This villa is perfectly balanced with an application of earthy textures against high-gloss finishes, and raw material against refined elements.
The home combines the use of rock, steel, wood and glass - classic modernist design elements re-mixed for new applications. The idea was to create a luxury family home with an ecologically sound design that maximizes indoor-outdoor living. The street front of the south entry, north facing home features a rusted-steel-clad wall, cleverly mounted on tracks so that it slides back to reveal the garage.
Visual continuity is provided through the use of rusted steel frames around the entrance and upper level window frames.
Balau was used for a wooden walkway from the street to the front door, which passes over a Koi pond at the front of the house. The master bathroom also has Balau wooden floor decking so when the glass doors are slid back onto the terrace, the spaces are integrated.
Tiles were avoided in the bathrooms; back-sprayed glass was used instead.
Part of the design is a two-foot-thick, stone-clad western wall serving as a heat absorber, making the home ecologically smart and functional. Furthermore the windows of this residence are recessed, with brise soleil that are strategically cantilevered to absorb the sun during the winter months, while blocking it in the summer.
All the interior design was done by M Square Lifestyle Design, who created a subtle sense of understated glamour through visual accents.
The kitchen was designed by M Square Lifetsyle Design and built by Blueline Kitchens. It won the award for the best designed kitchen using Ceasarstone in 2009.
M Square Lifestyle Necessities was responsible for all the furniture and light fittings incorporating Molteni & C, Horm, Fantoni, Fontana Arte, Tom Dixon and Foscarini.
Status: Built
Location: Serengeti, Johannesburg, South Africa