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INSIDE
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David Ross
Klara van Wyngaarden
Michelle Coburn
Date
08 February 2010
Mud Studio's Werner and Philippa du Toit live in a one-of-a-kind house
on a farm in the Eastern Free State - a former run-down place of
worship transformed into a spacious, peaceful family home.
A conversion like this can be described as nothing less than miraculous. What was once a dark disused Catholic-mission church is now a bright, airy open-plan haven where Werner and Philippa du Toit live with their two young daughters, Catherine and Ella Rose.
The successful couple are renowned locally and internationally for their handmade ceramics and beaded chandeliers produced in the studio at the bottom of their garden, and their work can be found in homes and shops everywhere from Los Angeles to London and Milan.
Werner and Philippa's design philosophy of creating simple pieces that resonate with the senses is more than evident in the design and decoration of their home, described by Werner, a former graphic designer, as "simple and sparingly furnished – always with room for improvement!"
He says he doesn't particularly think of himself as someone with a personal style and likes to approach design by "touching, looking, hearing, tasting… building, breaking down and rebuilding until it's just right for all my senses."
The Du Toits say the six-month conversion process, undertaken by Werner with a team of builders, was easy and – leaky roof aside – presented no great challenges. All went according to plan and May 2008 saw the family move in without any delay.
True to the original layout
The floor-plan remains true to the original layout of the church. It's essentially still one room, with the three walls of the children's rooms separating the living and dining areas from the generous master bedroom in a clever and considered demarcation of spaces.
At one end of the house the former apse is now the kitchen, presided over by an impressive cross, which flows into the expansive dining and living areas. At the other end, where the congregation once entered the church, one finds a bathroom while what used to be the coat-room has been converted into a second bathroom.
The home has a strong bond with the surrounding rural landscape: Large glass doors allow natural light to flood into the interior and reflect off the surfaces, especially the gleaming floor painted in low-maintenance white road paint.
Another advantage of the site is that it captures the last of the sun's rays each day.
Three decor anchors
Three elements created the point of departure for the decor: the heavy wooden 10-seater dining table made by Werner, the family's books and the Morsø fireplace. (Werner says no home is complete with at least one of the latter, as well as an Nguni rug.)
The lofty ceiling adds to the airiness while a neutral palette and tactile materials and finishes, including skimmed concrete walls and stools of Lesotho sandstone, create warmth and a sense of restrained comfort combined with functionality – important in this rural family environment.
These aspects are complemented by a collection of family heirlooms mixed with Mud Studio's own creations, including two beaded chandeliers that have been stocked by the Ralph Lauren shop in New York.
Philippa, who runs an empowerment bead project in Clocolan that supplies clay beads to interiors shops and lodges, says her favourite aspect of the home is the wonderful changing views from every door and window over the farm they have lived on for the past eight years.
Werner, on the other hand, is fond of the bathroom, which features a bath with a view, concrete shelves and rectangular basins also handmade frommLesotho sandstone – the product of a job-creation project.
A retreat from the world
Empowerment is important to the Du Toits who, aware of the high unemployment figures in their area, train locals for each available position at their studio.
This creative couple's approach to the principles of life and work – integrity and simplicity – are one and the same. The result is an environment that serves as a retreat from the world and, at the same time, a space from where their influence flows to the surrounding community and those who buy and live with their creations.
Mud Studio:
www.mudstudio.net
mudstudio@mweb.co.za
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