Light alters the appearance of things: think about the warm glow over the mountain at sunrise compared to its rich green-grey colours when the sky is clear. Instead of a flat interpretation of ‘ocean’ and ‘mountain’, Studio Goodd’s designers were acutely aware of the temporally-informed hues in the residence’s surroundings.
They used this as inspiration to transform the building, formerly a hotel, into a seven-storey, private residence – with views of the 12 Apostles Mountain, Clifton 1st Beach, and Lion’s Head on the adjacent side.
Embracing the colours of day
With beach views seen from every window, the project was grounded in its surroundings. Anchored in the textures of the mountain and colours of the ocean, the home is designed to refresh: embracing the change in colour occurring throughout the day.
In the morning, Lion’s Head shades the house so the colours are deeper, darker blues. By the afternoon, the rooms are filled with golden hues of warmth, reflected in the richer terracotta tones, honey yellows, and sunset pops of deep orange.
Contently blue (and green)
Marble and onyx of excellent quality, both imported from Italy, were chosen to reflect the quality of waves. In the master bedroom, blue iceberg laguna, which looks like ocean waves crashing on the shore, replaced the original vision of calacatta carrara. The chosen marble was spotted during the architects’ stone sourcing trip in Verona. Passing the quarry, they immediately knew, ‘This is the one for the master bedroom wall!’
As for the basins, these were CNC carved bianco neve marble, and the vanity was fossil black marble, both carved from solid blocks in Italy. A ‘blue iceberg laguna’ marble, resembling shallow water on the beach, was also selected from the quarry in Italy.
As for the mountain textures, Armourcoat, a specialist in sustainable, luxury plaster texture, created unique finishes and colour palettes for the walls – ensuring that the layers were not as heavy as panelling and not as plain and simple as paint. Alongside this, the custom John de Jager stone vanity incorporates ‘bubble onyx’stone inspired by the textures of the mountain.
“The home is designed to refresh: embracing the change in colour occurring throughout the day.”
Locally inspired
The furniture and décor – from rugs to scatter pillows – were custom designed by Studio Goodd and other brands. Local craftmanship and artisans were celebrated as a priority: seen in the handmade Akashic Tiles from Knysna and the custom firepit made from local granite. A block custom, handcrafted in Cape Town, was selected by Studio Goodd for its natural, wave-like movement in the blue tones.
The mountainous location, while inspiring, also brought distinct challenges. On such a steep site, the only access to the numerous levels was through the house or via crane over the seven-storey house. With a complex FF&E installation, the crane option was chosen to carefully deliver each furniture piece per floor over the delicate frameless glass balustrades – a hair-raising experience. Every element of the concept narrative – blues of the ocean, chunkiness of the mountain – came together to create a holistic design, grounding the home in its surroundings.
SUPPLIERS
Exterior furniture: DEDON, Ethimo | Decorative lighting: Crema Design: Bocci, Marset Lighting, Ferm Living, Audo Copenhagen, &Tradition | Key wall finishes: Armourcoat | Joinery: Spotlight Joinery | Custom stone firepit and vanity: John de Jager Studio | Timber flooring: Bestwood Flooring | Sanitaryware: AXOR | Ceramic tiles: Akashic Tiles
