We all lead busy lives these days, but if you ever thought you had a lot on your plate, you should meet Christine Meintjes! Award-winning professional photographer, founder of South Africa’s original lifestyle guide The Pretty Blog, content creator, social media expert, wife and mom, Christine is surely no stranger to 25-hour days. We met up with her in gorgeous Caesarstone kitchen to experience a typical day her the life…
But no matter how hard she works, her family always comes first. When she’s not behind a camera, in a studio or at a computer, you can find Christine going for walks with her husband Iaan and gorgeous son Adi, or spending quality time with family and friends at home – usually in the kitchen.
The kitchen plays a big part in their beautifully curated daily life. Christine and Iaan have always cooked and enjoyed meals together in the kitchen, but even more so now that little Adi is around. Naturally, they wanted their kitchen to be a beautiful space, but it needed to fit their new needs as a growing family as well.
When designing their kitchen with the help of her mom, Christine was looking for something which would appease her design aesthetic, satisfy her high standards and be family-friendly at the same time. If you are one of her 20 000 Instagram followers, you’ll know that Christine appreciates quality and authenticity – and she makes it all look incredibly stylish. It’s no surprise really that these qualities were always going to be factors in choosing her kitchen fittings.
The Alaska Caesarstone countertops Christine chose for their kitchen ticks all the boxes when it comes to style, quality and functionality. “We believe in investing in quality pieces simply because we want it to last,” Christine told us. “So Caesarstone for us was non-negotiable for the kitchen because we spend a lot of time in this space.”
“We decided to spend money on things which really influence our lifestyle. Being in the kitchen…making food together and enjoying meals together is an important part of life” adds Iaan.
Clearly, Christine and Iaan make a good team. While Iaan readily admits that Christine is the chef and he is the sous chef, it’s obvious that for these two it’s the teamwork that makes the dream work. In the kitchen, Christine cooks with her heart while Iaan cooks with his head. Cookbooks, it seems, were made just for them – Christine looks at the photographs while Iaan follows the recipes. Each playing to their own strengths, they get the job done – and it’s usually delicious!
This yin and yang is apparent again in their attitude towards cleanliness. While Iaan may be happy to deal with any mess after a meal, Christine is a self-confessed neat freak and struggles with a dirty kitchen.
Of course, any parent will tell you that a neat home is an oxymoron – did we mention Adi has just started solids?! – so the products they chose for their kitchen needed to easily satisfy her quest for cleanliness while being both pleasing to the eye and practical. Luckily for Christine, the Caesarstone countertops are non-porous, easily-wipeable and hygienic, making cleaning effortless.
Using Caesarstone is not Christine’s only tip for a modern, minimalistic (and clean!) house. Even though it’s not as easy as it used to be before Adi came along, as an experienced multi-tasker both at work and at home, Christine has a few tricks up her sleeve to keep her house looking pretty.
So how does Christine keep her picture-perfect house so, well, picture-perfect? Her are her top tips:
- Choose white. White is a bright, clean colour which gives a fresh, modern look to any room. It’s also easy to add pops of whichever colour you choose with carefully chosen décor or plants.
- Don’t fall for cheap and cheerful. Invest in quality finishes which will stand the test of time.
- Don’t forget about practicality. Just because it’s pretty doesn’t mean it can’t be functional.
- Don’t over-invest in utensils or equipment. It can be easy to get carried away buying gadgets and paraphernalia, especially in the kitchen, but make sure you have only what you need.
- Ditch the clutter. Clutter only adds to the messy look. Christine is a firm believer in a place for everything and everything in its place, so make sure there is enough storage space so everything has a place to live.
There you have it! Top tips from the style influencer herself, because who better than Christine Meintjes to tell us how to keep the pretty in our lives?
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