Wendy Rutherfoord, a former advertising executive at J. Walter Thompson in New York, was the guest of her client, De Beers, in South Africa when she met wildlife manager Mark Rutherfoord at Tswalu Kalahari Reserve (owned by De Beers founder the Oppenheimer family). The connection triggered a life change and the two, now married, established the Gondwana Game Reserve, the only free roaming big five reserve on the Western Cape. The 27,000-acre game farm attracts both tourists and second homeowners because of its location along South Africa’s scenic Garden Route.

Since 2008, when the first private residences were built, the Rutherfoords have constructed 35 bush villas, 14 standalone suites at Kwena Safari Lodge, a Tented Eco Camp, and now the spacious Ulubisi House. This luxurious three-bedroom bush lodge offers a roomy deck, pool and hot tub, separate loft apartment, and a private hospitality staff. Mark positioned the typically African structure—constructed of stone and cylindrical timbers made of blue gum poles and thatch—on a site that maximizes 180-degree views so guests can watch the game amidst colorful vegetation growing on grass plains dotted by hills and backed by the Outeniqua Mountains.

To ensure the structure blended into the landscape, “we didn’t want one enormous mushroom roof,” Wendy points out. “Instead we broke it into a series of roofs connected by fly concrete sections. One tops the central living area, another covers the two bedroom wings, and a T-cross caps the kitchen and lounge.” And though the two influenced much of the layout, style, and décor and determined many details, down to the mouthblown glassware, they worked with Lynette Kuhn from local design firm Urban Jungle on the interiors—a mix of textiles and textures, contemporary and custom furniture, and one-off African artifacts and accessories. Local wood artisan, Meyer von Wielligh, crafted each wood element in the house, from kitchens and closets to statement pieces.