TEXT DOMINIQUE HERMAN PRODUCTION DEAN VAN ASWEGEN PHOTOGRAPHS ELSA YOUNG
The story starts with a tree. According to designer Tessa Proudfoot, not just any tree, but ‘a massive, exquisitely beautiful’ oak. As for the small detail of the accompanying house, ‘The garden was the main reason the homeowners bought it. The house was dated, with pokey rooms,’ says architect Angele Whittaker. ‘So we gutted it right down to the bones.’ With the homeowners’ passion for both African and French design, Angele, working with Antiques & Heritage of Europe, would go on to create a new home as elegant as the tree itself. A verandah was added, as was a wraparound walkway with a pergola, while the main bedroom was extended. Windows and doors act as a stripped down backdrop for the French elements, featured in the built-in kitchen fittings and bathroom vanities. ‘We ended up with quite an open-plan flow,’ says Angele. ‘The owners wanted that individual feel on the inside, with crafted finishes.’ When it came to those finishing touches, they called on Tessa, whose keen eye would bring together the varying design elements in harmony and style.
