A Masterpiece in Grey

Designing your first home can be an overwhelming mission – but not if you already have a clear idea of what you want. With the help of their interior designer, home owners Shawn and Angel perfectly fused the defining traits of the industrial concept with minimalist decor style for their home.

Custom floor-to-ceiling cabinetry frames the TV and provides both closed and open shelves for storage and display

The glass-encased study room beside their living room effectively separates the 2 rooms while opening up the space. Installing full glass walls makes the whole living area feel even airier, while the positioning of the study entrance is strategically angled for greater visual impact.

For Shawn who runs a graphic design agency, this bright room is his ideal workspace

The couple’s vision is discernible in the bedroom as well, from the same shade of wood elements to the use of exposed black pipes and light bulbs as accessories. They also removed the wall between the master bedroom and the adjacent room to convert the latter into a spacious walk-in closet and dressing area. “It was a challenge to source for the right furniture and furnishings to complete the design as well.” Angel said.

Statement red accents such as the unique hanging bedside lamps offer contrast to the neutral colours of the space

Similar black fittings and lighting fixtures anchor the theme across all the rooms

Shawn and Angel had jumped at the chance to apply for their 4-room flat in Hougang to stay close to family. Angel’s parents live only a few blocks away, making it convenient for them to visit and share meals often.

Source: mynicehome.gov.sg

A Colourful Art House

Behind the unassuming doors of a 5-room Pasir Ris flat is an art house!

Stepping into this home, we encountered Vincent Van Gogh’s Vue d’Arles avec Irisés (View of Irises) on a wall of the living room.

Who is the artist behind the works that pay homage to the great Impressionist painter? Belinda Low is the secret admirer of Van Gogh. Looking at her living room, strewn with books on the artist, an easel, acrylic paint, and canvases, her passion is palpable.

“Painting brings much joy to my life – which otherwise can be quite boring,” she says with a laugh. She also shared that it helps her to de-stress.

Neatly stacked up are portraits that she painted of friends and even famous personalities like Michael Jackson.

Her mural can also be spotted in her son’s room which she painted to combine his 2 loves – for Sweden and coffee. The wall spots a scene from Stockholm, where her son is on a boat, sipping coffee and enjoying the scenery.

Belinda’s home is truly unique and showcases her family’s love for the arts (everyone in the family has some arts background). She is also a muralist who has decorated some HDB void decks with her paint brush.

Source: mynicehome.gov.sg

‘Appt’ Touch

“The concept of our home came from a marriage of our jobs,” Desiree said. A UX designer and an engineer respectively, Desiree and Melvin shared how they used a free app called ‘Homebyme’ to design their home together. “The app allows you to work with your floor plan and decide on the layout you want,” Melvin explained.

New home owners Melvin and Desiree checked out over 30 flats before deciding on their cosy resale flat in Bishan. The couple was keen on Bishan as they had family living nearby, but had also considered other towns including Bedok.

A harmonious mix of multiple wood finishes with neutral tones

Taking a similar focused approach, they eventually picked an interior designer only after visiting 8 to 10 interior design firms. Their chosen designer was one they had the best chemistry with to refine and execute the plans.

The breakfast bar is one of the couple’s favourite spots at home

The dining area settee offers extra storage space beneath the cushions

The study houses a variety of musical instruments including Melvin’s drum set.

The sociable couple hosts friends regularly for gatherings, and the flat was designed to offer ample seating space for everyone. Forgoing a traditional television console, Desiree and Melvin installed a full sound system and projector that beams up to a 130-inch image onto one of the flat’s walls. “We actually did the cabling ourselves,” Melvin laughed.

A unique home theatre experience

Renovations for their flat cost approximately $80,000, including the hacking of non-structural walls and carpentry to create storage space. To trim costs, the couple purchased most of their furniture from Castlery, HipVan and IKEA.

Source: mynicehome.gov.sg

Sleek and Classic

Jiamei and Winston had a clear idea of what their first home should look like – clean and modern, yet have a timeless appeal. So this young couple chose a mix of Scandinavian and Industrial themes to create a fusion look for their 4-room flat.

After collecting their keys to their home at Waterway Terraces I in Punggol, they engaged an ID to bring to life their ideas. As Winston works for a tile supplier, he was up to date with the design trends as well, and this helped them plan their interior design. In total, they spent about $40,000 on renovations.

