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.”