Neighbourhood DBN - 17 June 2018

Neighbourhood 17 JUNE 2018

PROPERTY & LIFESTYLE

Picture perfect Artist Fée Halstead tells us how the country life of Lidgetton feeds her creativity, page 2

2

SUBURB FOCUS: LIDGETTON

yourneighbourhood.co.za

7

KITCHEN INNOVATIONS

Connecting homeowners with great communities

2

PROPERTY NEWS

17 JUNE 2018

Neighbourhood

Suburb focus

Lidgetton

*Map not to scale

At Lidgetton, we’re surrounded by rolling hills, pastoral history and warm, hospitable neighbours. It’s really a wonderful lifestyle, and I can’t visualise living or working elsewhere.

Founder of Ardmore Ceramics Fée Halstead tells us about her neighbourhood WORDS: ANNE SCHAUFFER

FÉE HALSTEAD

IMAGES: SUPPLIED, STEPHEN PRYKE & GOOGLE MAPS

L

Lidgetton itself is tiny, but it's part of a number of little villages and hamlets which comprise the Midlands country patchwork. There are stop-offs in Lidgetton which are part of the well-known Midlands Meander, a series of well-thoughtout and designated tourism routes which feature around 150 craft shops, eateries, accommodation, wedding venues, you name it. On Ardmore Farm, Ardmore Gallery and Museum are open to the public every day, including public holidays.

Home sweet home

1st Floor, Block H, Sable Square cnr Bosmansdam and Ratanga Roads Milnerton, Cape Town

For Fée, the entire property is her sanctuary, because it holds everything from ceramic studios to stabling for her horses. But when it comes to inside the home, she pinpoints her spacious country kitchen, cosy bedroom and large, sociable lounge with big fireplaces for cosy winters, as her favourite areas in the home.

Gems in the neighbourhood Lidgetton itself is a secret gem and with good neighbours, says Fée, time is often spent in your own and others’ homes.

Fée travels regularly, so inevitably home always escalates in significance.

Zimbabwean-born ceramic artist, Fée Halstead, moved from the Drakensberg to Lidgetton in 2002.

“I was drawn to the property because the house overlooks the confluence of two rivers – it’s where the Lions and the Mpofana Rivers meet. I fell in love with the French country style of the home, with its gracious high ceilings, spacious rooms, and 7ha which is manageable for a garden.

It was also ideal to stable our horses.”

PUBLISHED BY TIMES MEDIA PROPERTY PUBLISHING

Ardmore Farm, as it’s known, is next door to Caversham Mill, waterfall and restaurant, and the setting is exquisite. The farm is, of course, also home to Ardmore Ceramics, where the unique, world-renowned sculptures are dreamed up, created and crafted by Fée’s team of talented local artists, “When I chose this home, I felt it was important to provide a beautiful, uplifting environment for our artists, and this exquisite spot in Lidgetton provided all that and more.”

Ardmore has moved into different spheres of creativity and new outlets, where designs have morphed into exquisite collaborations with prestigious brands such as Hermes, the silver pieces of artist Patrick Mavros, and themed ceramic exhibitions held from London to New York.

Secret culinary gems in the Midlands are plentiful, some within a half-hour radius of Ardmore Farm. Fée says,

“My favourite is to go local with Italian at La Lampara just down the road, The Menu at Highgate, or Caversham Mill next door. If I venture further afield, it’ll be to Hartford House or even further, to Cleopatra Mountain Farmhouse.”

Perfect Sunday Fée, like many of the pioneering artists of the Midlands, embraced the “work.live.play” philosophy long before it became the preferred lifestyle globally. It was a way of life chosen by those who loved the country and were determined to live there as artists and by sharing that, make a living. Ardmore Farm includes the Bonnie Ntshalintshali Museum, named after one of the first artists at Ardmore, and visitors are free to visit and shop any time they like.

Living here, spending time at home in the garden, or having large lunch parties with friends in the kitchen, are top of the list for Fée’s Sunday favourites, “We’re not far from Kamberg either, so if the weather is right, we head off there to picnic with family and friends.”

Fée is a passionate horsewoman, so whenever possible, every Sunday involves the horses, whether it’s a ride into the surrounds or not.

Having been raised in Zimbabwe, Fée has a great affinity for the bush.

“It doesn’t happen often, but when I plan a real getaway, it’s Phinda on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast or Zimbabwe. Whichever, my escape is a bush one.”

EDITORIAL TEAM:

ADVERTISING SALES:

Group Editor: Charis Le Riche charisl@yourneighbourhood.co.za Senior Sub-Editor: Marana Brand Designers: Anja Bramley, Samantha Durand and Leah de Jager Visit yourneighbourhood.co.za or call 087 828 0423

Sales & Marketing Manager: Michèle Jones michele.jones@thecreativegroup.info Advertising: Julie Ellice kzn@yourneighbourhood.co.za Production: Lucea Goosen lucea@yourneighbourhood.co.za Online coordinator: Chantelle Balsdon chantelle@augmentcreative.com

19880

idgetton is arguably one of the prettiest little villages in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. It lies on the R103 at the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains in the exquisite Caversham Valley and is accessed through charming, picture-postcard, winding country roads, past waterfalls and lush green fields populated by cattle, dairy and horses. It’s a mere hour and a bit from Durban on the N3, which translates as city to country in under 90 minutes – an easy day trip just for lunch and a few retail spoils.

