This self-contained flat retains its old-school charm while refurbished with modern elements.
Living room: Originally a study, this space was converted into a living room to make way for a larger dining area outside. Cosy but chic, it houses an Eames lounge chair and an eye-catching sofa. The blue upholstery provides a nice pop of colour which fits well with the overall palette of the room.
The two homeowners of this walk-up apartment were extremely lucky. The unit they purchased had originally been designed by an architecture firm, meaning that there already existed a number of alluring elements within the space they could easily retain—and retain them they did.
Dining area: A round, extendable table was chosen to adapt to both large and more intimate social settings. Mismatched chairs were also picked out to allow the homeowners the opportunity of expanding their furniture collection in future. Using non-identical chairs gives the dining area an added quirky touch.
Nonetheless, a considerable amount of work still had to be done before the flat could be transformed into the home they always dreamed of. They engaged Edmund Ong, co-founder of Shed Studio, to construct an ideal space that could meet their lifestyle needs.
Kitchen: To eliminate the issue of limited countertop space, the kitchen counter was extended all the way across the window. This also aids in concealing an unsightly rubbish chute, giving the space a flawless finish. All cabinets were done in stained plywood to match existing elements that the homeowners wanted to preserve.
It was also specified that any new work done to the apartment had to be sensitive to the already existing design, and although this condition came with its own set of challenges, Edmund truly delivered.
Study area: The unit comes with two large balconies, one on either side of the house, which opened up a unique opportunity to turn them into separate study areas. This grants both homeowners a little privacy to attend online meetings comfortably without disrupting each other.
Currently working in the public relations and media industries, both homeowners are social creatures who take delight in regularly hosting friends.
This was one of the biggest factors Edmund had taken into consideration when working on the apartment’s common areas.
The dining room ultimately ended up taking centre stage and occupying the main portion of the house, while the living area took a backseat and was shifted to a smaller room instead.
This unconventional layout paid off, resulting in a spacious dining area fit for large groups of guests while the living room is now perfectly snug and cosy.
Service yard: Originally a balcony, Edmund decided to maximise the space as a service yard since it sits right beside the kitchen. It’s also littered with plants due to the great amount of sunlight the area receives—perfect for the plant-obsessed homeowners.
Other notable changes occurred in both the kitchen and bathroom. Their original designs were a little too rustic for the homeowners’ tastes, so they requested that Edmund switch it up with a more contemporary take.
Bathroom basin: Both homeowners originally wanted a green marble basin but were worried about potential leakage and staining issues in the long run. They decided to go with Laminam for their custom built-in basin instead, upping the luxe factor in the bathroom.
Various textures were used to modernise these spaces, all while seamlessly blending in with the rest of the home.
This post was adapted from an article originally published in the May 2023 issue of SquareRooms.
