SEA VIEW PLAIT ST. JA M E S, C A PE TOW N
Creative laid back living High up in the hills of St. James, above the long stretch of Muizenberg’s bustling beach, Sea View Plait pokes its nose out of the mountain and floats its chin over the ocean below. The drive to the property itself, sets the tone on the itinerary to a motive-for-motion. As you meander the bends of Boyes Drive, glancing down at the little, dark figurines surfing the waves, the crisp mountain air wafts through the car window, invigorating every sense with an inspiring reminder. Nurture the nature within and around. Get into that ocean today. Climb up that mountain and inhale the fynbos. Take a stroll down to the little village that’s buzzing with bookshops, bakeries and boutiques. Go and check out those coloured little houses on the shoreline. Is that a harbour? Take me to the fishmonger! But first, let’s free-wheel down this winding driveway that’s carved out of the cliff, and discover what’s waiting for us.
Designed by South African architect Tessa van Schaik, Sea View Plait slenderly stretches itself across one level, with the main en suite bedroom elevated at the end. Natural light floods the rough-stone corridor, that’s flanked by three en suite bedrooms to one side, and the floor-to-ceiling glass windows on the other - drawing the radiant, green garden and its tiered slabs of stone, inside. Each room, with its individual colour schemes of green and gold, charcoal and pink, royal blue and beige, is ensconced in gentle, ambient light. The undisputed heart of the home is the open-plan kitchen, living and dining area, where solid timber floors, soft white sofas, wicker chairs and seashell chandeliers, equally simplify and maximise the space. With the magnetism of the boundless ocean pulling you out from every viewpoint. When the afternoon sun settles behind the mountain, it’s time to light the pellets of the Piazetta - the Ferrari of fireplaces and watch the pink moon rise. Then it’s off to the sleek kitchen for cooking up an Ottolenghi feast. Pluck your herbs from the garden outside, pick the lemons and limes from the trees, whizz it all up in the NutriBullet and blend ‘n bake with any of the high-tech kitchen appliances in the scullery. Duck off to the drinking den down the corridor, or to the deck beside the pool, for an evening tipple before the family feasting ensues around the table.
Every aspect of this heavenly hideaway embodies family life. For the love of laid-back, honest, creative and free living. Commissioned artwork by Lauren Redman, Peter Pharaoh, Natalie Hirschman, Andrew Cooper and Michael Waters canvas the white walls with authenticity. The owners’ signature stems from the family’s passion for surfing. When they’re not gliding the waves with their boards, they’re watching them curl beneath, from their beds.
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