Good design is not just about aesthetics, but also about fulfilling a purpose. Hitting the mark is this previously old and tired-looking 4I resale flat, which has been wholly transformed by the Joey Khu Interior Design team. To answer the homeowner’s brief for a spacious and bright living space, they first practised a restrained hand in the colour palette. The design team stuck mostly to earthy and neutral tones like pale woody shades and very light pastels.
Besides fulfilling the homeowner’s request for a brighter home, the designers have a good reason to introduce a clean and light-enhancing backdrop. While some others favour bold and flamboyant design elements, the team who designed this home are very much the opposite. “We see beauty in textures and design lines with an understated appeal,” they explain. Therefore, they wanted to incorporate streamlined design proportions and a contrast of textures play up the visual interest.
That explains the prominence of well-matched textures from the laminate cabinetry works and the overlay of vinyl flooring in a rich brown shade for the communal zones. In the living area, a light cream hue painted on the walls fills the space with an air of quiet sophistication. To maintain the spacious and airy atmosphere, the designers didn’t want to crowd the space with tall, bulky cabinetry but instead, low-slung pieces were implemented. A deep-set fabric sofa adds to the cosy and homely touch. With this custom-designed piece, the team extended the seating dimensions so the sofa can function as a daybed too.
Noting the homeowner’s desire to host family and friends at her place, the designers worked in a guest-friendly layout for the kitchen. Presenting a neat and spacious visage is a row of floating, wall-mounted cabinets – an unconventional design from the usual floor-to-ceiling kitchen counters. The intention was to free up more floor space so the cooking zone offers a fluid sense of space. With small kitchen appliances neatly stashed behind these pantry-like cabinets and the fridge housed within the cabinetry, the lack of visual clutter adds to the streamlined and uncluttered appearance of the home.
An island unit serves as the visual centrepiece of this semi-enclosed space and it is sleekly integrated with a tempered glass dining table. Chilling out with drinks is made easy by accessing the wine chiller embedded within the island unit and getting the glasses from the bar rack installed within the cabinetry. All in all, entertaining here is an effortless and stylish affair.
While the designers didn’t do much hacking in the communal zones, the bedrooms bore the grunt of the wet works. The master bedroom has been merged with a common bedroom, thus culminating in a much bigger space for sleep and storage. The homeowner’s instruction was to have a hotel-inspired bedroom and the designers chose Japanese-imported wallpaper to anchor that look. Plastered behind the headboard, the embossed details of Baroque-inspired prints draw elegance into the sleeping quarters. And, what is hotel-inspired luxe without an spa-like bathroom?
Enclosed by bronze-tinted glass panels, the ensuite bathroom has been converted into a living dream with its soothing and uniformed earthy colour palette.
A masterful eye in pairing forms, colours and textures turns even the simplest designs into classics. This is what this home embodies, where less is truly more. With this enduring style, the Joey Khu designers have delivered what the homeowner is after: a timeless haven.
This was adapted from a story originally written by Disa Tan in the December 2016 issue of SquareRooms. Image credits: Joey Khu Interior Design
