Page 51 - Bulletin 21

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Footprint, Ceilings, Voorkamer and Floors

Of course, as with most old homes, modern facilities like bathrooms and kitchens were

added. These were haphazardly added to the exterior of the building in the 1940s. So we
knocked them down returning the building to its near original footprint and included

bathrooms and the kitchen in the main structure. (Fig. 2.22.)

The exciting thing about renovating is all the wonders that one uncovers. In the Voorkamer,

we removed a false white Victorian ceiling which exposed a magnificent rich dark wooden

one. In the old kitchen, a few of the beams in the ceiling were revealed to be yellowwood.
(Fig. 2.23.)

In the Voorkamer are two built-in wall cupboards which had been heavily disguised.

Renovating them was really worthwhile. We removed 10 different coats of paint and an array
of hideous wall papers. The warm wood which was revealed is a striking feature of this room.

Historically we knew that in Old Cape Dutch homesteads all doors are aligned to the entrance

gate of the property. This was so that those, stoking the fire in the kitchen, could look up and
see right through the house down the road and to the gate. When they saw the dust of a

wagon or horse approaching up the drive they knew to get the coffee ready. But, there was no
door in place between the kitchen and Voorkamer, where we knew there ought to be one. So

we expectantly chipped off the clay and there, revealed and perfectly aligned, was the door
jamb and lintel. (Figs. 2.24 & 2.25.)

Old Kitchen

The old kitchen was our real challenge, but certainly the most rewarding room to renovate.
We were always puzzled as to why the room filled with smoke when we lit fires in the

fireplace. On examination we realised that the fireplace had been altered – the bottom ledge

on which the cooking was done had been built forward. So we knocked back till we found the
original wall …. and there it was, still stained red with ox blood. The result is that the room

never fills with smoke anymore, and we enjoy roaring fires in the winter! A striking feature

of the old kitchen is the enormous ship’s mast which was used for the support beam over the
fire place. The copper nails are still evident in this solid beam. Mike Walker has suggested