Time spent on garden balconies overseas inspired the cosy design of this eclectic HDB flat.

FACT FILE
Space: 4-room HDB
Size: 1,001 sq ft
Location: Telok Blangah
Designer: Ka from Blend by ImC
Reno period: 12 weeks

Common area

Combining the homeowners’ love of music and dining, the common area of this HDB flat was designed to fit a large piano as well as an oversized kitchen island. A projector goes where a TV media wall would have been incorporated, opening up the floor area. The overall design was kept simple and minimalist, allowing the young couple’s eclectic taste to fit in with the neutral, earthy tones of the home.

Plant corner

Proving to be the biggest challenge of the project, the homeowners’ indoor garden was placed on an elevated platform in the corner of what used to be a separate bedroom. Custom-built using laminated plywood, the platform, trellis and slats had to be arranged just right for humidity to be contained and light to shine onto the plants and allow them to grow healthily. Despite these challenges, however, this corner turned out just as the homeowners wanted it, allowing them to replicate the garden balconies they used to read and relax in while overseas.

Bedroom

A full-height wardrobe gives the young couple plenty of storage space in the bedroom, while a rounded bed frame offers an extra seating area along the edge. The low height of the bed conveniently makes the room appear more spacious despite the limited ceiling height. What came in particularly handy during the design process is a pre-existing nook in the wall next to the bed, adopted by the homeowners to store pictures, books and even a small plant.

Kitchen

The kitchen was customised to fit around the couple’s daily habits with laminated plywood cabinets and a striking red backsplash made of FENIX NTM laminates with a plywood backing. Plenty of elegant storage was incorporated to give the homeowners extra space without cluttering the home, retaining the minimalist aesthetic they are fond of. The bold colour of the backsplash and lower cabinets was inspired by a “red sun,” keeping the colour scheme earthy while still adding a pop of vibrance and creating contrast with the white quartz countertop.

Music room

While many HDB flats these days sport a home office, the residents of this unit wanted a music room instead. A floating desk was thus custom-built with the perfect nooks and crannies to fit their musical instruments and recording hardware. The stocky look of the desk went with the eclectic “log cabin” theme that the homeowners requested for this room, supported by the wood-look glazed porcelain tiles laid at an angle on the floor.

About Blend by ImC
Blend by ImC takes pride in engaging the client through every stage of the renovation, delivering results that suit their needs and wants. The designers believe that good communication harmonises functionality and aesthetics, making it possible to tell each person’s unique story by instilling character and meaning into the spaces they inhabit.

Contact
7 Seletar Road, #01-22, Tower C, The Greenwich
Singapore 807014
Tel: 6520 0803
Facebook: @blendbyimc
Instagram: @blend_imc

This post was adapted from an article originally published in the October 2020 issue of SquareRooms.