Yesterday I posted a photo on Instagram of the beach in Sullivan’s Island and wrote, “Fall in South Carolina.” Based on the number of likes I received on that picture, it seems that people are not ready for summer to end. So today I thought I would deliver a last bit of summer. This is the home of architect Peter Mamacos and his family on the coast of South Africa. Situated on a lagoon 50 miles from Cape Town, this open air home is the perfect retreat. Using simple and materials such as repurposed bead board and corrugated metal, as seen in the kitchen above, Mamacos’ paired down approach draws the visitor’s eye out the doorways and windows to the lagoon beyond. Again, simplicity is the name of the game here on the lagoon, with wooden blocks holding up the cast iron tub in the bathroom. Real rugged beach living.Because the family spends the majority of their time outside when they’re here, indoor space was not a high priority. However, Mamacos did not waste any of the space indoors. Instead, he maximized the space, putting a mezzanine above the master bedroom as a space for his daughters. Summer in South Africa spans mid-October to mid-February, and so as we leave our summer days behind, they are just starting to feel those first warmer than usual days that signal the arrival of summer. Jealous? I know I am.

Photos courtesy of Marie Claire Maison