Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2017 i Home

In June, those devastating fires wreaked havoc in Knysna. This happened just as our photographer Francois and creative editor Marian arrived in the Southern Cape to photograph homes and gardens to be featured in our magazine during the course of the year. That day, I was out of the office, attending a workshop with the other editors in our group. At 15:44 I received a WhatsApp from Marian: “Hi, could you please call me. I’m saving my airtime to deal with the crisis. I’m sure you’ve heard about the fires.” As it turned out, I hadn’t because we’d been listening to a speaker from America all day and my phone was in my pocket for a change. I checked Google. I was shocked. Because what I saw was total devastation,…

We use our stoep every single day, come rain or shine. We love relaxing around the fire with friends and braai a few times a week, all year round. – Jayne Who lives here?Andries and Jayne Brink and their son Ben (20 months) WHERE Hunter’s Home, Knysna SIZE 380m2 In 2012, Andries and Jayne Brink decided to spend a weekend away in Knysna to celebrate their one-year anniversary. But this short break was more than just a romantic getaway – they needed time to lick their wounds after having had a highly unsuccessful house-hunting experience in what they call “Cape Town’s cut-throat property market”. “Our hearts were broken several times and we soon realised that we would have to double our budget and lower our expectations with regards to size…

Restore your floors Ethel Sleith of Gauteng writes My house was built in 1906 and, sadly, the Oregon pine floors are in a bad way. I was hoping to restore them without having to bring in big sanding machines and having to endure the upheaval – never mind the cost! Is there a quick and easy way to do the job without a sander? Frikkie Greeff, Woodoc’s managing director, replies Unfortunately, there’s no quick and easy solution; the floors must be sanded properly before they are resealed. The best option is to use an industrial floor sander – there are contractors who do dustless sanding, which makes the process much less messy. But be sure to hire a contractor with a good reputation; ask for referrals and make the effort…

Too much damage Fanny Joubert of Ballito writes Would you be able to give an approximate value of this painting? The frame is quite damaged and there is a small tear in the canvas. Kayleen Wrigley of Stephan Welz & Co. replies This painting most likely dates back to the 1930s. It was during this time that Romanelli painted extensively for the export market, portraying quaint Italian landscapes and portraits. Unfortunately, this work has suffered some damage and would need a considerable amount of restorative treatment. In good condition, however, the work could fetch up to R8 000. CIRCA 1930s VALUE R2 000 A love of landscape Kathy Linden of Benoni writes I’d like to know more about this painting; is it valuable? Kayleen replies This work by Piet van…

Lindy du Toit of Pretoria writes My friend’s poodle has been diagnosed with mitral valve disease and apparently it’s quite serious. I’ve never heard of it before, but I’m concerned for my own two poodles. What should I look out for? Jacqueline Mthembu, product manager at Boehringer Ingelheim, replies Mitral valve disease (MVD) is the most common form of heart disease in dogs and usually occurs in small to medium-sized breeds that weigh less than 20kg, such as Fox Terriers, Poodles, Schnauzers and Chihuahuas. It causes heart valves to thicken, which prevents them from closing fully after each pump of the heart. This causes some of the blood to flow backwards, creating a ‘murmur’ which only a veterinarian can detect with a stethoscope. Rapid breathing, shortness of breath and fainting…

Q. When is the best time to spray my ‘Vrouefederasie Roos’ roses? It’s best to spray in the early morning or late afternoon so that the solution has more time to be absorbed by the leaves before drying up. Try to spray regularly to prevent outbreaks of pests or diseases rather than only when problems become visible. Q: For the past 10 years, I have grown all my roses in pots. Two years ago, we erected security floodlights which bathe the roses in full light from dusk till dawn and now they have much less foliage and fewer blooms. What can I do? Now that the roses “work” non-stop for 24 hours they might need more fertiliser and water. After 10 years, the soil in the pots could also be…

