Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Hotel-Inspired HDB Flat Glams Up in Black and White
Thoughtful spatial planning and structural tweaks transform this 5-room flat into an elegant escape for its owners
When the owners approached akiHAUS Design Studio‘s design director, Lawrence Puah, they had somewhat contrasting ideas of what they wanted for their home. The wife likes Scandi style, but with the sheen of rose gold and stainless steel metals, and dressed with a more opulent touch. The husband prefers the raw, grey and exposed concrete finishes of the industrial style.
When Puah distilled the ideas from the couple’s reference images, what he proposed was something much more refined: a sophisticated black-and-white design that was more boutique hotel than the typical Scandi-industrial blend.
“With the use of materials, finishes, tones and warmth in texture, we suggested a more refined interpretation of the clients’ brief,” says Puah.
And you can still see references from the owners’ brief, from the metal inlays on the cabinetry to the subtle pale wood accents that warm up the cool white surfaces.
“With the use of materials, finishes, tones and warmth in texture, we suggested a more refined interpretation of the clients’ brief,” says Puah.
And you can still see references from the owners’ brief, from the metal inlays on the cabinetry to the subtle pale wood accents that warm up the cool white surfaces.
Puah started with a rejigging of the layout: where there was a study room next to the kitchen and service yard, he co-opted that space to create a spot to chill out while one spouse cooks. The service yard was incorporated in the kitchen design (the washer/dryer are built into the bank of kitchen appliances), which features a dining island bar.
In contrast to the predominantly white living room, the main colour in the kitchen-dining is black to create a more masculine look. Brass inlays on the black laminate cabinet doors use the same design language as the white storage cabinets in the living room. The white Caesarstone countertops complement the white marble-look tiles that were honed to produce a matt finish.
In contrast to the predominantly white living room, the main colour in the kitchen-dining is black to create a more masculine look. Brass inlays on the black laminate cabinet doors use the same design language as the white storage cabinets in the living room. The white Caesarstone countertops complement the white marble-look tiles that were honed to produce a matt finish.
The flat had HDB’s typical 2.4-metre-high ceiling, which Puah considers rather low, especially “with even lower lying beams that are about 2.1 metres from the floor up”. He resolved that with innovative design tricks to disguise the beams, wall indentations and services.
Puah lists some of these tricks:
- Living room feature wall of cabinets to conceal beams and columns.
- Partial dropped ceiling at kitchen to conceal pipes and beam.
- Creation of a three sided, U-shaped box-up to conceal the same beam from the kitchen, complete with a full mirror wall that reflects this U-shaped box-up to create the illusion of a much bigger space and a ‘complete’ 4-sided box-up all around the space such that it looked like it was always there as part of the architecture.
Two bedrooms were merged to create a larger master bedroom with a walk-in wardrobe.
Continuing the design detail seen on cabinets in the living and kitchen-dining rooms, the wardrobe doors and the bespoke headboard feature the same rectangular frame motif.
Pocket doors help create a progression from the walk-in wardrobe to the sleeping area.
Continuing the design detail seen on cabinets in the living and kitchen-dining rooms, the wardrobe doors and the bespoke headboard feature the same rectangular frame motif.
Pocket doors help create a progression from the walk-in wardrobe to the sleeping area.
The master bathroom echoes the same design language – note the ceiling treatment and the stainless steel inlay on the vanity counter’s cabinets.
Puah’s thoughtful application of a cohesive design language, particularly one that the owners had not expected considering their contrasting design briefs, delivered a home that reflects both husband and wife. “For them it became ‘nothing that we wanted, but everything that we like’,” Puah says.
Puah’s thoughtful application of a cohesive design language, particularly one that the owners had not expected considering their contrasting design briefs, delivered a home that reflects both husband and wife. “For them it became ‘nothing that we wanted, but everything that we like’,” Puah says.
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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, save the story, and join in the conversation.
Read more tours of HDB homes
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Who Lives Here: A yuppie couple in their 30s
Location: Punggol
Type of Property: 3.5-bedroom HDB Flat
Size: 1,247 square feet
Project duration: 5 months (design and renovation)
Designer: Lawrence Puah of akiHAUS Design Studio