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Houzz Tour: Thoughtful Design Sets the Scene for Art in This Flat
Visual continuity through the clever use of materials and colour enhances the perceived size of the 3-bedroom apartment
Chiquit Brammall
6 January 2020
Design journalist and freelance editor. Dollhouse architect. Serial renter.
“The owners’ brief was fairly simple, albeit with several uniquely specific requests, such as the pink mosaic tiles for the bathroom”, says architect Terence Tang of StudioMyte.
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A young married couple in their late 20s
Location: Cantonment Close
Type of property: 3-bedroom HDB flat, approximately 17 years old
Size: 3 bedrooms, with a floor area of about 1,000 square feet
Project duration: Design took about 3 months and construction another 2 months
Designer in charge: Interior designer Yap Mei Ying of StudioMyte (collaborating with architect-husband and business partner Terence Tang)
Speaking on behalf of interior designer Yap Mei Ying, who led the renovation, Tang describes the design process as collaborative: “The owners had many of their own design ideas, but we lent our expertise in spatial design, material selection and design detailing, so as to help them realise their ideas in the best possible ways. We recognised the owners’ love for collecting art and other vintage items and their penchant for unearthing great finds. Therefore, we sought to design the home as a ‘blank canvas’. We were careful not to over-design their home so as to allow their own growing collection of art and furniture to lend their own character to the home.”
Who lives here: A young married couple in their late 20s
Location: Cantonment Close
Type of property: 3-bedroom HDB flat, approximately 17 years old
Size: 3 bedrooms, with a floor area of about 1,000 square feet
Project duration: Design took about 3 months and construction another 2 months
Designer in charge: Interior designer Yap Mei Ying of StudioMyte (collaborating with architect-husband and business partner Terence Tang)
Speaking on behalf of interior designer Yap Mei Ying, who led the renovation, Tang describes the design process as collaborative: “The owners had many of their own design ideas, but we lent our expertise in spatial design, material selection and design detailing, so as to help them realise their ideas in the best possible ways. We recognised the owners’ love for collecting art and other vintage items and their penchant for unearthing great finds. Therefore, we sought to design the home as a ‘blank canvas’. We were careful not to over-design their home so as to allow their own growing collection of art and furniture to lend their own character to the home.”
Although open in plan, the living and dining areas are naturally separated because of the long, narrow configuration of the apartment’s layout. A dark green feature wall connects the two spaces visually.
Tang says: “The first thing one would notice upon entering the home is the wide green painted wall. This wall was designed to accommodate the owners’ collection of paintings and artwork so we wanted it to stand out. Although there are only a few pieces of art currently hanging on the wall, the intention was for their collection to eventually grow to fill the entire expanse of the wall.”
Tang says: “The first thing one would notice upon entering the home is the wide green painted wall. This wall was designed to accommodate the owners’ collection of paintings and artwork so we wanted it to stand out. Although there are only a few pieces of art currently hanging on the wall, the intention was for their collection to eventually grow to fill the entire expanse of the wall.”
Simply furnished, the living and dining spaces are enlivened by plants and artwork. “From the offset, we knew that we wanted a dark colour (green or blue); something bold that would allow the wall to stand out. We only chose the colour after the renovation was almost completed and we actually tested several shades of green and blue on site before deciding on the final colour! Eventually, we chose green foremost as a colour that matched their furnishings. We also felt that the colour green aptly mirrored the lush greenery outside their home as well as the large collection of indoor plants that they were intending to keep”, says the architect.
The kitchen was kept apart from the social spaces, and simply refurbished with built-ins that blend in with the new, neutral palette. As with the older flats in Cantonment Close, the service yard is part of the kitchen.
The designers enclosed the kitchen with glass doors to “allow for visual connectivity to the living and dining areas and make each of these spaces feel more spacious than they actually are”, Tang says.
The designers enclosed the kitchen with glass doors to “allow for visual connectivity to the living and dining areas and make each of these spaces feel more spacious than they actually are”, Tang says.
Two bedrooms were combined to create a master bedroom with a sizeable wardrobe. The designers used terrazzo tiles for the bedroom floor, paired with a soft pink feature wall.
The third bedroom was turned into a study (not pictured).
“The owners were very hands on in purchasing their own furniture, although we did chip in with our recommendations and opinions. Many of their furniture are vintage/second-hand”, says Tang.
The third bedroom was turned into a study (not pictured).
“The owners were very hands on in purchasing their own furniture, although we did chip in with our recommendations and opinions. Many of their furniture are vintage/second-hand”, says Tang.
“One interesting feature is the concealed entrance into the master bathroom that we designed as part of the master bedroom wardrobe. Concealing the bathroom entrance allowed for a clean, continuous wardrobe; otherwise, it would have been broken up into two separate segments, making the space feel much more cluttered. We also managed to create additional storage space above the doorway – and that’s always a plus”, Tang says.
Tell us
What do you love about this home? Tell us in the Comments. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, save the story, and join in the conversation.
Tell us
What do you love about this home? Tell us in the Comments. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, save the story, and join in the conversation.
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