BRAISED PORK NECK WITH APRICOTS AND CORIANDER Serves 6–8 Preparation time: 40 minutes Cooking time: 1½–2 hours • 2kg pork neck, cubed (ask your butcher)• cake flour, seasoned with salt and black pepper• oil• 2 medium-sized onions, coarsely chopped• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped• 1 knob fresh ginger, finely chopped• 1 whole cinnamon stick• a generous pinch of saffron (or 5ml turmeric)• 3 cardamom pods• 10ml ground cumin• 5ml ground coriander• 500ml water• a bunch of fresh coriander leaves• 250g soft Turkish apricots• 50g peeled almonds 1 Roll the pork neck cubes in the seasoned flour until well coated. 2 Heat a little oil in a good quality thick-based pan with a tight-fitting lid and fry the meat in batches in the hot oil; spoon out each batch of fried meat and set aside. Sauté the onions in the same pan until soft and glossy.…

There’s one thing that drives me crazy, and that’s litter. I honestly believe that our country would have far fewer problems if we all could live in spotless surroundings. Someone who has respect for themselves, their environment and their fellow human beings won’t litter. Respect is a good place to start to make the world a better place. Those who know me well, know that I pick up the rubbish that others so carelessly scatter. When I go for a walk every morning, it is always with a plastic bag in hand. As I walk and pick up cans, bottles and plastic bags, I ponder what it would be like to be appointed as the Minister of Litter. Believe me, South Africa would be litter-free within six months. And many…

Our first visit on 7 June was on the day the devastating fires engulfed the Garden Route. Our photographer Francois and I were battling gale-force winds of up to 97km/h and black and red smoky skies while photographing the Brinks’ beautiful home. Initially, we didn’t realise the magnitude of the disaster – later, we learnt that the blaze had eventually raged through 19 800ha, destroying about 1 200 houses and 12 900ha of plantations in the Eden district. Six people lost their lives. By 15:00 that day, we were trapped in Knysna without our luggage, which was at our guesthouse in Sedgefield. At the same time – and all through the night – Andries was dealing with terrified patients at the hospital and an evacuation that had to be repeated when…

In March, we invited renovators to send us pictures of their budget-savvy DIY home makeovers. Now it’s time to announce the winners of our annual Fix it with Flair competition – and you’re invited to join us at our gala event! This year, we return to the tranquil Le Bac Estate close to the Drakenstein Mountains in Paarl. Radio and TV personality Tracey Lange will be your host, while new singing sensation Leah will keep you entertained. On arrival, you will be treated to delicious snacks and a glass of bubbly; later, you can enjoy brunch while watching food and DIY demos. And then the highlight of the day: the announcement of our 2017 Fix it with Flair winners. WHEN Saturday, 11 November WHERE Le Bac Estate, R45, Paarl TIME…

QUICK PROJECT GUIDE Hard labour 1/10 Skill level 1/10 Time needed 3 hours Do it yourself for ±R500: (canvas R160, PVC pipes R95, PVC attachments R150, PVC Weld R38, Velcro R30, fabric paint R25) You will need SHOPPING LIST • 4m PVC pipe (40mm)• 4 x PVC waste junction Ts (40mm)• 4 x PVC waste bends (40mm)• 4 x solvent stop ends (40mm)• 1 x 1.6m canvas (400gm)• PVC Weld (50ml)• 4m Velcro (30mm)• large potato• fabric paint TOOLS • hacksaw• vice grip• L-square ruler• scissors• pencil• knife• iron• sewing machine• pins• ruler Project note To create the pattern, cut a cross in the flesh of half a potato. Dip the potato stamp in the fabric paint and print a step-and-repeat pattern across the canvas. Once the paint has dried completely, iron over the prints to make the paint permanent. GET STARTED 1 Clamp the PVC pipe in the…

