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Houzz Tour: A Hip and Modern Update For A Cat-Friendly Home
Bold colours and geometric elements add personality to this compact flat
Verlaine Marquez
28 June 2017
Houzz Singapore Contributor. Former editor for a home and design magazine for five years, and now a full-time freelance writer for various online and print publications for the past decade and counting. Part-time crafter, wannabe gardener, and breast cancer thriver.
Houzz Singapore Contributor. Former editor for a home and design magazine for five... More
When the cat-loving owners of this HDB flat approached the design team of The Scientist, they already had the idea of incorporating a series of cat walkways into their home. They also wanted to do half-painted walls. Designer Krays Lee helped them bring these ideas into fruition. “We created a layout to demarcate the spaces they required, and helped them choose all the materials and colours, from flooring to carpentry, to make sure that everything came together to create the theme they wanted,” he says.
The concept they went for is “a young European studio apartment, which has spaces for entertaining, coffee, reading and working, yet still has a private area to rest,” Lee says. The inspiration came from images collated by the owners, but Lee injected their personality and preferences into each space. “They have a particular preference for lines, framing and geometric elements.”
The concept they went for is “a young European studio apartment, which has spaces for entertaining, coffee, reading and working, yet still has a private area to rest,” Lee says. The inspiration came from images collated by the owners, but Lee injected their personality and preferences into each space. “They have a particular preference for lines, framing and geometric elements.”
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A newlywed couple in their 30s and their cats
Location: Bendemeer Road
Size: 700 square feet (65 square metres)
Project duration: 8 weeks
Stepping into the home, one will see a big open space filled with natural light. Vinyl tile flooring that resembles oak imparts a warm and cosy ambience.
One of the many carefully designed features is the cat walkway, which cuts across the space. “This is my first project involving pet cats. During the first stage of brainstorming, I had to look for reference pictures and read up to understand how cats behave and their ergonomics,” shares Lee. Since this Build-To-Own (BTO) apartment came bare – even without flooring in most of the spaces and internal doors – he was able to create a layout that is comfortable for both the human and feline residents.
Who lives here: A newlywed couple in their 30s and their cats
Location: Bendemeer Road
Size: 700 square feet (65 square metres)
Project duration: 8 weeks
Stepping into the home, one will see a big open space filled with natural light. Vinyl tile flooring that resembles oak imparts a warm and cosy ambience.
One of the many carefully designed features is the cat walkway, which cuts across the space. “This is my first project involving pet cats. During the first stage of brainstorming, I had to look for reference pictures and read up to understand how cats behave and their ergonomics,” shares Lee. Since this Build-To-Own (BTO) apartment came bare – even without flooring in most of the spaces and internal doors – he was able to create a layout that is comfortable for both the human and feline residents.
To the right of the entrance is the kitchen. A marble-top island serves as additional worktop. Above it are geometric-shaped pendant lights, a quirky touch that complements the concept.
Asymmetrical triangles painted on the wall perk up the compact dining area. By keeping the dining table and bench in the same tone as the flooring, the space achieves visual lightness, and allows the wall accents to stand out.
Asymmetrical triangles painted on the wall perk up the compact dining area. By keeping the dining table and bench in the same tone as the flooring, the space achieves visual lightness, and allows the wall accents to stand out.
The walls of the second bedroom were taken down to make way for a new living area. “The original planned living and dining area has been transformed into a big and flexible activity area,” says Lee. The living space is demarcated from the dining-kitchen area through half-painted walls in a calming dark green.
Wall-mounted shelves that appear to be floating give the cats more play area.
A quick turn from the corridor and one enters the private living area. Minimally furnished with a streamlined sofa and wooden crates for the couple’s books and media peripherals, it is the perfect spot for the couple to wind down with their cats while watching TV.
A peek into the master bedroom shows a locally-designed standing mirror, which also has space for displaying photos and other knick-knacks.
The wall between the second bedroom and the master bedroom was demolished. A new wall was built to enlarge the master bedroom, and was painted blue-green to enhance the restful atmosphere.
“The new bigger space allowed us to fit in a huge three-panel sliding door wardrobe in the bedroom,” says Lee. The space also accommodates a queen-size bed, in the same light wood tone.
“The new bigger space allowed us to fit in a huge three-panel sliding door wardrobe in the bedroom,” says Lee. The space also accommodates a queen-size bed, in the same light wood tone.
The geometric motif continues in the bathroom through an overlay of tiles with linear patterns that span the entire height of the walls. The vanity cabinet in bold blue punctuates the monochromatic fixtures and finishes.
But the real attention grabber is the shower area. “Unlike the usual glass sliding door to separate the wet (shower) and dry (wash basin) areas, we opted for a fun shower curtain that gives the whole bathroom a very fun and hipster look,” says Lee.
TELL US
What is your favourite space in this home? Share in the Comments below.
But the real attention grabber is the shower area. “Unlike the usual glass sliding door to separate the wet (shower) and dry (wash basin) areas, we opted for a fun shower curtain that gives the whole bathroom a very fun and hipster look,” says Lee.
TELL US
What is your favourite space in this home? Share in the Comments below.
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