Zevenrevieren Farm Manor

On a seven-hectare farm in Banhoek, located at the borders of Stellenbosch, the manor sits against the backdrop of the blue-ish purple Hottentots-Holland mountains. Situated in a town renowned for its farmlands and picturesque landscapes and built in 1790's, when English accents from Georgian style architecture influenced Cape Dutch homes, the building carries a rich cultural history. The challenge: how do you make a two-century old manor feel more contemporary without making any major structural changes?

Working with within an established heritage site, the interior design was founded on a process that prioritised the home’s aesthetics preserved over the centuries. Architect Alex Stewart described the approach as “rediscovering the personality of the house”, a means to restore its intrinsic beauty. Rich timber textures and whitewashed walls are offset with patterned wallpaper and freestanding furniture pieces that bring a modern touch.

While maintaining the textures and structure of the original house, the furniture choices instil the right balance of simplicity and ornamentation: heavy chandeliers, religious paintings, antiques are juxtaposed by freestanding furniture. In collaboration with interior designer Nikki Koster, the home’s original style was conserved alongside the additions. Possessed by warm glow from its yellowwood ceiling, beams stretch across the living room. The floors, upgraded in Oregon pine wood, mimic it in reflection.

The typical layout of a Cape Dutch home features a long corridor at its entrance with two rooms flanked to the sides near the front and far back. Usually, the front rooms were used as bedrooms and the rear for kitchen and living. Over the passing years, the kitchen had been re-assigned to a dark, cramped space between two bedrooms. Functions became awkwardly allocated to the rooms in ways that were insufficient for everyday living. By way of restoration, the kitchen was returned its original place – amongst the four-meter-high walls –allowing for natural light and space.

This project was published in Conde Nast’s House and Garden.