Boston abode, built in 1967, while maintaining its nostalgic elements. They managed a remarkable transformation within their limited budget as they did a lot of the work themselves and already had much of the décor on hand; they’ve always been keen on mid-century furniture and have, over the years, collected many market, auction…

QUICK PROJECT GUIDE Hard labour 1/10 Skill level 2/10 Time needed 3 hours You will need SHOPPING LIST • Paint in the colour of your choice; we used black and white TOOLS • painter’s tape • paintbrushes (medium and small) • chalk • ladder Get started... 1 Cover the designated wall with two coats of black paint. Once the paint has dried completely, mask the tree trunks out using blue painter’s masking tape. Remember that trees don’t grow perfectly straight, so your lines should be a bit organic. 2 Paint the tree trunks with 2–3 coats of white then let it dry and remove the painter’s tape. 3 Use the chalk to draw your branches. When you’re happy with their position, paint them with a small brush and wipe off…

Behind bars Heidri van Eeden of Welgemoed writes We’re considering those see-through burglar bars that have become so popular in the past few years. I like the look and that the house won’t feel like a jail. But then I read a newspaper article claiming that these bars are “a silent killer” as intruders can cut through them using something as readily available as a crème brûlée torch. Is this true? Against the elements Hanli Duraan of Herolds Bay writes I have a Rhodesian teak table that we use outside; most of the varnish has come off and I’m considering treating it with roof paint. Is that wise? Donovan Bezuidenhout of Plascon replies Rhodesian teak is extremely dense – it’s almost non-porous – so penetration of any product will be…

Warm as toast Ellie the knitted elephant keeps kitty cosy. – Carla Hauman, Bloemfontein Cold as ice Misha the Beagle and Levi the Schnauzer love a good frolic after a hailstorm. – Danita Els, Bloemfontein Leave me be Scottish Terrier Charlie has found his place in the sun. – Marguerite van der Merwe, Faerie Glen New on the market With the Catit Design Senses Grass Garden Kit (R460, shingavet.co.za) you can grow nutritious grass indoors – a great idea if you live in an apartment. Grass is a natural source of fibre known to aid a cat’s digestion and help prevent hairball buildups. It’s a safe and green way to great health for every cat! Early bird… Kat-toen ‘catches’ the winter sun in a bonsai pot on the stoep. –…

Tasks for June 1 Plants for cold gardens If you live in a very cold region of the country, don’t despair, there are plants that will thrive in your garden: • The indigenous dogwood (Rhamnus prinoides) is frost-hardy, with shiny evergreen leaves and small red berries. • Frost-hardy Hellebore orientalis hybrids begin to flower in early winter. These long-lived evergreen perennials have fan-shaped leaves and slightly pendant green, pink, wine or white flowers, many with delicate spotting. Hellebores need rich, but well-drained soil and dappled shade in summer. • Add annual colour to cold winter gardens with alyssum, dianthus, Iceland poppy, vygies, ornamental kale, pansy, Primula malacoides, stocks, snapdragon and viola for edging paths, and in pots, hanging baskets, window boxes and rockeries. • Conifers make excellent windbreaks in cold…

In Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu's words: “I like T-bone steaks because they are the same shape as Africa.” For this reason, thanks to its shape, you could argue that the T-bone is more South African than any other cut of steak. – Jan Braai, The Democratic Republic of Braai Oven-roasted T-bone with wine sauce Make the rich sauce while the steak is in the oven. If you’d prefer, this generous cut of meat can be slow-cooked over the coals. Serves 4 Preparation time: 35 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes Oven temperature: 140°C •  10ml whole coriander, crushed• 15ml mustard powder• 5ml each cumin and cayenne pepper• a sprig of rosemary• about 20ml sea salt flakes• 1 T-bone steak (1.5kg) RED WINE SAUCE • 150g beef bones (make sure there is at least one…