In holiday mode Boutique

HALL FLOOR Moroccan tiles surround a practical built-in doormat

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LESLEY’S STYLE?

Turn to page 31 to shop the look

In holiday mode

Lesley and Rupert Sykes took inspiration from boutique hotels when reconfiguring their Victorian home, bringing a sense of comfort and relaxation all year round

Living room

Clever use of colour is a hallmark of this home. Here, the palestof-pale-blue walls perfectly show off the dusty pink sofa and chartreuse armchair. BUY THE KEY PIECES Try Vittsjo nest of tables, £45, Ikea. Carolina Black bamboo side table, £103.20, Buyfair, is similar

Welcome to my home

Lesley Sykes, a client relations director for a global travel company, lives here with husband Rupert, a property developer and interior designer for hotels, and their sons William, six, and Finn, three. THE PROPERT Y A four-bedroom Victorian terraced house in Cape Town, South Africa.

THE VALUE Similar houses in the area sell for around 10mZAR (£511,000).

Our main aim was to create a flow between indoors and out”

Take a quick tour...

SECOND FLOOR

FIRST FLOOR

aving met 10 years ago while living in London, Lesley and Rupert Sykes dreamed of returning to their homeland of South Africa.

HInvesting in a Victorian property near Lesley ’s parents in Cape Town allowed Rupert to follow his passion for property developing and Lesley to launch a career in travel. Together they also started a hotel interior design business (sykesdesign.wixsite.com/mysite).

‘We were hoping to find a property near the sea that we could put our own stamp on, ’ says Rupert, ‘the more run down the better. ’ Their two-storey terraced house had a traditional layout with little flow and natural light. However, Rupert had experience of re-designing similar properties in London. ‘Our vision to open up the house and maximise the space to create a modern family home required a lot of lateral thinking, ’ he says. ‘Particularly as the house had been largely untouched for 40 years. ’ Grobler Architects (groblerarchitects.co.za) collaborated on the project. This included extending the ground floor to create an open-plan living room and kitchen-diner, plus a family room and playroom around a decked courtyard.

On the first floor a secluded guest suite leads to a pool and roof terrace. ‘We wanted our visiting friends to have a degree of independence but still feel like part of the family, ’ says Lesley. ‘Another guest suite and home office were fitted into the roof space, thanks to a sensitively designed roof mansard extension. ’

Rupert and Lesley live in a part of the city that is quite built up, so devising ways to create privacy without compromising on aesthetics was important. Where possible they installed wooden ceilings in outside areas to create warmth, as well as green walls. Their experience in hotel interior design – they ’ ve completed two in recent years – has certainly influenced their own home. ‘Why would you deny yourself that holiday feeling every day in your own home?’ says Lesley.

Living room

Rupert has employed a number of clever ways to zone different areas in an open-plan space, be it with a rug, an accent wall or a kitchen island. BUY THE KEY PIECES London armchair in Turmeric velvet, £499, Swoon, is similar. Leopard print cushion, £28, I am Fy; and Vivaraise Fara cushion in Bronze, £30, Amara, would work here UTILITY ROOM Makes use of an awkward understairs area

ISLAND BOOKSHELF Provides space for recipe books

Kitchen

White epoxy resin floors and Caesarstone Carrara marble countertops contrast with the charcoal kitchen cabinets. BUY THE KEY PIECES A similar sized kitchen by Pluck would cost from £15,000. The September bar stool in Cognac leather, £442, Royal Design, is a similar alternative

A living garden wall (seen through the window) was created to soften the look of the boundary walls

Playroom

William and Finn’s space was future-proofed to evolve into another guest suite in time, with some of the back yard utilised for an en-suite bathroom. BUY THE KEY PIECES Try Blue Stars beanbag, £25, Dunelm. Super Shadows Little League art print, from £13, I am Fy, would work here. Havana Green rug, £89.99, Woven, is similar

Dining area

The back wall has been transformed with a coat of black paint, creating a moody, dramatic atmosphere, ideal for evening entertaining. BUY THE KEY PIECES Corinna 12 seat oak dining table, £749, Made, is comparable. Black leg Eames DSW chair, £39, Pash Classics, is a good match

“We chose a palette and soft muted colour luxurious gold, brass and solid oak finishes to give our home a contemporary feel within its traditional shell”

