An Exquisitely Appointed Kitchen In Tembisa – Part One

It was 2005 – or somewhere around there – when I executed my first home improvement project in Tembisa.

The section was near Moriting and Makhulong, one of those predominantly Sesotho‑speaking corners of the township. I cannot say for certain whether it was a Sesotho, Sepedi or Setswana area – the boundaries have blurred over time. What does stand out in my mind, though, is that my client – a lady – worked for Tembisa Hospital, situated in an aptly named area: Hospital View.

The project itself was relatively minor. A tiling job. A typical, apartheid‑era Matchbox house, given new feet.

But even then, even with that small job, something stuck with me. I remember thinking: I want to come back here. I want to do more than tiles. And for years, that thought sat quietly at the back of my mind.

Then, late last year, an opportunity finally knocked.

The Call That Came Through a Brother

A mutual friend and brother, Mogau, mentioned to me that his parents had just finished tiling their kitchen floor. They were now looking to install a new kitchen. Would I be interested?

I said yes before he finished the sentence.

The parents – the Mphahleles – knew exactly what they wanted. They had seen a display kitchen at Builders Warehouse. Not just any display kitchen. The one. And their wish was simple: they wanted a replica. The same colours, the same finishes, the same presence.

 

The reference kitchen at Builders Warehouse, Kempton Park 

(You can see the rest of the pictures of the Builders Warehouse Display Kitchen here on this link). And trust me when I say – it was a stunner.

Little did I realise that, within days, their wish would become my project brief.

The Meeting at Builders

Two or three days after my conversation with Mogau, the elderly Mr Mphahlele called me. He was direct. No small talk.

"Meet me at Kempton Park Builders Warehouse."

I promptly headed for Builders Warehouse, not entirely sure what to expect. He was already waiting. And he wasted no time. He walked me straight to the display kitchen that had captured his family's imagination.

It was an exquisitely appointed contemporary kitchen in burgundy.

The tall wall units featured wrap doors complete with frosted glass – elegant, soft, inviting. The base units were topped with a worktop in Starly White Quartz, bright and cool against the deep burgundy. The combination was bold, confident, and undeniably beautiful.

Mr Mphahlele looked at me and asked, quite simply: "Is it feasible to replicate this in our space back in Tembisa?"

I painted the broad picture for him – the measurements, the materials, the adjustments that would be needed to fit the display into a real home. He listened. He nodded. And, needless to say, I bagged the job.

From Display to Blueprint

A few days later, an optimal design for the Mphahlele kitchen was ready. Every cabinet, every clearance, every sightline had been considered.

Next came the cutting and edging lists. I prepared them carefully – because precision on paper means precision in the workshop.

Then I handed everything over to Patrick and his crew at Timbercity in Kempton Park. They fed board after board into the automated precision cutters, working methodically to meet the order. The hum of those machines was the sound of a dream becoming lumber.

I also placed a call to my stone countertop guy, Sylvester. "Come take measurements," I said. He arrived within days.

The Backbone: Plumbing, Electricals, and Movement

As is usual with most of my kitchen projects, plumbing and electricals were part and parcel of the brief. No surface‑only makeovers here. We go deep.

The wall‑hung sink mixer was to give way to a countertop mixer – cleaner, more modern, more practical. Provision – both water supply and grey water removal – had to be made for a dishwasher and a washing machine. The machines also needed dedicated electrical power points.

Additional power points were required for the microwave unit and other kitchen appliances, as well as the refrigerator. Nothing worse than a beautiful kitchen with not enough plugs.

But the biggest structural change? The cooker – together with its isolator – was to move from its original position to a semi‑island. A bold move. A statement. And a logistical puzzle that we solved one wire at a time.

The Ceiling: From Strips to Smooth

Attention was also given to the ceiling. Originally, it was bishop‑stripped Plasterboard – dated, uneven, never meant to last. That was coming down.

In its place? A skimmed ceiling. Smooth, paintable, worthy of the kitchen below.

Once the plastering and painting were complete, one section – right by the sink – would feature a bulkhead in burgundy, hanging low over the workspace. A deliberate architectural touch.

Downlights would follow. Ten in total. Five on the bulkhead, five on the skimmed area. The kind of lighting that doesn't just illuminate – it transforms.

The Walls: A Final Say

And lastly, the walls were to be tiled. Initially, the plan was to mimic the Builders display kitchen right down to the wall tiles. Exact replica. No deviation.

But then the lady of the house stepped in.

As she should.

She had the final say on such matters – and she settled on something different. Something that, I must admit, turned out to be equally – if not more – exquisitely suited to the overall aesthetics of the kitchen.

What did she choose?

You'll have to wait for Part Two.

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To be continued…

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In Part Two: The tile that stole the show. The bulkhead in all its burgundy glory. The moment the Mphahleles saw their dream kitchen come alive. And the lesson I carried home from Tembisa – fifteen years after that first Matchbox house.

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