Modern Luxury Farmhouse with Emphasis on Entertaining: House in Blair Atholl

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House in Blair Atholl by Nico van der Meulen Architects is a luxury farmhouse located between Pretoria and Johannesburg, South Africa, in a secluded golf estate. Free from high boundary walls and electric fencing, the expansiveness of this double-story home with unrestricted views of the countryside makes a powerful impression. The brief called for a contemporary, practical home that makes provision for outdoor living with an emphasis on entertaining. Due to the form-follow-function approach of the design, this modern family home is spacious and uncluttered from unnecessary decorative elements.

The design concept is undoubtedly a strong one and whilst Werner van der Meulen was restricted by the estate rules which included making use of pitched roofs and specific natural materials, it was in fact these very parameters which led to the concept of a contemporary farmhouse. Once inside you appreciate how effortlessly the open plan spaces flow into each other with the living room, dining room, kitchen, and lanai all in close proximity to each other. The frameless folding doors create an invisible threshold between the inside and the outside and when completely open, the lanai becomes an extension of the kitchen and family/dining and vice versa. The two en-suite children’s bedrooms are positioned on the western wing with their own private balconies. M Square Lifestyle Design ensured that a mood of warmth and comfort filtered through into the interior spaces, and that the finishes remained true to the architecture of the home, thus emphasizing the modern clean lines and natural materials used throughout this house. [Information provided via e-mail by Nico van der Meulen Architects]