Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2020 i Home

This past winter felt like the longest and wettest (here in the Cape) in years. Perhaps it was because we worked at home during all those freezing cold months, without the benefit of a temperature-controlled office. To me, it felt as if the cold took hold right under my toenails and behind my eyeballs. The fireplace was lit at dawn, even before the first pot of coffee was simmering on the stove. Because if that fire wasn’t on the go all day, by late afternoon I could hardly type, my fingers were so stiff. A few years ago, I visited my new in-laws in Bloemfontein in the dead of winter. Ifear I may not have made the best impression because I was either in a heap in front of the…

Rays of sunshine Irma Herbst of Onrus decided to have a beautiful window she was gifted built into her boundary wall as a striking feature. Framed by lush ivy, the semicircle window allows the sun’s rays to shine through and brighten up what could potentially have been a dark corner. Tree wall sculptures beneath the window complete the picture; the ivy around them is pruned regularly so as not to crowd them out. Because the window is positioned high on the wall and has opaque glass, Irma and her neighbours’ privacy isn’t compromised. Tree sculptures from Garden Bleu The lady in the mirror Irma used an old second-hand steel door as a front gate; instead of transparent glass in the top half, it had a mirror – the back of…

WHO LIVES HERE? Harold and Ané Spies with their kids Annebelle (11), Martyn (10) and Melissa (8) WHERE Karindal, Stellenbosch SIZE 520m² Large windows that let in plenty of light, open-plan spaces conducive to socialising, and enough wall space to display their art collections – these were top of Harold and Ané Spies’s wish list when they bought a tiny house in a leafy Stellenbosch suburb seven years ago. The couple enlisted the help of Hein Visser of VKdB Architects to help design their dream home, on condition that the existing building form part of the structure. Harold, a real estate developer, then worked with the building contractor to make their dream a reality. “Since Harold works in the construction industry, he was able to get hold of most of…

PROJECT NOTES • The floor area of the bathroom is 5m²; adjust the materials and costs to suit the size of your own project. • In preparation, the tiles on the side of the bath were removed, and this surface as well as the floor was screeded with cement. The wall tiles were retained and painted. • To beautify the space, a neat border was painted on the floor and a stencil technique was done on the side of the bath and on the floor. QUICK PROJECT GUIDE Hard labour 6/10 Skill level 6/10 Time needed ± 6hours Do it yourself for ± R855: paint R425, stencil R60, masking tape R100, sealant R270 [ MASKING TAPE TIPS ] • Start plotting your floor design with the masking tape from the…

New life for dull floors Linda Kinnear of Johannesburg writes We installed a new vinyl floor with a herringbone pattern in our living room about a year ago. Now the floor looks dull and lifeless. Is there a specific product on the market that I should use to treat it? Eva Kaiser, founder of Evalution Flooring, replies Vinyl floors are durable and versatile, easy-to-clean, waterproof and scratch-resistant, making them ideal for families with pets or small children, damp environments in the home such as bathrooms or areas that contend with heavy foot traffic. There are various reasons why your vinyl flooring might be looking dull; however, it’s likely that the product you’re using to clean them is leaving either a soapy or waxy residue. One of the best ways to…

WHO LIVES HERE? Cobus and Maritza Kriek with their three sons Micha (17), Joël (14) and Benyamin (9) WHERE Potchefstroom SIZE OF KITCHEN 22m2 “We knew we were going to redo the kitchen one day,” says Cobus Kriek, a chemistry professor at North-West University. “But there were other more urgent matters that needed to be addressed first – such as creating an entertainment area on the veranda and enlarging the main bedroom. “But soon, the kitchen started to bother us more and more. We use it a lot as we try to live as healthily as possible – we make a lot of green juices and fruit smoothies and also grind GMO-free maize for porridge.” In the meantime, the Krieks’ lives took a detour in Denmark. “From August 2012 to…

Lindy Brown of Pretoria writes My Jack Russell puppy is six months old and very busy! He is alone during the day when we’re at work and he can be very destructive; he likes to chew on the sprinkler system and plants. Do you have any tips on how we can keep him ‘entertained’ while we’re out? Gordon Banks, head behaviourist at DogtownSA in association with Montego Pet Nutrition, replies This is a common problem for owners who don’t work at home or who lead busy lives. Some pooches urinate or defecate where they shouldn’t, others bark and howl, and lots of lonely dogs will quickly dig up a garden! It’s normal for dogs to act out in these ways when their humans leave for the day, but destructive behaviours…

