Curated by Curiosity

Thirty years of travel, collecting and storytelling converge in this Muizenberg home, where layered interiors and a garden shaped by memory and meaning offer a richly personal escape

- text LYNETTE BOTHA photographs ELSA YOUNG

Some homes are built, while others are woven – stitched together over decades through places visited, lessons learned and objects gathered with intention. John Venn's Muizenberg haven is the latter: a soulful, sea-adjacent dwelling where global influences meet deeply personal narratives, and where every corner invites exploration, contemplation and, occasionally, a wry smile.

'I first saw the property in 1988 and was immediately taken with the garden,' John recalls. 'It was completely undeveloped, but a spring-fed stream bisected the land and captured my imagination.' That stream would eventually become the guiding axis of a landscape designed as a series of outdoor 'rooms' – one side planted with indigenous flora, the other a playground for exotics. At the heart of the design is an eco-pool fed by a dual-channelled stream – a dream John had while living abroad that would, many years later, be realised with the help of a landscape designer.

The building itself – a 1920s structure with high ceilings and a quiet openness – retains its early charm, but now hums with vibrancy. After three decades living and working across Asia, John has filled the interiors with objects that speak not only to cultural richness but to lived experience. 'I learned as much as I could about the places I lived – India, Korea, Singapore – and started collecting furniture, books, artwork, carpets and ceramics that reminded me of each place,' he says. 'Like many collectors, I can remember exactly when and where I found each item.'