Naomi painted the lime front door, seen in one
of the floor-to-ceiling mirrors flanking the
fireplace, after being inspired by ‘a decor and
design magazine, of course’. A Conrad Botes
print hangs above the fireplace, while the
ceramics on the mantelpiece and tables are
mainly from Art in the Forest (artintheforest.
com). The sofa on the left, along with the
leather chair and footstool, came from Space
for Life (spaceforlife.co.za). The sofa on the
right is from Decade. The cushions are from
Tonic (tonicdesign.co.za) and Country Road
(woolworths.co.za). The pink Jelly Vase by
Patricia Urquiola for Kartell on the white
wrought-iron table is from A+I Unlimited Design
(afritaly.com). OPPOSITE Naomi and Noa in the
kitchen. The vivid floor tiles are from OnSite
Gallery and the cushion is from Bbellamy &
bbellamy (bbellamyandbbellamy.com); the
collections on the shelves include ceramics by
Naomi’s mother.1015_HL_060_069_House_Larkin_RFO.indd 5 2015/09/08 11:39 AM
She and Naashon met in Johannesburg in 1999. He’s another
visuals radical: an independent TV producer and founder of
SmartPhoneFilmSchool, whose work, like hers, takes him
around the world so it’s not surprising their home is a storehouse
of beautiful objects from far afield that are vibrant and
often vintage.
Having bought the house three years ago they were grateful
to the previous owners who created a distinctive look and put in
essential additions: an ample pantry; a double garage leading down
to the front door; glass roofs on the back patio; and an outdoor
shower, where they also commissioned a glass mosaic mural. Naomi
initially found this life-size weeping angel a bit over the top ‘but
it’s so beautifully executed that it’s grown on me and it makes this
bathroom a serene space. We shower there even in winter,’ she says.
They now share their home with their 21-month-old daughter
Noa. She’s the cute, impish reason many of the cherished
collectables that once adorned various bits of furniture are now
on display on all the wide shelves that turn the kitchen into more
than just a kitchen.Naomi admits to being ‘a bit of a collector’. Her collections are
decorative and nostalgic: a dazzling array of finely crafted baskets
in many colours from places such as Bali, Lombok, Madagascar
and Mauritius; curvaceous perfume flacons and willowy bud
vases in glittering blue and red and yellow glass; fanciful little
snow globes picked up all over the world, including one from New
York complete with the Twin Towers; Madonnas of every variety,
some made by her father, while her mother made a number of the
ceramics. Naturally she also collects South African ceramics.
The teacups we drink from are vintage Ironstone with a sepia
motif. Naomi found them in a charity shop in Scotland and
schlepped them home. They make for a quirky contrast to the metal
dining table where we’re sitting, which is one of Gregor Jenkin’s
signature pieces, with Regency legs of profile-cut rolled steel. The
subtle industrial feel sits happily with the flowing lines of the
high-backed wooden chairs – Ercol’s Windsor Quakers – and their
houndstooth chequer cushions. ‘I’m big on juxtapositions of textures
and colours and eras,’ Naomi says. ‘I like to mix vintage, Mid-
Century Modern and designer pieces, even in the clothes I wear.’HOUSEANDLEISURE.CO.ZA HL OCTOBER 2015 651015_HL_060_069_House_Larkin_RFO.indd 65 2015/09/07 11:24 AM