Main En-Suite & Dressing Room Renovation
Our clients, a globe-trotting couple who divide their time between New York and Cape Town, approached us to transform the main suite of their Oranjezicht apartment. The house itself is beautiful and full of character – it was once Jenny Button’s original home – but the main bedroom and en-suite were disproportionate, with a small, outdated bathroom and dressing area that felt cramped and disconnected from the generous bedroom space.
The brief was to create a luxurious, contemporary retreat that felt worthy of the spectacular mountain and garden views. Our clients wanted a space that was high-end and highly considered: bright, functional and indulgent, with the ability to unwind after long travels.
We began by rethinking the entire footprint, extending the bathroom and dressing area into the unused balcony space to create a truly expansive suite. A glass-enclosed “conservatory” design allows the clients to stand at the vanity and look out over the lush garden and Cape Town beyond. The bathroom itself was reimagined as a spa-like wet room, complete with a built-in bench and provision for steam, as well as a custom sauna positioned between the shower and WC.
The dressing room was carefully planned with full-height built-ins on every available wall, a central island with drawers, a charging station and a bench for putting on shoes. To gently define the dressing area from the bathroom while maintaining an open flow, we introduced a free-standing wall that provides just enough separation.
Finishes were chosen to the highest specification. All sanitaryware was imported from Germany, including an exquisite free-standing mixer. The bespoke vanity features integrated basins carved from honed Zimbabwean black granite, paired with timber fronts for a floating effect. Mirrors with integrated lighting were custom-designed and suspended from the glass ceiling, while automated blinds were added to prevent overheating in summer.
Lighting was layered for both practicality and ambience: LED strips line the shower niches and floating wall, footlights illuminate the path at night, and a statement pendant hangs over the dressing room island. Large-format tiles mimic the look of concrete, giving a seamless, contemporary base throughout.
The result is a spectacular, light-filled suite that feels as indulgent as a boutique hotel yet entirely personal to the clients.
Project Summary
Brief
Expand and modernise the main en-suite and dressing room to create a bright, contemporary, spa-like retreat worthy of the home’s views.
Challenges
A cramped layout that wasted valuable space, an underused balcony area, outdated finishes, and coordinating high-end imported fittings.
Solution
Extended the suite over the balcony, designed a glass-enclosed bathroom with wet-room shower, added a custom sauna, maximised dressing storage with built-ins and an island, and layered lighting to create a luxurious retreat.
Client
Oranjezicht Apartment
Category
Apartment Renovation
