One of the hottest decor trends of late, the industrial style has made “industrial chic” a catchphrase, and influences of this theme have popped up everywhere from cafes to the workplace. This four-room Built-To-Order unit in Tampines tackles the trend in refreshing fashion, with hints of Scandinavian sensibilities featured in the details.
“Most of our decor inspiration came from the homeowners,” design director Raymond Seow from Free Space Intent explains. “It made it much easier to work with that way – when they knew what they wanted.” With no restrictions on child-friendly accommodations, Raymond and his team were free to experiment with the all the quirks of the industrial style.
“First, we used plenty of raw-looking materials to play up the industrial style of the apartment,” he explains. Many of the features were built with actual construction-grade material, an uncommon move for most houses these days. The bookshelves in the study area, for example, are made with industrial-strength rod iron, which is usually used to form the internal skeletons of walls.
The choice of furniture also plays up and adds to the raw, gritty vibes. The coffee table in the living room is a standout piece of woodwork – essentially a piece of log cut halfway. Similarly, the dining table is made of equally unfinished, distressed wood.
One of the features that took the longest to build was the standalone brick wall behind the sofa, separating the living room from the study area. Securing the two I-beams took some time but Raymond and his team eventually made it work. The eventual result is a half-height wall that looks like it is still undergoing construction, playing up the unfinished-looking effect of the industrial style.
The statement green Chesterfield sofa in the living room is a giveaway to the owners’ love for colour. Mosaic tiles used on the base of the bookshelves, as well as the foyer metal rod partition, add splashes of colour too.
Wanting to maximise as much natural light as possible, the owners opted to keep the ceilings high. A mixture of pendant, track and wall lights are used, with suspended lighting beams also thrown in the mix for the classic industrial-style touch.
Deeper into the house, the master bedroom is where things get toned down a little. More I-beams are used here, along with a wire mesh that efficiently partitions the bed from the walk-in closet, and simultaneously adds texture to the room. The black wire mesh also echoes the monochromatic cues of the rod iron that feature prominently in the living room.
This was adapted from an article originally written by Lee Kai Lin in the August 2016 issue of SquareRooms.
