Page 17 - Designing Ways 282

In 2022 the apartment next door, the
now famous Menssink Penthouse became
available to purchase, which they viewed,
but there was no fireworks for them, and
their sights became set on 1101 again.
After Anna-Lize tracked down the owner
on social media, they reached out to
him again and initiated discussions to
purchase the property, which had not
sold by then. He indicated his willingness
to discuss as there was a chance that he
would move to America. In May 2023
he confirmed that he was willing to sell.
Anna-Lize and Simon offered him only
twenty five thousand Rand more than
their original offer and he accepted it.
They were now owners of a penthouse
apartment in Pretoria, but they had a lot
of work to do.
When asked to describe the apartment
when they bought it, Anna-Lize and
Simon jokingly refer to the apartment as
giving “crack house vibes”. The apartment
had been operated as a commune
previously, but little of the original spaces
and furniture were salvageable. Their
interest in their project had already
started growing by Anna-Lize sharing
footage of the apartment on her Instagram
account, with followers commenting that
they had been at parties in the apartment.
It notoriously had a reputation of being
a party hub. The last tenant to leave the
apartment after they purchased it even
posted on his WhatsApp story that club
1101 had officially closed.
When chatting about the inspiration
and vision for their new home, the first
mention was New York City with a specific process invaluable in the long run, as that this was a far cry from their first
mention of Manhattan. “New spaces being able to play around like this actually renovation project in Villieria, where they
in old places” said Simon. The couple informed some of the bolder decisions in made their decisions based on measuring
shared that they knew that they wanted the design. For example, while playing things and taping them off on the floor to
a minimalist, contemporary design with around with the colour of the overhead see if they would work or if the furniture
clean fresh lines, and that the kitchen had beam that spans the ceiling in the living would fit.
to move from its original small space at area, his decision to paint that black led Earlier on the day we light heartedly
the front door to the new larger area that them to decide on the black kitchen. The discussed that the general assumption
they had earmarked as the living space. visuals of the patio area which they were was that Anna-Lize was the creative mind
They consulted with their contractor to planning to cover with a roofing structure behind the design of the home, whereas
understand what the possibilities and led them to decide that only a third of Simon’s creativity and artistic flair has
options were from an internal layout the roof should be covered with a solid driven the design process, and Anna-
change perspective, and allowed this material and the rest with a clear material Lize using her championship shopping
valuable feedback to lead their decision to allow more light into the home. skills and nose for a bargain to secure
making with regards to area allocation They managed to complete an entire best pricing on furniture, décor items and
and functionality. plan with visuals before they chipped the materials, allowed them to achieve a lot
Armed with this information, Simon first brick. Simon further explained this more with the budget that they had set
set about designing and modelling the was important for them to ensure that what aside for the project.
space. Taking this approach allowed them they saw was exactly what the contractor Tiles, taps, baths, vanities and the
to play around with various concepts saw, to avoid any costly mistakes that like were all shopped on Black Friday
and ideas and explore colour palettes, can arise with miscommunication on a Deals. With the increasing sensation of
finishes and treatments. They found this renovation project. Anna-Lize explained their project attracting attention, they

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