Simbithi Eco-Estate, Ballito
- Type
- Apartment, three bedrooms
- Service
- Interior design, renovation, project management and installation
The finished rooms
Open full screenThe feel
Relaxed and coastal, in calming tones of light blue, soft sage and warm linen. Textured wallpaper, warm wood flooring and palm prints keep the rooms light and easy, with the lush tropical valley and the sea beyond.
During the work
Filmed during the renovation, once the old finishes were out
Before and After
Drag a photograph to compare before and after.
01 of 04
Lounge
Before
A custom floating cabinet with fluted fronts replaces the dark wall unit, set against a subtly textured wallpaper. Neutral linen curtains frame the doors to the covered terrace, now furnished for dining.
The lounge opens onto a covered terrace, with views across the trees to the sea. A grey-blue sofa and cream swivel chairs keep the seating comfortable and allow people to face either the room or the view.
Before, what changed and the details
Before
Beige tiles, a slate-blue wall and grey curtains made up the original living room. A dark timber unit occupied the main wall.
The whole end of the room is sliding glass on to a deep covered terrace, with the estate's trees and the sea beyond.
What changed
The blue wall and dark timber unit were replaced with a warm neutral wallcovering and a low television cabinet. Warm natural-toned vinyl flooring runs towards the terrace.
Full-height curtains draw to either side of the doors. The floating cabinet has fluted white fronts, with the television mounted on the wall above.
- Removed
- The slate-blue wall, grey curtains, beige tile and the built-in timber unit
- Sofa
- L-shaped, grey-blue, with white and striped cushions
- Chairs
- Two curved swivel armchairs in cream
- Tables
- Timber and glass coffee table with a cane shelf, fluted drum table, ceramic stools
- Television wall
- Flush-mounted over a floating fluted cabinet
- Terrace
- Dining table and woven rope chairs, under cover
02 of 04
Dining
BeforeDesigned to make the most of the compact dining area, a custom-made banquette takes the place of a full set of chairs. Upholstered in a sage and cream palm print, it brings colour and pattern to the room.
What changed and the details
What changed
The dining area has been completely redesigned, with the wallpaper from the living area carried through and a custom oak table and upholstered chairs paired with the new banquette. A long mirror in a white geometric frame opens up the room and reflects the sea views from the terrace, while a vintage Slim Aarons print adds a touch of glamour.
- Walls
- Woven-texture wallpaper in a warm neutral
- Banquette
- Custom made, soft sage with a cream palm print
- Table
- Custom oak, pedestal base
- Chairs
- Upholstered in white Fibreguard stain-resistant fabric, timber legs
- Mirror
- Long, white geometric frame
- Art
- Vintage Slim Aarons print
03 of 04
Kitchen
BeforeThe kitchen was fully renovated and opened up to the dining area, with a slim white island taking the place of the heavy breakfast counter. Light, contemporary and warmed by natural oak, it now sits comfortably within the rest of the apartment, connected by the continuous vinyl floor.
Before, what changed and the details
Before
The original kitchen paired white cabinets with dark worktops and a full-height aqua mosaic splashback.
A heavy timber breakfast counter separated it from the living area.
What changed
The original kitchen was removed in full and replaced with a contemporary design. White quartz worktops and Summer White base cabinets are paired with soft grey wall cabinets, while oak floating shelves bring a more relaxed, informal touch. A custom fluted extractor and timber bar stools at the island add warmth.
- Removed
- The original kitchen in full, including the mosaic splashback, dark worktops, steel pendants and timber breakfast counter
- Worktops
- White quartz
- Cabinets
- Summer White base cabinets, soft grey wall cabinets
- Extractor
- Custom made, with fluted detail
- Cooker
- Freestanding stainless-steel range, pot-filler tap above
- Island
- Slim, white quartz, with three timber counter stools
- Shelving
- Oak floating shelves
- Floor
- Warm natural-toned vinyl, continuous with the living area
04 of 04
Main bedroom
In the main bedroom, a soft-toned tropical wallpaper wraps the walls, forming the backdrop to a custom-made fluted headboard. Crisp white linen, a textured throw and natural jute bring warmth and softness to the room.
Before, what changed and the details
Before
The original bedroom had cream walls, beige floor tiles and a tied-back curtain at the sliding door.
It opens on to its own timber deck behind a louvred screen.
What changed
Warm natural-toned vinyl flooring replaces the original tiles, and the walls are now wrapped in tropical wallpaper. A fluted headboard and full-height curtains were custom made for the room, with a jute rug grounding the bed.
- Walls
- Soft-toned tropical wallpaper throughout
- Bed
- Custom-made fluted headboard
- Bedding
- Crisp white linen, textured throw, beaded cushion
- Bedsides
- Painted, with a cane shelf and brass knob
- Lighting
- Tall white ceramic table lamps
- Curtains
- Custom made, full-height
- Floor
- Warm natural-toned vinyl under a jute rug
The work
The project
Renovated and furnished, from the kitchen to the bedrooms
The apartment was renovated and furnished in full, with every stage managed by Joseph Avnon Interiors, from the initial concept to the final styling. The result is a calm, comfortable home that makes the most of its valley and sea views.
Before
A great view, held back by a dated interior
Set in Simbithi Eco-Estate in Ballito, the apartment overlooks a lush tropical valley with the sea beyond. Inside, beige tiles ran through every room, dark fitted furniture weighed down the living area, and the kitchen was closed off by a heavy breakfast counter.
What was done
Everything, from the floors up
The beige tiles came up and warm vinyl floors went down throughout. In the lounge, the slate-blue wall and dark timber unit gave way to a soft textured wallpaper and a floating fluted cabinet, and the old kitchen, with its green mosaic splashback and heavy breakfast counter, was taken out completely.
Every contractor was managed directly, from the kitchen manufacturer and flooring installers to the wallpaper hangers, curtain makers and furniture makers. Each was scheduled and supervised on site, so the work ran in the right order and was finished to the same standard throughout.
Once the building work was finished, every room was furnished and styled, from the palm-print banquette made for the dining area to the tropical wallpaper and fluted headboard in the main bedroom.
Removed
- Beige ceramic tiles throughout
- The slate-blue feature wall and grey curtains
- The dark timber wall unit in the living room
- The original kitchen
Added
- Vinyl floors throughout
- Wallpaper in the living areas and bedrooms
- A new kitchen
- Full furnishing and decoration of every room and the terrace
- Custom furniture and made-to-measure curtains
The palette
Light Blue
Sea Salt
Soft Sage
Warm Linen
Pure White
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