Somewhere Beyond The Sea

This contemporary coastal bolt hole, designed by John Jacob, subtly subverts the rules of ocean-house living

- Jessica Ross

Take a peek into any of the homes strung along Cape Town’s glittering peninsula, and you will find there is a particular aesthetic that has emerged over the past decade: sleek lines, voluminous gallery-like proportions, grand open-plan living spaces and jaw-dropping sea views. While this coastal bolthole – tucked away on a wind-free stretch of the Atlantic Seaboard – has no shortage of sea views, it eschews the ubiquitous vernacular for something altogether more welcoming. ‘This house is not about that unobstructed open living,’ says designer John Jacob of John Jacob Interiors. ‘It’ is about contained softness.’