From chilly and unwelcoming to a sophisticated holiday getaway, Bone Studio completely transformed this Paarl home into a calm, breezy and inviting space
WORDS: SARAH MARJORIBANKS – PHOTOS: SEAN GIBSON
With an investment as big as a house, it can be difficult to hand over the reins and step away from a renovation project completely. However, the owner of this home in a Paarl residential estate did just that. After commissioning Nicola Orpen and Hayley Turner from Bone Studio for the job, the owner didn’t visit until the home’s transformation was complete.
“The client signed off on the design renders and did not see the house during the process until they stepped through the door,” says Nicola. “They allowed us creative freedom to provide quality finishes and products within budget, and to be pleasantly surprised when they moved in.”
Based in Cape Town, Bone Studio handles interior design from concept to completion, with clients in the residential, commercial and hospitality space. Completed late last year, the project naturally brought challenges with unforeseen delays, team schedule shuffling thanks to potential Covid-19 exposure, and rigorous access rules for the residential estate that necessitated piles of paperwork. The result, though, does not hint at any behind the scenes stress and is a far cry from the original house’s aesthetic.
Holiday home
The owner’s brief called for a holiday home that had an open and light beach-house feel, a job that required a complete overhaul of the property. The house was cold and disjointed, with under-utilised spaces and finishes that lacked warmth. The kitchen’s position in the house was also not conducive to entertaining – a necessity in any great holiday home. For the new look, inspiration came from a seemingly unlikely celebrity. “The inspiration was a home that was ‘Jamie Oliver‘ in character,” says Nicola.
“Humble and approachable but still oozing personality. The hard fixtures we kept neutral and soft and layered tones of linen and oaks in the furnishings, letting the art and decorative wallpaper do the singing.”
Add sunshine
The tranquil new home is clean and uncluttered, but still warm and functional, with plenty of interest coming from the carefully selected art pieces, furniture and fittings. The new kitchen is one that Jamie Oliver himself would be very chuffed with.
Light and airy, the antithesis of a room that traditionally features cold, hard finishes, the kitchen has taken over the space that was previously the office. “The kitchen is my favourite space as it pulls the house together,” says Nicola.
Custom furniture items were used throughout the house to add a signature element. “Our bespoke furniture pieces are always a favourite when we do renovations as we feel we leave a bit of Bone within each space and each client is left with a one-of-a-kind piece,” says Nicola.
In this project, signature pieces include a linen upholstered chair, round oak table, oak and stone coffee table, stone pendant light over the kitchen dining table, and the desks in the bedrooms. Bone Studio will be launching their product range this year.
