HOME COMING

THE PLAN WAS TO RENOVATE AND ‘FLIP’ THIS COTTAGE UNTIL ITS FASHION STYLIST OWNER FELL IN LOVE WITH THE SPACE AND MADE IT HER OWN

- VICKI SLEET

A gently worn sophistication defines this country cottage in a small village two-and-a-half hours from Cape Town in South Africa. It’s a stylish blend of found and collected furniture, decorative details from yesteryear and a plethora of clever retweaks intended to look like they’ve been there forever. Homeowner Charlotte has created an idyllic escape, where log fires after long walks are a part of everyday life.

The beautiful life that’s bloomed here has come as something of a surprise to Charlotte, a seasoned renovator and decorator − yet some finds take hold of one’s heart more than others. Charlotte’s journey to falling in love with the tiny town where this home can be found was unplanned. “I went there to help a friend of mine with the interior of her home and had never even spent a night here,” she recalls. “Originally my intention was to ‘flip’ the house that I found (my friend convinced me to buy it) but as I got further into the project and spent time in the village, I decided to keep it as a weekend spot.” says Charlotte.

The now two-storeyed home comes complete with three ensuite bedrooms plus a cottage in the garden, but it started life rather differently. “When I first saw it, it was literally a box with one room for the bedroom, a tiny room off the side, one bathroom and a living area and there was nothing in the roof,” says Charlotte, who spent just under a year breathing life into what was once a nondescript space.