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A food blogger’s Asian-inspired riverside abode

A food blogger has created an Asian-inspired riverside home where the kitchen steals the show.

- By Marian van Wyk • Photograph­s Henrique Wilding

There is an honesty to exposed beams that I appreciate; it’s like the house has nothing to hide. – Liam

Unassuming on the outside, but unabashed within” is how Liam Ghani describes the riverside home that he and his husband Brian Prehn built when they swapped their house in the southern suburbs of Cape Town for a new life in an estate just outside the charming Overberg village of Stanford.

Brian, who works for a literacy NPO, gave the more visually-minded Liam, who studied fine arts photograph­y, free rein with the design. Liam grew up in the Malaysian state of Penang and moved to the UK at the age of 16. He has always been passionate about architectu­re, so designing and building their own home has been a dream come true.

“I love houses that offer no clue as to their interior and this house is exactly like that,” says Liam, a food blogger (TheMuddled­Pantry.com) who co-edits the eMagazine Masters of Malaysian Cuisine (MOMC). Riverside plots in the estate rarely come on the market, and theirs was one of only two that were for sale in 2019.

From their veranda, you can see all the way to the Klein River Mountain range, but Liam was adamant that he didn’t want an

‘all about the views’ type of home. “A view this gorgeous was always going to be paramount but I was conscious that it shouldn’t be elevated at the expense of the rest of the house.

“First and foremost, I wanted a home that happened to have a beautiful view, not a view that happened to have a house attached to it. A liveable, comfortabl­e home was the main priority and even though the views are stunning, it was important to create spaces that buffered, engaged and distracted before leading you to the panorama.”

Inspired by Asian homes with internal courtyards, Liam came up with a design that evolved from a central atrium, by far the biggest architectu­ral aspect of the layout and integral to the success of the design.

“It allowed us to turn what is essentiall­y a square house into a home of many unexpected parts,” he explains.

It’s been just more than a year since they broke ground in January 2020. The house was completed early in December 2020, after what Liam describes as “a painful two-month delay due to Covid-19”, which extended the constructi­on time from nine months to 11.

“All in all, we had a surprising­ly smooth build, thanks to our amazing builder Eugene Theron. Other than a wall blowing over in a dramatic winter storm and a mess-up with the trusses in the kitchen, ours was a relatively easy experience for first-timers.”

Brian and Liam take a great deal of comfort in the gentle pace of life in

Stanford. “We don’t miss the bright lights of the city at all. I might even get back to writing my very unfinished novel…” says Liam with a smile. >>

LIAM’S KITCHEN DESIGN TIPS FOR HOME CHEFS

• Try to keep your ingredient­s stored together. My favourite design element is the two side-by-side pantry cupboards: one for all my Asian ingredient­s, and another for Western ingredient­s.

• I’m not a very precious or tidy cook, so robust worktops are a must.

Our countertop­s are made from scaffoldin­g boards so they can really take a beating and, with time, will look even better for it!

• The island top is marble. I admit it’s not always the most practical option, but I wanted a natural material to complement the wood in the space. I just make sure to keep the turmeric and lime juice well away from the marble. >>

Liam appreciate­s how the grey grout between the stove’s splashback tiles conceals his curry splatters. ‘That’s a pro tip from a messy cook,’ he says.

