My nearest and dearest know my insatiable love for the Big Apple, and I still regret not having gone to live there for a bit with my love, pre kids.
Everybody has that one couple they are friends with….the ones who are easy going, go with the flow, are super fun to be around and come with little drama. So, when my Mr and Mrs Super Chilled asked me to be involved with their project and give some design advice, I jumped at the opportunity. Taking a 2 bedroom single story home, to a 4 bedroom double story home complete with splash pool, front and back decks/gardens and a double garage was no small feat, but the result is quite simply breathtaking.
Walking into the space on shoot day, I was once again hit by the tranquil and calming energy the space has; driven in part by its residents, and in part by its careful spatial planning. There truly is an art to simplicity and this home embodies it perfectly.
Unassuming from the road, there are few hints as to what lies behind the big wall, so when you enter the house you are quite taken aback by the immense amount of space this home has. In fact, the front facade makes you feel transported to a farm in the Klein Karoo or Port Albert. The flow of the home works well with en-suite guest rooms at the front, and entertaining at the back with the master suite at the top being something quite special and “spoily” as Mrs Super Chilled would say.
Aaaah AirBnb! At the tip now of every South African’s tongue and more fashionable than a pair of crocs in a flea market…with Uber being everyone’s favorite ride and voice notes taking over actual communication, kind of makes you wonder what we every did before there was such a thing as Airbnb….“what, you stayed in a hotel? How positively bourgeois of you!”
So, with every Tom, Dick and Aunty gearing up their homes for Airbnb while we flee the cities, we thought we would compile some hot tips from veterans of the industry….
- Touches to bedroom
Make your guests feel special with thoughtful gestures. Little chocolates or sweets next to the bed or on the pillow, water jug and glass, some handpicked books or magazines and a fresh flower or two should do the trick nicely. Click here for more bedroom inspiration.
2. Fresh flowers
Make your home feel loved with fresh flowers or green leaves in vases. Click here for tips on styling with plants.
3. The bare necessities: Kitchen
Make sure the fridge is stocked with basic essentials like milk and butter. Go one step further and leave some fresh fruit in the bowl, a bottle of wine and some festive xmas cookies for the win. Salt, pepper, sugar, tea and coffee are nice pantry fillers too.
4. Keep it fresh
Make sure there are fresh towels and linen on all the beds. Check your linen and towels, and make sure they are in decent condition….you might not mind your hard, threadbare towels but your guests might.
5. More bare essentials: Bathroom
Toilet paper, handwash in all the toilets and soaps in the shower…not rocket science here.
6. Some hot house and hood tips
If you aren’t going through an agent, make sure you leave some basic guidelines for the house and hood. Think about what your guest would use and need to know e.g how the alarm works, Emergency numbers, where the DB board is, “… kick rusty door gently on side to open..”, …that sort of thing. Go the extra mile by recommending great restaurants and bars nearby or interesting walks and activities to do. With water restrictions at an all time high its a good idea to highlight this to your guests, with some advice on how they can save water or at least assist you in keeping your grass alive.
7. Get your DIY on
Do a basic maintenance sweep of the house or flat and make sure everything is in good working order. Check electricity meter, WiFi, light bulbs, gas, firewood and matches for braai etc.
8. General spring clean
If you missed the good old de-clutter in September, now is the perfect opportunity to discard chipped plates, mugs, broken lampshades etc.
Enjoy…and happy (almost) holidaaaaays.
Let me help you guys survive your guests this season, with some easy to follow steps for a radical transformation.
Aaah, don’t you just love this time of year? We all reminisce fondly over how “…this year just flew by, and that can you believe there are only 7 or 6 or whatever weeks left of the year”? Then the cold shivers set in and you realise just how much needs to get done before you can think about that G&T next to the pool with Boney M playing some vaguely familiar tune in the background.
In the midst of buying way too much cranberry jelly and stocking fillers for every Tom, Dick and Harry, that guest room soon to be filled with some or other in-law might be weighing on your mind. So, in the spirit of getting jolly, we have devised a quick and simple guide on how to bring your guest bedroom (or your own bedroom) from something featured in Nightmare on Elm Street, to a chic and stylish space you never want to leave (well, your guests at least).
