Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Past and Present Converge with a Modern Asian Theme
With many to please, this home took its cues from the family's heritage and collection of vintage items
Bringing order to this five-room HDB flat was one of the main objectives of this renovation. “The owner had a lot of clutter in his flat and it was affecting his personal life. He needed the home to look clean and organised but still maintain a British colonial look and feel,” says designer Jeremy Tan of Fifth Avenue Interior.
The bachelor homeowner shares the house with his elderly retired parents, his sister, brother-in-law and their child. The close-knit family also enjoys entertaining relatives and friends, who sometimes sleep over as well. This meant that the design had to suit the different family members, as well as be warm and cosy for guests. To bring this home up to date while paying homage to the family’s roots, the designer took cues from their many vintage items and interspersed these in a modern, streamlined setting.
The bachelor homeowner shares the house with his elderly retired parents, his sister, brother-in-law and their child. The close-knit family also enjoys entertaining relatives and friends, who sometimes sleep over as well. This meant that the design had to suit the different family members, as well as be warm and cosy for guests. To bring this home up to date while paying homage to the family’s roots, the designer took cues from their many vintage items and interspersed these in a modern, streamlined setting.
Implementing better organisation topped the team’s to-do list. In order to minimise the clutter in the kitchen, the designer recommended “a modern style with lots of storage space to hide everything away.” It follows the same white and dark tones as the other communal spaces, creating a clean and crisp look.
The wall separating the service balcony was removed, making way for an airier space. A slim storage counter doubles as a divider between the two areas and as an additional worktop.
The wall separating the service balcony was removed, making way for an airier space. A slim storage counter doubles as a divider between the two areas and as an additional worktop.
“The home did not have a lot of natural light coming in, so we needed to mix both warm light and daylight that would allow the homeowners to feel cosy at night but comfortable to work from home during the day. We used different types of recessed lighting to achieve that effect,” explains Tan.
The owner also wanted to replicate the colour palette and design of his parents’ home in the 1960s. To fulfil his request, the designer kept the walls white and the flooring in a dark tone. “We found a unique dark brown oak vinyl floor that was close to black, and it also has a nice wood-like texture,” says Tan.
The owner also wanted to replicate the colour palette and design of his parents’ home in the 1960s. To fulfil his request, the designer kept the walls white and the flooring in a dark tone. “We found a unique dark brown oak vinyl floor that was close to black, and it also has a nice wood-like texture,” says Tan.
Characteristic of a modern Asian interior, warm and vibrant tones stand out against the neutral backdrop of the living area. “The homeowner already had some of the furniture while some others were brought in by their relatives from Malaysia. The rugs and china are their own vintage items as well,” says Tan.
This cosy lounging space between the living and dining areas is for the kids to hang out in while the adults are in the living area. “The cushions were handmade by a family friend,” adds Tan.
“The bedrooms have plenty of cabinets, but not enough floor space. We opted to paint the walls light grey to help create a more comfy environment,” says Tan. In the parents’ bedroom, dark wood drawer cabinets with gold hardware and matching table lamps glam up the space.
To ensure that the rooms’ design was up-to-date, the cabinetry was kept to simple white laminate with no handles for a clean and streamlined look.
To ensure that the rooms’ design was up-to-date, the cabinetry was kept to simple white laminate with no handles for a clean and streamlined look.
The bachelor homeowner’s bedroom exudes a serene boutique hotel ambience with its white and grey palette.
The bathrooms are also decked out in the same soothing colour scheme to enhance functionality.
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What did you find most striking about this home? Share in the Comments below.
Who lives here: A family of six
Location: Woodlands
Size: 123 square metres (1,324 square feet)
Project duration: 7 weeks
The spacious dining area at the entry gives a glimpse of the modern Asian theme. “The large rug is part of the owners’ collection. Its unique size and texture made it a good focal point to start the design from. The owner was also able to find vintage chairs and a table for ten to match,” says Tan.
To the right is the kitchen, which used to be enclosed. With a new glass partition in place, light flows more freely and enhances the spaciousness.