For their living room, the couple created a unique marble feature wall to give the area a classy finish. To soften the strong look, the couple added some ‘planter boxes’ and plants next to their TV console. The living room is also Winston’s favourite place in their home and where they unwind after a long day at work. Their dining area is a cosy space tucked in the living room and also doubles up as a family bonding space. The use of lights that look straight out of some medieval castle lends an interesting dimension to the place.

The couple removed a portion of their living room wall to create a study area that doubles up as play area for their bubbly daughter, Zerlinda. The dark wood frames in the study area complement the home’s overall colour palette.

The wood theme continues in the master bedroom. The sleek wardrobe spans the length of the room with unique detailing. The frosted glass portion looks like the window panels of older HDB flats.

Zerlinda’s room is a fun mix of pink and purple, something which she picked out herself, shared Jiamei. The little one also loves to spend time playing with her grandfather in her room.

Jiamei and Winston added that they are happy that they made their home at Waterway Terraces I as their neighbours are great folks. It started with chats in a Whatsapp group, and now the friendship and bonds have grown stronger and, they have become close friends. Their neighbours even threw Jiamei a surprise on her birthday – almost 20 of them gathered at her home to celebrate the occasion. Their community of neighbours is always giving a helping hand to tend to sick neighbours even at 2am, buy breakfast at the market, and run simple errands for each other. Their children too, hang out to play or go swimming together.

“Before we got to know each other better, some of us planned to move out after satisfying the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP), but now no one is keen to do so as we have all become such good friends!” said Jiamei with a laugh.

Source: mynicehome.gov.sg

Bohemian Love

Ferhana’s 5-room improved flat in Pasir Ris combines a few of their loves: beach holidays and colours. Visitors to their home will surely be blown away by how she and her husband, Hassan, have transformed their home into a perfect blend of fun for their beautiful family of 4.

Happy family in their boho chic home

With her children growing up fast, Ferhana was on the lookout for a bigger HDB flat but as she preferred the vibes of the eastern part of the island, she restricted her search to this area.

She was glad to find a suitable flat that met her family’s needs and with the help of her ID, transformed it into a unique home that sports a beach resort vibe.

The funky entrance with clever storage and double-duty furniture

Colours are cleverly incorporated in the home to draw attention to feature walls and detailing. The wall of the music/ study room was replaced with folding windows to give them the flexibility of opening up the space. Hassan said that the platform is also where the children love to have their mini performances.

An (almost) random curation of plants, toys and decor for some colour

With a natural interest and flair for styling and accessorising, Ferhana was only too happy to find any reason to shop for her home. “Sometimes when I check out stores, the items ‘choose’ me – I don’t need to search for them,” she laughs. Thus she buys items that she likes and sees how they can fit with the home decor thereafter.

In some homes, the children’s toys are stowed away out of sight in boxes – not this home. They are used to add colour and personality to the bare shelves in the living area. A detachable swing which both Naail, and Naima, love to hop onto, completes the mini play area.

Moroccan fish scale tiles for a unique detailing in the master bathroom

Chevron tiles which look like floor vinyl finishing for another bathroom

The dining table chairs were bought separately and reupholstered but complement the dining table perfectly!

Master bedroom that stays true to the hippie theme

Colour play in the children’s room

Kitchen goals: blue diamond tiles with a white and gold kitchen concept

Jamming room where Hassan, a musician, spends much of his time

Naail loves to ‘pretend’ jamming too!

Source: mynicehome.gov.sg

Doing It Right in Wood and White

Step through the entryway of Yan Liang and Annabelle’s 4-room flat in Shunfu, and a spacious living and dining area comes right into view.

Inspired by simple Scandi aesthetics, the couple chose a cohesive mix of medium-tone wood finishes and white detailing across their furnishings. The result is an airy and welcoming abode that anyone would love to come home to.

A chevron printed rug is a bold and stylish statement piece in the living room

Their 6-seater dining table is perfect for small gatherings

“We plan to host friends and family often, so we made sure to have ample seating,” Yan Liang said. In addition, the couple designed a large and fully equipped kitchen within their home, as Annabelle loves to cook.

