Imagine celebrating your 30th birthday in the office, or saying “I do” to the love of your life there. That would sound ludicrous to most people, but it made perfect sense to the team at interior design firm Bloooprint Studio.
“These moments really show how the space has gone from being just an office to a place where our work, life and relationships intersect,” said founder Vivian Wang.
That space is a shophouse along Jalan Besar, chosen as much for its architectural character as for the charming neighbourhood it sits in. It was enough to convince Vivian and her team that this was where they wanted to put down roots.
“I thought it would be an ideal environment for creative work. I pictured us working on our designs while listening to jazz, and cultivating a bit of greenery in the yard.”
As a relatively young firm moving into its very first office, Vivian was careful about getting caught up with the way an interior design studio should look. So, instead of creating a glossy showroom packed with statement pieces, the team took a different route.
“We were intentionally avoiding anything that felt too much like a cafe or showroom, which is how most ID offices are expected to look. Instead, we wanted to create a space that felt more lived-in, and which supports how we want to work in the long-term.”
When it’s time for deep work, designers retreat to individual workstations customised to their personal working styles. But when it’s time to collaborate with teammates or clients, everyone gravitates towards what Vivian calls the “inspiration table”. On most days, you’d find materials and samples strewn across the island-style table as designers and clients huddle around it, tossing ideas back and forth and building mood boards together.
“We have observed that this set-up makes our discussions more focused, and our clients open up more easily, Vivian said.
“Clients tend to spend more time here than expected; sitting down, talking through ideas, and engaging in longer, more thoughtful conversations.”
During lunchtime and after hours, the samples make way for lunchboxes and takeouts as the designers fuel up, turning what is technically a meeting room into an impromptu dining room.
“This is also where we host and entertain people, as well as make new friends within the design community. It’s very much the heart of how we work and connect with others.”
That sense of homeliness carries through the rest of the office. At the foyer, for instance, a cafe corner anchored by a Cosentino Sensa centrepiece doubles as a breakfast nook by day and a bar counter by night.
“This is where conversations naturally continue, especially after long discussions. It reminds us that design work doesn’t always need to happen at a desk.”
If this is the office’s “kitchen”, then the adjoining lounging area is unmistakably its “living room”. A custom TV console, a compact hot-desking nook and a plush cosy corner give both designers and clients a chance to step away from their desks, whether to carry on a discussion in a different setting or simply take a breather.
“It’s a quieter corner for informal conversations, which allow our designers to build rapport with their clients.”
With its dark wooden tones and metallic accents, much of the office leans into a mid-century modern aesthetic. The bathroom, however, takes an unexpected turn, emulating the ambience of high-end hotels with a tinted smoked mirror while paying homage to the building’s Peranakan heritage with its original perforated ceramic ventilation tiles.
“The bathroom was treated with the same thoughtfulness as the rest of the space to show our attention to detail. For us, every space – even the ones that are not immediately visible – matters.”
Visit Bloooprint Studio and discover how they craft spaces that bring work and life together.
