Put It in Neutral

“It was when I saw the view,” says homeowner Francois Irvine, “that I knew I wanted to be in this space.” The outlook is very much an urban one, but like many such views in central Cape Town, South Africa, also includes seductive slivers of the beautiful natural landscape. Francois’ view includes the landscape just to the right of the looming bulk of Table Mountain, as well as one of the signature curves of Signal Hill. It’s against the slopes of the latter that the world-renowned area of Bo-Kaap, in which this home is located, is situated. All the signature elements of this lively, historically important part of Cape Town also stream in through the open doors of Francois’ third-floor loft. Climb the three flights of stairs up to his loft at the top of a small industrial building and you’re enveloped by an interior that layers multiple shades of cream and white. Punctuating the scheme are just a very few darker elements, which provide subtle elements of contrast. The immediate effect is calming, tranquil and refreshing. “I’ve always loved these tonal off-whites,” says Francois. As the cofounder and co-owner of the renowned Cape Town design studio, coffee shop and gallery, Francois’ days are spent in a workplace filled with artworks, ceramics and products by a wide range of local creatives. “At work,” he adds, “I’m bombarded with color, so it’s great to have a more restrained, disciplined space here at home.” Keeping the color scheme limited means the eye is drawn to other elements: the sculptural shapes of furniture pieces; the textures of the textiles used for upholstery; subtly carved decorative details; and plenty of evidence of the handmade. “I’ve always been a bit of a collector,” says Francois, pointing out various treasured furniture pieces, as well as groups of collectibles that add touches of quirk here and there. Having studied fine art, he then became an interior designer and spent many years regularly sourcing furniture from abroad, which was transported back to South Africa and used in his interiors projects both here and internationally. Remodeling, upcycling, re-upholstering – all have been part of Francois’ way of working from the start. “I love used old pieces and I love recycling,” he says. “And I hate wasting and throwing things away.” Describing the process of creating the dramatic yet unfussy interiors of the current space, he says it was all about “improvising” the right look. This is a home in which its owner’s creative hand and eye are evident absolutely everywhere.

THE VIEW’S THE THING. Lion’s Head soars above the homes and shops of Bo-Kaap through the original industrial doors on one side of the loft. Francois’ cat, Pepe, perches on the black loveseat, which is from Egypt and has been upholstered in a black damask velvet.

UNFITTED KITCHEN. Ideal for enjoying breakfast in front of the tall wooden doors that open onto the view are this wooden-topped café table and vintage chairs. On the open shelves in the kitchen, part of Francois’ large collection of vintage chemist’s bottles and jars is used to store spices. “I’ve been obsessed with them since I was a kid,” he says.

GLOBAL APPEAL. The main sitting area in the loft features a pair of French-style armchairs bought by Francois in Egypt and re-upholstered locally in cream linen. The central coffee table is covered with a local cowhide and the cast-iron wood-burning stove is a vintage collector’s piece sourced by Francois (and no longer in working use because it smokes too much). The two white-painted, four-legged wooden stools are from West Africa.

TONE & TEXTURE. Various textures and shades of cream and white add interest to this corner of the loft, as do the weathered old wooden church bench, the white-painted metal trunk, and the stacks of old wooden storage boxes and vintage filing containers. The white wooden chairs and table are local second-hand store finds, painted white. Whimsical items such as toy suitcases and cigar boxes figure among the many vignettes of items that can be found dotted around the loft.

LOTS TO SEE. This side of the loft that faces mountain views features the original old cast-iron windows that let light to stream into the space. This part of the home includes a wooden table and café-style chairs ideal for everyday dinners (a much larger table that’s perfect for parties is situated in another part of the space). Francois made the white cotton lampshades.

INVITING ARTIFACTS. Beside the casual dining area, vintage metal tables are topped with a range of collectibles like these metal figurines, cups and other quirky items that form another of Francois’ curated clusters of goodies.

SEATS OF POWER. The extra-long dining table is perfect for parties and special gatherings; the vintage café chairs along the one side were bought from a scrap collector and the bench was made from a solid wooden beam and two tree stumps. In the seating area in the foreground, the simple lines of the two-seater sofa pair well with two four-legged, white-painted wooden stools from West Africa. Natural texture is added to the mix in the form of plain linen upholstery and animal hides.

PLAYING FAVORITES. This ornately carved wingback chair is one of a pair that Francois discovered years ago in a market in Egypt; one of two, the pair are among his favorite pieces. The vintage leather and canvas bag was found in London, which is also where artist William Martin created this teapot and milk jug. The vintage silver tray beneath them was given to Francois by his grandmother.

WELL COMPOSED. Grouping collectibles in multiple shades of white and cream creates a calming yet interest-filled effect. The artwork on the wall is an original drawing by artist Flip Coaton from around 1965.

LIGHT TOUCHED. The spacious main bedroom has a set of west-facing clerestory windows through which the afternoon sun streams in.

A GENTLEMAN’S THINGS. Built-in shelving houses necessities and collected treasures in the monochrome bathroom. An old wooden cabinet contains a collection of vintage and contemporary fragrance bottles.

NEST FOR GUESTS. The petite guest bedroom is situated at the rear of the space, right up against the eaves of the building. A wall-width beam sits on simple supports to echo the ceiling and provide a useful shelf for books on top and to hang pendant lights below.

PHOTOS Warren Heath/Bureaux
WORDS Noreen Johnson
STYLING Shelley Street/Bureaux