Homeward bound A restful retreat that reflects global cultures

A TALENTED CHEF AND INTREPID EXPLORER HAS CREATED A RESTFUL PAD THAT REFLECTS HER FASCINATION WITH GLOBAL CULTURES

As a personal chef to a stable of celebrity clients, Paula is away from home more often than not. She spends up to three months at a stretch aboard a luxury yacht, preparing elaborate menus from a galley kitchen while cruising the Med (or visiting Miami or Monaco), and at the same time plotting her next travel adventure. “I tend to get a month or two off every few months, which gives me enough time to get in a couple of trips before heading home to chill and catch up with family and friends,” says Paula, whose inventory of off-the-beaten-track destinations is seriously impressive. From horseback riding in the highlands of Ethiopia to trawling the old city of Tokyo looking for handmade knives, the more offbeat her epics, the better. “I find it challenging being in one place for too long!” she says. Although the nomadic lifestyle suits her, Paula wanted to return to a home that was all her own, and found her match in a loft-style apartment in the heart of Cape Town’s CBD. Since buying the apartment five years ago, she has renovated twice. The first time she stamped it with her interior aesthetic, an understated nod to industrialism with an eclectic twist. The second and most recent alteration followed her purchase of the apartment next door, which meant Paula was able to incorporate the two spaces to allow her to create the big and beautiful bedroom suite of her dreams. While her easy-on-the-eye home is brimming with beautiful furnishings, it is the varied collections of global ephemera and interesting artworks that are instant focal points. From a curious collection of Egyptian scarabs to framed vintage botanical art prints picked up in New York, Paula’s eye for the inherent charm in unusual items is evident throughout her home. And of course, it’s her talent for perfect display that makes them all the more beguiling.

Much like her culinary creations, there is no haphazardness to this geologist’s daughter’s collections and the way she displays them. Though Paula’s home is aesthetically complex, the space oozes with calm, thanks to the monochromatic ‘non-palette’ she has chosen to work with. Elements such as the mottled concrete floors, simply painted brick walls, timeworn leather, galvanised steel and faded timber together form a textured canvas for her fascinating finds. “Life can be quite hectic onboard a boat and, although I love my travels in between stints, I absolutely love coming home for extended periods, too,” says Paula. “I love how relaxed I feel here.” With its magnificently worn leather Chesterfield and collection of wonderful treasures, it’s no wonder that this home continually draws Paula back to South Africa. “I’ve been on the road for 15 years so it’s the knowledge of this space that keeps me feeling connected to home,” says the traveller, whose passion for decorating has seen her now take on other interior design projects. “I’ve almost always got something in my mind’s eye that needs sorting – maybe it’s a specific corner that feels like it needs something, or a spot that is looking for some art. I love lying in my cabin after a busy day, and planning and scheming.” It’s this slow and thoughtful process that makes this beautiful space feel so resolved – there’s a place for everything and everything has a place. And for someone whose journeys take her so far afield, that is a wonderful feeling to come home to.

KITCHEN DETAILS

Paula’s most recent renovation incorporated the apartment next door, which meant she could create an extended kitchen area. The enlarged space is a combination of eclectic displays, such as the collected crockery in the glass-fronted timber cabinet (top left & opposite), and sleek, clutter-free surfaces, thanks to the addition of a scullery where dirty dishes can be spirited away. “As much as I love the look of open-plan kitchens, I really liked the idea of a slick butler’s pantry and scullery, where dirty pots and pans can be stashed out of sight while me and my guests get on with the business of catching up over plenty of wine and food,” says Paula. Black-painted steel and glass cabinets (glimpsed in the foreground, bottom left) add an industrial element to this multi-layered space, which combines rustic textures such as the black-painted timber island with character-filled vintage pieces. Take note of the striking bar cart, an essential for pre-dinner G&Ts. A polished marble benchtop lends an additional sweep of texture.

KITCHEN

Despite the monochromatic palette, there’s no lack of cosiness about the kitchen scheme, with plenty of worn wood and warm metal (try Candana for a similar basin in bronze) to soften the look. The pot rack, suspended from the ceiling, is a piece that Paula hopes one day to turn into a feature light fitting.

“I’VE always BEEN A COLLECTOR OF THINGS, TREASURES – EVERYTHING I OWN HAS A STORY, A memory. I PREFER THE OLD TO THE NEW” ~ PAULA

“I ALWAYS CHOOSE ART I love – IT’S THAT simple – NEVER BECAUSE IT’S A ‘GOOD INVESTMENT’” ~ PAULA

DRESSING ROOM

Paula designed her bespoke dressing room (top left) herself to include banks of open shelving and hanging space, as well as enough drawers to keep things from looking and feeling cluttered. The sophisticated palette of black-painted timber joinery creates a sense of calm and order – though with Paula’s signature textured twist added in the form of a leather ottoman (try Project 82 for similar) and a chandelier made by South African artisans Mud Studio (mudstudio .net) from threaded clay beads.

ENSUITE

With a timber bench acting as a vanity, a freestanding mirror leaning casually against the wall and a vintage-style pendant hanging from the ceiling, the ensuite has more warmth and character than the average bathroom. The herringbone tiles on the wall are marble, a touch of luxury that Paula scored for a bargain price. “They’re marble offcuts I found in the bargain box at a tile shop,” she says. “I then had them cut to shape and arranged – the cutting cost was more than the marble!”

MAIN BEDROOM

Behind a custom-made galvanised steel door lies Paula’s biggest indulgence – her substantial bedroom (left & opposite). “You can imagine that living in a cabin for a significant part of the year means I fantasise about a beautiful and big bedroom space, so the new extension to my home is almost entirely made up of my bedroom, bathroom and dressing room,” she says.

Like the rest of the apartment, it is a deeply restful space embraced by muted tones. The artwork on the bedroom wall is a drawing by local artist Henk Serfontein.