As you enter the front door of Charl and Carla Burger’s contemporary farm-style home,
there’s no mistaking the fact that they cherish their family bonds, their precious heirlooms and lovingly made wooden furniture. And so it should be when you’ve grown up with a dad and two brothers in the timber industry and then, for good measure, you married a man whose hobby is woodworking, says Carla.
In 2015, Charl and Carla decided to move from Plattekloof in the northern suburbs of Cape Town to the quieter Kanonberg Lifestyle Estate on the other side of the hill. “Kanonberg offers a more ‘platteland way of life’ which we both grew up with,” says Carla. She’s originally from Citrusdal and Charl is from Hopefield, both small West Coast towns. “We enjoy the peace and quiet here, but it’s still close enough to the city,” explains Carla.
The Burgers’ property is situated opposite a dam and boasts fantastic views. “We’re outdoorsy people so we love the wideopen spaces. Sometimes we have buck grazing in the reserve bordering the estate; it really feels like we are living close to nature,” says Carla.
When the couple built their home, they decided on a U-shape with the stoep and lawn in the middle.
“Initially, we didn’t want a double-storey house,” says Carla. “A single level is so much more practical if you have kids. But our architects, Schabort Associates, convinced us to build another level on one side so our home wouldn’t be dwarfed by the surrounding houses.” This extra level is now a relaxation area; the family calls it “the den” and it’s perfect for when the kids are teens and want to hang out with their friends. In the meantime, Carla uses the space as a studio for her newborn baby shoots – the soft morning light creates the perfect ambience.
The TV room, dining room and kitchen are located in a central open-plan area on the lower level, with three bedrooms in one wing and a guest bedroom and home office in the other.
Although the construction process was at times nerve-racking – especially for Carla who was 40-weeks pregnant at the time – they’re extremely happy with the end result. “The high ceilings remind me of old farmhouses and it’s pleasantly cool in summer. It can get very cold on this mountain slope in winter but then we just put on a few more layers!” says Carla with a chuckle.