Letter to the past
The old-world charm of this 18th-century post office is complemented by its current owner’s collection of rare antiques, unique furniture and quirky curios
Antiques and handmade furnishings complement the charming 18th-century features of this former village post office
Cradled by the majestic Kleinrivier mountains, Stanford is a quiet South African outpost an hourand-a-half’s drive from Cape Town. Tempted by its stunning scenery and laid-back lifestyle, artist and interior designer Cobus van Niekerk moved here 16 years ago. He opened his antiques shop, The Stanford Trading Store, and made this former post office, situated opposite the village church, his home. As soon as he moved in, he set about ripping out the new kitchen, false plywood ceilings and carpets that the previous owner had installed. ‘The builders thought I was mad,’ he recalls, ‘ but when the renovations revealed the beautiful original ceilings and architectural features that had long been hidden, they changed their minds. The building dates back to 1760, which is very old for South Africa.’
From the street, visitors arrive at a long colonnaded porch that Cobus calls his ‘stoop’, because it reminds him of the entrance to an old-fashioned guesthouse. This welcoming outdoor room has a classic chequerboard tiled floor and is furnished with flea-market treasures and Cobus’s own creations, including metal furniture and a lantern that hangs low over a small dining table.
Inside, the property’s T-shaped layout allows for clear views from one end of the house to the other, and Cobus’ collections of antique furniture and ephemera are beautifully composed against a neutral backdrop of wooden floorboards, natural cement walls and reclaimed Carrara marble surfaces. Several of the rooms are painted in a dark charcoal shade that enhances the sense of warmth and intimacy. ‘The walls were white for many years – I can’t quite believe I waited so long to paint them black,’ he says. ‘It brings an incredible richness to the space.’
Many years have passed since Cobus moved to Stanford, but he remains happily entrenched in the post office with Seuntjie, his Irish terrier, whose name means ‘ boy’ in Afrikaans. He admits, however, to relentlessly rearranging his home: he plans to build another floor (a staircase has already been installed in readiness for the project), and is in the process of moving his shop into his home studio. ‘I love to play around with beautiful things,’ says Cobus of the world that he has created around him. ‘I guess I’m still a little boy playing with his matchbox cards – that’s where this passion for collecting all began.’
‘I like an old-world feel as it puts me at ease. It’s the memories of people who lived, used and worked with a piece that make it special. Still, I’m not precious about any of it – if something breaks, I won’t cry about it’
‘I can’t believe I waited so long to paint the walls black. It brings an incredible richness to the space’
A backdrop of natural cement walls and Carrara marble surfaces allows Cobus’s collections to shine