South African Garden and Home – September 2019

gardenandhome.co.za | SEPTEMBER 2019 29

Having seen interior designer
Margaret Berichon’s work in other
homes by Mark Leslie-Smith, they
asked her to design the interiors and
kitchen, and assist with the choice of
finishes. “I believe in the power of
simplicity, especially when the house
is blessed with abundant natural light,
a beautiful outlook and a layout that
really works,” she says. “To build on

this and emphasise the coastal location,

we installed engineered oak floors

throughout and fitted the windows with

shutters. We picked up the oak in the

detailing on the kitchen cabinetry and

also in the wall cladding in the dining

and living areas.”

Adding plenty of interest to the

predominantly neutral scheme are stone

and metallic elements, lots of texture

and subtle wallpapers. “As there are

children and three boisterous dogs to

consider, the fabrics and finishes had

to be both practical and durable,” notes

Margaret. Working closely with the

owners, she included furnishings from

their previous home and assisted them

in the choice of artwork and accessories.

“We tried to strike a balance between

the new and contemporary, and the 

I believe in the power of simplicity,

especially when the house is blessed with

abundant natural light, a beautiful outlook

and a layout that really works.”