Cape Town, Western Cape

This magnificent home is a homage to nature, to its bounty and beauty. Nestling in a pastoral idyll, surrounded by verdant trees and shrubbery, it is, itself, almost a living entity in the midst of this lushness, where the mellifluous sound of trickling water is ever present. Created with such care over two years, and completed in 2010, this epic property uniquely conflates splendor, beauty and opulence with casual comfort, cocooning and simple, unmitigated fun! From the minute you arrive, via a sweeping driveway, you know you are somewhere very, very special.

A family home - with the emphasis on family, on communion, enjoyment, shared activities - it also showcases, (without any sense of bragging, by the way) an extraordinary array of natural materials, exceptional design features, remarkable proportions and creativity. Built for a busy growing family, this is abundantly and merrily evident throughout. The huge open-plan living room is so much more than that!

A lofty cathedral ceiling, studded with windows which bathe the room in light, presides over lounging and dining areas, (complete with a proper pizza oven and double-sided fire), a charming, eclectic kitchen and utility room. Elsewhere are no less than seven bedrooms, four bathrooms, a snug cinema room, large playroom, loft spaces which cleverly lead to bedrooms, balconies overlooking the flourishing outdoors, a self-contained flatlet and a particular jewel in a crown that has many of them – a spa. This, with its natural self-cleaning pool, infrared and regular saunas, steam room and Girotonic studio, is a veritable oasis of tranquility.

Lest there should be any doubt of this property’s enchanted status, look no further than the climbing wall, actual zip wire, giant slide, hidey holes, artfully placed ladders and the vintage pulley lift. It is a majestic space, but it is also welcoming: the plethora of natural materials includes repurposed brickwork, a range of woods, stone, in places a celebration of the industrial esthetic, and in others, traditional building methods. There are zingy pops of colour and texture, fabulous bathroom wear, rustic charm alongside contemporary panache, with no corner left unloved.

Everything tells a story, and there is no wastage; indeed, the property is a masterclass in sustainability - solar panels, a strong borehole and vegetable gardens. The care and purpose which has gone into both building and curating this uniquely beautiful home and its surrounds shines through luminously, and it echoes with the sound of memories and laughs - with many, many more of those to come.

“Wherever I roam, nature is the only stranger that feels like home”.
Angie Weiland Crosby