What was once a historical farm house, surrounded by farmlands centuries ago, this Cape Dutch-style Constantia home has cleverly retained its poise, position and discreet charm in the heart of an established garden. With soft terracotta-coloured walls, rather than the traditional whitewash.
Through the gates and up the driveway, you are immediately private and secure. Walls of greenery and sturdy, mature trees create a secret garden on a property surprisingly, only a few minutes’ walk from Constantia Village shopping centre. It’s a home for all seasons; cool in summer with its thick walls and terracotta tiles underfoot, large double doors lead from one informal living room to an enclosed pool area for high summer and lazing about on loungers. The grass remains green despite the year’s low rainfall with borehole water used sparingly so that the hibiscus and hydrangeas retain their pink and purple blooms. The garden so pivotal to the character of the home survives and thrives.
In winter under-floor heating in the bedrooms, an open fireplace and a wood-burning fireplace, entice you indoors for red wine, crusty home-baked bread and soft brie. Perhaps the spoils of your morning out at the markets, or the nearby wine farms. Stacked at the fireplace dense, hard Kameeldoring wood adds russet warmth to the room. When the wood burns, the house is fragrant with its distinctive musky, aromatic scent. By night, the exterior of the house is lit to create welcoming pools of warm light.
Quintessential country living in the suburbs
‘Calm, quiet and solid,’ say the owners about their special retreat. A luxury getaway in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town. ‘We love the fact that we sleep so well here.’ With three suites and an extra loft, this is where a family can call Limewood Lodge home – a base from which to explore Cape Point, the city and Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, all easy drives, and all in a day.
Written by Les Aupiais
Edited by Colleen Ogilvie