A Finance Couple's 3-Bedroom East Coast Condo With Mid-Modern Century & Curvy Elements
This 40-year-old three-bedroom condo in East Coast, which got a modern overhaul, is home to a finance couple and their golden retriever
Husband and wife Dennis Lim and Stacy Chai didn’t make it easy on themselves when they were looking to move from their first home along the Telok Kurau Road to a larger place still in the East Coast area. But every square foot of the 40-year-old three-bedroom condominium was worth the bidding war.
Who Lives Here A couple in their 40s and a golden retriever
Home A three-bedroom condominium apartment in the East Coast area
Size 1,800 sq ft (167 sqm)
Interior Designer Space Sense Studio
“There is no wasted space in the layout,” shares Stacy. The couple also loved the curvy exterior of the building and the unit’s green and breezy view of the tennis court. “The airflow is so great that we don’t need to switch the air-conditioner on most of the time,” she adds.
Previous home: Walk-up apartment
The original apartment was a completely gutted-out blank canvas when it was put on the market. Tasked to transform this architectural shell into a home was Kelvin Teo from Space Sense Studio, who designed the couple’s previous home, a 60-year-old walk-up unit a little over half the size of this new one.
“That one had a black and white colonial bungalow aesthetic,” recalls Dennis. “For this one, we wanted a more modern look.”
“The biggest challenge in the project was reconfiguring the kitchen and bathroom areas,” shares Kelvin.
The architectural alterations in these areas included reducing the number of bathrooms from three to two larger ones, and hacking off an existing helper’s room to distribute the area for the master bathroom and the storeroom.
The wet kitchen can be completely sealed off without losing visual connection to the main living area thanks to a sash window and glass door. The fridge’s mirror finish enlarges the space.
Sash Window
These resulted in more roomy master and common bathrooms and a spacious blue kitchen with an ingenious counterweighted sash window.
“I saw this window in one of those Netflix home shows,” shares design fan Dennis. “I texted Kelvin – ‘Watch this show, this episode, this timestamp.’ – I want that window in my home.”
Pull-Down Window Mechanism
Kelvin was game to figure out the mechanism with his contractor. The result is a nostalgic pull-down window that maintains the visual connection between the dry kitchen island and the wet kitchen area behind it while containing fumes from leaking into the living area.
The dry kitchen, living, and dining occupy an airy open space that spills into a generous balcony. This open space is a boon for Twofus, the family’s golden retriever.
The arched niche and curvy custom console soften the space and give it a mid-century modern vibe.
Curved Walls & Furniture
Inspired by the building’s curvy architecture, Kelvin articulated the 3.3m-tall ceiling with curving ribs that neatly contain the ambient lights. The curves also appear elsewhere throughout the home, including the wall niche, the windows to Dennis’ home office and the furniture, softening the interior’s overall look. The couple is also fans of bold colours and deeper shades, which is apparent from the furniture and material palette that lend a mid-century modern vibe.
Pet-Friendly Furniture
The furniture selection comprises custom and designer pieces Dennis hunted from various sales. The custom-made sofa is upholstered with scratch- and stain-resistant upholstery.
The maroon-finished GTV dining table is an inspiring choice that contrasts nicely with chairs from Mattiazzi and Andreu World, while the Spokes 2 pendant light from Foscarini creates a mesmerising play of light on the ceiling. The coffee table can be unfolded into a second dining table when needed.
Home Offices
Both husband and wife make their careers in the financial sector, and these days, they mostly work from home. They shared a home office in their previous home and found the arrangement less than ideal.
“We couldn’t stand each other’s noise when we worked,” Dennis admits. “We each needed our own workspace. That’s why we looked for a place with at least three bedrooms.”
Kelvin converted two common bedrooms into home offices with a connecting door.
“So Twofus can hang out with one of us when the other is having a video call,” explains Stacy. Each office has a balcony with a view, making them a relaxing WFH environment.
A corner of Dennis’ home office is dedicated to his gym equipment. An oversized mirror panel makes it appear more spacious.
Kelvin even designed a corner of Dennis’ home office into a gym.
Master Bedroom
The master bedroom is a tranquil space meant for rest and relaxation. The room’s existing balcony has been converted into an indoor nook that houses a massage chair. The en suite also features a curvy shower nook finished in glazed green tiles.
Touring the house, one is never bored with the myriad of design details that express the owners’ unique personalities yet fit together so harmoniously to complement its rare and coveted architectural shell – the hallmark of a perfect home.
Text: Asih Jenie/Home & Decor