The kitchen is cleverly divided by glass sliding doors, which help to contain the smell of oil and grease from permeating the rest of the flat. Doing so creates a semi-open concept kitchen, and enables Yan Liang and Annabelle to entertain their guests while preparing drinks and snacks.

Glass sliding doors divide the stove and wash areas

The living room features a wood-framed interior window that opens up into the study room and home gym. This design element ensures that the couple can interact constantly, even if Yan Liang is working in the study while Annabelle is busy in the kitchen.

Functional interior windows (on the left) let more light through

Framed photographs from Yan Liang and Annabelle’s travels adorn the master bedroom

Subtle details such as the white panelled wall in the master bedroom add texture and interest to the overall decor. The couple also opted for wood-look tiles for their flooring. “Compared to laminate wood flooring, these tiles are easier to clean and maintain over time,” Annabelle explained.

Like many home owners, Yan Liang and Annabelle did their research and checked out several interior design companies before picking one who had the best ideas for how to maximise their flat’s unique U-shaped layout. They spent around $80,000 for the entire renovation.

The couple shared that they enjoy living in the Shunfu estate, which is within walking distance to Marymount MRT station and Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park. Residents have access to plenty of amenities nearby, including a hawker centre and supermarket.

Source: mynicehome.gov.sg

Scandinavian Simplicity

This 4-room flat at SkyVille @ Dawson checks all the right boxes when it comes to having an awesome, fuss-free home. And it was all done within a mere 2.5 months, making it possible for the happy couple to move in in December 2017, just in time for Christmas!

Physiotherapists with a busy schedule, they had the help of an Interior Designer (ID) to renovate their home. Knowing what they wanted made the work easier. “We both knew that we were going for a Scandinavian, natural, wood-elements-kind-of-look for the home – so that made things a lot easier,” said Rethinam.

Ingenious storage ideas

Since the couple wanted to ensure that they maximise the space as much as possible, their ID helped to point out which of their ideas might work better.

Putting their heads together, they succeeded in creating ingenious storage spaces, such as building shelves behind cupboard doors to store shoes, having the TV console share common wall space between 2 rooms, and replacing dining chairs with bench seats that double up as storage solutions.

Dining seats with storage to keep clutter away

Stow away the shoes neatly in shelves behind cupboard doors

Hiding the TV console by cutting it over to the next room is ingenious!

Storage solutions under the platform bed

Walk-in wardrobe that acts as a partition to the bedroom

Personal touch

While Scandinavian is a preferred interior design theme these days, each home can look quite different with the personalised touch of their owners. For Rethinam and Alyssa, they have chosen to accessorise their home with keepsakes and photos of their holidays and their wedding too.

Cute keepsakes lending their personal touch to the decor

Neutrals in the bathroom to complement the rest of the home decor

The balcony is a lovely place too, overlooking the rooftop of the car park and the precinct greenery below their block. “We love how we are surrounded by greenery in this neighbourhood,” said Alyssa.

Reno tips

The couple spent about $40,000 on the home renovations but their flat looks like a million bucks!

Unwinding and checking out the lush green views from their quaint balcony

If you are a new home owner planning on your renovations, why not check out these tips shared by Rethinam and Alyssa:

1. Go through a few IDs’ portfolio and see whose style best meets your vision for your home.
2. Take the time to meet some IDs and talk to them to see if you get along well.
3. Let them know your requirements but discuss to see what is feasible.
4. Have a budget for your renovations (which you can let your ID know) plus some buffer amount, as you might require the latter for some unplanned renovation works later.

Source: mynicehome.gov.sg

Stylish in Monochrome

Five years after moving in, choosing a monochromatic interior decor theme has helped Jean keep her 4-room flat at The Pinnacle @ Duxton looking sleek and stylish.

Jean co-owns the flat with her brother, and fortunately both prefer minimal aesthetics. “We knew we wanted something that would be easy to maintain,” Jean said. Their interior designer, a good friend of Jean’s, recommended unique materials and design elements to make the home one of a kind.

The living room features a cushy custom-made sofa and coffee table set that offers plenty of seating for guests. “Some of them have even slept over on the sofa,” she quipped. The art pieces hanging on the wall are from Jean’s travels to Bali.

The flat features a kitchen island with an induction cooker, perfect for entertaining friends over light meals.