A sunny solution Judy Conradie of Sedgefield writes I’m developing my garden and need advice for the area around my fountain. I planted irises and arum lilies but the summer sun is just too harsh for the arums, so I’ll have to move them. I’d like low-growing plants (about 30–40cm) with white blooms in that corner of the garden. I saw Cupheas in bags at the nursery but they didn’t look happy; I doubt they’ll survive in my garden. What do I do? JJ replies Cupheas are a good choice but they don’t like to be in bags, thus their unhappiness. They should revive once planted out; otherwise, consider Lobularia, Euphorbia ‘Diamond Frost’, Convolvulus cneorum or low-growing Shasta daisies. A rose revival Emmarencia Diederiks writes My gardener dug over the soil in my garden and enriched it with compost,…

Marié says: “When I visited the Chelsea Flower Show in London in May this year, I was inspired by BBC Radio 2’s five Feel Good Gardens. These gardens were designed to stimulate the senses and in so doing make visitors feel happier, calmer and more positive about the world. “We asked four of Home’s regular garden designers to interpret each of these themes in a uniquely South African way. They have designed five sensory gardens that suit our climate and local conditions. Choose one and recreate it in your own space!” To accommodate a stream 'll need a , you rectangular design. Trees along the boundary will help to block out urban noise. – Neville 1 A garden of sounds Size: 15 x 6.5m Sun to shade In this design,…

Frangipanis make excellent cut flowers and last well in the vase. Otherwise float a few blooms in a bowl of water to create a tropical atmosphere! With their heavenly fragrance and clusters of attractive flowers at the tips of the branches, it’s difficult to miss frangipanis in summer! This small tree or large shrub has an umbrella shape with thick, succulent-like branches. The most common frangipani flowers are creamy-white with yellow centres but there are also varieties with more yellowish flowers, or pink flowers with yellow centres. Frangipanis do best in hot, humid regions such as KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape coastal areas and the Lowveld. This shrub will also grow in a drier, cooler region as long as it is frost-free. In areas that receive light frost, it should be…

Pesto pasta Under R110 • Serves 4 • Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes • 300g spaghetti• 200g bacon, chopped• 15ml olive oil• 1 small brinjal, cut into blocks• 200g cherry tomatoes, halved• 100g olives, pitted and chopped• 1–2 feta rounds, crumbled• 60ml basil pesto 1 Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta until al dente. While this is cooking, fry the bacon in the oil until it begins to colour. Now add the brinjal and fry until it is cooked. Stir in the tomatoes and fry until they burst and a sauce begins to form. Finally, stir in the olives and feta and switch off the stove plate. 2 Drain the pasta as soon as it’s ready and stir it into the fried vegetables and bacon. Add the pesto,…

ON THE BOX Mad about the House (Season 1 starts 20 November on the Home Channel, 176 on DStv) gives couples a limited budget to renovate three rooms in their home. She must move out while he makes the renovations and design decisions; meanwhile, she gets to create her dream home in a ‘replicate room’. When both creations are revealed, they’re often strikingly similar. Don’t miss it! Cintron Pink Polo 4 November: Val de Vie Estate, Paarl The eighth annual Cintron Pink Polo event in support of breast cancer awareness, treatment and research is set to entertain guests with a world-class polo match, a glamorous fashion show and a luxury car display. Tickets from computicket.co.za cost R100 for the Food Truck Fair and R650 for the Pavilion; proceeds go to…

Who lives here? Abi James WHERE Bo-Kaap, Cape Town SIZE 130m² You can’t help but feel happy when you arrive at Abi James’s home. The striking blue front door framed by an enticing mural of a flowering granadilla brings a smile to all who visit this interior and jewellery designer’s haven in the Bo-Kaap in Cape Town. The entrance offers the first sign that Abi is passionate about all things beautiful. But she firmly believes that beauty must have substance and when you cross the threshold, it’s clear that this space is more than ‘just a pretty face’. Inside is a treasure trove of keepsakes from her travels; her previous homes in the UK, North Africa and South Africa; and from artists she’s met along the way. It’s a sanctuary…

