Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
WELL WORTH THE EFFORT
Sculptor Ferdi Dick painstakingly transformed an old house in Woodstock into a beautiful Victorian home
WHEN Ferdi Dick, a 3D animator and world-renowned bronze sculptor, was looking for a house, his priority was to find the biggest space within budget and to worry about fixing it up later.
Twelve years ago he saw a house in Woodstock and, ignoring the grand old dame’s warts and wrinkles, immediately saw potential. What he loved most, he says, was it had the space to act as home and encompass a studio.
It took Dick four years of love, elbow grease and probably a few tears to call his house a home. Besides removing a wall between the kitchen and sitting room, no other significant changes were made,
“The bulk of my blood, sweat and tears went into removing layers of paint from the original Oregon pine doors, windows and frames I installed and restoring the wooden floors to their original beauty.”
Dick sourced his doors and windows from building sites and second-hand stores.
“My favourite element of the renovation is probably the wood – I took four years stripping the paint. I did most of it myself; I’m sure I wouldn’t do it again. It was a kind of crazy project to even attempt. I seriously underestimated the amount of work.”
Today, Dick has a beautiful Victorian home with warm wooden tones, a perfect backdrop for his art and sculptures.
He transformed the dingy 1980s kitchen by removing the wall between sitting room and kitchen, allowing light to flood in. The kitchen, a minimalist’s dream, was originally built at a lower level from the living area.
To maximise the flow of the rooms, he filled in the floor and sourced Oregon pine planks so the entire floor blended seamlessly.
On entering an open-plan living area, a sleek stainless steel kitchen counter immedi- ately commands attention. It takes centre stage with benches Dick built himself.
Instead of rows of built-in cupboards, he chose to fill kitchen walls with art hanging from picture rails.
What used to be the bathroom next to the kitchen is now a pantry.
Super-sized barn doors picked up at the Old Biscuit Mill during their renovation, are now a barrier between the main kitchen and the functional practicality of groceries and kitchen essentials housed in the pantry area.
In the sitting room there is a deep, comfortable Chesterfield couch, warm Oregon finishes and the richness of heirloom furniture. Instead of choosing a traditional coffee table, an old church bench has found a new calling as a console table, fitting perfectly behind the Chesterfield.
Dick says instead of built-in cupboards he chose to use good quality solid wooden cupboards, sourced from local second-hand stores, heirloom pieces and a few pieces he made himself – one in the sitting room was made by himself and his dad.
The walls, an informal gallery with a combination of art from friends, family and even drawings on cardboard by Dick as a youngster, create an overall feeling of a home telling a story of family, friendship, love and history.
He converted the smallest room in the house into the new bathroom. A small rusty window was replaced by tall French windows overlooking the garden.
Dick’s proudest DIY was building a
Cemcrete bath and shower himself.
The bathroom basin was originally a lab sink from a school in Vredehoek bought on the side of the road for R200. He then installed it on a wooden table left behind by the previous owners of the house.
He has a beautiful vintage clothing cupboard in the bathroom.
“I’m practical. It makes more sense to have my clothes in the same room where I need to get dressed after a shower.”