BAREFOOT BLISS
Nestled between the dunes of Robberg Beach and a pristine lagoon outside the coastal town of Plettenberg Bay on South Africa’s Garden Route is an unexpected contemporary wooden beach house that epitomises stylish coastal living
“We built what we loved and always remembered what was important to us,” says homeowner Frances Orzechowski. “I think that’s the secret of Soul Arch’s soul”
“IN surfing, the Soul Arch is when a surfer arches his back down a wave – a lazy but stylish stretch that is very laid-back,” says Frances Orzechowski, explaining the name of her family’s modern timber and stone home overlooking Robberg Beach in the “quiet” part of Plettenberg Bay.
It’s difficult to think of anything more fitting. From the steep plot on which the stand-out, stylish house is perched to its proximity to the sea (so close, the salty smell pervades every room and expansive ocean views dominate the outlook) and the laid-back beach-focused lifestyle it inspires, the home exudes soul – just perfect for Frances, her husband, Wojtek, son Tadzio and their Australian cattle dog, Sam.
“We’re a three-minute walk from the beach,” explains Frances. “At full moon, we have barbecued fish on the beach for supper and the men leave the house in their baggies, with their shirts off and their surfboards tucked under their arms . . . They often surf with the dolphins, which seem particularly fond of Tadzio. They come right up to him, form a circle around him and do somersaults with him . . . He’s even swum with orcas.”
Designed by architect Tessa van Schaick and built in 2011, the house was inspired by the beach holiday “bach” or “batch-style” bungalows of New Zealand and Australia to facilitate and maximise a beach-friendly lifestyle. “We built what we loved and always remembered what was important to us. I think that’s the true secret of Soul Arch’s soul,” says Frances.
With warm reclaimed Oregon pine timber beneath her feet, she is barefoot as she speaks. “I kick off my shoes the minute I get in from work,” she says. The soft patina of the wood is so gentle and so inviting.”
Work is something the couple shares: three Indalo clothing and homeware stores in the Garden Route area. “Indalo means ‘from nature’ and I design our main line of clothing called Soul.”
And a good deal about Soul Arch is “from nature”. The three-level building and its ample decking are mainly made from untreated South African pine, whereas reclaimed old Oregon pine ceilings have been brought back to life as internal floors, window and doorframes.
“My favourite element is the slatting,” says Frances. “Amazingly, the slats don’t block the views at all.”
The wooden slats that provide security and privacy – and also create a beautifully dramatic light-and-shadow effect in the living spaces – are cleverly placed on sliders, which means that windows can be left open on hot
summer nights. Indeed, the boundaries between indoors and outdoors are blurry, to say the least. One entire wall of the upstairs main living area features huge glass doors that open up completely, giving the space the feeling of an upmarket bird hide in a nature reserve because it overlooks a wetland area vibrant with birdlife. (Several kinds of birds, including Knysna loeries, as well as bushbuck and even mongooses are frequent visitors to Soul Arch’s gardens.)
Opposite these glass doors is another set that also opens on to a huge living area that, although covered overhead, is open to the elements along one entire side, overlooking the timber-decked pool. “We’re lucky because the weather’s usually so good here that we keep it all open while we’re home,” says Frances. “And, anyway, there’s a huge outdoor fireplace for chillier days.”
The family spends most of their time outdoors and busy. “We’re all outdoor-activity crazy. We all ride mountain bikes through the local forest. Wojtek and Tadzio love paddling, surfing, swimming and anything involving the ocean – they’re in the sea each and every day. We all enjoy trail running in the Robberg Nature Reserve at the end of the beach, 10 minutes away. But when we’re not busy outside, we all love reading.”
In keeping with the Orzechowskis’ philosophy of simple, natural living, they keep entertaining fuss to a minimum, such as a homemade pizza with friends to a musical backdrop of Jack Johnson. No TV or other screens dominate Soul Arch. The focal point of the sitting room is the wood-burning stove (the winter hub of the home), and in the large, relaxed ground-level family room a wall of books bears testimony to what the family members do in their spare time. “But we love travelling,” says Frances. “Our holidays are normally beach-style holidays from where we bring home shells and where I buy fabrics. All the cushions around our home are made from fabrics collected on various trips to Madagascar, Mozambique, Botswana and Malawi.”
The cushions fit Frances’s “simple, uncluttered” interiors philosophy and easily work alongside everything from the custom-made wooden furniture pieces to the beloved paintings Frances recently inherited from her uncle and the brightly coloured surfboards on their customised rack next to the outdoor shower. “No sand getting tracked through the house,” laughs Frances.
Because, simple and uncluttered though Soul Arch may be, the fine attention paid to small details like these means it’s not only stylish, warm and welcoming, but also tremendously practical and works hard in its seaside setting so that its lucky owners can truly relax and unwind. • This property is available for holiday rentals through Perfect Hideaways, perfecthideaways.co.za.