When the young couple residing in this condominium unit engaged the designers at Bowerman to breathe new life into their space, they kicked things off with a particularly straightforward request: “Simplicity with a touch of brass!” Led by project manager Susan Ang, the unit was then overhauled in the hands of designer CY who incorporated soothing pastels, an al fresco dining area, plenty of brass decor and lots of new storage space.
Of course, the process wasn’t quite so straightforward. “We had several rounds of discussions to pick out materials, themes, furniture and colours,” CY shares. “In the end, we decided to skip the theme and instead focus on one key factor—a pleasant vibe.” Pastel colours became a must once this conclusion was reached, being the ideal mix of relaxing and vibrant. However, the designer admits that the predominant blue hue was a surprise. “We initially decided to go for a grey wall, but paint often differs from the colour shown in the catalogue, so it ended up being more blue. Thankfully we all ended up loving the shade, so we kept it!”
While the team worked on getting the colour palette for the home just right, other aspects of the project had to keep moving forward. The homeowners’ vast collection of clothes, for instance, needed urgent attention, requiring a much larger wardrobe in the master bedroom. The adjacent bathroom, originally separated from the bedroom by a fixed glass wall, had to be reconfigured to make room for the extended storage space. Knocking down the wall was a drastic choice, but one that was ultimately worth it. “Now that we’ve provided the homeowners with the space they need, the master bedroom has become their favourite room,” CY tells us proudly.
Once the colour palette was decided and the storage space was settled, sourcing furniture that would match the homeowners’ original pieces became CY’s top priority. “The homeowners are avid travellers who love shopping. They’ve accumulated a fair bit of furniture and souvenirs over the years, so our biggest challenge was to blend those items into the renovation as harmoniously as possible.” The designer originally suggested complementing the look with modern furnishing, but quickly realised it wasn’t the homeowners’ cup of tea. After discovering the young couple’s preference for bohemian style, sourcing furniture became much easier, resulting in timeless pieces that match and even enhance the brass and marble accents throughout the home.
To ensure that these classy touches don’t overpower the cosy ambience in this flat, a series of warm ambient lights was finally in order. Not only is the home now bathed in warm light during stay-in evenings, the lamps themselves provide a hint of whimsy, keeping the surroundings playful and inviting during the day as well. This clever lighting plan extends all the way to the spacious balcony outside the living area, allowing it to function as both a friendly space for social gatherings and a romantic dining nook with a view.
This post was adapted from an article originally published in the August 2020 issue of SquareRooms.
