Designed by ASOLIDPLAN for a young couple and their child, this home embraces culinary passion, family life, and memorable social gatherings.
Nestled in the heart of Thomson Garden Estate, The Aroma House is a testament to what can be achieved on a small plot of land—only 18 metres in length and 6 metres in width. A vision brought to life by the creative team at ASOLIDPLAN, the home of a young couple with a child, was designed with a deep focus on culinary experiences, family life, and seamless entertaining.
Upon first glance, The Aroma House stands out with its meticulous integration of space and sensory engagement. Despite the compact plot, the design team skilfully embraced the existing 5-metre setback as part of their considerations, using it to optimise the home’s layout. This approach allows the house to feel more expansive, stretching its boundaries to create a sense of openness without compromising on comfort or aesthetics.
Where kitchen meets living
For a couple who loves cooking and entertaining, the kitchen is the heart of their home, and this ethos is reflected in every corner of the design. The open-concept kitchen is a bold choice, inviting guests to be part of the culinary journey, where the smells, sights, and sounds of food preparation flow through the house. Full-height openings on both sides of the first storey ensure optimal cross ventilation, whisking away any lingering grease while filling the home with fresh air. It’s a clever balance of functionality and sensory delight.
A lightweight and porous staircase becomes an architectural statement—allowing scents and sounds to permeate upwards while encouraging fluid movement throughout the house. Circulation is centred around the kitchen, creating a warm and inclusive space where family and friends gather naturally.
A space for living, loving, and hosting The first storey is dedicated to the couple’s love for entertaining. A cosy living area, located on a mezzanine level, adds depth and intimacy, while a striking 5-metre high ceiling in the dining area amplifies the sense of spaciousness. The height offers grandeur without overwhelming the home’s modest footprint. This is a home that breathes, with space for both lively gatherings and quiet moments of reflection.
Moving up to the second storey, the private spaces are no less impressive. A master bedroom and the child’s ensuite room are thoughtfully connected by a common foyer, encouraging family interaction while maintaining privacy. The deliberate placement of these rooms ensures that while the family lives together, they each have personal sanctuaries to retreat to.
The third storey introduces a flexible space—complete with sliding and folding doors—that can easily transition between a guest room and a study for teleconferencing. It’s the perfect blend of functionality and flexibility, ready to adapt as the family’s needs evolve.
A thoughtful elevation
Externally, The Aroma House boasts a façade that is as functional as it is visually striking. The design team opted for a reinforced concrete (RC) flat roof, future-proofing the home for potential expansion. Feature planters, embedded into the elevation with repurposed concrete pipes, soften the house’s aesthetic while serving a dual purpose: they introduce greenery into the urban landscape and play with light and shadows, offering a dynamic experience as sunlight shifts throughout the day.
In a particularly daring move, the client was convinced to forgo a traditional car porch roof. The result? An unobstructed view of the architecture and a flood of natural light streaming into the first storey. This decision not only enhances the home’s openness but also reinforces the connection between indoor and outdoor living, allowing the structure to shine in its entirety.
A symphony of senses
Designed with the couple’s love for food, family, and entertainment in mind, every element of the house is carefully curated to enhance the senses. From the smell of food wafting through the open kitchen to the natural light that dances through the home, The Aroma House is a place where life is savoured in every detail.
It’s a home that exemplifies how small, thoughtful choices can lead to grand results— where a compact plot is transformed into a spacious, functional, and aesthetically pleasing retreat for a modern family.
This post was adapted from an article originally published in the October 2024 issue of SquareRooms.
