Anelda and Frans Bouwer have created an oasis on the outskirts of Bloemfontein where they thrive as a family and enjoy the serenity and large, open spaces. The décor? Absolutely breath-taking.
Photos: WILLEM JANSE VAN VUUREN
Neutral, minimalistic, charming, modern, clean and simple. With some interesting accents, detail and textures. While Anelda is down to earth, her taste in interior design is modern and intentional. She communicates her passions and feelings through her choice of colours, textures, lighting and lines. Jan Smit (from Smit Architects) was hand-picked by Anelda and Frans, and the job he did was spectacular. They had their work cut out for them, as the terrain was tough to navigate around due to rock and hills. But, says Anelda, they aimed for minimal disturbance of the natural landscape, which meant clever thinking and innovative designing from the architects.
Upon entering the home, it immediately opens up on the immaculately designed patio. The outside pours into the home with multiple stack doors, windows and natural light pouring in. “On weekends and holidays, we open up the stack doors, which makes the entire space feel like one,” says Anelda. Their two kids, Ruan (11) and Mieke (9), enjoy the safe environment and large living space.
As the co-owner of Furniture Fair in Bloemfontein, Anelda has a natural talent for design and décor, and knew exactly what she wanted coming into this new home. “We have been living here for one year now, and we absolutely love it. The Tredenham Valley Estate is the perfect place for our family. It is tranquil, the location is spot-on, and it is safe.”
“We love everything about our home. It’s perfect for us, and makes living easy.”
While the home is quite impressive, it does not overkill. The minimalistic designs, clean lines and sparsely picked art create a calming ambiance. The home has four bedrooms (master suite, two kids’ rooms and one guest suite), four bathrooms, a large and practical kitchen, dining/livingroom, private TV room and a study. Anelda and Frans have tastefully
decorated each room according to their own likes and dislikes. “Luckily we both like modern styles. This home is completely different from our former home, which was in Waverley and had an old-world charm to it. This time, we could do everything completely from scratch – exactly as we wanted. We love everything about our home. It’s perfect for us, and
makes living easy.” The large garden is free from landscaped detail and without faff. The
idea was to create a calm, serene space which requires as little upkeep as possible. But the boma braai and the infinity pool give it a modern edge that complement the entire home perfectly. Lighting throughout the house was a project that brought Anelda the most joy (and headaches!). “I’m very specific when it comes to lighting. The amount of lights, the fixtures, the type of bulb… everything has to be perfect. I researched for months until I found all the lights that fitted perfectly into their own spaces.” The openness of the house lets the Bouwers interact with ease. It’s family-orientated, easy to live in, beautiful to the eye and calming to the soul.
Ruan, Frans, Mieke and Anelda Bouwer
(Photo: Elizabeth J Photography)
