3 minute read
The oldest house in Richmond
from Gcfhghykb
JanSauerLambrechtsisn’tmuchof atalker;he’sa doer.Hekept largelytohimselfwhenthe Home teamwerephotographinghis housebutassoonastheytook abreak,heservedup adelicious freshlybakedquiche –straightfromtheoven.
ThisgemthatherenovatedinRichmondintheGreatKarooisa testimonytohisdrive –asisthefactthatheruns alocalguesthouse;a quarry70kmawayinDeAar;and aweddingvenue,another40kmfurther, outsideBritstown.
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He’sdefinitely adoer.
HisrootslieherebutJanSauertook atwo-year‘detour’inCape Town aftercompletinghisstudiesinurbanplanningandarchitecturaldesign. AndthentheKaroocalledhimhome.
And,asheexplains,onehastolearntoimproviseintheKaroo;youcan’t justdrivetothestoretogetwhatyouneed.WhenJanSauerboughtthe oldesthouseintowntoconvertitinto aguesthouseandhisowngetaway, SeisoenKarooRetreat,therun-downpropertypresentedampleopportunity forcreativity.>>
Chairs with white linen slipcovers from Weylandts; ottoman from @home; rug from Hertex; rattan lampshades from La Grange Interiors
Then and now
When you drive down Loop Street looking for Seisoen Karoo Retreat, the façade doesn’t draw your attention away from its neighbours. Jan Sauer planned it that way as he didn’t want the house to clash with the vernacular of the town.
Inside though, it’s a different story, with plenty of contemporary detail perfectly at ease with the simplicity of the original structure.
The open-plan living room appears even more spacious with its 3m-high ceiling and large steel doors opening onto the veranda. A deep stoep on the west-facing side provides relief from the summer heat inside the house, as does the stone cladding on the walls which ensures excellent insulation.
Shutters on rails slide all the way across the large glass doors; they not only help to keep the house cool but are also a sturdy security measure.
As you walk down the short hallway, striking floral wallpaper in the main bedroom catches your eye. This space, much like the second bedroom, is rather dark with smaller windows providing another measure of protection against the heat.
Since Richmond was a base for British soldiers during the Second Boer War, Jan Sauer brought in an element of the past with historical portraits and pictures of hunting scenes on many of the walls. His creativity can also be seen in his beautiful cushions with their distinctive blue Delft patterns. Jan Sauer created designs inspired by photos he took of crockery and had these printed on linen. He also does this with plants and flowers. >>
A huge built-in fireplace on the long back stoep is ideal for braaiing. Here, the steel doors were painted brown.
Chairs from @home; table from Eye for Wood
Jan Sauer likes to use fresh prickly pear leaves as décor and replaces them when they start to wilt.
Restored to its former glor y
The road to achieving this stylish and inviting space was long – although, in fact, the renovations only took eight months.
“We literally had to start from scratch because the previous owners had replaced the windows and doors with unsuitable materials and had lifted all the wooden floors!” says Jan Sauer.
“I first had to sit and think carefully about what I wanted for this house. Then I planned the layout and worked meticulously to stay within a tight budget. In the end, only the four outer walls remained; inside, everything was demolished.
“I wanted to restore the house to its former glory but with contemporary appeal.”
For this reason, he combined wood and stone with metal and glass, as can be seen in the wooden ceilings and stone walls, beautifully complemented by the large steel-framed glass doors and windows.
Jan Sauer says he has a weakness for auctions. “I usually buy something that I’m drawn to without even knowing where I’ll use it. I have a barn full of things that always come in handy somewhere. That’s how I got the sash windows – they come from a farmhouse outside Stellenbosch that was being demolished.”
All the stonework on the walls and stoep was done by local builders. “We recycled the stones from the old stoep. It was hard work because some were thick and some thin, but my team did an incredible job. They became very adept at it.”
The home’s crowning glory – and perhaps also the project’s – is the new corrugated iron roof that Jan Sauer had installed in keeping with the style of Karoo buildings.
“Nothing soothes the soul quite like the sound of rain falling on a corrugated iron roof.”
Jug from MUD; tumblers from Checkers
