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Houzz Tour: Birch Plywood Panels Shape This Wonderful Family Home
From storage to room dividers, this versatile material offers a strong design statement for this walk-up terrace apartment
Plywood is often seen as cheap-looking and plain but in the hands of the Produce design team, it becomes material magic. The team – design director Pan Yi Cheng and senior creative associate Daniel Chia – is well versed in working with plywood made the most out of this basic material with noteworthy applications.
Apart from the lavish use of birch plywood, another design highlight of this terrace apartment is the unique floor plan where the bedrooms and living zones are split over two levels. At the heart of the home is a living module which integrates work and play zones as well as the bedrooms for the domestic helper and the couple’s son.
“The plywood structure is mixed with white melamine boards to ‘outline’ the structure,” says Chia. Storage fill up the top deck of the module.
When the top-row cabinet doors are shut, they present a streamlined statement by hiding clutter. When opened, the homeowners have ample display space to showcase their funky and quirky collection of toys and figurines.
“We designed a lean-on ladder for access to the cabinets as it can be kept when not in use,” says Chia. “There is a flat ledge that runs across the entire structure to allow the ladder to lean on any part of the volume.”
The home office is decked in birch plywood panels and houses two cosy workstations for the homeowners who are in the creative industry. The wavy woodgrain in a matte finish take centre stage as wall coverings, display shelves and as a divider between the two workstations.
A peg hole system gives the homeowners the freedom to adjust the placement and dimensions of the shelves based on their needs.
The apartment has an elongated layout and the design team maximised the second level by opening up the floor plan. Chia says: “We removed most of the internal walls at the front of the house to allow for cross-ventilation through the long unit.” Two sets of tiles – a terrazzo-look and a grey screed-look – were chosen for the floors. The designers paired these together to form a muted coloured backdrop.
The dining area and two kitchens – a dry and an enclosed wet – are on the other end of the second level.
“There was no enclosed kitchen before the renovation, “ exclaims Chia. “It was previously dormitory-style.”
“There was no enclosed kitchen before the renovation, “ exclaims Chia. “It was previously dormitory-style.”
With the wet kitchen now confined, the designers had to ensure it would be a bright and welcoming space. They turned to frosted windows to draw the daylight in and without compromising on privacy. Chia adds: “We placed the windows at counter level so it would bring light in at counter height.”
Attached to the wet kitchen is the common bathroom. Both areas are located behind a door. What was previously a shower stall and a WC in two separate rooms is now one large bathroom.
Blue mosaic tiles bring a striking touch of colour to the home’s neutral palette.
The original wood staircase leading to the third level occupied too much space with its L-shaped configuration. It was replaced by this mild steel one which blends in with the walls. Everything from the steps to the balustrades is epoxy-painted mild steel.
For more privacy, the master bedroom and its ensuite and wardrobe are situated at the top level where the roof terrace is. The cabinet doors of the walk-in wardrobe have been dressed in birch plywood panels and features round cut-outs as handles.
Facing the wardrobes is the vanity area where the designers took to framing the windows with the custom carpentry. This results in a space that receives good lighting. Sitting on the dresser top is a custom-built mirror which can be moved around to facilitate ease of use and cleaning.
The bed in the master bedroom is on a minimalist birch plywood platform with drawers below for stashing bulky items like bedding.
For the roof terrace, the designers had the existing flooring levelled and re-tiled. A high railing and planters outline the outdoor area and a wall of ventilation blocks serve as a barrier for the interior of the unit. “This outdoor space allows the users to relax as well as entertain guests,” says Chia. “The connecting master bedroom can be cordoned off during social events.”
A staircase on the first level leads one from the main door to the upper level of the apartment. This is where one gets the first glimpse of the birch plywood that is used throughout the interior. “The corridor and this staircase are already narrow, so we made sure not to crowd it any further with a shoe cabinet. The existing staircase was therefore extended with plywood; creating a shoe cabinet that functions as steps,” sums up Chia.
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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 couple and their toddler son
Location: Serangoon
Size: 137 square metres (1,474 square feet)
“We proposed using birch plywood,” explains Chia who led the renovation. “It is from Panelogue, a supplier that carries various plywoods for different purposes.” He shares: “Most plywoods are made of cheap wood which have an inconsistent finish and tonality, and therefore used mostly as a substrate that is eventually covered. However, the consistent quality, appealing grain and variations in birch plywood allow it to be used as a finishing material.”
“It is an affordable and sustainable alternative to natural veneer.”