Time for a facelift

The catalyst for Karla’s renovation project was her stove giving up shortly after Christmas 2021.

For someone who loves cooking and baking, this was a huge headache. “I even make my own jam. Anything that can be bottled, I preserve it myself.”

Then one day Brian arrived home with a brandnew Smeg stove.

“I was delighted. But then the stove didn’t go so well with my 30-year-old yellowish melamine cabinets with their oak handles. So I decided: it’s now or never, this kitchen needs a facelift.”

It didn’t take much convincing to get Brian on her side. “He just said ‘do whatever makes you happy’. And then I thought, well, plants, nature and tranquillity are the things that make me happy. So a green kitchen was the obvious choice.”

Karla’s courage nearly failed her when she applied the first bit of green paint on the cupboards. “But the more I painted, the more beautiful it looked.”

The makeover took longer than Karla initially expected – almost an entire year of hard work, on and off. But, she says, a dream kitchen takes time.

“When the cabinets were finished, the floor tiles didn’t complement them. Nor did the old blinds. We systematically changed almost everything.

What couldn’t be renovated was newly installed.”

In the end, she got what she’d always wanted: a kitchen that’s the heartbeat of the house with a clean, fresh farm feel that’s also modern and unique, says Karla. “We all want to keep costs to a minimum, so I kept a close eye on my expenses, but with a paint like Tjhoko it wasn’t too difficult.”

And the prize money? This is quietly sitting in her savings account until she’s ready for her next project. “Meanwhile, people have approached me on Facebook and I’ve already done my first ever paint job in Jeffreys Bay. I grab opportunities like that with both hands and I have Tjhoko Paint – and Home – to thank.”

Change – that’s my passion! Good changes that leave a lasting impression. – Nadine Vosloo

Karla says she battled to find the right colour for the splashback to contrast with the cream-coloured stove and green cupboards.

“In the end, grey was the best choice.”

STRIKING SPLASHBACK

For the splashback, Brian cut plywood to size and Karla decorated it: first with Tjhoko Paint Stencil of Paris and Stencil Mc028-90. When this was dry, she lightly sanded the Stencil of Paris and applied a coat of Silver Moon paint. After more drying time, she painted a coat of Cloud White. Finally, Karla applied Sherif’s Stone with a damp cloth in circular motions over the stencil work. No sealant was used. “I didn’t want a shiny splashback.”