The wet room is tucked away behind the vanity unit

Main bedroom

Different floor finishes here demarcate the en suite from the sleeping area; well-loved vintage suitcases work brilliantly as a bedside table. BUY THE KEY PIECES Hot Pink Birds of Paradise Indian bed quilt, £135, Trouva, is an alternative. Cheetah cushion, £95, Emma J Shipley, would work here

En-suite shower

This double shower wet room has been cleverly designed with a skylight above, which also helps with ventilation. BUY THE KEY PIECES Eglise Amiens floor tiles, £39sqm, Claybrook, have this look. Lismore Essential chrome thermostatic shower set, £104.99, Bathroom Mountain, is similar

“For a long house felt like time, this a labour of love that would never end, but we’re happy we could put our stamp on it”

VANITY UNIT Oak finish feels more like bedroom furniture

Main bedroom

Clever design elements are found everywhere, not least the wall of the en suite that affords privacy while the other side is utilised as a double vanity. BUY THE KEY PIECES Try RAK Joy basin unit, £436.34; and Vitra Integra mirror cabinet, £438.20, both Bathroom Planet

Children’s bedroom

‘I designed the boys’ room to house a custom-made bunk bed – the steps up to the top bunk are also storage drawers for their toys, ’ says Lesley. BUY THE KEY PIECES Sweet Dreams States triple sleeper bunk bed, £399, Bed World, is an alternative. Try Korting Kids road map rug, £85.50; and Digna geometric single duvet cover, £35, both La Redoute

WALL LIGHT A practical space saving solution

Throughout the house, slight recesses offer the opportunity for displaying a favourite book or framed print

Bathroom

Glass walls and a skylight give the bathroom a sense of generous elegance while old family photographs personalise the space. BUY THE KEY PIECES Try Cotto Cube floor tiles, £57sq m, Porcelain Superstore. Arezzo brushed brass thermostatic shower pack, £479.95, Victorian Plumbing, is a match

Bathroom

The modernity of the slick marble basin is offset with soft pink walls and a trio of antique mirrors. BUY THE KEY PIECES Tennessee Carrara marble double washbasin, £1,631.15, Riluxa, has this look. Lusso luxe basin mixer in brushed gold, £275, Lusso Stone, would work here

“Victorian known for houses having are not good storage so we had to dream up inventive ways of creating more space”

Loft office

Every inch of space has been put to work including the eaves of the roof, where a home office has been created without compromising on light. BUY THE KEY PIECES Coloured vintage rug, £1,248, Rug Vista, is similar

Guest bedroom

Tucking a bed into the gap between fitted wardrobes is a clever visual reversal of the usual alcoves either side of a chimney breast. BUY THE KEY PIECES The Alderton lampshade, £25, Made is a match. For similar cushions, try Designers Guild

WHAT I’VE LEARNED “To mak of storage e p the ossi most bilities by utilising every nook and cranny. I also love recessing my TVs into the wall so they look neat and tidy”

Thoughtfully placed windows allow the stairs to be flooded with light

MY GO-TO STORES…

● DESIGNERS GUILD A great range of wallpapers and fabrics in rich colours and beautiful patterns.

● JAMBO IMPORTS A wonderful selection curios and handicrafts from local artisans and community projects.

● PASH CLASSICS A wide selection of iconic replica mid century pieces.

WILD SIDE Panther cushion, £48, Amara

Make it work for you

LESLEY’S STYLE: TOWNHOUSE CHIC Black accents are styled with fresh pink and citrine, while angled velvet seating and copper pendants add a glam edge

Colourful furniture adds warmth to black accents

MODERN CLASSIC Stanley hammered copper pendant, from £395, Original BTC

STYLIST’S NOTE

“Break up space with a a large change open-plan in f looring to zone different areas”

STEPHANIE DURRANT, SENIOR FEATURES EDITOR

RUSTIC CHIC Carolina table, £159.99, Wayfair TIMELESS WITH A TWIST Nova antique rug, from £74, Next Home

SERENE GREEN Porter armchair, £329, My Furniture PLAYFUL ELEMENT Sena pineapple jar, £58, Homebody Decor A SHOT OF BLUSH Cafe Concept cappuccino mugs, £18 for two, Very