Designer finally enjoys sanctuary
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WELL-KNOWN Port Elizabeth interior designer Brigitte Hills has just completed a labour of love – her own sanctuary.
Hills, who has done interior design work for the Paxton Hotel, Algoa FM and the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, started with the renovations of her own house three years ago after buying her Richmond Hill property.
"I love Richmond Hill – it has such a great vibe and I have always been drawn to old, quirky houses. I love breathing new life into them. I bought my existing home mainly for the fabulous view," Hills said.
She said the home needed "a lot of TLC" and so she gutted it, redesigned and project-managed it herself. This massive task involved changing the bathrooms and the kitchen to ensure better flow.
Her home was originally two flats which she reconfigured and linked together with a staircase. "I am a home body at heart and love entertaining friends and family, so it was important that my home was geared for that. I opened up the living areas and built a deck out to the front with sliding doors from the lounge and kitchen to maximise the city and sea view.
" At night time the city lights are simply breath-taking," Hills said.
She described her home, designed in a neutral palette, as anything but a show piece. "I work with colour everyday so I need to come home to a calm space. At the end of the day, my home is my sanctuary – it's where I go to recharge my batteries. A place to find inspiration for my next project."
However, this haven is also home to four dogs and two busy kittens. "And yes, my sofas are white! Most people think I'm crazy, but slipcovers are actually very practical.
"If I get muddy paw prints or red wine on them, I rip off the slipcovers and throw them into the wash."
Describing herself as a jeans and tackies kind-of-girl, Hills said she wanted her home to reflect her own personality. "It's casual, comfortable, filled with items found on my travels, photos, art and timeless quirky finds. Of course, it is constantly changing – always a work in progress. I'm always finding new pieces to add or change. It's a hazard of the profession I'm in," she said.
Hill's signature style is eclectic, with a mix of old and new items – from modern stainless steel tables to wicker chairs and an old coffee table with chipped paint. "I love to throw in a touch of ethnic as well. My passion for the beach is probably the thing that inspires me the most." - Weekend Post Reporter
