Lauren's family home | South African Lifestyle | Plan for the future
Space for 4 - Ballito, Durban | South Africa
The phrase positioned on the wall at Lauren’s front door “tús nua” is Irish for „a new beginning“. Lauren is quick to explain that this is exactly what the house was, when they built it after making the decision 10 years ago to relocate their young family from Johannesburg to the Natal north coast. The added benefit of the move was a closer proximity to family already living there.
Lauren’s Homestory…
When you walk into our home, the first impression is that it is really spacious. A large living area gives off a feeling that the house is way bigger than it actually is.
I’d like to think also that you get a feeling that it is a real family home, a place that is happy and safe.
Q: Describe your home in terms of the following functions – as a retreat / place for communication / space to relax / work (home office)
Our home is very much a family home . There is loads of mess always and it’s obvious that little people live here. You just have to take a look at my kids doors or the hand drawn picture stuck on our headboard above my side of the bed, or my teddy from when I was a child that has somehow made it onto our bed.😊
Q: What role does light / lighting play in your home – Natural light / Indirect light / Energy considerations / role of light protection?
We have a lot of natural light in our home so we are very lucky. We are currently in the process of moving to solar to allow us to get off the grid. Our town has grown substantially over the years and the infrastructure is just not able to cope with that growth so it has become a necessity.
Q: Your favourite piece of furniture and why…
I love this chair. In its current form, it was a 40th birthday present for my husband and I from our family. Prior to that though, it was a purchase off Gumtree (a secondhand online portal), which I then renovated by making a bull denim cover and popped some rockers on to turn it into a rocking chair in my son‘s nursery.
Q: Does art play a role in your home interior, if so how and why?
All the pictures in our home are of the bush and have been taken by either Richard or myself. We love the bush and have spent many hours taking in what nature has to offer. All the photos have very special memories for us.
Q: The spot(s)/corner(s) that you treasure the most – your current go to space at the moment?
Currently, I’m loving spending time in my garden. Just yesterday, I replanted the back garden. Because I don’t have much time my garden is very simple and plants that live in my garden have to be hardy, as at times there are just not enough hours in a day to water and tend to them.
Q: What does your garden/terrace/balcony mean to you?
I absolutely love our outdoor space. While our yard is a bit tricky since it’s divided into two separate areas—which can sometimes be a bit frustrating—we still make the most of it and spend a lot of time out there, especially in the summer. The space transforms with the seasons; in summer, we set up a pool that takes up quite a bit of room but is an absolute game changer on those hot days!
Q: If you had to change one thing/aspect of your home and budget was not an issue what would it be and why?
Our bathrooms are really tiny so I would definitely make them bigger. And a large open plan living area is really stunning, but we have always wanted to build a room above our garage. A space where I could have my piano to be able to play without headphones on or have my sewing machine permanently out. A space where the kids could be when we’re entertaining. If we had the budget, we would do both of these projects.
Q: What has been the biggest learning/lesson from developing/establishing your home?
When we built our house, I wish that we had planned a little better. However, it’s easy to be wise afterwards. But had we taken the time to really look at our plans question the size of the bathrooms, the positioning of the house, a lot of our frustrations with our space could’ve been avoided.
Q: What was the bravest thing you did to or changed in your home?
Painting our walls two very bold colour. It has really transformed the living area.
Q: If you were asked to give someone 3 pieces of advice or 3 tips from your own personal experience for developing their home – what would those be?
- Plan for the Future, Not Just the Present – really think about what you’d need in 10 years time. Its hard to think about your kids being teenager when they’re still in nappies. Also had we really thought about space for hobbies etc we would’ve designer some more space for my sewing machine for example.
- Prioritize Quality – its so worth it in the long run. Example is the down cushions I bought. When I first recovered my cushions I splashed out and bought down cushions. Best thing I ever did. 10 years later and they’re still amazing to rest against when sitting on our couches.
- Design Around Your Lifestyle – having an open plan space was actually a complete flook*, it happened during the build. (that’s a story for another day). Our lounge area was supposed to be two spaces, a lounge and an enclosed patio, but in the long run has suited our lifestyle perfectly , and been the best thing that could’ve happened, being one big space.
*flook: south african slang for an accidental advantage; stroke of good luck – equivalent to the noun „fluke“
Lauren’s Family Lifestyle in Ballito
On the weekend Lauren loves to do a trail run – and just generally make the most of what nature has to offer them and that includes soaking up the magnificent sunrises und sunsets!
Ballito – tidal pool, the perfect place to cool off on a hot day. and Durban can get VERY hot and VERY humid. A favourite pasttime is walking to the iconic hole in the wall.
Lauren and family treasure the quality of their outdoor lifestyle – whether at home, biking or simply relaxing at the beach…
Lauren Abdo (45) is the owner of Marketing Works, a marketing consultancy based in Ballito, South Africa. She lives there with her husband Richard and their two children.