Making your bedroom a stylish space in 7 easy steps:
Before:
1. Bedding
Make sure bedding matches – plain white or a light grey never dates. Treat your guests to anything from 200 thread count upwards, so that it can be washed repeatedly and still look good.
2. Add light
A bedside light is key – its practical, but whilst its functionality is key…lets make it pretty too.
3. Throw cushions
Remember that scene from Along came Polly where they removed 3000 pillows off the bed? Well, we are not suggesting that! Just 2 or 3 to bring some texture and colour into the space.
(p.s also handy to prop up head for when reading in bed!)
4. Throw
Practical for chilly nights or a simple afternoon nap, but more importantly it finishes off the bed, and is a perfect vehicle for colour, pattern or texture.
5. Basket with plant
Not only good for your health as it eliminates toxins while you sleep, but plants add texture and style simply & beautifully. [More about styling with plants here]
6. Rug
Defines the space perfectly. [more about styling with rugs here]
7. Artworks
Complete the space perfectly with some framed artworks, its adds that final finesse and personal touch.
and voilaaaaaa, it really is that simple.
To really make your guests feel at home, these simple touches will make them welcome and cared for too.
- add a water jug and glass next to bed
- some suggested reading material (let’s not be too forceful here “how to treat your son-in-law right” might come off a little strong!)
- a little bowl filled with sweets or chocolates next to bed is a thoughtful touch
- and of course, some freshly picked greens or flowers in a vase
Feeling inspired & want to BUY THIS LOOK? Contact us
SOLD ~ ONE OF A FIND collection #5.
Oh la la, we went to Greyton for a weekend in September and came back with some beautiful if not a little dishevelled, vintage armchairs.
Restored, reupholstered and rearing to go, this retro pair is a must have for any space…be it work or home.
Charcoal faux leather upholstery and wooden arms and legs.
Price: R 3500 each or R6500 for the pair
Oooh the sun is shining and the newly painted toes are out. With Summer now in full swing, using plants in your home is a great way to freshen up you space and quite literally, inject some life into it. With the plant obsession trend not going away anytime fast, this is a quick and easy way to make your space look loved and cared for.
Here are my 5 top ways to style with plants:
- Let them hang
4. Create a statement
5. Use fronds or branches
See full board here
Houses have their own personalities and energies, and so when I was introduced to this grand old lady first time around I was quite taken a back, and then quite simply, could not wait to get my hands on her.
From the street all one sees is a door, and not the prettiest at that, but oh, when you get your first glimpse of the giant ferns in the front garden you realise there is something magical here.
Beautiful wooden floors, and lush jungle like garden in front with subtle detailing throughout, like an inherited string of pearls around her wrinkly neck….getting the picture?
After a decade in retail I love that my career has done full circle, bringing me back to my original passion, interiors and design. It’s a refreshing change for me, for my suppliers to be around the corner and over the hill, rather than a 12 hour flight, 2 trains and a taxi trip away. What I can’t seem to get my head around though is the break ups. You see, retail is a long term relationship, whereas interior design is more like a short fling. Ok, so it’s not quite a “it’s not you, it’s me” scenario, but the eventual heartache is still there.
ONE OF A FIND is back with a showstopper.
Collection 3# was found beaten but not broken, and has been lovingly restored to have full swagger and much personality.
This Frystark sideboard acts as a gorgeous addition for any space, with sexy 70s legs and matt white drawers and doors.
Styled up as a dressing table, it works perfectly in the bedroom too.
Dimensions: Length 1140mm x Depth 440mm x Height 720mm
Price: R 3600
SOLD
ONE OF A FIND Collection #2.
This gorgeous little writing desk is looking for a beautiful nook or cranny to call home.
Use as a desk, a sexy little dressing table, or simply a stylish storage piece.
Dimensions: Width 700mm, Depth 475mm and Height 1060mm
Price: R 3750