Welcome to the Friendly City
Lively bold colours inject plenty of personality into this cheerful Port Elizabeth home.
Lizé-marie Marais and Ian Taylor had always wanted an old house with high ceilings, thick walls and huge rooms – and preferably a sea view!
And that’s precisely what they got with this stately old Victorian home in the suburb of Mount Croix in PE.
“The house instantly reminded us of an old farmstead,” says Lizé-marie. “And the wide passage and kitchen convinced us to put in an offer.”
In April 2014, they became the proud owners of this 60-year-old grande dame. They loved its layout, so a major renovation was not on their agenda. “The only problem was the monotonous white walls and old-fashioned yellow skirting boards and ceilings,” says Ian. The yellow, especially, reminded them of a “granny’s” house – and not in a good way!
With a clear plan in mind, the pair grabbed a couple of paint tins; they wanted to create a first impression that would instantly indicate that artistic and unconventional people live here.
Thanks to their handiwork, Lizé-marie and Ian’s home is now boldly colourful with plenty of personality. Yet, where possible, they have maintained the original stately feel of the building. The couple say they aren’t the kind of people who paint every piece of furniture, especially not old items with history.
The result is a wonderful blend of old and new, fresh and lived-in.
Our home doesn’t leave people feeling ambivalent, they either love it or hate it! – Lizé-marie