For this Bendemeer Road apartment to achieve its raw yet refined look, it was crucial that the materials needed to stand out in terms of texture yet at the same time, complement one another to create a cohesive look. Tasked with this objective, the designers from Studio FortyFour, Wilson Deng and Vandra Png, customised furniture and used a unique palette of textures to infuse this new BTO flat with the right atmosphere that the homeowners desired.
The feel of raw cement textures and warm woodgrains is made sophisticated with the addition of elegant marble veining and gold details. In terms of layout, the couple preferred an airier and brighter space without walls separating the different areas. They also agreed on having a combined bedroom and study area, which would be their own private space within their new home.
The walls that enclosed the kitchen were torn down to create an open-concept space comprising of the living room, dining area, and kitchen. Having such an open communal area allows the couple to host gatherings and still experience a sense of spaciousness. This layout also encourages movement and interaction, as the homeowners and their guests can move about freely and still remain connected in the same space.
More importantly, taking down the walls allows the living and dining areas to be bathed in natural light. Wilson recalls, “Previously, the walls had contained the sunlight within the kitchen, and that caused the other areas of the home to be quite dark.” This open-concept space now enjoys a free flow of light and air that helps to brighten and make it visually spacious.
Since the homeowners do not cook regularly, they had no qualms transforming the kitchen into an open space. To ensure that the couple will have sufficient space for meal preparation whenever they do need to cook or entertain guests, the designers constructed the countertops along the new perimeters of the open-concept kitchen. The kitchen cabinets are clad in wood-grained laminates, complete with a black quartz top and gold detailing, creating a look that is polished and still homely.
The distinction between the communal space and private quarters is made clear with a rather inconspicuous entryway into the master bedroom. Combining two bedrooms to create a shared space for both husband and wife to use at the same time, the designers converted part of the space into a study and designed the other part as the sleeping area.
Instead of placing a desk inside the bedroom, a room with separate sleeping and study areas is more suitable for a couple. This allows the couple to do their own things and inhabit the same space but without disturbing each other. “Sometimes, one of them will work till quite late and the other person will go to bed first, but this combined space lets them remain connected,” explains Wilson. Interior design is cleverly used here to help foster a sense of closeness and intimacy that the couple desires.
Inspired by designs that they saw on their overseas trips together, the couple requested a platform bed. In keeping with the raw yet refined look, broad vinyl strips with the look of natural wood grains were used for the platform bed and the customised nightstands.
The designers used a series of half-height cabinets, constructed along the side of the platform bed, to shield the sleeping area from the door. This row of storage units extends into the neighbouring space that is the study area. As requested by the homeowners, Wilson and Vandra designed a work desk in the study area that allows the couple to do their work side by side. This space is also fully maximised to accommodate a wardrobe and a large bay window seat.
Crafting a look that is both raw and refined is no easy feat and the designers from Studio FortyFour have done it beautifully in this home. More important than that, the space is designed to suit the couple’s daily lifestyle, with bright and spacious living areas and a more personal sanctuary that only the couple is privy to.
This was adapted from an article originally written by Jasmine Goh published in the January 2018 issue of SquareRooms. Photo credits: Studio FortyFour.
