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Houzz Tour: A Family Home Gets A More Sensible Spatial Flow
The goal was to make this abode cosy and entertaining-ready, as well as child-friendly
Working around existing furnishings during a revamp can be a complicated task, such as the case of this 5-bedroom apartment. “The clients had invested a lot of money buying new, major furniture pieces for the home. By the time they engaged us, they were so frustrated because they couldn’t pull the look together, so they were happy to give us complete control over the design,” says Caroline Chin-Geyler, head stylist of Arete Culture.
“They wanted a cosy, inviting home that had a clear adult presence, but they needed the home to be functional, safe and comfortable as well because they have very young kids,” she says. Working within the confines of the major furniture pieces, the team reconfigured the layout, and enhanced the clean and modern palette with plush textures to warm up the spaces.
“They wanted a cosy, inviting home that had a clear adult presence, but they needed the home to be functional, safe and comfortable as well because they have very young kids,” she says. Working within the confines of the major furniture pieces, the team reconfigured the layout, and enhanced the clean and modern palette with plush textures to warm up the spaces.
In the living area, the team worked with the existing media console, built-in shelves and sofa. The first thing that they did was to change the configuration of the modular sofa. “The space felt very cramped before and we wanted to open it up for easy entertaining,” says Chin-Geyler.
Sofa: King Living
Sofa: King Living
Since the furniture pieces were mainly dark and weighty-looking, she added this custom coffee table to lighten up the area. “The accessories we brought in were in sophisticated colours, but nothing that was overly stuffy because the space also had to be child-friendly,” she says.
Rich fabrics like velvet and textured cotton give the home a layered, sumptuous feel. Baskets were also added for easy storage of toys.
Rich fabrics like velvet and textured cotton give the home a layered, sumptuous feel. Baskets were also added for easy storage of toys.
Two steps up from the living room is the dining area and kitchen. “The dining area basically had a white dining set. It had no accessories, and you could see directly from the living area to the dining and into the open kitchen,” shares Chin-Geyler. “We wanted to texturise the space with colour, so we added a beautiful, graphic indoor/outdoor rug to the area.”
The rug instantly served as a grounding element in the all-white space. The easy-to-maintain indoor/outdoor rug is also a practical choice for such a high-traffic area, especially with young kids around as they can be messy eaters.
The rug instantly served as a grounding element in the all-white space. The easy-to-maintain indoor/outdoor rug is also a practical choice for such a high-traffic area, especially with young kids around as they can be messy eaters.
“We wanted to take away from the view of the open kitchen by creating focal points in the space, so we brought in artwork and a mirror,” she says. Metallic and reflective accessories were also introduced to balance the dark panelling in the area.
The former study was converted into an informal family room. A built-in study table was removed, and in its place stands a bespoke teal sofa. “We created this space because the client wanted to give her kids a room where they could play and leave their toys around. She wanted the formal living room to be more for the adults to entertain in,” Chin-Geyler says.
To cosy up the space, the feature wall was painted in a slightly deeper colour, and a large dark-coloured rug was repurposed and moved from the master bedroom to this room. “A dark rug for family spaces is generally more functional because it doesn’t show spills and dirt as easily,” she adds.
The addition of a butterfly chair and tripod floor lamp makes for a comfy reading nook.
The addition of a butterfly chair and tripod floor lamp makes for a comfy reading nook.
Minor revisions were made to the powder room, which kept its existing finishings. “The main job here was to declutter and make it an elegant but functional space for guests to use,” Chin-Geyler says. A ladder (seen in the mirror’s reflection) was added as a focal point, and to serve as a place to hang clothes and towels.
Utilising the empty vertical space, floating shelves were installed to create extra storage. Faux greenery and scented reeds add to the luxe, spa-like bathroom experience.
Utilising the empty vertical space, floating shelves were installed to create extra storage. Faux greenery and scented reeds add to the luxe, spa-like bathroom experience.
The bedrooms was designed to be a respite from the couple’s busy lives. “They both work and are parents of three young kids, so you can imagine how things get pretty hectic for them. We wanted to create a restful space for them to really relax in,” she says.
To better utilise the space, the team re-oriented the existing bed, crib and mirror hanging over the dresser. The dark-coloured rug was swapped out for a lighter one to add softness to the area.
To better utilise the space, the team re-oriented the existing bed, crib and mirror hanging over the dresser. The dark-coloured rug was swapped out for a lighter one to add softness to the area.
Bespoke night stands afford the couple more storage. “The mirror panelling on the nightstands helps to give the illusion of a bigger, brighter space. It also echoes the mirror motif used throughout the home,” she says.
Little nooks were also created to complete the soothing and sophisticated feel that they were gunning for. The custom chaise lounge is cosy and inviting for a nap or for reading. A vanity area with a bespoke dresser provides the couple with a space to pamper themselves.
TELL US
What is your favourite feature in this home? Share in the Comments below.
What is your favourite feature in this home? Share in the Comments below.
Who lives here: A family of five
Location: Tanglin area
Size: 3,300 square feet (306 square metres)
Project duration: 29.5 hours