?? ?? WHO LIVES HERE? Liam Ghani and Brian Prehn with their Irish Terrier Zuko WHERE Stanford in the Overberg SIZE 270m²
WHO LIVES HERE? Liam Ghani and Brian Prehn with their Irish Terrier Zuko WHERE Stanford in the Overberg SIZE 270m²
?? ?? In the living area, exposed brick was used in the apex at either end. The pendant above the dining room table ‘paints’ the walls and ceiling with shadows and creates atmosphere. Elinor sofa in the colour Danny Dust Rose from Sofacompan­y; wrought-iron chandelier from Elevenpast
In the living area, exposed brick was used in the apex at either end. The pendant above the dining room table ‘paints’ the walls and ceiling with shadows and creates atmosphere. Elinor sofa in the colour Danny Dust Rose from Sofacompan­y; wrought-iron chandelier from Elevenpast
?? ?? “The black subway tiles in the apexes are the ‘bookends’ of the kitchen area, so it seemed natural to marry these with industrial elements such as the black metal of the island, tap and sink,” says Liam. A concrete structural beam that runs around the living area and through the passageway, crowning the atrium, turned out to be a vital link between the spaces. The floor tiles are hand-cut andesite stone from Bali, a bargain buy after a local developer ran into financial trouble.
“The black subway tiles in the apexes are the ‘bookends’ of the kitchen area, so it seemed natural to marry these with industrial elements such as the black metal of the island, tap and sink,” says Liam. A concrete structural beam that runs around the living area and through the passageway, crowning the atrium, turned out to be a vital link between the spaces. The floor tiles are hand-cut andesite stone from Bali, a bargain buy after a local developer ran into financial trouble.
?? ?? Hanging chair from @home The bookshelf (above left) runs all the way from the dining room through to the veranda. “I have far too many cookbooks,” Liam confesses. “At last count, I think I had about 200 – and that was after a cull! We do love reading, though.” Bookshelf custom made by Your Style Cupboards; expandable dining table was a gift from Liam’s mother; chairs were second-hand buys
Hanging chair from @home The bookshelf (above left) runs all the way from the dining room through to the veranda. “I have far too many cookbooks,” Liam confesses. “At last count, I think I had about 200 – and that was after a cull! We do love reading, though.” Bookshelf custom made by Your Style Cupboards; expandable dining table was a gift from Liam’s mother; chairs were second-hand buys
?? ?? Liam’s bonsai collection (above) flourishes in the atrium, where large glass panels flood the kitchen with light in the morning and warm the passageway in the late afternoon. “At night, the shadows cast by the bonsai trees are simply sublime,” says Liam. The oldest tree is about 30 years old and Liam’s favourites include a “wonderful fluffy Hinoki Cypress and a rather grumpy Arcadia that, much like a mean cat, draws blood every time we touch it”.
Liam’s bonsai collection (above) flourishes in the atrium, where large glass panels flood the kitchen with light in the morning and warm the passageway in the late afternoon. “At night, the shadows cast by the bonsai trees are simply sublime,” says Liam. The oldest tree is about 30 years old and Liam’s favourites include a “wonderful fluffy Hinoki Cypress and a rather grumpy Arcadia that, much like a mean cat, draws blood every time we touch it”.
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?? ?? Black subway tiles from Tiletoria
Black subway tiles from Tiletoria
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?? ?? The vintage arched door leading to the scullery will always remind the couple of the day they realised they had left city life behind them. Baai Gones, the second-hand store in Gansbaai where they found the door, didn’t accept credit cards. Liam remembers how astonished they were when the owner said: “Not a problem; just do an EFT when you get home.” Kitchen cabinets and green pantry cupboards custom made by Your Style Cupboards; pendant light above island from The Lighting Warehouse; steelwork by André Taljaard; splashback tiles from CTM The rugs in the kitchen hold fond memories of Brian’s travels to Turkey about 35 years ago.
The vintage arched door leading to the scullery will always remind the couple of the day they realised they had left city life behind them. Baai Gones, the second-hand store in Gansbaai where they found the door, didn’t accept credit cards. Liam remembers how astonished they were when the owner said: “Not a problem; just do an EFT when you get home.” Kitchen cabinets and green pantry cupboards custom made by Your Style Cupboards; pendant light above island from The Lighting Warehouse; steelwork by André Taljaard; splashback tiles from CTM The rugs in the kitchen hold fond memories of Brian’s travels to Turkey about 35 years ago.
?? ?? From the enclosed veranda, the couple enjoy breathtaki­ng views across the riverbed all the way to the Klein River Mountains. For Liam, the sofa is the perfect spot for “kicking back, watching the clouds roll by, enjoying a book, or taking a nap”. He added the glass top to the kist; it used to be Brian’s late mother’s travel kist.
From the enclosed veranda, the couple enjoy breathtaki­ng views across the riverbed all the way to the Klein River Mountains. For Liam, the sofa is the perfect spot for “kicking back, watching the clouds roll by, enjoying a book, or taking a nap”. He added the glass top to the kist; it used to be Brian’s late mother’s travel kist.
?? ?? Liam affectiona­tely refers to the couple in this portrait as “ouma and oupa”. “I learnt basic Afrikaans watching 7de Laan,” he jokes. >> Portrait from Block & Chisel
Liam affectiona­tely refers to the couple in this portrait as “ouma and oupa”. “I learnt basic Afrikaans watching 7de Laan,” he jokes. >> Portrait from Block & Chisel

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