Our House

Pillows encourage relaxation on the bedroom's ledges.

A slatted wooded screen adds a meditative layer to the bedroom's work area.

Though the views of the lush forest are the stars of the show here, Patnaik's art collection has a presence here too, including a diptych by Kokil Gupta that hangs above a low-slung grey sofa.

The primary bathroom's terrazzo tiles are from Daltile. They replaced the original wood spiral staircase with a metal one, for a sleeker and safer finish.

Concrete-inspired Caesarstone counters offer an impervious worktop in Metal Lark’s chef-grade kitchen. Behind the desk on the left, pull-down Murphy bunk beds provide capacity for two additional guests.

The designer furniture—much of which is by local South African makers and brands—elevates the cozy retreat, and offers an element of surprising contrast to the rugged landscape and remote site. It was also essential that anything transported to site was of high enough quality to stand the test of time, as transporting replacements would be logistically challenging.

The black paint on the exterior timber cladding is similar to “falu red”, a permeable red paint commonly used on wooden cottages and barns in Sweden, Finland, and Norway. The paint consists of water, rye flour, linseed oil, silicates, iron oxides, copper compounds, and zinc. When it is time to repaint the house, the old paint is simply brushed or scrubbed away.

An ample sill made of English elm was built into two front windows to create a gathering spot that is visually connected to the street. Donna Wilson’s lively Ernest pouf in coral Nos Da upholstery for SCP adds extra seating in the living room.

A U-shaped kitchen sits behind the living area, closest to the deck.