Easy-Living in South Africa by SAOTA

Located directly on the breathtaking banks of the Buffels River in Pringle Bay, South Africa, salty air and natural sunlight from the neighboring mountain valley make this SAOTA-crafted holiday home the epitome of easy-living.

Restio River House sits on the mouth of Pringle Bay, a small coastal town less than an hour from the buzzing port city capital of South Africa where cable cars climb to the flat mountain tops and boats cruise through the busy harbor.

With a tough coastal climate and strong winds that sweep the Pringle Bay, hard-wearing materials were a necessity when building this true-to-form home. SAOTA architects Philip Olmesdahl, Riaz Ebrahim, Nasreen Larney and Werner Lotz carefully crafted Restio River House with a clean yet robust feel that is able to sustain any type of South African weather.

The Buffels River flows alongside the Restio River home which sits at a high elevation with lots of access to the surrounding fynbos (small belts of natural shrubland and heathland vegetation). The natural landscape around the house and the internal courtyard incorporates as much South African natural beauty as possible with the encompassing indigenous vegetation. South African trees including Milkwoods, Coral trees and Waterberry’s were also planted around the exterior of the home to wrap in a South African feel.

A walk inside the home features an open floor plan where rooms seamlessly flow into one another creating a unique dynamic and living environment. The kitchen and a lounge area are located in the center of the home featuring a sofa with plenty of room for family and friends, while entertaining, demonstrating the idea of a fresh living approach. The dining room also features a spacious seating area with a custom-made table by James Mudge that is accentuated by the Lindsey Adelman pendant light.

Natural light seeps into the home from every angle with strategically placed all-glass windows, providing the space with warmth and light. The SAOTA architects actually lived on the property for more than five years before they started building, which gave them the opportunity to study the relationship of the house to the sun,ensuring natural light was present in each room. Restio River House faces due north and a large stairwell allows morning light to flood into the state-of-the-art kitchen giving it an immense amount of character. While to the west, the lounge and terrace look towards Cape Point promontory which offers fantastic sunsets over the False Bay and Atlantic Ocean in the evening. Custom-made pieces from both ARRCC, a renowned Cape Town interior designer, and the homeowner are uniquely featured throughout the entirety of the home. Overall, these decor elements including large sofas, hand-crafted dining tables, Moroccan Berber rugs and colorful keilms give the home a fun, light-hearted atmosphere while the use of soft leathers, white linens and rich textures create an immediate sense of calmness. From terrazzo floors to marble-layered panels, Restio River Home’s modern finishes are what make it a spectacular holiday retreat.