Wow! It was a tough call but here are the top contenders in this year’s Fix it with Flair competition. There was an impressive variety of entries to choose from, including that of Len and Faith du Plessis who made it into the Top 5 as our readers’ choice. All the finalists’ entries have been checked, and rechecked, and the results now depend on the home renovators’ interviews with our panel of judges at the Fix it with Flair gala event in Paarl (see page 46). The heat is on... Here are the finalists, in no particular order: WHO Jacques Müller and Justin Duckitt WHERE Nieu-Bethesda WHAT Entire home COST R60 450 WHO Nuno and Ramona Afonso WHERE Johannesburg WHAT Kitchen COST R60 900 WHO Wynand and Nicola Pretorius WHERE…

You were very happy with your builder and architect – not everyone is that lucky! What advice do you have for renovators when it comes to choosing these professionals? We started with recommendations from friends; this really works since you can go and look at the work they’ve had done. It’s also important to go with your gut. We’d met with potential builders before but their vibe put us off almost immediately; you will know when you are communicating with like-minded individuals. We then met our architect through our builder. Any other advice for home renovators? Anticipate spending at least 50% more than you budgeted for as unforeseen additions and various issues can arise as the building process progresses. Which are your favourite décor stores to browse? We spend hours…

Project notes • Sand your planks beforehand. • Remember to drill pilot holes. QUICK PROJECT GUIDE Hard labour 5/10 Skill level 5/10 Time needed 1–2 hours Do it yourself for less than R500: wood and screws (excluding paint) You will need SHOPPING LIST • 18mm plywood, cut to: two pieces of 800 x 600mm (large table top) two pieces of 475 x 350mm (small table top) • two pieces of cardboard in the above-mentioned dimensions • 44 x 44mm planed pine, cut to: three pieces of 390mm, both ends cut at a 7° angle (large table legs) • 35mm curtain rod, cut to: three pieces of 330mm, both ends cut at a 7° angle (small table legs) • one packet 6mm x 50mm chipboard screws • one packet 6mm x…

Q: Where can I get legs like those on the cabinet featured on page 72 of your August issue? – Tania van der Merwe via Facebook A: DIY Deon says they’re from an old bed frame; check out gelmar.co.za or browse around at second-hand stores. Q: I’d like to install real wooden floors in my house but all I can find is engineered wood. Do you have any suggestions? – Jeanne-Marie Wagener, Stellenbosch A: Try CD Contracting in Somerset West (021 851 1347) or Floormaster in Stellenbosch (021 887 6707, floormasterstellenbosch.co.za). They will also do the installation. Q: What kind of paint or spray paint was used on the mirror on page 24 of your August issue? – Adinie Grové, Upington A: The homeowner says it was an ordinary gold…

Orange you sweet! Zuri takes time out in the orchard. – Naara Collett, Groblersdal Taste test Charlie checks the quality of the new grass sprouts in the garden. – Charleen Buys, Roodepoort Little Miss Sunshine Mika has found the perfect spot. – Mareli Ahlschlager, Cape Town It takes all sorts… You’ll often find Liquorice lying on her back – whether playing or asleep! – Janine Olivier, Harrismith This is how I roll Everyone in town knows when Bongo is on the move. – Elmari Silvestri, Modimolle New on the market Available at veterinary outlets, Hill’s Science Plan No Grain (canine R219/2kg; feline R269/2kg) offers all the goodness with no added grains or gluten. Made with natural ingredients and no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives, Hill’s No Grain provides precisely balanced…

Hansgrohe, as sponsor of the Bora-hansgrohe cycling team, offers Home readers the chance to experience this exciting and inspiring race first-hand! The Tour de France, which takes place in July every year, is the highlight of the international cycling calendar – it’s not just the world’s biggest bike race, it’s also the largest annual sporting event on the planet. The lucky winner of hansgrohe’s Shower Like a Champion competition will jet off to France with a friend or loved one for the experience of a lifetime. HOW TO ENTER • Purchase a hansgrohe shower product at any participating retailer before 31 December 2017; find a stockist near you at hansgrohe.co.za. • For every R1 000 you spend, you get one entry – so the more you spend, the better your…

