Like Villa Maison Noir, Villa Verte – so called for its densely treed setting – was to be a showcase for exciting furniture design, artwork and craft. But first, the structure had to be conceived and to achieve this, the duo enlisted talented local architect Thomas Leach.
When Jim Brett and Ed Gray decided to launch a sister property to their exclusive-use Villa Maison Noir in Hout Bay, Cape Town, it was with the intention of creating yet another sanctuary-like space that was inspired and informed by the natural beauty of the bordering Oudekraal Nature Reserve and surrounding areas. To bring this vision to fruition, the couple earmarked a plot of land right next door to Villa Maison Noir and dreamed of replacing the drab 1970s-style building housed on the site with something much more memorable.
