BEAUTIFUL IN blue

A small, dark kitchen and separate lounge were converted into a bright and breezy open-plan living area.

By Beatrice Moore-Nöthnagel Styling Amanda van Wyngaardt

A“After living in our house for 17 years, it was about time!” says mom-of-four Talia Botha when describing the conversion of the dingy old kitchen in their Jo’burg home into a beautiful open-plan space.

“We started our family as a young couple and now we are six – the small divided spaces just weren’t working anymore,” she explains. “We live in a house in one of the old mining areas of Johannesburg South and the rooms are rather small… It took a long time, but we finally decided to demolish some walls and create a more functional living area for our family.”

And in the true spirit of the Fix it with Flair competition, Talia and her IT wiz husband Nick got stuck in themselves. “The small rooms weren’t the only problem,” Nick recalls. “Every time you touched the hot water tap in the bathroom, you’d feel a slight electrical shock. We had to rewire the entire house as part of our kitchen revamp.”

Luckily, Nick has a pragmatic approach to life. “Cabling is cabling,” he says of the rewiring job that would usually have been done by an electrician. “Only the shock is different!”

A space for us all

The Bothas’ home is about 60 years old, and Nick and Talia are only the second owners. Having lived in the house for almost two decades, they had a clear idea of what they wanted to do – and the first thing that had to go was the carpet in the kitchen. Although they discovered parquet flooring underneath, the damage to the wood was extensive, so they swapped what was usable for a mechanical repair of their car when it broke down.

For Talia, who bakes and decorates speciality cakes, creating a practical kitchen space was the perfect solution for her business. “I’m in the kitchen for 70 percent of my waking hours and it was difficult to oversee the older children doing their homework while also trying to entertain a toddler in another room.” Now this conundrum is a thing of the past.

“It took five months of being patient – not only when it came to finances but also in terms of our living conditions. But we’re extremely proud of what we’ve achieved!” says Talia. “My new space reflects my personality and I love the farmhouse look with its industrial touch and French country charm. The kitchen really allows our family to come together in a functional but beautiful space.”

• Photographs Elza Cooper The walls weren’t in a good enough condition to leave exposed, but the wallpaper with its raw brick design is right on trend. Wood-look floor tiles from CTM Paint colour Deep Dark Shadows from Duram

The glass-front cupboards boast beautiful toile curtains that Talia made herself.

To save on costs, Nick’s father Rudi Botha made up the Supawood cupboards: he cut 3mm grooves into the front to enhance the rustic farmhouse effect that Talia loves so much. Paint colour Fired Earth’s 3-in-1 Cabinet Paint in Mocca Chocca.

Leather straps affixed with nuts and bolts serve as drawer handles.