Tasks for November By Kay Montgomery Birds aplenty! Birding Big Day takes place on 25 November Do your bit for this worthy event by recording all the bird species you see or hear in your garden, local park, school grounds, suburb or, if you feel energetic, within a 50km radius of your home during the 24-hour period. Encourage birds to visit your garden by growing a variety of bird-friendly plants: For nectar-loving birds Aloe, Cape honeysuckle (Tecoma capensis), coral tree (Erythrina spp.), white olive (Halleria lucida), wild dagga (Leonotis leonurus), weeping boer-bean (Schotia brachypetala), erica and protea will all attract sunbirds. For fruit-eating birds Plant big num-num (Carissa macrocarpa), white pear (Apodytes dimidiata), water berry (Syzygium cordatum), wild peach (Kiggelaria africana) and Mickey Mouse bush (Ochna serrulata) to attract birds…

Moroccan fare is cooked with good quality ingredients and even though it’s easy to prepare , it’s packed with loads of flavour. Moroccan butterflied chicken The flavoursome combination of North African spices takes ordinary chicken to the next level. Serves 4–6 Preparation time: 45 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour, 30 minutes Oven temperature: 200°C • 60ml olive oil• 45ml ground coriander• 45ml whole cumin• 10ml cinnamon• 3 cloves garlic, crushed• 1 large whole chicken• 2 x 400g tins chickpeas• 250ml chicken stock• salt and freshly ground black pepper• 125g fresh cherry tomatoes 1 Preheat the oven. Mix the olive oil, coriander, cumin, cinnamon and garlic. Using a pair of kitchen scissors, cut out the backbone of the chicken (you don’t need it; freeze and use later for chicken stock). 2 Turn the chicken over and flatten with the palm of…

Chocolate nougat This recipe was adapted from The Little Book of Chocolat by Joanne Harris and Fran Warde. It will transport you to France and the set of the movie Chocolat – that’s reason enough to indulge in this deliciousness along with a steaming mug of real hot chocolate or a glass of sweet wine. Makes 1 loaf of nougat Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes • 1–2 sheets of rice paper• 420g (500ml) castor sugar• 175g (125ml) liquid glucose• 150ml boiling water• 2 extra-large egg whites• 30ml cocoa• 200g roasted nuts, chopped• 150g dried fruit (we used cranberries, candied citrus peel and glacé cherries)  1 Spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and line it with the rice paper.  2 Heat the sugar, glucose and boiling water in a small pot over low heat…

1 Meringue sandwiches • 2 large egg whites, at room temperature• pinch of cream of tartar• 75ml Huletts White Sugar• 30ml rosewater• pink food colouring• 80g dark chocolate 1 Beat the egg whites until foamy, then add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. 2 Add the sugar, a teaspoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Once all the sugar has been added, add the rosewater and food colouring and beat for a few more minutes until the sugar has dissolved. 3 Spoon the meringue mixture into a piping bag with an open star nozzle and pipe small rosettes onto a lined baking tray. Bake in a preheated oven at 100°C for approximately 45 minutes or until the meringues are dry and lift off the baking paper. 4 Melt the chocolate…

UP YOUR GAME Ceramic artist and keen home cook Louise Gelderblom’s collection of recipes in The Book Club Cookbook: Eat Your Words (R320, Quivertree) is all you’ll ever need to make entertaining easy – and delicious. From simple soups or a laid-back meal with antipasti to a three-course feast, the emphasis is on dishes that can be prepared, and often completed, before your guests arrive so you can join in on the fun! Out of the blue Moroccan snack bowl (13cm) R49, home.co.za It’s gin o’ clock! Gin lovers, rejoice! The Gin Box is SA’s first craft gin club, offering members access to small batch craft gin paired with unique tonics and gourmet food items. For details, go to theginbox.co.za . 1 Tripple Three African Botanicals Gin (R343, bottleshop.co.za)…