Pick a pepper Sweet bell peppers are wonderfully versatile: they are sweet and crunchy in salads or stir-fries, and pop with flavour when roasted for adding to pizza, pasta, and pesto. They are healthy too, being rich in vitamin C. SWEET SUCCESS Sweet peppers need plenty of sun and well-drained soil. Pinch the growing tips when they are 15cm tall, as bushy plants produce more fruit. In the heat of summer, water daily; mulching will keep the soil cooler. Fertilise when they start to flower and again after two months. Allow fruit to turn yellow or red for the sweetest flavour. BEST FOR POTS Compact mini-bell varieties such as ‘Sweet Snack’ in orange, red or yellow, and ‘Snackabelle’ with red, sweetly flavoured fruit are great for growing in containers. These…

Keep roses blooming Rosemary North of Durbanville writes My ‘Sue Gush’ roses bloom beautifully in October but after that they don’t seem to grow or flower as prolifically. Is that normal? Ludwig replies The October rose flush is always spectacular, but there is no reason why your roses shouldn’t flower well for the rest of summer. To do that, each bush needs at least 10L of water per week that goes down to the roots. Make sure the soil around the roses is not compacted, as this prevents water from penetrating. Fertilise with Vigorosa once a month. Roses use up nutrients to flower and these need to be regularly replenished. Cut off faded blooms as this encourages the plant to produce new flowers. Watch out for aphids or rose beetles…

What could be better than being out in nature at this time of year, amidst the sweet scents of all the new flowers and blossoms? Create the same feel in your own garden by planting scented flowers – near a bedroom window, alongside your entertainment area, next to the veranda or along a pathway. And if you only have a small stoep or balcony, plant fragrant annuals such as sweet peas, sweet alyssum, stocks or a shrub such as a gardenia in a pot. These fragrant plants are worth considering: Large shrub Mock orange (Philadelphus coronarius) If you love the scent of orange blossoms, plant a mock orange. This large shrub bears single white flowers on long, arching stems that echo the sweet scent of orange blossoms. It blooms at…

Makes 1 xw0cm cake CRÊPE BATTER • 4 eggs • 500ml flour • 1w5ml oil • 30ml brandy • 600ml full-cream milk • 1 tablespoon sugar (optional) • a pinch of salt CRÈME PÂTISSIÈRE • 750ml full-cream milk • 1 cinnamon stick • 4 egg yolks • 1w5ml brown sugar • w5ml cornflour • a few drops of vanilla essence • a pinch of salt [ UNMISTAKABLE FLAVOUR ] There are many variations when it comes to a classic crêpe batter but I usually stick to my mom’s recipe, which includes a tablespoon of brandy. When I asked her why, she simply said my grandmother Jonni used to make it that way! Although I have occasionally been forced to replace the prescribed dash of brandy with whiskey (once even sherry),…

FANCY A CUPPA? Make a statement with a 1L Maxwell Williams Kasbah Teapot with Infuser (R699, home.co.za). Out of an African Kitchen: Recipes and Stories by hotelier and guest lodge owner Nicky Fitzgerald (R290, penguinrandomhouse.co.za) is a quirky anthology of recipes, reminiscences, anecdotes and stories from Angama Mara’s bush kitchen set high upon the edge of the Great Rift Valley, overlooking Kenya’s lovely Maasai Mara Game Reserve. If lockdown has ignited your wanderlust, this is for you! A healthy choice The new Philips Premium Airfryer XXL (R7 199, yuppiechef.com) boasts rose-gold accents and a 1.4kg capacity. Its Smart Sensor automatically adjusts the time and temperature for perfect results and thanks to Rapid Airflow technology, your food will cook 1.5 times faster than in a conventional oven – and you don’t…

