La Grange House Tour: Home Away from Home!

Earthy tones and sumptuous textures were chosen for this beach getaway designed by La Grange Interiors. The overall design is fresh and appealing with simple interiors that work together to complement the postcard-worthy sea views.

A family ‘home away from home’ was the brief set before designer, Sumari Krige, from La Grange Interiors, when faced with the design of this bespoke Plettenberg Bay residence. Bringing comfort, elegance and a mix of organic textures into a home is what Sumari does best, and she pulled out all the stops in today’s stunning and stylish house tour along the coast. With a vast green belt and iconic coastline setting the scene, the house comes alive in a neutral palette with yellow accents to pick up the tone of the local granite used in the house. The entrance to the home takes you directly into a study, which reveals the first glimpse of the naturals views to come, and then branches off towards the main bedroom and three guest rooms. All of the rooms capture the seascape and breathtaking vistas at Lookout Beach in Plettenberg Bay. Because the owners wanted a holiday home that was not only beautiful but practical too, a selection of loose-covered sofas were selected for the TV room and lounge, and then an assortment of wooden side tables, steel nesting coffee tables, raffia stools and leather ottomans were positioned in the space.

Natural wood and stone have been used extensively, and the uneven plastered walls have mostly been left bare. The expansive stairwell, for example, ‘is a wonderfully airy part of the home, so I didn’t want to clutter the walls with art,’ says Sumari Krige. Instead, a sideboard made of reclaimed wood on the landing – and a built-in stepped wall flanking the stairwell – provide settings for photographs, wooden bowls and objets d’art. ‘In the bedrooms, we kept the furniture pared down and minimal so it didn’t compete with the views.

I softened the look with hand-dyed linen throws,’ says Sumair Krige. The master bedroom offers outlooks from three different windows and is flooded with light, so the designer chose grey tones with accents of yellow for the soft furnishings. Rustic standing mirrors bring glimpses of the outside in, while the en-suite bathroom adds a dash of drama with its graphic Moroccan tiles. Wood and glass feature heavily throughout.

In the kitchen-cum-dining room, the considered balance between contemporary and natural textures becomes especially evident. Roughhewn ceiling beams and a large wooden dining table are offset by a slick Caesarstone kitchen island that is surrounded by inviting, upholstered bar stools perfectly suited to both long, conversational breakfasts and quick meals grabbed on the way to the beach. The kitchen and dining room leads to an outdoor dining area that feels as if it’s perched above the coastline, with a terraced garden that leads slowly down to the pool.

Contact: La Grange Interiors See more in the  latest edition of House and Leisure