In 1991, after years of searching for a Cape vernacular
building to restore, the property in Bonnievale found us. We fitted the profile
of owners that the property was looking for, love of vernacular buildings, keen
restorers, look good in overalls, some restoration experience, lots of patience,
no money and willing to learn.
We arrived in Bonnievale from Cape Town in a 1973 chocolate
brown VW beetle. The first impression of the building was not great. It was
neglected, had a sixties facelift and needed rescuing urgently. There were some
indications that we were looking at something more special than what we saw at
first glance.
The pitch of the gables and the orientation of the buildings was a clear indication that the buildings predated the town’s street grid.
We walked past the neglected quince hedge and apricot orchard down the dusty road leading to the ‘new’ front of the house. Tilly de Swart, the estate agent who was also seeing the house for the first time that morning, was there to meet us.
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Looking towards the Main House from where the vegetable garden is today |
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Getting a clearer picture with most of the trees removed |
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The bank bulldozed back |
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Tons of stone brought in to rebuild the original wall |
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The stonewall that Keith built |
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The house after the initial renovation |
The “stoep room” was a ‘new’ addition but when we stepped
into the dining room a shiver of excitement ran down our backs. We stepped into
a room with cow dung floors heavily ‘carpeted’ with layers of linoleum.
The
ceilings in the kitchen and dining room were of oregon pine board on rough
beams. The voorkamer and bedrooms had
reed ceilings on rough poplar beams.
I saw a lot of work and Keith saw what the buildings would
be like after restoration. I don’t think Keith ever saw the buildings as
derelict. He saw the final product right from the start and never lost focus in
achieving it.
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The house from the street with the neglected orchard and quince hedge |
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Cutting back the overgrown garden at the original front of the house |
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After clearing the overgrowth |
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The original front of the main house with the steps where the door used to be |
We bought the property a half an hour later setting our life
on a path that would be filled with highs and lows but never short of the
constant source of enchantment that the property holds for us.
The property dictated the restoration process right from the
start. There were no fences to indicate the boundaries of the portions that had
been sold off in previous years. The apricot orchard was still intact but now stretching
onto property that was the last to be deducted and sold off.
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Fences in progress and the new orchard planted |
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The fences complete and the beginning of the garden on the outside |
Neighbours had started dumping on the property and however much
we tried at first we could not change the habit that had developed. We had
planned to start restoring the main house and then the cottage but realised
that we needed to start with putting up a fence first to prevent people from
dumping on the property and using it as
a unofficial thoroughfare to the neighbouring property that actually had its
entrance in the next street.
An Absolutely fantastic journey. Well done and thank u for sharing!! 👌🏻💪🏽
ReplyDeleteBefore and after pics are vital- as time passes, like having a baby, u forget the pain and sweat and only see the roses . A wonderful adventure
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