In a Cape Town parking lot I struggle to worm my car in between two others parked quite rudely across their lines. A man with a Bible under the arm gives directions. When I step out of the car, heannounces that he will safeguard it. “Me and my watchdog,” he says, one hand solemnly on the Bible and the other pointing to a dog. The dog looks on soberly. His name is Pacman because apparently he devours everything that crosses his path. Especially the Bible and specifically Leviticus. The man opens his Bible and shows me. A whole chunk of it is missing. “I’m on my third Bible!” Walking away, Ikeep thinking about Pacman, the Leviticus devotee. It’s the third book of the Bible, the one about justice and the…

WINNING LETTER A house and a home Monica Dawson of Port Elizabeth writes Another year has passed and with sadness and an ache-in-a-deep-place-thatstill-wishes-to-be-fabulous I realise that entries for the Fix it with Flair competition have closed. My humble dream ‘shattered’, I have to admit that having handed a 160-year-old renovated clay cottage over to my family, it is in vain that I reach for national ‘fame’. With two small, slightly feral farm children and a mud-clomping Nguni-farming husband, window blinds are now broken, having served as safety places to grab after Superman attempts to fly from high places. Outside couches, once warm and inviting, have suffered a vicious, untimely ‘death’ at the teething fangs of a Bull Terrier puppy. Perfectly clean and painted walls bear the marks of paint, crayon,…

#1 Just beachy When Jacoline van Zyl and Alexander Penman were itching to do a renovation project, Jacoline’s mom and dad’s beach house in Struisbaai presented the ideal opportunity. “My parents, Japie and Mayne van Zyl, have owned the house for 10 years and it had become slightly run-down. Alexander and I literally lived in the dust for eight months during the renovation,” says Jacoline. The main bedroom’s en suite was part of this project. Where there were once four small, dark rooms crammed next to each other, Jacoline and Alexander have created a spacious open-plan bedroom and bathroom. “We wanted to give the room a luxurious feel with lots of natural light – but it had to retain the holiday vibe,” says Jacoline. EXPERT ADVICE Henk Louwrens, owner of…

Elize Potgieter was determined to sell or give away all their accumulated clutter when she and hubby Greg moved to Wellington three years ago. “I was always the queen of my garage but every time we moved, I lost a little of my resolve. I could no longer see the floor or work surfaces in my ‘studio’!” she says. As a hobby, Elize and her mom make quilts, rugs, baskets and other decorative items for special events, and Elize was keen to create a more functional space that would stimulate creativity. “When I was a child, we moved a lot; maybe that’s why I become so attached to sentimental things. But my messy house does not reflect who I am. I strive for a minimalist look where everything has its…

Q: Where did the Parkhursts buy their gorgeous Persian rug, as featured on the cover of your August 2020 issue? – Martie du Toit via Facebook A: The rug was a hand-me-down gift from a friend, who also bought it second-hand. The homeowner found many other treasures at Odds & Ends (facebook.com/ oddsandendsantiquefurniture), or you can try Rugs Original (rugsoriginal.co.za) for a similar design. Q: What type of floor covering was used in the dining room on page 40 of your October 2018 issue? It’s stunning! – Cherie van Dyk, East London A: These are screed floors done by Screedworx (screedworx.co.za). They have a wide range of colours available; homeowner Trish Wiese says the shade she used is something between grey and brown. Q: Who created the artwork on page…

The Danish concept of hygge (pronounced hue-guh) is described as a feeling of cosiness, warmth, happiness, contentment, security, comfort and simplicity. Danes created hygge not only to survive their cold, dark and monotonous winters, but also to enjoy their summers more. It’s about celebrating the small things in life: wearing your hyggebusker (long, loose, comfy pants) in winter or enjoying a picnic in the park in summer. It’s about acknowledging a moment, like lighting candles at dinner, buying flowers for your home or making tea in a pretty teapot. Meik Wiking, head of the Institut for Lykkeforskning (The Happiness Research Institute) in Copenhagen and author of The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living, says hygge is the pursuit of everyday, ordinary happiness – a hug without the…

