The journey to Misverstand began in 2007 when David and his family set out to acquire a suitable farm or country location for family and friends to getaway, an escape from the hustle and bustle, malls and other distractions of Johannesburg. After a long search, many missteps and a couple of dead ends, they finally came across the Leeufontein farm situated near the UNESCO World Heritage site that is the Vredefort Dome. The farm was acquired late in 2008.
In many ways it was perfect as it had water (2 boreholes) a large shed and a couple of old storerooms. There was no house but there were incredible views, wonderful landscapes, stunning geology and an open palette to dream upon and design with. The project immediately commenced with the appointment of a professional team including Philip De Wet of MLC Quantity Surveyors and Beata Kaleta and Rob Lowe of DSA Architect. They were briefed on the desire to build a modern but simple farm house. The professionals did point out there were no services or even a reasonable road to the preferred sites (with the views!!).
In fact, it was that “briefing” that culminated in the name “Misverstand Farm”. The architect was requested to come up with a concept of a “simple farm house” using the materials of concrete, steel, wood, and glass whilst maximising the incredible views and ensuring that it was sympathetic and complimentary to the landscape and the grandeur of the Vredefort Dome. Beata Kaleta provided a dozen or more great architectural books with many pages tagged. Within 48 hours David reverted to her with his preferred architectural language – actually just one reference. She was delighted and so it was born – Misverstand, with inspiration from Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous Arizona winter home and studio complex that he built together with his architectural apprentices who lived, studied and worked on the site. Taliesin West was principally built from 1937 through the mid-1940’s although it was changed and expanded through to his death in 1959. In 2019 Taliesin West became a UNESCO World Heritage site and is the headquarters of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.
The dream of transforming the farm home into a luxury lodge first sparked in 2012 during a nine-month adventure across Africa. Lidia and David, with their rich hospitality experience, envisioned a space that would offer the same warmth and welcome that they had encountered on their travels. However, the scope of the project—and the demands of work and travel—kept the dream at bay.
Fast forward to 2020, when the global pandemic brought an unexpected pause to life. With the world on hold, they finally had the opportunity to dive into much-needed maintenance, turning those long-overdue updates into the beginning of something extraordinary. Over the course of a year, from mid-2020 to mid-2021, their home underwent a remarkable transformation. They had stripped back layers of paint, waterproofing, and plaster, repaired ceilings, decks, and cupboards, tackled the finer details like modernising plugs and fixing faulty electrics and plumbing. The roof was acid-washed, steelwork treated, and the rim-flow pool completely rebuilt.
With the lodge taking shape, they shifted focus in late 2021 to what would come next—breathing life into their vision. Lidia ans David started by creating a name, crafting a brand, and setting up the logistics, from the booking system to the operational plans and menus. Every element, down to kitchen equipment and guest supplies, was meticulously curated, with almost everything completed in-house by Lidia and David.
Misverstand Boutique Farm Lodge is a full-service, luxury getaway in the Vredefort Dome, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, less than 2 hours away from Johannesburg. Come for the views, stay for the hospitality.
