Farm talk - the heart of a home

I've had a couple of requests to 'share' a bit more about where I live on my little piece of African soil, so I decided to do a short series of my home in Tarlton, South Africa, situated on an 8.5ha smallholding. This is purely for fun! I would just like to mention that, when building and decorating my home about 7 years ago, I have taken inspiration from Africa, and nature in particular, surrounding myself with natural (and sometimes living!) objects and colour. I am not ostentatious by nature and prefer the simple and natural things in life. Hope you enjoy and find this interesting! I know I just LOVE to see other people's living spaces, be it small or large, simple or ornate, in suburbia or the country, in a basement or a sky-scraper, inland or at the coast.

"Best way to get rid of kitchen odors: Eat out!"
Phyllis Diller

Most of the space in my (rather big for someone who rarely cooks!) kitchen is taken up by a huge old Rhodesian Teak table (2.4m x 1.4m) which I 'rescued' from hubby's workshop - they used it to work on huge engines placed on top of it. Oil had soaked right through all the wood, in a way preserving and feeding it right deep inside! It took me a couple of weeks of washing off and stripping oil from the surface and everywhere else, trying to restore it to its original condition, but eventually ended up having to give it a couple of coats of enamel paint, as some of the oil kept on returning to the surface. I just love using found treasures through-out my home, much preferring that to buying new stuff.

A broad 'shelf' under the table offers storage for baskets containing table cloths, napkins, candles, placemats and excess cutlery. More often than not it will also be filled with boxes containing my paintings still looking for a home!

Against the far wall two carved wooden African figures serve as a dish towel rail. The basket in between them contains some of my animal skull collections.

The kitchen has built-in concrete tops, stained and sealed with EarthCote pigment, and the cabinets are made of stained Pine with hand-cut Bamboo sticks as panels. The stainless steel door handles were a find from a salvage yard. The tiles on the walls are from Mazista Slate's "Autumn" range.

Refrigerator and broom cupboard - the broom cupboard's handle is a pewter Gecko with screw holes in the feet for mounting.

 Close-up of Gecko door handle - I was lucky enough to find a shop at Kya Sands Office park that sells the most exquisite, earthy and nature-themed home fittings

This is the area where most of the action happens - tea, coffee, Cappuccino, Hot Chocolate and Milo - the worn area on the concrete top is proof of my husband's industriousness! Here he chops, pours, smears and concocts the most wonderful snacks!

A corner in the kitchen for a quick snack or using the laptop. The table is a 1920's Partridge Wood gate-leg, a lucky second-hand shop find.

My breadbin - this is actually a vintage seedling hot-house, used to protect seedlings from the cold of winter if staying outside. Next to that is Hubby's (sacred) Tupperware cookie jar. An off-cut from some of the wooden decking serves as a bread board. Do you think there's any truth to this quote...?

"Men become passionately attached to women who know how to cosset them with delicate tidbits." 
- Honoré de Balzac (1799-1859)

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