Condo / Apartments
Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: A Bachelor Pad's Scandinavian-Industrial Flair
Extensive wood detailing and raw elements impart a stylish, masculine appeal to this compact home
A mood board provided by the bachelor-owner became the starting point for the collaboration between himself and designer Alvin Oh of AO Studios. “An oil trader by profession, he travels a lot for work, [and is] constantly exposed to modern, contemporary and Scandinavian designed spaces. He is very much into Scandinavian and industrial design, and wanted to bring that into his new home,” Oh says of the owner. The client also came across a magazine feature of one of AO Studios’ past projects, which turned out to be Oh’s own home. The clean lines and proportionately designed space with woody tones drew him in.
“His design requirement for his new two-bedroom apartment was to maximise space, reclaim unusable spaces like the bay windows, and have a space to entertain guests,” says Oh. With the client’s design pegs in mind and his own inclination for architectural detailing, Oh created a stylish, minimalist yet homey interior that the owner would always look forward to coming home to.
“His design requirement for his new two-bedroom apartment was to maximise space, reclaim unusable spaces like the bay windows, and have a space to entertain guests,” says Oh. With the client’s design pegs in mind and his own inclination for architectural detailing, Oh created a stylish, minimalist yet homey interior that the owner would always look forward to coming home to.
“Responding to the [client’s] brief, the big idea was to create an anchor space for this apartment. The dining room was meant to be the anchor,” says Oh. Above the dining table is a suspended tongue-and-groove ceiling feature. Aside from being a space-defining element, this centre line also holds the black tubular pendant lights (Flos Tubular Bells).
Next to the table is another black detail – the magnetic wall, which also serves as a writing surface. Meanwhile, the top-hung open shelf at the kitchen counter displays the owner’s liquor and wine glass collections.
Dining table: Crate and Barrel; Dining chairs and long bench: Grafunkt
Next to the table is another black detail – the magnetic wall, which also serves as a writing surface. Meanwhile, the top-hung open shelf at the kitchen counter displays the owner’s liquor and wine glass collections.
Dining table: Crate and Barrel; Dining chairs and long bench: Grafunkt
Storage is well thought out and incorporated into the wood detailing for a clean, uniform look. “The entire box-up by the entrance is storage that was designed to not look like a cabinet,” says Oh. The upper door stores a golf bag, the bottom portion is the shoe cabinet, and the middle ‘tongue’ is for the keys. In the kitchen, metal-framed open shelving was added as overhead cabinets, enhancing the industrial look.
The tactile effect of the wooden strips on the ceiling and wall successfully blends in with the existing grille aircon compartment. It also creates a dramatic statement through the varying heights and layering of wood elements, while maintaining a streamlined look. This is due to the colour scheme being basically neutral, taking on the Scandinavian approach. The existing homogeneous tile flooring was retained because it harmonises well with the colour palette.
The straightforward, masculine design aesthetic continues into the living area. “The long wall in the living room was meant to be muted, [hence was] plastered in concrete screed,” Oh says. The TV feature wall with cabinets, meanwhile, was clad in grey, concrete-like laminate. “This was a strategy to make sure the TV cabinetry blends in well, and not ‘jump out’ in the space,” he adds.
From here, the balcony is easily accessed. Ironwood timber was used for the deck. A planter is situated on one side for the owner’s assortment of herbs.
From here, the balcony is easily accessed. Ironwood timber was used for the deck. A planter is situated on one side for the owner’s assortment of herbs.
The living area is also sparsely furnished, with only a modern grey couch as seating, and a coffee table made out of leftover oriented strand board (OSB) from another part of the apartment. A wooden twig installation adds a rustic element to the wall, while adhering to the earth-toned palette.
Sofa: Castlery Singapore; Wood twig installation: Crate and Barrel; 5.1 speaker system: Focal
Sofa: Castlery Singapore; Wood twig installation: Crate and Barrel; 5.1 speaker system: Focal
The owner requested the storeroom to be converted into a home office/book storage. Oh covered the entire room, including the desk, bookshelves and drawers (doubling as steps to reach the upper shelves) in OSB. The owner saw this material in a cafe, which had its walls clad in OSB, and wanted to have the same material used in his apartment. Concealed lights at the back of the shelves further highlight the raw, textured feel of this unique wooden material.
In the guest room, a pod-like structure was created for the sleeping area. Oh built a platform bed along the height of the bay window, to reclaim the under-utilised footprint. The empty space underneath the bed consequently became a storage for beddings. A simple desk was added to make the room more functional.
Study desk: Air Division
Study desk: Air Division
Located at the end of the hall, the master suite initially had door issues. The original swing door led directly to the wardrobe area and covered the master bathroom entrance – the door had to be closed first in order to get to either the bedroom or the bathroom. “There wasn’t a natural flow of space and we had to correct it,” Oh says. The door was moved to the side where the master bedroom is located, therefore allowing for a more sensible circulation flow from the bedroom to the walk-in wardrobe and to the master bathroom.
As for the bay window, Oh decided to turn it into a headboard alcove. It became a more practical alternative to night tables, having an extended surface for the owner’s knickknacks.
This apartment’s overall aesthetic may be decidedly unfussy and masculine, but it is clearly the carefully crafted details and creative space allocation that define this cosy and functional home.
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As for the bay window, Oh decided to turn it into a headboard alcove. It became a more practical alternative to night tables, having an extended surface for the owner’s knickknacks.
This apartment’s overall aesthetic may be decidedly unfussy and masculine, but it is clearly the carefully crafted details and creative space allocation that define this cosy and functional home.
See more of this project
TELL US
What feature in this home did you find most striking? Share in the Comments below.
Who lives here: A bachelor in his 30s, who hails from Ipoh, Malaysia and calls Singapore home
Location: The Minton Condominium, Hougang, Singapore
Size: 980 square feet (91 square metres)
Project duration: 6 months
To open up the otherwise standard apartment layout, a wall in the kitchen was hacked down, creating a more natural flow among the spaces. Oh built a kitchen peninsula-cum-breakfast counter, which made the kitchen more accessible and connected to the dining area. Breaking down the enclosed kitchen helped elongate the living and dining areas, and also ensured that light and ventilation from the kitchen window would flow freely through the spaces.