Quirky Cape Town house

Personal treasures, vintage accessories and retro furniture transform this stunning 3-bed

Helen and Richard Somogyvari's Cape Town home is lovingly festooned with second-hand buys and junk-shop finds.

Helen worked as a handbag designer before her sons, Mille and Gillis, came along, and her love of fashion is evident throughout  a tailor's dummy stands proudly in the dining room and a pair of glam gold boots are displayed like art in the hallway.

Random bits such as a mannequin's foot, peacock feathers and religious iconography add up to perfect groupings thanks to her creative eye.

There was no major work to be done, apart from replacing the kitchen, which was dated and full of clumsy islands and rickety storage. 'We stripped it out and installed custom-built units and shelving,' says Helen. 'By redesigning the kitchen, we had space for my longed-for kitchen table, which has become the hub of family life.'

 

They transformed the living room by swapping a picture window for French doors and turning the 'muddy hole' outside into a cool concrete veranda. The former master bedroom at the top of the house was turned into a playroom for the children, complete with mini furniture and stylish lighting.