island style Old Melville mining house now an

reader home

Rick and Jessica Roché have been living at the foot of the

The kitchen aesthetic is industrial, with stainless-steel workbenches on castors and screeded cement floors. The original steel window frames were painted black to complement the contemporary space.

Melville koppies and within walking distance of the bohemian street café culture of their suburb for the past two years. From the exterior, their two-bedroom semi-detached house is typical of the old mining houses in the area – all similar in design. Which is precisely what the couple did not want.

But once inside their home, the interior is a reflection of two colourful personalities: Rick is a software engineer better known in his twenties as Rick Disco the DJ; Jessica is a filmmaker and art director. Both are ambitious, creative, sociable and a tad eccentric.

“Our style is eclectic,” says Jessica. “As a stylist, I love every new décor fad but you can’t change everything every year. We favour a dark palette with a lot of contemporary art and artefacts from our travels. >>

The house is situated at the bottom of a slope. Rick and Jessica are replacing the artificial grass in the front with plants so that their small garden can develop

a woodland feel.

“Our skull collection was inspired by the idea that we all look alike under our skin, hair and clothes. We’re actually all ‘spooky’ skeletons,” says Jessica with a chuckle. “A skull is also the symbol of The Day of the Dead holiday in Mexico in honour of deceased loved ones. The concept that we should not forget about our loved ones after their death, but rather honour and remember them, is beautiful to me.”

Jessica’s granddad is very proud that she works in the film industry, and regularly brings her old cameras and film books. Most of the cameras are still in working condition and Jessica dreams of one day shooting a movie with them. The LPs are Ricky’s collection.

Melville or nowhere Rick had one prerequisite when they were looking for a house – it had to be in Melville. Luckily, Jessica loves the suburb just as much.

“We chose Melville because we like old houses with Oregon pine floors and pressed steel ceilings. Many of our friends live here, and the neighbourhood is more alternative than most other suburbs – it’s still a bit rock ’n roll,” say Rick and Jessica with a smile. “Property here is also still affordable.”

The house used to belong to another art director, so Jessica felt right at home with its alternative style from the get-go. The large covered entertainment area was also a drawcard for the couple – they love socialising and can do so here regardless of the weather. They first built a pizza oven and braai area on one long worktop, then the entire house, inside and out, was painted in dark colours with green and blue undertones.

Another guest bathroom is top of their wish list, along with a new bath and spacious shower for their en suite. Later, the jacuzzi outside will be converted into a plunge pool. The kitchen, which currently has freestanding units, will be fitted with concrete structures and stainless-steel countertops – all projects for one day in the future.

[T H E N E I G H B O U R H O O D] Melville, one of the oldest suburbs in Johannesburg, was founded in 1896 – just 10 years after the Gold Rush. The Rochés’ house is at the end of a cul-desac and the pair enjoy taking a quick walk around the Melville Koppies Nature Reserve opposite their home after work.

Botanical wallpaper and a trio of rose-tinted mirrors in organic shapes create a fresh impression at the front door.

Wallpaper from Builders; mirrors from Superbalist

An interesting shelf creates a focal point at the front door.