YELLOW PERIL Weedbuster Week takes place from 12–16 October. Do your part by removing invasive plants such as yellow bells (Tecoma stans), yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus) and yellow cat’s claw creeper (Dolichandra unguis-cati syn. Macfadyena unguiscati) from your garden. Reconnect with gardens Social gatherings that were not possible due to the Covid-19 lockdown gave us the opportunity to reconnect with our gardens. Many people made use of the enforced isolation and extra time on their hands to get involved in garden projects. Reconnecting with the food we eat has seen a surge in mini gardens with herbs, microgreens and patio tomatoes growing in pots on windowsills, balconies and patios, and the building of raised beds in gardens for vegetables. Garden Day on Sunday 11 October is a time to…

Large shrubs • Sagewood (Buddleja salviifolia)* and butterfly bush (B. davidii) • Mexican orange (Choisya ternata) • Gardenia spp. • Orange jasmine (Murraya exotica) • Yesterday, today and tomorrow (Brunfelsia pauciflora) Climbers • Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) • Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) • Rambling roses such as the old rose ‘Mme. Isaac Pereire’ or ‘Mme Alfred Carrière’ and the modern rose, ‘Crème Caramel’ • Chinese jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum) • Starry wild jasmine (Jasminum multipartitum)* Small shrubs and perennials • Roses such as the old rose ‘Charles de Mills’ or ‘Ispahan’ and many of the David Austin roses • Lavender (Lavandula spp.) • Confetti bush (Coleonema album)* • Garden phlox (Phlox paniculata) • Filipendula vulgaris Bulbs and annuals • Freesia (Freesia hybrids)* • March lily (Amaryllis belladonna)* • Sweet alyssum (Lobularia…

CREATE, INNOVATE! WHO Amoret Ferreira WHERE Upington BUSINESS Create Ceramics HER WORK Drawing inspiration from the Kalahari Desert, the plains of the Karoo and the abundant fynbos of the Cape Peninsula, Amoret Ferreira creates ceramic plates, bowls and jewellery with unique handmade designs. Small batches of each design are painted onto the bisque-fired pieces, which are then glazed for a high-gloss finish; delicate touches of gold lustre offset the details of each item.Visit createceramics.co.za. Fine fabrics The ShineShine range is a creative explosion of African-inspired fabrics (150cm W; R500/m). Printed on cotton, the designs feature contemporary faces and figures on vibrant backgrounds. If you want to add some spice to your décor, look no further! 1 Rose Mary Yellow 2 Mickey and Mercy Natural 3 Jacki So Blue See more…

CONTACTS AND STOCKISTS @home 0860 576 576, home.co.za AH Marais 023 626 3071, ahm.co.za Builders 0860 284 533, builders.co.za CTM 0800 010 810, ctm.co.za Designed by Debbie 082 555 4965 Douglas Jones 086 166 7242, douglasjones.co.za Holly Wood Kitchens & Furniture 021 701 7737, hollywoodfurniture.co.zaJohannesdal 1207 0827291402,johannesdal1207.co.zaKim Black 0604642562,kimblack_art/instagram.com Leroy Merlin 010 493 8000, leroymerlin.co.za Lux Crete 072 567 9217, instagram.com/lux_crete Meir 082 574 2432, meirblack.co.za Moroccan Warehouse 021 461 8318 MRP Home 0800 212 535, mrphome.com Oggie Hardwood Flooring oggieflooring.com On Tap 021 421 9112, ontap.co.za Poetry 0860 665 533, poetrystores.co.za Pudlo 021 448 0607, pudlo.co.za Sleekline 021 981 6305, joineryservicesbrackenfell.co.za Weylandts 0860 103 400, weylandts.co.za…

You will need SHOPPING LIST • 18mm plywood, cut to the following sizes: four 800 x 600mm (sides) four 564 x 600mm (tops and bases) two 764 x 564mm (backs) two 764 x 570mm (dividers) eight 570 x 273mm (shelves) • 18mm laminated pine: one 1 240 x 610mm (worktop) • two 75mm castors with brakes • two 75mm castors without brakes • Alcolin Fast Set Glue • one packet 6mm x 40mm chipboard screws • one packet 8mm x 30mm chipboard screws • one packet shelf support nails • 150-grit sandpaper TOOLS • cordless drill and 3mm drill bit • pencil • tape measure • hammer PROJECT NOTES • This workstation consists of two small cupboards joined together to form one unit. • Be sure to measure carefully. •…

