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Q&A

An old fisherman’s cottage, centrally located in Strand, was the perfect project for creative couple George and Carina Taylor. They bought the neglected two-bedroom house in September 2016 and by the following February had renovated their new home from back to front.

“Both of us enjoy working with our hands, so this project presented the ideal opportunity for us to put our skills to the test,” says Carina who, like George, is a talented furniture maker.

Although the couple have renovated the entire house, the kitchen was definitely a highlight, showcasing the Taylors’ budget-savvy transformation.

“The cabinets cost us only R15 000 because we built them ourselves,” says Carina. “The initial quotes for the job came in at about R80 000!”

The kitchen was desperately in need of a revamp: it had a sloping ceiling, tired cupboards and outdated floorand wall tiles – not to mention bright orange walls! “The room needed a floor-to-ceiling makeover,” says Carina.

The couple purchased the materials for the cabinets and countertops and had them cut to size, then put them together themselves.

“The planning beforehand was a great challenge,” says Carina. “We didn’t use a computer program for the design, so in some places it had to be measured and adjusted three times before we were satisfied. But we stayed calm and got it more or less 99% correct!”” The cupboard doors (finished in a white woodgrain PVC wrap) were sorted according to where they would be fitted. Ordinary white melamine was used for the carcasses, while the grey doors were made from MDF; they were then spraypainted with automotive paint. The cupboards don’t have handles – to open them, you simply push.

with George and Carina

Why did you use automotive paint for the splashback? We wanted the same glossy sheen as a car’s finish; other paints don’t give the same look. What would you do differently next time? We wanted to make and install cement countertops ourselves but there wasn’t enough time. Definitely next time! Any other tips? Put all your building rubble in the empty building sand and plaster sand bags. The people at the dump can be quite strict – they want the rubble sorted and if it’s in the bags, it’s easier. Where did you get your ideas? Mostly from magazines such as Home and Visi, as well as from various home expos. What do you love most about your completed project? The feedback from people (including the Home team) and knowing that we did 80% of the work ourselves.