While the Chinese practice of geomancy is believed to improve the good energy flow of a space, it can sometimes clash with modern aesthetics. Aware of how it might go down for this brand new condominium unit where feng shui elements were to be incorporated, Project manager and design consultant Nicole Lim from Richfield Integrated was very meticulous at the start with the design conceptualisation. The homeowners, a married couple in their forties, live here with their teenage son and daughter. Besides requesting for unique design elements and specific colours aligned with their feng shui requirements, they also preferred a lighter colour scheme and pale woodgrain accents for a modern Scandinavian theme.
In terms of design and other practical considerations like storage, Nicole’s careful planning for the home was by all means necessary. She seamlessly factored in their feng shui elements with much precision and design flair that everything looks picture perfect. Other than that, the family likes an elaborate style take where they wanted more than just bare walls. For that, Nicole utilised wallpaper, decals, CraftStone brick panels and carpentry works together with built-in storage to fill up most of the wall space.
While one might expect visual chaos to ensue in this family home with its many design elements, it is quite the opposite. Nicole not only managed all of homeowners’ design expectations perfectly, she drew out a polished and aesthetically-appealing look with a consistent design flow. Marking the space is a modern Scandinavian style with several key style accents. One of which is woodgrain finishes which outline the communal spaces. Says Nicole: “The homeowners are fond of woody touches so I infused custom-built wall beams with a veneer woodgrain finishing outlining the communal zones.” For the finishing touch, the ceiling is decked with white plywood strips.
A curved design lingo is apparent as well in the living and dining zones and the adjoined corridor leading to the rooms. Sleek wall shelves with rounded panels jut out of the living room’s feature wall. More than pure aesthetics, these curved corners are linked to Feng Shui and even the measurements have been adhered to it. Nicole adds: “The same design treatment is used for dining area. We also played up the look with curved booth seating for the dining area and a custom-built ceiling feature.”
Most new condominium units are equipped with existing fixtures like a ready kitchen and wardrobes. This three-bedder home is no different. The only problem was some of the fixtures like the kitchen’s serving counter are a bad fit with the overall design scheme. Nicole conceptualised a clever way to re-use the serving counter which lies between the kitchen and living area. Adding casement windows and design embellishments such as the wall mouldings at the base, she extended the fixture with a full-height storage and display unit. This dual-sided unit offers multi-purpose features like a handy countertop, shoe cabinetry and a padded seat to put on footwear.
At a quick glance, the home looks comfortable, open and spacious. While there were hardly any major hacking works done, Nicole turned the space completely around based on her firm rein on the design features. It helped that the homeowners trusted her expertise and instinct. “We nailed almost every proposed design detail in my second draft during the conceptualisation,” she says. She adds of the two-month renovation: “Sticking to the plan really eliminated a lot of wastage in space, time and cost.”
This was adapted from an article originally written by Disa Tan published in the June 2017 issue of SquareRooms.