Vintage essentials Hanlie Shapley of Wolseley writes Can you tell me more about this porcelain set? How old is it, where was it made, and does it have any value? Ainsley Taylor of Stephan Welz & Co. replies This pretty vintage washbasin and pitcher set, together with matching chamber pot, was manufactured by English company J. & G. Meakin with the mark dating it as post-1890, early 20th century. This is confirmed by the style and pattern as well as the pieces themselves, which were once essential household items. The company was founded in Hanley, England in 1951 by two brothers, John and George Meakin, who ran a very successful pottery producing quality, well-priced dinnerware and household items for the mass market. By the 1950s, the company was producing in…

Hello, October! Backseat drivers Lucy and Max are ready to go! – Heather van Niekerk, Randburg Go Bokke! Ben and Cody wonder when rugby will return to telly! – Megan Williams, Kakamas, Northern Cape Not just a pretty face Rescued kitten Sussie strikes a pose. – Karline Kruger, Krakeel River, Eastern Cape Light of my life Mila basks in the Karoo sun. – Maksie Liebenberg, Richmond Happy hamper Kirito loves playtime in her basket. – Renate Birch, Johannesburg Lights, camera, action! Zara loves to pose for her part-time photographer mommy. – Lorraine Calitz, Randfontein Hot product This cute Ca-Tumbler Self Training Toy (R210, shingavet.co.za) will keep your cat entertained for hours! Simply fill it with dry treats and catnip and watch how your furry friend gives her brain a workout…

Add these plants to your garden for summer colour: • Eucomis, with their topknot of leaves that give them the everyday name of pineapple plants, and the elegant summer hyacinth (Ornithogalum candicans) with its spikes of fragrant white bell-shaped flowers, are two desirable bulbs best planted in bold groups as accent plants in borders. • Arums grow from tubers and are ideal for pots; their flower spathes are attractive in shades of yellow, apricot, pink, ruby and deep maroon. • Tuberous begonias with their many-petalled flowers in a variety of colours bloom abundantly. Grow upright varieties in pots and those with cascading growth in hanging baskets in light shade and in a sheltered position. • Tigridia pavonia is a Mexican bulb with exotic-looking flowers. Also known as the peacock or…

Parasitic nuisance Cindy van Heerden of Parklands, Cape Town writes We have been battling for ages to eradicate this awful invasive plant on our property in Britannia Bay that is overwhelming our succulents – apparently it is called dodder. We try to pick it off but simply cannot get it all out and it seems to spread to other surrounding succulents. What can we spray that will kill the dodder but not damage the plants themselves? JJ replies Dodder is a parasitic plant that contains no chlorophyll – thus its yellow colour – so no herbicide will kill it. The best way to eradicate dodder is to cut it out and ensure that no pieces are left behind as the smallest piece of stem has the ability to regrow for…

KNOW YOUR RIBS Spare ribs are taken from the bottom of the ribs, near the belly of the pig, so they are bigger, meatier and a slightly tougher cut of meat. Loin-back ribs are taken from the top of the rib cage, close to the loin, so they are smaller and more tender. – Malcom Reed of HowToBBQRight.com Mmm! Replace half the fish with tender-stemmed broccoli! Roast chicken with soy and mirin Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice wine that contains so little alcohol and so much sugar that it is classified as a condiment, rather than liquor, like the well-known Japanese rice wine sake or Chinese Shaoxing wine. Mirin can be substituted with rice wine vinegar, which is also sweetly tart – just add a pinch of sugar to…

CREAMY LOIN CHOPS WITH APPLE Serves 6 •Preparawion wime: 5 minuwes Cooking wime: abouw 10 minuwes • 6 pork loin chops • 30ml wholegrain musward • 30ml olive oil • large knob of buwwer • sprig of rosemary • 1 onion, cuw inwo wedges • 2 crisp apples (Granny Smiwh or Pink Lady work well), cuw inwo wedges and cored • 125ml cider or swock • 250ml cream 1 Using sharp kitchen scissors, trim the rind off the chops; make sure the fat layer is even, no more than 5mm thick, and score the fat every 1.5cm to prevent the chops from curling up while frying. 2 Rub the chops with the mustard and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil, butter and rosemary together in a pan. Hold…