Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Childhood Memories Dictate This Flat's Nostalgia
The unforgettable eighties makes a comeback with distinct double-toned walls and strongly grained wood
This cosy little flat in Punggol is a blast from the interior designer’s past. The designer from Versaform was inspired by snatches of his childhood home. The homeowners were actually contemplating going with the more popular styles like Scandinavian but they changed their minds soon after meeting their designer. “I realised they love colours and retro furniture,” says the designer. “So why not take on the nostalgic theme of Singapore in the eighties?” The homeowners were immediately sold on this idea.
The execution of the two-toned walls was not as simple as it appears. Going through various magazine references, they realised that the proportions of the two colours needed balance and careful planning. “For the desired effect, the (height of the) furniture cannot exceed the dark grey coloured area,” explains the designer. That meant they had to source for furniture of a certain height and narrowed their choices to eight furniture stores.
They scored plenty of great buys such as the pendant lampshades, mesh dining chairs and a bench upholstered in tartan prints – all of which sport funky colours which pander to the homeowners’ colour appetite. Besides these cosmetic add-ons, the designer hacked away part of the kitchen’s boundary wall to enlarge the entrance.
The opposite wall was clad in a light-coloured Craftstone to fulfil the homeowners’ request for a brick wall. “The tone and texture of the Craftstone panels had to be just right,” says the designer. “We wanted everything to blend in well and not for the wall to overpower other design elements.”
A cosy accent corner was put together with the jade-coloured mirror and a repurposed shoe cabinet from vintage furniture store Second Charm.
This antique skeleton key was not part of the repurposed cabinet but the owners made a special request to have it included. Details like this up the ante of the old-school charm.
Keeping things practical in the kitchen is the fuss-free galley setup. A stainless steel backsplash was selected for its resilience. The vintage flavour is seen in the choice of the distressed wood laminate.
Nostalgia is in the air in the master bedroom with a bright blue feature wall accented by pop artwork and cushions. The woodgrain laminate on the wardrobe doors were inspired by another childhood memory. “I remember visiting my grandmother in the old kampong when I was a child and seeing this type of reclaimed wood,” the designer says.
To introduce a sense of uniformity in the master bathroom, the designer applied the same woodgrain laminate on the vanity counter. The vintage rustic look is enhanced by Peranakan-style wall tiles and wood lookalike tiles. With modern materials that can replicate the look of the past to an authentic degree, it’s no wonder this home holds a special place in the hearts of its designer and occupants.
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What did you find most striking about this home? Share in the Comments below.
TELL US
What did you find most striking about this home? Share in the Comments below.
Who lives here: A married couple and their son
Location: 4-room HDB BTO flat in Punggol
Size: 83 square metres (900 square feet)
Two-toned walls are a significant part of the home; as they were in the designer’s childhood home. “I remember that the walls were blue and yellow,” recalls the designer. For an updated take, the designer decided on a dark grey and white colour combo instead. This works as a neutral backdrop without visually cluttering the space and its brightly-coloured mix of furnishings. It is also an interesting complement to the quirky chalkboard illustrations which conceal the unsightly bomb shelter door.