Houzz Tour: Farmhouse Vibes Radiate From This Penthouse
Farmhouse-style details, vintage furnishings, and streamlined pieces merge for a personalised eclectic style
Being on the top floor, this airy three-bedroom apartment enjoys a higher ceiling (2.7 metres), and a commanding view over western Singapore. Owners Deborah and ZK approached designer Arjan Nijen Twilhaar of Aiden T to help them highlight these wonderful features and, more importantly, come up with a design that would reflect both their personalities. “Deborah has an eclectic whimsical taste that matches her vibrant personality. She also likes crafts like painting and crocheting in her spare time. ZK, on the other hand, is more practical. They also just welcomed a baby girl into the family,” Twilhaar says. Hence, his brief was to give the apartment a rustic cottage vibe while making it streamlined, spacious and bright.
To highlight the farmhouse feel, the design team installed shiplap, painted in white, around the windows and on the dining wall. A simple cornice design adds interest to the ceiling. Custom-designed doors are also finished with an architrave.
Standard aluminium windows were also hidden by placing a wall in front of the windows and added Federal style cased openings around them. “These give the illusion of wood-framed windows that are quite hard to find in Singapore,” he says.
Standard aluminium windows were also hidden by placing a wall in front of the windows and added Federal style cased openings around them. “These give the illusion of wood-framed windows that are quite hard to find in Singapore,” he says.
Most of the main furniture, like the sofa and the dining table, are off the rack. “While the key pieces are from Ikea, attention went to sourcing other items from secondhand stores and shops online,” Twilhaar says. For example, the owners went for a mix-and-match vibe for the dining chairs.
Loose furniture: Ikea, Commune, and Prestige Affairs
Loose furniture: Ikea, Commune, and Prestige Affairs
While down lights provide the general lighting in the home, statement lights provide the visual drama. “It is always nice to add feature lights at specific areas. The grape bubble lights next to the TV help anchor that space, while the multi-light pendant lamps over the dining table and breakfast nook give a soft warm glow,” he says.
Bringing an Arts and Crafts feel are a collection of crochet artwork sourced from various artists overseas. Deborah’s own creations, such as the crochet area rug in the living area, bring a unique touch.
“Old-world touches and vintage heirlooms round off the overall styling. It is still very much a work in progress and the apartment will be more complete in the years to come,” he says.
“Old-world touches and vintage heirlooms round off the overall styling. It is still very much a work in progress and the apartment will be more complete in the years to come,” he says.
Across the dining area is the open kitchen. Twilhaar initially envisioned the kitchen to be a bit larger by taking some space from the living room, but they eventually decided to scale it down and instead have an open kitchen with a breakfast nook. The cooking area is set against a wall, hiding it from view.
“Deborah picked a blush pink tile for the backsplash – it became a starting point of the rest of the colour scheme of the home,” he shares. To round up the bright cottage feel, Shaker style cabinets finished in white laminate are complemented by marble-look quartz countertops for the cook and prep areas, and a butcher block countertop for the breakfast bar.
Laminates: EDL; countertops: Cosentino
“Deborah picked a blush pink tile for the backsplash – it became a starting point of the rest of the colour scheme of the home,” he shares. To round up the bright cottage feel, Shaker style cabinets finished in white laminate are complemented by marble-look quartz countertops for the cook and prep areas, and a butcher block countertop for the breakfast bar.
Laminates: EDL; countertops: Cosentino
“The owners haven’t found the right chairs for the breakfast bar yet, so at the moment this nook is set up as an area to feed the baby,” says Twilhaar.
To the right, French doors lead to the light-filled nursery.
To the right, French doors lead to the light-filled nursery.
The same herringbone-pattern flooring is laid out in the nursery. “The owners added some decals to brighten up the walls, and we also placed artwork for a soft touch,” says Twilhaar. The room is minimally decorated, as it will be converted to a study when the baby moves in to her own room.
Another advantage of living in a penthouse is the absence of down pipes in the bathrooms and kitchen. Renovation here focused mainly on retiling and installing essential fixtures.
The dry area walls In the common bathroom were tiled half-height and finished with a brass strip. The walls above the tiles were painted with weatherproof paint for easy maintenance. The shower area, meanwhile, was tiled up all the way to the ceiling.
Tiles: Hafary
The dry area walls In the common bathroom were tiled half-height and finished with a brass strip. The walls above the tiles were painted with weatherproof paint for easy maintenance. The shower area, meanwhile, was tiled up all the way to the ceiling.
Tiles: Hafary
To give the master bathroom an extra dimension, they picked narrow subway tiles, which were laid in a herringbone pattern with a vertical border tile. The brass fittings sourced online give a vintage vibe, which is carried through with the Shaker style vanity and wall sconces by the mirror.
In the master bedroom, the floor colour was updated to a darker shade, using the same tile in a different hue. “Not much else was changed in the room, except the Shaker style wardrobe,” Twilhaar says. Again, the couple’s personality comes through the window treatment and accessories.
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What do you love about this home? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, bookmark the story, and join in the conversation.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Young professional couple, Deborah and ZK, and their newborn daughter
Location: Clementi
Size: 1,289 square feet (120 square metres)
Project duration: 3 months
Twilhaar began by creating a ‘farmhouse feel’ for the home. The apartment opens up to a large living space which is made more expansive looking by a wood-like tile laid in herringbone pattern and complemented by tall skirting boards. “Keeping the walls bright and the floors in a natural wood tone gives the space a cottage feel. For the furniture, we picked more streamlined pieces, to contrast with the more eclectic finishing and accessories. This helps create a contemporary look that is not cluttered,” he says.
Floor tiles: Soon Bee Huat