WHO LIVES HERE? Gill Allderman
WHERE Kommetjie, Western Cape
SIZE 442m2
Despite describing herself as a "collector with an aversion to matching pieces", fine artist Gill Allderman yearned for white interior walls when she moved into her new home in Kommetjie, as this would be the perfect backdrop for her vast art collection.
In 2022, shortly after she moved in, she and her architect daughter Sarah Barnes set to work on the first stage of the revamp.
The mauve-and-mushroom palette had to go as a matter of urgency, "noisy" cream floor tiles were chopped out, and each of the four bedrooms got its own bathroom.
This would ensure a potential rental income as Gill intends to open her home as an artists' residency.
It's a work in progress and the mother-and-daughter team still has big plans for the ‘unrenovated' areas of the house, but for now Gill is perfectly happy as she has created a sociable space where friends, family and their dogs all feel right at home.
"I love having people around," says Gill. "I want them to feel really comfortable and at home, with access to everything in my space."
Kitchen
The kitchen is flooded with natural light. Raw wood provides plenty of warmth, and terrazzo floor tiles enhance a classic aesthetic.
The existing kitchen cupboards were painted and got new door handles. The understated tiled wall inspired the style of the bathrooms, which all have similar single tiled walls.
Gill bought the lampshades from roadside hawkers, and the table and bench are from "two houses ago". The bentwood chairs are treasured pieces. Floor tiles from Artmar Natural Stone; wall tiles from Cash Tiles
Lounge
You won't find matching curtains in Gill's lounge. She loves combining handcrafted textiles from her travels across the globe with indigenous African patterns, elements that are also seen in her artworks.
The built-in wood storage to the left of the fireplace (baskets are currently displayed here) was her architect daughter Sarah's idea; it's finished with Technical Finishes Smooth 'n Patch. The pair of artworks titled Marking of Paris #3 and #4 is by Gill.
Borough Oak deZign 300 vinyl flooring from Flooring Warehouse.
Braai in back garden
A lush vegetable garden outside the kitchen leads to a veranda with a new pine roof.
"This used to be an indoor braai with a thatch roof that was attached to the house, making the interior dark. We demolished much of the structure and reclaimed much of those building materials.
"We gave the braai a Moroccan shape, plastered the bricks, built a bench, screeded the floor and finished it with Technical Finishes Smooth 'n Patch in the colour Champagne," Gill explains.
Veranda
The front veranda doubles up as an outdoor lounge area. A concertina window connects this space with the kitchen.
"It's a lovely, wind-free breakfast nook," says Gill.
The countertop on the outside matches the height of the kitchen counters inside, and the interior wall tiles are repeated under the counter outside.
"I got the bar stools from a friend; there are very few things that I've bought new," she adds. The black-and-white floor tiles are repeated in the main en suite on the upstairs veranda.
Main en suite
The main en suite on the enclosed upstairs veranda, with its vibrant tiled focal wall, is the only room where Gill deviated from her "no colour on the walls" rule.
The green tiles complement the view and enhance a restful ambience. The bath was bought second-hand, and the sofa belonged to Gill's late mom. The side table was bought from a street vendor.
Main bedroom
Two small bedrooms were combined to create the main bedroom on the top floor. Cleverly joined by a shelf, a pair of built-in cupboards that were repurposed from other rooms was painted by hand and finished with new cornices.
The bed throw is a repurposed embroidered curtain from Pakistan. The bedside lamps were a second-hand find.
Cupboards remodelled by Brian and Gareth Benting; knit blanket from Ethos.
Architect's notes: ‘It's a win-win scenario'
Architect Sarah Barnes, Gill's daughter, shares her thoughts on their choice of materials and finishes, and on drawing inspiration from the setting and reclaimed materials.
"The finishes were selected not for uniformity, but to complement one another and to introduce variety, pattern and texture. The kitchen's black-and-white speckled terrazzo tiles and the verandas' bold black-and-white cement tiles delineate different zones while maintaining a cohesive aesthetic.
"To tie the spaces together seamlessly, the main traffic areas and bathrooms were treated with the white Smooth 'n Patch finish of Technical Finishes' screed system, evoking the timeless elegance of Middle Eastern design motifs.
"By drawing inspiration from our immediate environment and the treasures it holds, we craft spaces that are filled with meaning and purpose. This lends us the opportunity to repurpose and reinvent existing elements, such as the kitchen cupboards which got a fresh lick of paint.
"This not only resultsin cost savings but also contributes to reducing our environmental footprint, making it a win-win scenario."
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