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Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: A Designer Personalises his Cookie-Cutter Condo
This designer abode is customised with bold finishes, colour, texture and character-filled lights
For his own home, a three-bedroom condo bought during its pre-sell phase, designer Stan Tham of KNQ Associates had very definite ideas. “I wanted a place that would reflect my personality, and fit all the basic requirements and needs of my wife and myself. It should also be a place where I can store and display my collection of art, toys and books in a harmonious manner,” Tham says. With some input from his wife, he set out to design their ideal home.
To make the foyer feel more spacious, Tham installed full-height mirror panels framing the shoe storage to amplify the light and create the illusion that the space is wider than it is. He created a rusted iron effect on the wall (using Porter’s specialised paint) which contrasts the sleek mirrored wall. The designer also “made a bird cage lighting feature out of stuff I found from a furniture shop which was closing down, eBay and other online shops”.
From the foyer, you first see the dining area and open-concept kitchen before what Tham calls the TV area.
He clad the TV area with a combination of fabric-look black laminate and a dark, three-dimensional foam-based wallpaper from design brand Arte for acoustical and tactile effect. Mirror panels were also placed in the living room to create the illusion of more space.
He clad the TV area with a combination of fabric-look black laminate and a dark, three-dimensional foam-based wallpaper from design brand Arte for acoustical and tactile effect. Mirror panels were also placed in the living room to create the illusion of more space.
The kitchen is the domain of Tham’s wife, who loves to cook. The balcony is a little extension of her open-concept kitchen, where herb planters have been hung on the wall.
The dining table, which Tham had built in place of the kitchen island-counter that he demolished, can still double as a kitchen worktop. It houses the coffee station as well as an assortment of Alessi ware, which Tham considers art pieces. “The dining table was made using geometric tiles I found in a local tile shop, overlaid with a clear glass for protection,” Tham says.
The dining table, which Tham had built in place of the kitchen island-counter that he demolished, can still double as a kitchen worktop. It houses the coffee station as well as an assortment of Alessi ware, which Tham considers art pieces. “The dining table was made using geometric tiles I found in a local tile shop, overlaid with a clear glass for protection,” Tham says.
Another modification that Tham requested was for a loft to be built in the second bedroom. “Once I took possession of the unit, I kept the loft but removed the long wardrobe below it to carve out a smaller wardrobe (with mirrored doors) and a work space for myself. I call this room my man cave,” he says. At the entrance, a caveman decal based on anonymous street artist Banksy’s work declares the room’s purpose.
Wallpaper with a weathered brick pattern adds texture to his work area.
Wallpaper with a weathered brick pattern adds texture to his work area.
A gallery-style hanging system allows him to rotate his collection of artwork and prints, so he can enjoy different works from the lounge on the loft-level in his man cave.
Dutch artist Parra was the inspiration behind the colour scheme for the library. Tham turned one of the bedrooms into this stunning reading space – reading being a hobby he immerses himself in.
In contrast to the quirkiness and boldness of the other rooms, the master bedroom is serene and white. The textured wallpaper from Kelly Hoppen is paintable, says Tham, but he selected it for its visual effect. “I prefer a predominantly white scheme here for its serenity.”
The only bold stroke here is the pink neon light that creates a glow around the TV.
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Who lives here: Designer Stan Tham of KNQ Associates and his wife
Location: Upper Serangoon
Size: approximately 915 square feet (85 square metres)
Project duration: 1 month
Because they had purchased the condo before it was built. Tham was able to customise the unit’s layout. “I requested for the developer to make modifications by pushing back the wall to the second bedroom (the common bathroom used to be ensuite). There is also an original door that allows access from the living room into this same bathroom but it faces the main entrance. I had them remove that as well.”