Some creative works begin and end as books; others insist on a life beyond the page. Masculus – The Male Domain, a seven-kilogram coffee-table publication by author and photographic director Leoni Smit, did exactly that.
Masculus – The Male Domain
Its richly documented worlds — and the men who inhabit them — formed the foundation for Tussen Mure, the kykNET series based on the book’s 13 chapters, broadcasting every Sunday at 17:30 on DStv 144, with episodes also on DStv Stream and Catch Up.
The journey from page to screen was made possible through the support of iFX Brokers, whose investment in South African storytelling enabled this visually grounded concept to be developed for broadcast.
But before the cameras, there was a roadtrip: a year-long journey across South Africa as Leoni searched for the right men, locations and visual weight to shape the world of Masculus. This was followed by an additional two years of shooting and editing — a three-year creative undertaking that revealed not only spaces, but the men who quietly author them.
What follows is that roadtrip — six of the 23 locations that informed the book — a lyrical glimpse into the places where the publication found its voice.
What follows is that roadtrip, in Leoni’s words.
Couvaloup, Hopefield
Masculus Roadtrip: From Hopefield to Cullinan
Travel the Pages
“In the course of researching my publication, Masculus – The Male Domain, I traced the lives of South Africa’s most intriguing men – collectors, creators, and aesthetes – and discovered the homes where they craft their universes. This roadtrip, from Hopefield to Cullinan, is where my book was born: every encounter, every home, every curated object fed the creation of Masculus. A journey readers can now follow themselves. Some of these homes were featured in Tussen Mure, a 13 Episode kykNET production, based on the publication.”
Leoni Smit – Author and Photographic Director – Masculus – The Male Domain
Photographer – Yvette Jordaan
Set out to meet the men behind the spaces, the worlds they create, and the unique ways they live, collect, and craft their universes. From the windswept plains of Hopefield to the artist’s village of Cullinan near Pretoria, each stop is a home where men’s visions are distilled into architecture, gardens, objects, and rituals.
Couvaloup, Hopefield – Laurent Bayard
Couvaloup, Hopefield
In Hopefield, Laurent Bayard’s Couvaloup pulses with Bohemian whimsy and classical rigor. Exotic animals wander among collections gathered from Lyon to London, while interiors speak of cultivated eccentricity, every corner an ode to refined taste and layered heritage.
De Dapper Huys, Philadelphia – Willem Dapper de Wet
De Dapper Huys, Philadelphia – Willem Dapper de Wet
In the small town of Philadelphia, Willem Dapper de Wet merges Swartland sun, 1960s nostalgia, and creative fervour. His home, brimming with Eastern treasures, restored classics, and family heirlooms, is a theatre of life where heritage, aesthetics, and personal history intertwine.
Today, De Dapper Huys also serves as an intimate wedding venue and boutique-style accommodation, offering guests the chance to experience this richly layered world first-hand.
Jonkmanshof, Montagu – Hein Liebenberg & Jacques Erasmus
Jonkmanshof, Montagu – Hein Liebenberg & Jacques Erasmus
Montagu’s Jonkmanshof glows with Cape Vernacular warmth. Hein and Jacques curate their guesthouses with a collector’s discipline and a scholar’s devotion. Rare citrus groves, infused liqueurs, and a collection of art and objects create a home that is both historical and deeply personal.
Halfaampieskraal, Overberg – Jan-Georg Solms & Cobus Geldenhuys
Halfaampieskraal, Overberg – Jan-Georg Solms & Cobus Geldenhuys
Jan-Georg Solms’ farm is a landscape of cultivated exuberance. Gardens, wild bouquets, and precisely considered interiors reflect a man attuned to the soils, light, and life of the Overberg. Here, maximalist passion meets minimalist restraint – spaces which exude poetic, and utterly distinctive style.
Die Langhuis, Barrydale – Gert van de Merwe & Jaco Janse van Rensburg
Die Langhuis, Barrydale – Gert van de Merwe & Jaco Janse van Rensburg
At Barrydale’s Die Langhuis, bibliophile indulgence and cosmopolitan elegance converge. Gert and Jaco move effortlessly among Afghan rugs, antique porcelains, and curated objects d’art, creating a home that is a dialogue across time, taste, and history – where Karoo heritage meets worldly sophistication.
Sweetfontein & Twyfelberg, Karoo – Jan Sauer Lambrechts
Sweetfontein & Twyfelberg, Karoo – Jan Sauer Lambrechts
In the heart of the Karoo, Jan Sauer Lambrechts orchestrates a synthesis of neo-classical architecture, indigenous motifs, and natural grandeur. His farms and the Hanover Lux Hotel are extensions of his aesthetic philosophy – spaces that are simultaneously rigorous, graceful, and profoundly connected to their environment.
Mukti, Nieu-Bethesda – James Moffatt & Marc Watson
Mukti, Nieu-Bethesda – James Moffatt & Marc Watson
Mukti is understated Karoo sophistication incarnate. James and Marc curate their home with plush comfort, terraced gardens, and art which speaks in subtle poetry. The space embodies slow living and thoughtful composition, where each object and surface participates in the story of the land and its people.
Cullinan Vintage Shopping – RustinWhite – Pieter Vosloo & JanHarm Vorster
Cullinan Vintage Shopping – RustinWhite – Pieter Vosloo & JanHarm Vorster
In the artist’s village of Cullinan, Pieter Vosloo and JanHarm Vorster transformed a country house into a lively sanctuary of discovery and eccentric charm. Their vintage shop is a collage of worn porcelain, overgrown gardens, and carefully curated treasures, celebrates the beauty of imperfection and the poetry of found objects.
Traveling this route, meeting these men, and exploring their worlds was an exercise in curiosity, taste, and intimacy. Each dorp, each home, each man offered a masterclass in the art of living well – and from these encounters, Masculus – The Male Domain came into being. This roadtrip is an invitation to readers to step into their worlds, to experience the pulse of South African creativity, and to witness the elegance of thought, care, and imagination in daily life – all as discovered through my journey for the book that now exists on your shelves.
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