As you walk through the interior of this five-room apartment located in the west of Singapore, it’s hard not to be taken by the bright colours and interesting textures that adorn the space. “The clients wanted a cosy and cheerful place to call their own, where different design elements would complement each other throughout their home rather than following a specific design theme” says Jax Ren, the interior designer from local firm Cozyspace Interior who was engaged to oversee the home renovation.
First request on the homeowners’ list? Bold colour choices. Fans of strong hues like red and blue, they wanted the burgundy shade to fill up the most predominant surfaces of their living room, which complements the wooden carpentry and flooring extremely well.
Next, they wanted an open space that would make entertaining large groups easy. To achieve this, low-slung furniture dots the living space, creating the illusion of space and height. Then, what would have been an unused bay window was then fitted with custom carpentry, serving both additional seating and storage purposes.
Along the main living room wall, several things come into view. Serving as a mounting spot for the sleek television set, the feature wall boasts a wood-laminated finish arranged in a chevron pattern. “Because so much laminate finishing was used here, I wanted to highlight the contrast by laying it out in chevron pattern here, which would showcase the same material components, but in a different, more playful manner,” Jax added. Next to it, a full-height storage wall with an in-built recessed niche offers the occupants a landing spot for bulky household items as well as smaller personal trinkets.
During the process of securing the new BTO flat, the owners opted out of the choice to have the kitchen wall included with the unit, so there was no need for any major structural modifications to achieve the open-concept kitchen layout the owners so desired. From then on, it was all about kitting the space with the right materials and fixtures to make it a fully functioning utilitarian zone.
Alongside their busy work schedule, the owners cook about two to three times a week. To keep up with its regular usage, Jax installed quartz countertops and morrocan-inspired tile backsplashes into the kitchen – both of which are high performing in terms of its stain- and scratch-resistant properties – and complemented it with dark woodgrain-laminated cabinetry that offers ample storage for cooking essentials.
On the floor, vinyl strips similar to those used in the outer communal zones were used here, but they sport a lighter-toned finishing. Jax explains, “We implemented the different coloured wood-effect flooring here to not only add a different layer into the home, but to also demarcate the kitchen from the dining area and the rest of the home.”
Upon closer inspection, it is also noticeable that the custom-built cabinetry has no protruding handles on its doors. “The owners have had bad experiences previously with having their clothing caught on such handles and knobs. And although these fittings are more design-focused, for a couple who is expanding their family, having these protruding elements are still safety hazards, so we decided to do away with them altogether,” elaborates the designer.
For increased functionality in the utilitarian zone, an island counter was installed parallel to the kitchen. Besides just functioning as a breakfast table and a worktop for food preparation, the fixture was also fitted with storage cabinets on one end to offer the users additional storage solutions for all their cooking and kitchen utensils and equipment.
Moving on to their private living chambers, the master bedroom departs from the warm colour palette of the outer living spaces and embraces a cooler aesthetic, where a deep teal shade adorns the feature wall of the room. “The owners requested for this particular colour in their bedroom as they wanted to have a strong contrasting colour with the adjoining wardrobe wall and their wedding photo,” says Jax.
To cater to the homeowners’ storage needs in the bedroom, a portion of the room’s floor area was sectioned out and converted into a walk-in wardrobe. Separated from the sleeping zone by a full-height laminated shelving structure, the entrance to the wardrobe was partially frosted to ensure privacy while not deterring daylight from entering the space, effectively adhering to the owners’ request for a walk-in closet with plenty of natural light.
When asked to sum up his thoughts on the project, Jax said “I am really glad that I was able to incorporate the vibrant colours they requested for into their home, and in a manner that they like and enjoy.” And thanks to his clever design sensibilities and eye for detail, Jax truly managed to design a home that is truly reflective of the homeowners’ distinctive tastes and personalities.
This was adapted from an article originally written by Germaine Cheah published in the November 2019 issue of SquareRooms. Photo credits: Cozyspace Interior
