A clear vision
lLike many young couples, Petro and Fanie Kruger were fast outgrowing their small apartment. They wanted a “proper” home, one where they could do whatever their creative hearts desired. But they couldn’t quite afford the house of their dreams just yet, so they decided to buy a fixer-upper, use what cash they had to renovate it and then sell.
The couple found a one-bathroom, two-bedroom home in Observatory, Cape Town – a sad, dilapidated house with lots of small dark rooms, rotten ceilings and a non-existent garden. But here they knew they could make magic. Fanie, a project manager, and Petro, a fashion designer, both of whom work in retail, got stuck in, working on their new home during holidays, on weekends and sometimes until late at night after work.
Over two years, the couple slowly transformed the once run-down space and instead of selling as they’d planned, they decided to stay and make a home. Not only that but they also managed to quadruple the property’s price. Impressive! From the get-go, Fanie and Petro had a plan. “We knew what we wanted to do the first time we came to view the property!” Petro says. The couple decided to open up all the small rooms at the back, put in large doors that lead into the backyard and create a light-filled home with an easy flow from the indoors out.
On an excursion to Ross Demolition, the Krugers came across two old industrial-style doors which they fell in love with instantly. “We were inspired by these doors which now lead onto our courtyard; in fact, we designed and decorated our place around them,” Petro explains.
The couple hired builders to help with the more challenging tasks, such as breaking down walls to create a more spacious living area with an open-plan kitchen as well as the installation of the doors, the cement floors and a new roof.
But once that was all done, they were more than ready to get their hands dirty. “Our DIY adventure as a couple could begin!”