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The existing kitchen was tiny, so Patricia converted it and a small bedroom into a library. She saved the original chimney, as well as the woodburning oven and hot plate, and relocated them to the new, larger kitchen. “Everything I repurposed had to have a function,” she explains.

A row of skylights stretches across the main living area, ushering ample sunshine inside.

Built-in shelving and integrated storage, like in this wall up the stairs, imbues Mouse House with layers of porosity.

Jeremy and Jiminie took the most liberties with design in the kitchen, which features a concrete tile floor, PaperStone countertops (made from recycled paper and resin), a Miele dishwasher, a Sub-Zero refrigerator, and a Wolf induction stove. The pair worked with Swiss furniture company USM to outfit their kitchen with dead stock shelving.

In the primary bedroom, pink upholstered wall panels dampen sounds and soften the space.

Eleven-year-old Jamie sits on the bed with family dog, Bokkie. All materials chosen for this project have a specific relationship with South Africa and its design vernacular. The cork wall is a nod to the country's indigenous cork bush.

A painting by architect Gregory Katz adds vibrant color to the living room. The sofa and tables are from Up-Cycled, a company that upholsters, refurbishes, and makes custom furniture. The geometric, gray-and-black wall is made with bricks from Corobrik, a South African brick manufacturer.

The kitchen cabinetry is crafted from black-stained American Oak by Pro-Reno Kitchens. The dining table, chairs, and bar stools are made by local wood manufacturer Houtlander. A diamond-shaped skylight is a unique touch.

Katz installed a layer of high-density foam under the rooftop garden to better insulate the house. "With the climate here, if you insulate the place well, you need very little energy to heat or cool it," he says.

"We played with the brick in some interesting ways," says Katz about the home's exterior walls, which give privacy from neighbors.

A window seat was added at the back of the house framing the rear garden. “It’s our favourite space to sit on a cold, rainy winter night when you can hear the tapping sound of rain drops on the glass roof above,” says Rowan.