There is also an ingenious concealed wet kitchen area, which leads to the service yard. While there are plenty of metal surfaces throughout the flat, Jean finds them easy to wipe down and keep clean.

The siblings spent around $60,000 on the renovations, which included hacking works to change the room sizes, and carpentry to create storage space.

“I made my bedroom bigger, and converted one of the rooms into a smaller music room for my equipment,” Jean explained. A creative freelancer, Jean also works as a DJ and a music producer.

A focal point of Jean’s bedroom is the textured silver panelled wall. While Jean chose the colour, the material had been suggested by her interior designer. Even with minimalism as the goal, Jean chose to add a personal touch by displaying prints of cats she had photographed herself.

Source: mynicehome.gov.sg

Living the Zen Life

Karen and Jian Zhan’s home at Skyline II @ Bukit Batok feels like a detox for the soul. It is also a marriage and meeting of minds, as the couple share many similar likes and tastes.

Their Zen journey was a process to make the best of their 4-room flat layout, light and wind conditions to create a design that allows for simple and cosy living.

No sofa means ample space to do yoga in the living room, while admiring the view

True to their style, their living room is devoid of clutter – no sofa, no TV set. Not avid TV viewers themselves, they prefer space that welcomes conversations and meaningful activities.

Nature lovers too, they have infused their home with a careful selection of plants (including prints of plants) to enhance the décor. For the living room, they chose the eucalyptus (which is a natural insect repellent) and cotton plants. In the gaming room, Karen has placed a pot of lavender for a calming contrast to the action-packed games that Jian Zhan plays on the computer.

A hangout room for Karen and Jian Zhan to kick back and relax

Being near Bukit Timah means being able to keep a lookout for native bird species

In the bedroom, the deep blue feature wall complements the wood floor finishes and the wardrobe. The choice of plants – billy balls and baby’s breath, pops out against the blue wall and softens the room’s rectilinear lines.

Blue, grey and brown in the master bedroom create a soothing ambience

Using cove lights means less shadows cast which is great for reading

The couple is also big on recycling and keep to a ‘one-in-one-out’ lifestyle. So for every item that they buy they would need to give away or discard an old item, so that they maintain a clutter-free home.

Though they moved in in January 2018, the couple had already given their friends and family a preview of their new home in December 2017, when they solemnised their marriage in their flat. J They wanted a simple and intimate affair and could not think of a better venue then their first home. The backdrop that they used for the photo wall has been transformed into a curtain at the entrance to their flat.

Photo booth in their flat on their ROM day (Photo courtesy of Karen and Jian Zhan)

The photo booth ‘wall’ now serves as a curtain to create a private living room area

Source: mynicehome.gov.sg

Designed with Love

From chalkboard paint walls to kids’ playroom, Kai and Jillian clearly designed their maisonette in Choa Chu Kang with their 2 young children in mind, when they moved into their home about a year ago.

The couple had chosen the resale flat due to its proximity to schools and nature. Yew Tee Park is right on their doorstep, while Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, their favourite weekend hangout, is only a short drive away.

Kai and Jillian entrusted the renovation of their flat to a friend, with only a few requests. “We wanted our home to feel warm and welcoming, and have plenty of storage space, especially for the kids’ toys,” Kai said.

Colourful bar stools transform the kitchen island into a perfect spot for entertaining guests

While the renovation took about 4 months to complete, the results are definitely worth it.

A combination of light wood and monochromatic decor accents gives the home a cosy feel, even as there is ample room for the children to play and move about.

The kitchen island is where the family spends quality time, from cooking and baking, to entertaining guests. A dining table that doubles as a table tennis table add delight to the space!

The couple also grows plants, and irrigates them with condensate water from their air-conditioner. “We hope to inculcate good recycling habits in our children from young, by showing them how to do it,” Kai explained.

Twice a week, Kai will whip up delicious meals in their wet kitchen

Jillian shares her passion for baking with her children

The long bench ensures enough seating when the couple’s parents visit

A unique and artsy light fixture adorns the stairway

A custom-made two-in-one dining/ table tennis table

The kids’ playroom is bright and breezy

The master bedroom also houses the couple’s walk-in wardrobe

Marble walls give the spacious bathroom a classy vibe

Source: mynicehome.gov.sg