Having lived and worked in New York City for over a year, the owner of this 4-room HDB flat returned to Singapore with a strong idea of what she wanted in her new home.
[dropcap]S[/dropcap]he took reference from the industrial stylings of many apartments in New York but, at the same time, gave the design a minimalist twist that is more appropriate for her lifestyle.
With the help of design firm Meter Square, the home turned out to be a balanced fit for its owner.
Easy Style
The homeowner emphasised the importance of having a home that requires minimal maintenance. Designer Boyce Tan explains, “She travels a lot for work and there will be long periods of time when no one will be at home. The last thing that she wants is to return home and spend her days cleaning and dusting the rooms.”
As such, the material palette was simplified with clean and low-maintenance surfaces such as laminates, concrete screed and the existing wooden floor. Boyce and his team also pared down their approach to furniture selection, allowing the home to breathe without being too cluttered and busy.
Home Works
Keeping in mind that the homeowner leads a bit of a nomadic lifestyle, Boyce didn’t want to weigh down the home with bulky furniture. The dining room, for example, has been stripped of any unnecessary feature.
The only addition is a bar counter opposite the dining set. He said, “The owner works on her laptop and she doesn’t like to stay rooted in one spot. So we created different areas around the apartment where she can sit down with her laptop and work.”
Bare Basics
Meter Square replaced the tiling on the floor and walls of the master bathroom, keeping in line with the pared down industrial vibe of the rest of the home. Boyce and his team also equipped the room with new fixtures and a shower screen.
Island Ambition
The kitchen in this resale flat has an unconventional triangular layout, which proved to be a challenge for Boyce and his team. The owner wanted to have an island counter in the middle of the room, which wasn’t easy considering the room’s awkward shape.
However, with a bit of careful space planning, the designers managed to work around the problem and built an island with timber laminates and a granite counter top.
By Redzman Rahmat
Article first published in Lookbox Living #36 May/Jun 2014
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