Potential VICTORIAN

A CAPE TOWN CREATIVE HAS RENOVATED A TERRACE HOUSE. BOTH INFUSING IT WITH CONTEMPORARY ALLURE & HONOURING ITS HERITAGE ROOTS.

- LORI COHEN

As a visual merchandiser, SANET COETZEE has honed her talent for creating captivating spaces with a single well-placed item that sets the perfect mood. And this expertise became a personal passion when she transformed her home in Cape Town into a tranquil sanctuary.

When Sanet first stumbled upon the charming Victorian house, she faced a challenge - it had previously functioned as a boarding house, and featured six cramped and unappealing bedrooms. However, she immediately saw the hidden potential within its walls. "Having experienced apartment living, I was overjoyed at the prospect of having a garden and being on the ground floor," she says. "While I had no choice but to replace the deteriorating windows and doors, it presented an opportunity to invite in natural light."

The terrace house required not only the rejuvenation of neglected areas, but also practical improvements. The sash windows were replaced with meticulously crafted ones, and a bold decision was made to extend them up to the ceiling, allowing for mountain views. Additionally, introducing a series of arches infused a touch of whimsy that flooded the ground-floor living space with an enchanting abundance of natural light.