In late 2022, Kevin and Jaclyn moved into an executive apartment in Tampines, transitioning from a four-room BTO flat in the same estate. Seeking an ideal space for their children to play, they transformed a dark, partitioned apartment into a warm, welcoming home. Their renovation journey, shared on Instagram @eastside_wallflower, balances aesthetics with functionality, catering to both their introverted needs and their kids’ playful energy.
Tell us about yourself.
Hello everyone. We’re Kevin and Jaclyn, parents to a 3-year- old boy and a 6-year-old girl. In end 2022, we moved into a 37-year-old executive apartment (EA) in Tampines. This is our second family home.
Can you share with us your home selection journey?
Our first home was a four-room BTO flat in the same estate. We had many happy memories there, but we always knew we wanted a bigger, brighter space for our kids to be able to run around and play. After the flat’s MOP, we spent around three months going for flat viewings that met our criteria – either a five-room flat or an EA, in Tampines to be near our parents and within walking distance to a primary school.
When we stepped into this apartment, we were put off at first because it was filled with walls of built-in cabinetry and random partitions to demarcate spaces. The narrow corridor to the rooms thus felt very dark and unwelcoming. We figured the hacking costs alone would be astronomical. But as unit met our three main criteria, we eventually decided to go for it, knowing that it would need a complete overhaul to transform it into the home of our dreams.
How did you both decide on the style and theme for your flat?
Both of us are introverts and look forward most to a warm and welcoming space at the end of a long day. With this in mind, choosing colours and textures became straightforward – nothing that would assault our senses! We went with earthy tones like oak brown, slate grey and sage green, connecting and contrasting them with raw, natural materials like concrete ventilation blocks and textured tiles.
Our master bedroom is a good example of this. It is an oasis of calm, with oak furniture from Originals and neutral hues of sand and grey—allowing us to retire for the night to rest and rejuvenate. The master bathroom follows the same theme, with natural stone mosaic textured tiles by Appiani as the focal point.
While we prefer a soothing, understated space, we also feel that our kids deserve a bright and colorful childhood. So, we did not want to fixate on a single theme or style. Instead, we consciously created kid-friendly spots to provide a positive emotional environment for them to learn, play, and grow.
For example, the balcony is lined with malt terracotta tiles to bring the outdoors in. We also have a collection of houseplants there. In the morning light, it becomes a particularly inviting space where the kids love to enjoy water or sensory play.
Can you share a bit about your home renovation journey and how long it took?
We had a smooth three-month renovation with zero delays, perhaps because of our chemistry with our ID Rooot Studio. They were so responsive and responsible, with minor hiccups being handled promptly. It helped that they were good communicators, keeping us in the loop at every stage, so we did not worry unnecessarily. Surprisingly, even now that the warranty period is over, they would still respond to our queries or concerns very quickly.
What was the most significant transformation or upgrade in your flat?
The previous owner stayed in the flat for over 20 years – besides built-in cabinets in mismatched colours, there were random partitions here and there. We soon realised that it was because this EA, at over 1500 square feet, has an odd L-shaped layout which made space planning a challenge.
Originally, it had a tight kitchen leading into a dining room tucked away at the back, small bathrooms and no storeroom. Today, our open-plan kitchen takes centerstage not only in the apartment unit’s layout, but also in our hearts. A long, 1m-tall counter not only marks the divide from the dining room, but also hides our washing machine and dryer with deep drawers for extra storage.
Meanwhile, our kitchen island is strategically positioned in between everything for convenience’s sake – kitchen prep work, rush-hour cereal breakfasts for the kids and late- night suppers are all done here. We like how understated the design is, especially when matched with the hardy, earthy Dekton Umber countertop and the Odd bar stools from Originals. A learning tower is parked at the side to facilitate cooking sessions for our curious kids! We also spend lots of time whipping up family meals at the stove. Our parents were initially concerned about cooking fumes but the problem was solved with the Franke cooker hood and an open window right next to the stove!
We made other similar furnishing choices to balance aesthetics with functionality, like a leather sofa from Castlery (easier to maintain than a fabric sofa) and a round coffee table from Originals (no sharp edges for them for them to bump into).
Did you involve your kids in the design process?
Definitely, as the elder child is old enough to articulate her preferences. She is now firmly in her rainbows-and- unicorns phase. But while we wanted her to be able to decorate her room with what she likes, we didn’t want any design aesthetic to be permanent (just in case she starts preferring mermaids tomorrow!).
So instead of painting the entire room pink, we opted for a bright rainbow decal – beautiful and temporary. She did get her pink curtains though. She is also proud of her growing collection of artworks from art class, so we installed picture ledges to display them.
Flexibility was key for the kids’ rooms, because we want to be able to adapt to changing needs and preferences as they grow. So there are zero built-ins. Instead, we consciously went for adaptable furniture, like the ModBed from Kids Haven – it is a floor bed with roof for added cosiness. But as she grows, it can be transformed into a regular bed.
We hear you have a secret “mama” shop in the house. Can you tell us more about it?
I really wanted a dedicated pantry, and our ID managed to incorporate it into the design! He carved out some space from our kids’ bedrooms to create additional storage areas, and turned one of these cabinets into a hidden step-in pantry!
We have a ramen library on the top shelf, and condiments, bottled sauces and canned goods on the second shelf. There is even a breakfast counter, spacious enough to house our Kadeka toaster for fuss-free breakfasts.
It’s also super fun for the kids to play hide-and-seek in, and they love their very own snack drawer. They enjoy pushing their shopping cart to pick out their favourite snacks. This is probably the happiest little spot in our kitchen!
As a florist, you also run a home studio. How does that fit into your living space?
I run bloomroom.sg and recently started working out of our balcony at home. We transformed a part of our balcony into a craft corner – it simply consists of a trolley table with a wooden countertop that’s perfect for arranging flowers, wrapping presents and indulging in other crafty pursuits. A tougher challenge is hiding stock and clutter! Fortunately, flowers are pretty things, and they have been brightening up the space!
Where do you spend the most time in as a family?
It would have to be the combined study/playroom. Situated at the back of the apartment, our study was formerly a utility room. We’ve seen other homeowners with the same executive apartment layout turning this space into either a guest bedroom, storeroom or a walk-in closet (as it’s right next to the master bedroom). As we needed a WFH space, we decided to turn this space into a small study instead. From the study, we can keep an eye on the kids while they play. It’s a happy, productive space!
What advice would you give to others who want to start designing their home?
Take some time to imagine yourself in the space, and try to see how your lifestyle habits will fit into it. For example, if you cook, visualise how you would move around the kitchen before deciding on where the stove, sink, fridge and prep space would be. In our kitchen, our pull-out Blum condiment drawer is on my left for easy access, because I’d usually be stirring the pot with my right hand.
Looking back on your renovation and design journey, is there anything you would do differently?
Our reno regrets are few, perhaps because we are aware of our lifestyle needs as this is our second home. But one thing that stood out was that it’s significantly harder to cool a house with an open-plan layout. This did not cross our minds before when we were happily hacking down all the walls! Looking back, we should perhaps have invested in a sliding glass door for the balcony, so that the living room air-conditioner wouldn’t have to work so hard.
Follow their journey on Instagram @eastside_wallflower.
