FARM-STYLE FLAIR

#1 A grande dame

When planning their new home, Clifford and Maryke Roberts made lighting and space a priority. They opted for as much white as possible when choosing finishes and this was applied in the bathrooms too, where crystal handles and chandeliers complement the look.

While renovating the 80-year-old house, the couple decided to repeat certain signature elements in keeping with the heritage of their home. “In the guest bathroom, we had shower doors made from steel window frames, as featured elsewhere in the house,” explains Maryke. A former patio was converted into an en-suite bathroom for the main bedroom; it features a steel-frame door and white Victorian bath to give it a spacious feel.

#2 Great outdoors

An outdoor shower was a must for Maryke and Clifford.

Red bricks finished in a cement bag technique demarcate the space and since the original 1933 home had slate tiles on the stoep, these were repeated here on the floor. The cement coping on the walls echoes the coping on the yard boundary wall.

While oak trees provide greenery in summer, pots planted with cacti, a tickey creeper and star jasmine provide additional greenery all year round.

Make sure to install both hot and cold water so you can use the shower in summer and winter.

Tip Don’t waste any grey water – connect the outlet to the garden!

#3 West Coast beauty

When Jan ‘Boland’ Coetzee of Vriesenhof Vineyards outside Stellenbosch built his limewashed fisherman’s cottage on the West Coast many years ago, he wanted to create the same feel as at the farmhouse where he grew up outside Lamberts Bay.

He calls it a “train home” as the bedrooms all stand in a row in a separate wing unattached to the main house, which consists mostly of living spaces.

Only the main bedroom en suite is attached to the main house but it has a separate entrance. In keeping with the thick walls and other typical features in the rest of the home, the bathroom oozes West Coast charm. The attractive jarra wood window frame highlights a picture-perfect view. “You can see the sea from all sides,” says Jan.

#4 Karoo bliss

When 2016 Fix it with Flair runners-up Dewald and Erika van Zyl (currently contestants on Home’s TV show 1,2,3 Fix It! on VIA) bought a 200-year-old building in Prince Albert, they impressed us all by transforming it into a delightfully rustic self-catering cottage. Typical of these old homes, there was no bathroom and the challenge was to add one without it looking brand-new.

“We found a local plasterer to help us and he did a great job,” says Dewald. “Erika and I felt strongly about preserving the old-world feel of the cottage, so I told him: I’m very sorry but I’m going to ruin your plastering job so it fits in with the rest of the house. I took a trowel and made all the smooth walls rough and uneven. I reckon that man must think I’m crazy – but I wanted it to look rustic!” >>

#5 A fixer-upper

Francois and Marianne Botha of Wynberg in Cape Town were runners-up in our 2014 Fix it with Flair competition. Their home, dating from 1859, was in a dire state and the bathroom was no exception. Vinyl floor tiles had been glued on top of the original wooden floors and the couple were determined to restore them to their former glory. They sanded and repaired the floor themselves and also removed all the old tiles from the walls.

A freestanding tub was installed and the taps are original; the Bothas had them restored by John Brass Taps & Fittings in Salt River and were delighted with the final result.

STOCKISTS Builders 0860 284 533, builders.co.za

Douglas Jones 0861 667 242, douglasjones.co.za

John Brass Taps & Fittings 021 447 2807

Nutec 0861 333 835, everite.co.za

Paul de Jongh 023 625 1599, millstonepottery.co.za

Victorian Bathrooms 021 761 4850, victorianbathrooms.co.za

Clifford and Maryke used glossy white subway tiles on the guest bathroom shower walls, while checkerboard floor tiles in white and charcoal enhance a classic style. Subway tiles from Douglas Jones

Pots from Paul de Jongh

We love this! A Bentwood chair and a bath caddy provide storage and display space. The woven mat is in keeping with the earthy theme.

Drilling into the centuries-old clay walls was too much of a risk, so the copper piping was left exposed. Wooden hearts painted red and blue indicate which tap is which.

Pine ceiling boards were fixed to the walls, with dado rails above and skirting boards below. For a more affordable option, try Nutec boards; they’re available in a wood-look finish and since they’re usually used for cladding on exterior walls, they’re extremely water-resistant.Pine ceiling boards from Builders