Interior spaces shape and influence our daily experiences and interactions, and few environments are as intimate as the interior of a family home. We had the pleasure of speaking with the dynamic duo Brigid White and Cecile van Schoor from ATTIK Design as part of our ongoing SCAPE Sessions series. Join us as we delve into their flagship project, Sunset House in Llandudno, Cape Town, and explore the transformation of a bland beachfront holiday rental into a unique ‘home away from home’.
Can you tell us about the story behind Sunset House?
Brigid: The client gave me a call in October and said, ‘We really need someone to help us with some new furniture. We’ve just purchased this home,’ which was a short-term rental they had bought fully furnished. They needed the furniture before December because they had family coming to stay, so I said, ‘Okay, great. Let’s meet at the house and see what we can do.’
We spent about three hours there, walking around and really getting to know them. We soon realised that the issue with the house wasn’t just the furniture. As a short-term rental, the house lacked depth — it was really stark, basically a neutral canvas without any personality. They were telling us about a renovation that they did in Europe, where they used reclaimed European oak beams as flooring. Their whole design ethos is about tactility; everything needs to be tactile and have depth. So, what started as a two-month project focussing on furniture turned into a complete gut.
How did you approach materiality on this project?
Cecile: We put in a sort of rough-hewn brushed flooring, so just walking barefoot is an incredible feeling. We wanted to create textures, bringing in layers and depth so that it is not just a flat canvas. You really walk around this house just wanting to touch everything.
Brigid: They also wanted us to use natural materials, so we incorporated brick, wood, and metals. It was important for them to connect with the landscape, so integrating the exterior was a main aspect of the brief.


How do you view a renovation typically?
Brigid: We see renovation as a collaboration between ourselves and our clients. We treat our clients as our design partners, working with them throughout the entire process. It’s quite a long process for us in the beginning to really get to know them. We spend time with them to understand their vision, goals, lifestyle, and habits. By connecting with them and learning how they use space, we can create a space that truly works for them.
Talk us through the main challenges experienced during the renovation of Sunset House.
Cecile: The first major challenge arose when we started to take things out of the house and discovered some poorly constructed features. This unfortunately added to the budget as we had to do a lot of remedial work. We also found a natural stream running underneath the master bedroom, which flooded, and we had to install a sump system.
The way you entered the house was also quite sudden. It was almost as if you fell into the space. The front door led directly into the lounge. The lounge is a huge area with two front doors, which was quite strange. You would arrive, coming down this beautiful staircase with this incredible view, only to almost trip into the house.
Brigid: There was no landing space, so we created a separation between the landing and the lounge. Previously, you entered the door, and you landed on the couch almost, so it really needed a pause area. I think that’s important in a home.
Cecile: We addressed this by working with the room’s reasonable size without detracting from the lounge. Our goal was to create a space that still offered permeability while establishing a distinct arrival and reception space.
Another challenge was the house’s various levels, which naturally split the family. The kids’ bedrooms are on the top floor, the living spaces are in the middle section, the master suite is downstairs, and the pool level is even further down. To achieve a connection between the inside and outside, we had to carefully consider how to create these transitions. On every level, we ensured there was a connection between the internal areas and outdoor spaces, whether that was a deck, the transition from the master bedroom to the pool, or moving from one level to another.


What were some of the highlights of the project?
Brigid: We orchestrated a major reveal for the client, who was abroad during the project’s execution. We opened the front gates, and as they walked down the stairs, they were in absolute awe. It was incredible to see their reactions — they touched everything as they walked through the house. The most memorable part of the reveal was unveiling the ‘big boy’ room for the client’s son. This was his first move into his own bedroom, and the wife had emphasised that it needed to be extra special. When we showed him his bedroom, he literally couldn’t leave it. That was definitely the standout moment.
What is the most unconventional design element you incorporated, and what impact did it have?
Brigid: The bricks on edge. I think they (the client) weren’t 100% sold in the beginning. Everyone was afraid of doing it, our contractors included. We stood by it because in our gut, our intuition, we knew this was the right thing for the space. The wall is an example of using something that’s seen everywhere in an unusual way, and it creates a really dynamic space.
Considering this experience and coming from such a successful project, is there a thought you’d like to leave your fellow design professionals with?
Cecile: Immerse yourself in your world. Feel everything, touch everything, experience everything. Design inspiration doesn’t generally come from looking at magazines or Pinterest or Instagram. It does happen, but if you’re out there looking at things, take your measuring tape with you, measure things, and that’s how you learn. Design is immersive, and good design is invisible.
This Article is an extract from our October issue. Read the full issue here.