Folding upholstered chair

Enclosed areas can sometimes make media professional David Chan feel a little claustrophobic. So he was looking to have a home that offers “lots of wide, open space that facilitates relaxation, laughter and expression”. But, at the same time, added the print producer who works from home: “It needed to be homely; I didn’t want a showroom.” So Chan set about transforming a nondescript-looking, 721 sq ft, three-room resale HDB flat into “just one big living space”. “What I told the interior designer was to knock everything down so there’s no walls, no doors,” he said. The result? Living, dining, work and sleeping zones occupy an open-plan, loft-like rectangular space. “I wanted a cafe kind of feel, so I had white brick walls. I also wanted an industrial chic look, so we had this all scraped and exposed,” Chan said, referring to the raw, exposed concrete structural beams and pillar that add character and texture to the space. Aside from white brick and grey … [Read more...] about Turning a 721 sq ft HDB flat into one big living space with no walls and doors

Tucked away in the heart of Joo Chiat, this 850 sq ft apartment is a peaceful oasis that provides the female homeowner much-needed respite from her high-pressure banking job. “The homeowner had an interesting combination of styles that she wanted. She had lived in Japan, so she would like a bit of the Japanese influence. She was also drawn to the whole Scandi kind of look and feel,” said Arjan Nijen Twilaar, the Dutch-born founder and principal designer of interior design firm Aiden T. So, he decided to infuse the apartment with “Japandi” design, which mixes Japanese and Scandinavian influences. “The underlying design philosophy is clean spaces, neat lines, and light colours. Combining these two styles together works,” he explained. READ: How this 722 sq ft HDB flat combines tropical colonial charm with industrial chic Arjan added: “But because we’re in the historic centre of Singapore, Joo Chiat, we wanted to bring in a bit of that Peranakan vibe as well. It’s … [Read more...] about An 850 sq ft condo in Joo Chiat goes for a ‘Japandi’ look with a Peranakan touch

Homeowners Jasvin Kaur and Jasdep Singh wanted their 1,000 sq ft four-room HDB BTO flat in Telok Blangah to showcase a few things: A contemporary-meets-luxe aesthetic, hubby Jasdep’s burgeoning whisky collection, and their Indian heritage. And their ingenious DIY tweaks with some teak wood plays a role in realising all three. It wasn’t easy, given their different style preferences. “I always liked luxury. Jasdep likes things more contemporary,” explained Jasvin, an assistant manager in a company. But “this was a chance to express ourselves with what we have always wanted,” added Jasdep, who is a general manager at Originals, a furniture store that specialises in unique and authentic home decor pieces sourced from all over the world. “The fact that I work in a furniture store played an important part in what you see in our home. We thought about how we were going to do it and decided, maybe we’ll do it ourselves!” he added. The very first thing they did was … [Read more...] about A couple’s stylish 1,000 sq ft BTO flat with a DIY whisky bar and teak wood touches

Most home buyers in Singapore who purchase an old resale HDB flat opt to give their new home a complete makeover in order to bring it up to speed with the times, but not Kaleb Loh. “It’s more about being functional. I don’t want a home to be a showroom. For me, it’s about living comfortably, efficiently, easily,” he said. The creative director wanted a space with character, and thus sought to preserve the circa-1970s feel of the flat . Much of it was still in its original condition, from the speckled terrazzo floor in the dining area, to the retro-looking half-height tiled walls of the kitchen, and the cement flooring in the living area. “Those details are really nice; it reminds one of what the old place was like, while respecting it,” said Kaleb. This practical approach also helped reduce renovation costs. READ: An 850 sq ft condo in Joo Chiat goes for a ‘Japandi’ look with a Peranakan touch As a dedicated plant parent, he needed lots of space to flex his … [Read more...] about Transforming a 775 sq ft HDB flat into a garden paradise – in the balcony and bathroom

SINGAPORE: Last year, civil servant Joanne Loh took a break from work for a few months, which she spent travelling to places such as Australia, Taiwan and Europe. The trips offered her a much-needed respite from her daily routine, said the 30-year-old. “It’s fun to see the world and to take a break from work.” This year, she had been looking forward to visiting Switzerland and Australia. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has put paid to her plans - along with those of thousands of other travel-hungry Singaporeans - as closed borders and grounded flights have made air travel, especially of the leisure kind, all but impossible since February. DISCOVERING SINGAPORE Ms Loh is now trying to make do by exploring Singapore instead. Her family makes weekly trips to parks such as the Botanic Gardens and Admiralty Park. Last month, she went to tourist hotspot Gardens by the Bay - her first visit there in almost a year. Like Ms Loh, many in Singapore have a pent-up desire for travel - people … [Read more...] about The Big Read: A vital economic pillar, S’pore’s tourism sector faces a brutal test of mettle amid COVID-19 fallout