Jochem and Evi Elsner have created many homes in their time, but none is quite as close to their hearts as this one. The couple – Jochem is the ever-practical, hands-on builder and Evi, the interior designer, a connoisseur of flea markets and vintage stores – have been building, decorating and selling houses for over 20 years. After moving to South Africa from Germany and spending a number of years in Somerset West, they relocated to their present hometown, the burgeoning coastal village of Yzerfontein.
The choice of this seaside location only just won out over a more rural one, as the Elsners are lovers of nature and animals, and they originally toyed with the idea of adding a large greenhouse on this plot, which they purchased during the COVID pandemic. The site is situated on slightly higher ground than the other nearby beachside homes – 150 feet above sea level – and as a result, is surrounded by the region’s protected natural shrubland and enjoys beautiful vistas of the ocean and landscape. On clear days, it’s possible to see the outline of Cape Town’s famed Table Mountain on the far horizon, around 55 miles away. Of course, the fact that the closest beach is just a few minutes’ walk from the property adds to its charms.
When the local planning authority nixed the idea of a greenhouse – the area is strictly reserved for the development of dwellings – the Elsners came up with a new plan: they would create a barn-inspired contemporary home dedicated to the pursuit of total relaxation. Conceived to seem as if it is an updated farm building, the house has a resolute simplicity of design. The central “barn” with its steeply pitched roof contains an open-plan living/dining/ kitchen space, flanked on either side by two large bedrooms with bathrooms en suite. The addition of a petite entryway and a storeroom on the street side of the house, plus a large wooden deck in front for outdoor dining and lounging, completes the layout.
The purity of the building’s design is both enhanced and transcended by the Elsners’ careful attention to every detail of its construction. For example, the great room features criss-crossing wooden roof trusses entirely evocative of an old barn. These thick, old-fashioned beams are very much unlike the narrow contemporary variety now generally used in construction and were installed by a firm that specializes in the creation and renovation of traditional-style roofing. The trusses are secured using old-fashioned hand-cut washers and steel end holders, and the beams themselves were hand-finished using vinegar-soaked steel wool.
Similarly, the interior brickwork has been carefully hand-worked to generate an authentic old-school look and feel, while classic timber lintels and wooden doors were painstakingly sourced at flea markets and junkyards. Steel-framed glass doors that open onto the deck at the front of the house add another dimension of vintage appeal. These authentic finishes are further enhanced by layered interiors that combine pieces collected over many years at markets and secondhand stores with the judicious use of contemporary furnishings and all-natural textiles. “The contemporary-vintage blend is both deliberate and instinctive,” Evi describes.
Her aim is always to create an atmosphere that is cozy rather than grand or precious, which is also why “some things go together, but not everything.” Because of the very restrained color palette – shades of white with natural browns from wood, leather and basketware, plus highlighting touches of gray and black – it might be tempting to characterize Evi’s style as minimal in its ethos. It definitely isn’t. “I’m monochromatic, not minimalist,” she states decisively.
The house perfectly facilitates warm-weather pleasures when opened to the elements during the Cape’s long, hot summers. Its serene bedrooms each feature a wide window seat piled with cushions that frames beautiful views of the surrounding landscape. Elements such as these, as well as the home’s perfectly planned living space, flanked by an interior, wood-fired oven and a large open fireplace, make it even better in the winter. With the sound of rain thrumming on the roof, the interior becomes a cozy haven, warmed by the glowing fire and the stove, and lit with flickering candles. No matter the season, this is a home in which to disconnect from the bustle of modern life and reconnect with the natural world – a sanctuary in which to unwind in complete, cocoon-like peace.
Photography by Warren Heath.
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