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A South African Villa with Earthy Textures & Rich Finishes

08.20.14 | By
A South African Villa with Earthy Textures & Rich Finishes

Nico van der Meulen Architects never cease to amaze with their jaw-dropping architectural projects that will make you pack your bags so fast you’ll forget to pack your underwear. Today, we tour House Serengeti, a North-facing, South African villa in Johannesburg.

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They mixed materials like rock, steel, wood, and glass, all that you’d expect to see in a classic modernist design, but this time, they used them for new applications. By the way, that pool looks so inviting!

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Rusted steel slats were combined to provide some privacy but also as a linear design feature.

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Vistors walk a Balau timber walkway and pass over a koi pond to get to the front entrance.

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The interiors were designed by M Square Lifestyle Design and they created spaces that were understated, but at the same time, elegant with warm rich colors.

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A large, pivoting glass door welcomes guests without blocking sight lines.

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Rock covers part of a wall in the kitchen and continues through to an exterior wall.

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They did the same thing in the bedrooms – rock-covered walls become focal points behind the beds.

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That might be the coolest looking toilet ever.

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The same Balau timber is used in the bathrooms. That’s right, wood on the bathroom floor.

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The bathrooms are void of any tile which is pretty cool. They used back-sprayed glass for privacy.

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Photos by David Ross.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.