African Homesteads: A finalist in prestigious international property awards

Luxury safari property venture, African Homesteads, has been voted a finalist in both the property and interiors categories of the residential section of the prestigious International Property Awards. African Homesteads are located on &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

The venture is a collaboration between &Beyond , one of the acknowledged leaders in responsible luxury safari travel, and Tara Getty. (The Getty Family Trusts are one of two major shareholders in &Beyond , previously known as CC Africa.)

The International Property Awards are the largest celebration of the residential and commercial property industry worldwide. The residential sector, comprising 22 categories, has attracted more than one thousand entries. The competition is divided into six geographical regions - Africa, Europe, Middle East, UK, Americas, and the Asia-Pacific - and  the judges are drawn from the world’s leading architectural firms, the international property media, and international interior design companies.

African Homesteads will now compete against the winners from the other five geographical regions. The global winners will be announced at a gala event in San Diego on November 12.

The Homestead design is by &Beyond lodge architect, Nick Plewman, and the interiors and exteriors are the work of &Beyond ’s internationally-recognised creative director, Chris Browne.

To capture the spirit of &Beyond Phinda and the province of KwaZulu-Natal the design team committed to a design in a vernacular thatched medium - but with some notable twists.

Browne deliberately left the role of sensory stimulation to the beauty of the bush and opted for a neutral palette drawing on the colours of the surrounding grassland. His real passion on this project was curating a collection of Zulu craft and designed furniture pieces by iconic South African designers such as Haldane Martin, Marina Walsh and Georgie Crowe.

The result is an abundance of texture and contemporary, quirky and classic elements. It includes the best of classic South African riempie (strip leather) dining chairs, the chandeliers made from traditional Zulu infibinga beads, the playful yellow hippos and the offbeat photography-inspired fabric on the boma chairs. All work to provide the discerning owner with a luxurious safari Homestead - but without a clichéd style.

The African Homestead show home extends over 800 square metres (8 600 square feet) and consists of four large bedroom suites with beautifully appointed bathrooms built around the spacious indoor and outdoor areas. There is a fifth ensuite bedroom for the owner’s personal staff. A retreat-like exercise pavilion looking out over the water features, a sensual outdoor shower and a romantic boma add the unexpected.

“We are delighted to have been recognised as an interiors finalist in the International Property Awards, says Browne.

“The recognition is a testimony to the work of iconic South African furniture and furnishings designers, as well as the talents of craftsmen and women in the informal sector, many of whose talents go unrecognised.”

African Homesteads are priced from US$6 million (approximately Rand 46 million) each and are offered on a 70 year leasehold. The purchase price includes traversing rights over the full 23 000 hectare (56 800 acres) of the Big Five reserve.

Each Homestead is equipped with its own 4 x 4 safari vehicle and is managed by an &Beyond -trained team including a ranger, tracker, chef and host who provide the unbeatable safari experience characteristic of the company’s award-winning lodges.
Ends

•    Please see: www.africanhomesteads.com
•    Please: www.propertyawards.net

Editor’s Notes:
•    Big Five refers to the presence of: lions, leopards, rhinos, buffalos and elephants.
•    A boma is a traditional outdoor dining area.

Issued by: media@andBeyond.com

&Beyond

T: +27 11 809 4300; F: +27 11 809 4368

www.andBeyond.com

About &Beyond

&Beyond owns and operates 46 luxury lodges and camps and creates personalised travel experiences in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Tanzania, Kenya and India. The company was established 18 years ago and its commitment to delighting guests, sustainable responsible travel and community empowerment is world renowned.

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