A
connection to nature is at the very heart of this tiny home
on South Africa’s Western Cape, which is a standing
testament that small really is beautiful. For more than a
decade, owners Rudi and Karen patiently watched and studied the
natural characteristics of their property, imagining where they
would one day build the modern but modest holiday home they
had long dreamed about. No strangers to the landscape, the couple
had already built a set of rustic mountain cabins on one of the
higher slopes to get their KolKol Mountain Lodge up and running.
But when it came to the pod they envisaged, they knew they
needed to pay extra special attention. “We carefully considered
where to place it,” says Rudi, whose own two hands built much of
structure as well as the custom furniture that sits inside. “I spent
more than a decade getting to know all this land and then looked
with the utmost care at precisely where this structure should be
situated, taking into account the views, the movements of the sun,
the prevailing winds and the impact on the indigenous fynbos
plants that surround it.” Created as a place to relax, unwind and
reconnect with nature, the pod was designed by the couple with a
clear and careful vision in mind. “I’ve always had this sort of shape
in my head,” says Rudi. “When the time came to build this, I drew it
all, and then got an architect to make detailed plans.”
Both rustic and futuristic all at once, the pod hovers between two:
the minimalist design and clean lines of the structure are softened
by rounded edges where the walls meet the floor and ceiling, while
a variety of timbers and exposed concrete are used in abundance
throughout the interiors to celebrate the natural world, creating the
perfect space to escape the real one.LIVING AREA While Rudi played an essential role in the construction of the pod, Karen took the reins
when it came to the interiors, opting for a casually luxe look with lots of warm colours and textures to set off
the concrete and wood finishes. As a place to truly switch off, she wanted to create a laidback natural vibe:
woven lampshades hang in the kitchen and lounge zones (try the ‘Bindu’ pendant from The Lighting
Collective and the ‘Weave’ floor lamp from Zanui for similar), and a welcoming couch is paired with a lush
velvety rug to bring plush softness to the lounge area (for a similarly chic lounging option try King
Living’s ‘Delta III’ 3-seater in Manhattan Natural.) Meanwhile, the contemporary shape of the chairs –
similar to the ‘Byron’ dining chairs from Life Interiors – offer a touch of contrast. The curvy dining table
was hand-crafted by Rudi (try the ‘Nena’ reclaimed round dining table from Interior Secrets) and plays the
perfect host to family dinners where they enjoy home cooked pizzas from the wood-fired pizza oven. >WALL PANELS
For similar, try
Rough Sawn Sleeper
Feature Wall Panels,
$141/sqm, Northern
Rivers Recycled
Timber.192 HOMEBEAUTIFUL.COM.AU I MAY 2020