From rubble to romance

Blind faith. That’s what this innovative couple needed when they transformed an abandoned debris-filled outbuilding into a charming cottage next to their wedding venue.

Where they would live, however, was still a bit of a mystery. Adjacent to Die Waenhuis – which dates back to the late 1800s – was a huge storeroom that had been abandoned for more than 20 years and had, over time, become the dumping ground for all manner of junk: from farm implements to rickety furniture. It was Jacques, with his background in design, who saw loads of potential in the space. “I was champing at the bit to get started – I really had to hold myself back,” he says. “That beautiful, rustic space deserved a second chance!” He decided then and there that it would make the perfect home.

Justin was soon on board – and his years of experience in construction management proved invaluable. But first the couple had to save enough money to pay local builders to construct the interior walls. Jacques and Justin then tackled the rest of the work themselves. Fortunately, the storeroom yielded plenty of fabulous finds that were recycled during the construction process in order to keep costs down.

Their cottage now boasts an open-plan kitchen and living room, a bedroom, bathroom, studio and stoep; plus an old-fashioned donkey – which they’ve nicknamed “Ampie” – for hot water. >>

Jacques Müller and Justin Duckitt bade farewell to the bright lights of the city in 2013, purchasing Die Waenhuis in NieuBethesda with the intention of turning it into a wedding venue.

Entrepreneurial spirit

As the couple relate their story, it becomes apparent that there’s no shortage of entrepreneurial spirit between them. While Jacques manages the wedding venue, Justin and his team provide handyman services in the area.

During its first year, Die Waenhuis wedding and function venue hosted nine weddings; in the second year there were 16. But don’t think for a minute that this happened overnight.

Jacques recalls: “The first bride came to see the wedding venue while we were still busy renovating. That was on the 1st of January and she wanted to get married in March! One of her requirements was a roof over the stoep – and she wanted to see it before she paid the deposit. But we needed the deposit to pay for the roof, so Justin built a very small section, basically two pillars with a corrugated-iron sheet on top, and sent her a photo! Luckily, that put her at ease and she paid – which enabled us to put up a proper roof!”

Die Waenhuis can accommodate 80 people but if a bridal couple has a longer guest list, Jacques applies to the local municipality to close off the street in front of the building and they pitch a marquee. “Then Justin drives around town with the bakkie, frantically borrowing chairs so that we have enough seating!” >>

To achieve the weathered finish on the accent wall in the bedroom (left), Jacques applied a mixture of Gluex and Bond It directly onto the raw bricks with a block brush and then scraped the surface with a paint scraper while the whitewash was still damp.

Who lives here? Jacques Müller and Justin Duckitt WHERE Nieu-Bethesda, Eastern Cape SIZE 75m²

The bookshelf built into an old doorway in the living room was built with wood from an old staircase. The floors were finished with a cement screed and then sealed with Woodoc 45. The rustic look was exactly what Jacques and Justin were after.

Justin installed all the sewerage, plumbing and electrical connections for their home.

A round piece of glass – previously used as a wedding cake platter (the knife marks are still evident!) – was built into the shower wall as a window to provide natural light.