Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: A Distinct Eclectic Flavour Fills This Revamped Flat
Similar patterns, consistent colours and unique embellishments highlight elegance and connection of spaces in this home
The young couple invested in this four-room HDB Build-to-Order (BTO) flat because “they envisioned it as a place where they can live at for long,” say designers Wayne Ching and Kate Ng of Design NEU. Hence the designers proposed a contemporary-eclectic concept that would stand the test of time. “The design approach was to fuse the refined simplicity of black, white and grey with the sophistication of elegant wood tones,” Ching says.
To maximise the living space, the designers built a peninsula to function as the dining table. “The use of laminate-finish wood top blends with the interior space nicely. Custom-made raw ventilation blocks were ‘randomly’ stacked to form the table support, bringing a unique contemporary characteristic to the space,” says Ching.
Dining chairs and wooden bench: Comfort Furniture; pendant lamp: Viva Nueva
Dining chairs and wooden bench: Comfort Furniture; pendant lamp: Viva Nueva
Dotting the space for a whimsical touch are Hello Kitty figures, the wife’s favourite character.
The grey, raw concrete-look vinyl flooring in the living-dining space transitions to white homogenous tiles in the kitchen. The raw, unfinished look of the laminate cabinetry accentuated by glossy black subway tiles brings an industrial feel to the cooking and prepping space.
Vinyl floor: Floor Xpert; Tiles: Hafary
Vinyl floor: Floor Xpert; Tiles: Hafary
The dark palette that dominates the entry, kitchen and dining area gives way to pale walls in the living area. “We designed a sand-screed feature wall with diagonal lines to create geometric patterns to enhance the contemporary aesthetic,” says Ching.
The area rug echoes the geometric motif, helping to anchor the leather tufted sofa as the main piece. Vibrant poufs enliven the space while serving as additional seating.
Sofa: Picket & Rail
The area rug echoes the geometric motif, helping to anchor the leather tufted sofa as the main piece. Vibrant poufs enliven the space while serving as additional seating.
Sofa: Picket & Rail
Across the sitting area is the TV feature wall highlighted by a combination of wood grain, matte black and stone grey laminates. The geometric design and colour gradient detailing emphasise the designers’ intention to connect the spaces through similar patterns and colours.
TV console: Castlery
TV console: Castlery
The designers worked with the existing bathroom flooring in the common bathroom. “We overlaid one side of the wall with black and white mosaic tiles to match the concept and more importantly, the existing bathroom floor colour,” Ching says.
Creating a walk-in wardrobe is a common request in HDB flats, and the designers ensured that the owners have this coveted feature. Two bedrooms were combined, but only a part of the original wall that separates the two rooms was hacked away to maintain a sense of division.
“The idea is to have the walk-in wardrobe and dressing area near the master bathroom, while the bedroom is just few steps away,” says Ching.
“The idea is to have the walk-in wardrobe and dressing area near the master bathroom, while the bedroom is just few steps away,” says Ching.
The wall behind the bed has a dark raw cement screed finish. The designers chose roller blinds in a stone-look pattern, to match the wall and flooring.
Mesh pendant lamps bring a warm glow to both sides of the bed, rounding off the restful mood.
Bed and bedside lamps: Castlery
Mesh pendant lamps bring a warm glow to both sides of the bed, rounding off the restful mood.
Bed and bedside lamps: Castlery
Considering the limited footprint in the walk-in wardrobe, the designers opted for sliding doors for the full-height closets to provide comfortable space for the walkway and the vanity area.
The owners also picked a massage recliner chair for this area, to help them relax after a long day at work.
The owners also picked a massage recliner chair for this area, to help them relax after a long day at work.
The designers created a solid visual connection between the bedroom/wardrobe area and the master bathroom. “The hexagon marble-patterned mosaic tiles chosen from Hafary were laid over the entire floor and parts of the wall to achieve a sophisticated feel. We also used a rose gold on the custom-made wall mirror ledge to match the light fixtures in the bedroom and the full-length mirror in the dressing area,” says Ching.
This project was recently recognised with a silver award for Best Residential Design, Apartment ≤ 1000 sqft (Singapore) at the Interior Design Excellence Awards (I-DEA) 2017.
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TELL US
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.
Who lives here: A young couple working in banking
Location: McNair Road
Size: 980 square feet (91 square metres)
Project duration: Design phase – 4 weeks; construction phase – 6 weeks
To achieve the “timeless concept”, the designers focused on creating a consistent colour scheme and a close visual connection between the spaces. Walls were demolished to achieve a see-through kitchen with bifold glass door panels to the dining area. “An open-concept kitchen is nice but the homeowners preferred the flexibility of having the kitchen enclosed during cooking,” says Ching.
The half-wall glass enclosure also brings light to the entrance. An existing beam was painted black to form an ‘archway’ that visually connect it to the storage by the entrance. The household shelter door is concealed within this full-height cabinet.