Working with an owner-driven renovation concept, interior designer Sherlyn Saw from Space Atelier incorporated modern-contemporary design elements against a predominantly black, dark blue and grey colour palette to transform an ordinary 5-room BTO into a humble yet cosy abode for its occupants.
Comprising a shared dining area and living room, this 5-room apartment’s communal spaces shine with their sleek black finishes and uncluttered appearance. Against its crisp white ceiling and glossy white homogeneous floor tiles, the rest of the space adopts a colour palette of black, blue and grey tones, which also serves as a nod to the owners’ careers in the police force.
A striking feature in the living room is the television feature wall, which was constructed using large format grey laminates. It serves as a neutral backdrop that brings the black shell of the screen to the forefront. Arranged in a slanted pattern, it draws a visual link to the adjoining full-height storage cabinet that also features black laminates in a similar arrangement. Meanwhile, mounting brackets for the owners’ bicycles and open niches that store helmets highlight their passion for riding.
Primarily furnished with dark wood-accented table and chairs, the dining zone possesses a similar design aesthetic to the adjoining living room, where the back wall was clad in the same grey hue as the television feature wall. Meanwhile, an elevated platform opposite the dining area carves out a dedicated study area for the homeowners and comes complete with a stretch of built-in cabinets for storage purposes.
Next to the dining area is the kitchen, which is characterised by a quiet elegance with off-white quartz countertops and the pairing of navy blue and dark grey laminates on the cabinets help to carry over the monochrome look of the outer communal areas. Towards the forefront of the kitchen along the left side, a bar counter was installed which not only provides more worktop space for food prep whenever necessary, but it can also be used as a casual area for breakfast and other simple meals.
In the private quarters, Sherlyn installed a platform bed with storage units hidden beneath to provide the owners with more space to keep their personal belongings. Occupying the same space as the cosy sleeping area is the newly carved out walk-in wardrobe, which wows with its sensual open-concept design thanks to its glass partition walls. In addition, the use of glass panels help the room maintain its light and airy feel.
In contrast to the rest of the bathroom’s surroundings, the shower walls and floor are layered with homogeneous black tiles that create a distinct and striking look against its lighter ceramic counterparts. Unlike traditional ceiling box-ups in the bathroom that come with a wire mesh exterior, Sherlyn swapped it out for an acrylic box that encompasses light strips on the inside, creating a cleaner and more streamlined look.
This was adapted from an article originally published in Key To Your Home 2019. Photo credits: Space Atelier
