As a pilot, Suzette Nieuwoudt has seen the world.

So when it came to choosing a holiday house that would one day become her retirement home, the options on the map seemed endless.

In her search for the perfect property, Suzette came across an advertisement for this barn-style home in Stilbaai. Inspired by aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart, the homeowners had named their daughter Amelia and the property became Amelia House – Suzette felt it was ‘meant to be’ and signed a lease to rent it. Ten days later, she bought it. “This home was built just as I envisaged the ideal getaway,” Suzette says. An open-plan living area for entertaining friends and family appealed to her, as did the thoughtful finishes added by the original homeowners, Geoff and Gina Ross. They commissioned Jack Andrew of Cape Heritage Architecture & Construction to build the house in 2012 and took inspiration from the structure of old Argentinean and South African churches.

This intriguing design, as well as the whitewashed exterior and interior walls, enticed Suzette and after many years spent making their own memories in this gorgeous space, it has truly become a home away from home for Suzette and her sons, Rian and Bennie.

“Here, we do all those things we miss during the year,” says Suzette. “From spending days at the seaside and going on long hikes to enjoying decadent dinners or quietly reading a book. This is where we will always find each other, no matter where life takes us.” >>

A long dining table with upcycled church pews has hosted many meals. The artwork above the fireplace is by Stilbaai artist Nadine Hansen and the drum in the fireplace was bought from an artist in Botswana who repurposes metal sheeting.