A stylist's retreat

WORDS: Remy Raitt | PHOTOS: Sarah Schafer

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It's stylist Leza Marais' job to make things look good, and her home is no exception. The semi-detached, Cape Dutch-style home in Observatory, Cape Town, has been expertly decorated with trinkets and artworks collected over the years.

With a penchant for retro and Mid-century Modern furniture pieces and kitsch-but-cool ornaments, Leza and her two dogs, Ahkira and Chloe, live life surrounded by quirky objects.

Porcelain ducks, geese and dogs keep watch over Leza's selection of horse paintings, while the paintings keep tabs on wooden and lacquered furniture pieces from the 1950s. Fresh cuttings from the delicious monster that's framed by the bathroom window give the house a green edge, while coloured glass adds vibrancy.

Can you explain your obsession with animal ornaments and horse paintings?

Horses have appealed to me since I was very young. I never got the horse, so now I'm stuck with paintings of them.

Whenever I see a good ornament I can't help but buy it - even though they're kitch. It's funny because my gran used to collect them and we hated them as kids. But over the years they've become part of my life too.

What item in your house do you treasure most?

After the dogs, my red cupboard which came from a small town in China. It's a one-of-a-kind piece.

What is on your covet wish list?

A bespoke black couch.

Which is your favourite room in the house?

I love sitting at the blue ball-and-claw table with a magazine and a coffee. The view is the best in the house.

What makes a house a home?

Original or eclectic pieces bring warmth. And dogs, of course.

See Leza's portfolio on www.oneleague.co.za.

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