17 JUNE 2018

Neighbourhood

PROPERTY NEWS

3

DO: • Contact N3 Gateway to enjoy everything from one-day adventures to a week-long getaway • Visit Fée’s bustling studio and gallery, Ardmore Ceramics • Discover the Mandela Capture Site: a cultural and historical exhibition • Hike on river and hill trails • Golf at Bosch Hoek Golf & Lodge or Sakabula Golf Course • See the St Matthews historical building • Enjoy trout fishing in dams and rivers around nearby Kamberg • There are plenty horse trails

EAT: • La Lampara: for traditional Italian cuisine • Lythwood Lodge: for a five-course dinner by head chef Vusi Mkhwanazi • The Menu at Highgate (at Piggly Wiggly): for contemporary fare • Il Postino Pizzeria: for handmade, wood-fired pizzas • The Waffle Inn and Coffee Shop: for homemade Belgium waffles • St Ives: for laidback eating

SLEEP: • Caversham Mill Restaurant, Manor House & Country Cottages • Lythwood Lodge • Lastingham Country Lodge • Caladdi B&B • Woodcroft • Penny Lane Guest House LYTHWOOD LODGE

19880

GET A HOME LOAN

AND SAVE UP TO R6 000 With a home loan from Nedbank you could qualify for a 100% bond.

And, if you earn R23 300 or less a month, you save up to R6 000 on upfront fees.

You also get a 30% discount on the attorney bond registration fee.

ANOTHER WAY WE GET YOUR MONEY TO BACK YOU Visit Nedbank today.

see money differently Terms and conditions apply. | Nedbank Ltd Reg No 1951/000009/06. Authorised financial services and registered credit provider (NCRCP16).

3Verse/1769/SC/N

AND THAT’S WHY WE’RE #1 We simply get the job done with minimal fuss, for the maximum price, in the fastest possible time - from sale to sold.

It’s why we’re #1 in selling homes.

remax.co.za |

remaxsa | Each Office Independently Owned and Operated

Polk

17 JUNE 2018

Neighbourhood

HOMEOWNERS

7

MORE ONLINE: yourneighbourhood.co.za/advice/design-and-decor>

Kitchen innovations Cooking in a kitchen that works with and for you, makes the experience that much more enjoyable.

What innovations are popping up in 2018?

WORDS: ANNE SCHAUFFER

IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK

F

or designers, a kitchen needs to be a strong marriage of functionality, flow and good looks with the integration of the individual owner’s tastes and preferences.

Brendon Watkins, Capital Kitchens, adds, “Each customer’s kitchen is unique – innovative and stylish, sure, but also functional, well thought out, and easy to use.”

Sustainability

Gas has long been the fuel of choice for cooks – an induction or gas stove is certainly the greener option. For all other appliances, check their ratings – it’ll not only save money but importantly, contribute to the planet. Look for fridges, dishwashers and washing machines rated A or A+ when you replace yours – close on 60% of energy used in a washing machine goes towards water heating, so less water used, less energy.

Hardware design innovation Brendon says the focus on hardware has ramped up considerably, “Now we’re looking at small, luxury details which make life easier like slow-close drawers, gas-stay cupboard doors, anti-slam doors,

Polk Sunday Times Neighbourhood Ad Cape Town Durban 12 June 2018.indd 2

Tiptronic (touch) doors and drawers, carousels, butler larders and pop-up plug points (pop up through the counter) and dedicated cellphone or tablet chargers.”

Not only is it about making kitchen life easier, but equally, a good design element, “Much revolves around invisibility – conceal the fridge, the microwave, even the door handles and light switches.

Cupboards are customised to hold everything unsightly, and cupboard doors and floors are all pared down to a stylish simplicity,” he says.

Countertops

Brendon says some style trends are more shifts than complete changes, “Like the old, thicker 32mm granite countertop. Now the market wants sleeker ones, which are not only more cost-effective, use less material (the greener option), but just look better.” Sealed, matt or sheen finish, uncoloured concrete surfaces are relatively inexpensive, and you can choose chunky, slim or sleek. As a countertop, bamboo is a sustainable material with antibacterial properties, and, of course, different thicknesses and finishes.

Lighting

With kitchens becoming as much living spaces as workplaces, the lighting needs to be flexible enough to accommodate the change between a living and working environment.

Balancing mood and functional lighting can be tricky, so dimmers and timed lighting settings are popular. The greenest option (quality LED downlighters) are not only becoming more affordable, but they last years longer than incandescent bulbs. “The trends range from large metal industrial pendant lamps to massive and glam chandeliers, this is often predicated on the size of the kitchen and whether it has distinct zones – cooking, eating, storage, and so on,” says Brendon.

Smart kitchens

Remote controls like cellphones or timers, allow lights, ovens, music stations and televisions to be managed from a distance.

Green and smart, a food recycler turns your food scraps into fertiliser, or, at least, says Brendon, “integrate a recycle centre into your cupboards, with partitions for recycling different materials.”

2018/06/12 10:55:04 AM