Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: A Total Revamp Casts New Light on This Compact Flat
Opening up the spaces while keeping distinct post-war features sums up this modern update
Despite its limited footprint, this apartment had unique design potential, which was one of the things that drew the owners to this space. It had not been renovated at all, and the previous owners kept the original post-war layout, including the squat toilet. To help them transform the space, the design-conscious couple chose Paris-based interior and product designer Romain Chauveau of Supercraft Studio.
“They wanted to preserve key elements from the original post-war flat such as the French shutters. They also wanted two guest bedrooms for hosting friends, and a large open social area for entertaining guests,” he says. With complete trust from the owners over design and planning, Chauveau brought this flat up to date with a touch of modern-meets-traditional-meets-glam that is typical of Parisian style.
“They wanted to preserve key elements from the original post-war flat such as the French shutters. They also wanted two guest bedrooms for hosting friends, and a large open social area for entertaining guests,” he says. With complete trust from the owners over design and planning, Chauveau brought this flat up to date with a touch of modern-meets-traditional-meets-glam that is typical of Parisian style.
Having an open-plan layout for the living-dining-kitchen areas was key to creating a seamless social space fit for entertaining. “We wanted to provide a variety of seating in the open-plan living and dining space through table height seating, low lounge sofa seating, bar height seating and also a custom-built dual-purpose bench for shoe storage,” the designer says.
Warm woods are interspersed with dark wood and metal tones for a more contemporary style.
The sofa was custom-built to be wider and lower, to fit the width of the living room. The warm and earthy palette brings an inviting, laid-back atmosphere.
See-through surfaces were also used to enhance the open feeling. A glass table adds zero visual weight, making it a good choice for the compact space. A glass partition separates the living area and the study, while still promoting a sense of connection and shared illumination between the spaces.
See-through surfaces were also used to enhance the open feeling. A glass table adds zero visual weight, making it a good choice for the compact space. A glass partition separates the living area and the study, while still promoting a sense of connection and shared illumination between the spaces.
Working around the location of the French shutters translated into an elongated configuration for the study. The space was effectively maximised by creating a long work desk and a pole system for the hanging ledges. Window blinds and an area rug in the same tone as the shutters round off the pristine setting.
Various greens dot the space for a refreshing touch. “The owners are big fans of plants and they wanted to integrate potted plants among their personal memorabilia,” says Chauveau.
Various greens dot the space for a refreshing touch. “The owners are big fans of plants and they wanted to integrate potted plants among their personal memorabilia,” says Chauveau.
An inconspicuous niche for books was carved out in the bottom wall that divides the study and the living area – another clever trick for making every inch of space count.
The same clean, minimalist vibe is seen in the bedroom. Warm lighting, including the headboard’s backlighting, is used throughout the room for a restful ambience.
Framed art adds a personal touch to the bed area. “The middle one is an old advertisement of French fashion brand Christian Dior. The other two drawings were made by the client,” the designer says.
“The owners wanted the bathroom to be a place where they could wake up gradually in the morning,” the designer says. He got inspiration from In Praise of Shadows (an essay on Japanese aesthetics) for the design of the space. “We designed the bathroom to be dark and serene with filtered natural light, so the owners can find their way around the space without using artificial light,” he says.
A wide metal support that passes between the mirrors and the windows gives the impression that the mirrors float.
A wide metal support that passes between the mirrors and the windows gives the impression that the mirrors float.
The top half of the bathroom has framed frosted glass, so on the outside it appears as an extension of the kitchen and bar shelves. In fact, the bathroom’s black palette became the starting point for the rest of the apartment’s material and colour palette, shares the designer.
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What feature stood out for you in this home? Share in the Comments below.
Who lives here: A couple in their 30s
Location: Tiong Bahru
Size: 88 square metres (947 square feet)
Project duration: 5 months
A creative mix of new and old elements set against a predominantly white backdrop welcomes guests. The original wooden doors were kept, and the existing brick wall was integrated into the design. “The bricks were not pretty enough to keep them in their raw state, so we painted them,” says Chauveau. A large bevelled mirror rests against the brick wall, helping to double the space visually.
The designer opted for concrete screed for the floor, which adds to the raw look of the apartment. “This is so we can have a seamless floor material that could flow from one space to another. It also had a major advantage of being economical,” he adds.