https://www.womensweekly.com.sg/gallery/style/home-ideas/mediterranean-resort-style-hdb-singapore/
1. Breezy Chic
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A breezy welcoming vibe with a Mediterranean flair meets a Mid-century modern aesthetic – the home of art director Fazlie, his wife Corinne, who is a teacher, and their 11-year-old daughter Maya almost seems like an island getaway.
“My wife and I conceptualised the look of the house based on our individual tastes and combined inspiration from our travels to the UK and Italy. This is reflected in the heavy use of wooden tones and the tiles around the house for instance,” shares Fazlie, who co-designed the 95 sq m four-room HDB apartment in Canberra with interior designer Teck Hou of The Local Inn.terior.
“The Local Inn.terior came in with their experience and finesse in materials, overall aesthetic and space planning.”
Design: The Local Inn.terior/Source: Home & Decor Singapore
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Their collection of new and old furnishings, as well as ceramics and paintings are displayed prominently throughout the house. Most of the furniture was sourced from local stores such as Castlery, HipVan, Hock Siong, Wihardja, Originals, and Island Living. Taobao also proved a good place to acquire stylish fixtures.
One of the highlights – a scarf from Block Shop Textiles which they used as a wall hanging.
Design: The Local Inn.terior/Source: Home & Decor Singapore
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The couple gravitated towards a palette of earthy and dusty tones which evoke a distinctly Mediterranean flair with a natural, relaxed ambience.
Their shared appreciation for the Mid-century modern aesthetic is also apparent throughout the residence. “I’ve always liked the style, so furniture with pencil legs was something we looked out for when shopping,” reveals Fazlie.
Design: The Local Inn.terior/Source: Home & Decor Singapore
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One of the first considerations for the couple: a cosy dining area, which resulted in a quaint breakfast nook that was connected to the kitchen.
A banquette that can seat up to eight was carved out, and is an excellent spot that’s conducive for reading, working and to host guests.
Its seats can also be lifted up, revealing ample storage space.
Design: The Local Inn.terior/Source: Home & Decor Singapore
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Sliding Crittall-style windows separate the galley-style kitchen from the dining area, with ribbed glass keeping any mess in the kitchen away from plain sight.
KompacPlus panels top the kitchen counters, bearing a wood-like finish that matches the wood-look vinyl and wooden furniture found in the rest of the house. Matte cream EDL laminates for the kitchen cabinetry go with the colours and textures in the living space.
The rustic taupe backsplash also ties the kitchen to the earthy aesthetic of the rest of the home.
Design: The Local Inn.terior/Source: Home & Decor Singapore
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The bedroom is kept simple with a soothing palette of neutral tones and wooden accents.
As Corrine is used to standing up to apply her skincare regime and makeup, they did away with a regular vanity. Instead, all her facial products go into the top drawer of a teak dresser with a round mirror above. The rest of the dresser provides extra storage space for clothing.
An accordion hook keeps Fazlie’s large collection of caps and hats tidy and within easy reach while serving as decor.
Design: The Local Inn.terior/Source: Home & Decor Singapore
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For the bathrooms, the original white tiles that were provided by the Housing & Development Board (HDB) were retained, but the couple opted for one feature wall in each bathroom. They also chose grey terrazzo for the floor – an on-trend option, but also a timeless one which the couple felt would age well.
The en-suite’s feature wall was laid with Spanish tiles that are reminiscent of the ones the family came across at the Baths of Caracalla in Italy.
In the common bathroom, they opted for a lightly patterned blue-grey tile from the same series.
Design: The Local Inn.terior/Source: Home & Decor Singapore
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Unsurprisingly, designing and renovating their abode didn’t come without challenges. For Fazlie and Corinne, the main challenge was keeping to their budget. “If we were to spend a bit more on an area, we tried our best to cut back on another area without compromising form and function,” Fazlie says.
For homeowners planning to design their own dream abodes, here’s a tip:
“Opt out of the HDB fittings if possible to have more flexibility in creating an aesthetic that’s personal to you. It’s a small detail but having our choice of ‘classic’ wooden bedroom doors painted white instead of the standard-issue ones went a long way in achieving a cohesive design.”
Design: The Local Inn.terior/Source: Home & Decor Singapore
2. Bold And Airy Walk-Up
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You’d never have guessed it, but this 1,100sqf walk-up apartment in Tiong Bahru used to be a crammed rental home with small compartmentalised spaces – not the ideal layout for homeowners Sheau-Yin and Eugene Woon, who wanted an airy, Mediterranean- influenced space to call home.
“We wanted our home to exude a natural and rustic look, with a dash of colour. We love the Provencal blue often seen painted on doors and window shutters in the Mediterranean region,” says Sheau-Yin.
Design: Piu / Source: Home & Decor Singapore
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Interior designer Mark Yong of Piu decided that a complete reconfiguration of the apartment was in order; the homeowners achieve this interior design, with renovation costs totalling $200,000.
Design: Piu / Source: Home & Decor Singapore
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The renovation includes multiple built-ins, including this plywood dining bench, paired with a weathered wooden picnic table.
Design: Piu / Source: Home & Decor Singapore
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Mark ran black steel beams on the ceiling to anchor the LED lights and additional doors; they are also an aesthetic feature.
Design: Piu / Source: Home & Decor Singapore
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Oak was used for part of the home’s flooring as well as kitchen cabinets; they painted the latter a Provencal blue, a colour often seen in the Mediterranean, and which reminds them of the sea.
Design: Piu / Source: Home & Decor Singapore
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A tabletop was fitted into one of the cabinets, so that Sheau-Yin has an additional baking counter and more storage space.
Design: Piu / Source: Home & Decor Singapore
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The pulley-lever system for the skylight adds a rustic-industrial touch to the home.
Design: Piu / Source: Home & Decor Singapore
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When the sliding doors in the foyer are left open, there is a open flow of space to the bedrooms.
Design: Piu / Source: Home & Decor Singapore
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Each built-in bed in the apartment is made of plywood, and features storage compartments underneath.
Design: Piu / Source: Home & Decor Singapore
3. Taking It Back To The Past
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This five-room HDB flat designed by Space Matters has just the right balance of nostalgic, rustic, and modern elements. Let’s take a tour of this space to get a closer look of the details that managed to come together so charmingly.
The open-plan living area is grounded with greys, but uplifted with vibrant pops of pinks and reds at the same time.
Design: Space Matters; Home & Decor Singapore
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The Dragnet Lounge Chair by Kenneth Cobonpue, juxtaposed with the Middle Eastern-inspired carpet and side table, create an interesting vignette by the windows.
Design: Space Matters; Home & Decor Singapore
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A mishmash of industrial, contemporary, and retro aesthetics come together to form a laidback dining area.
Design: Space Matters; Home & Decor Singapore
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The walkway towards the more private areas of this flat is neatly colour zoned with a lovely coat of Tiffany blue.
Design: Space Matters; Home & Decor Singapore
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The calming robin egg blue shade for the walls continues on to the master bedroom, where the vintage-toned bedding adds to the room’s nostalgic flair.
Design: Space Matters; Home & Decor Singapore
4. Space To Grow
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For this four-room HDB executive maisonette in Pasir Ris, homeowners Mohammad Zain and his wife Sharon Park were sure about the materials they wanted to use for their home — primarily wood — as Zain, who is the general manager of wood flooring company Wow Floors, has a fondness for the material. Ash-wood veneer is used on the TV console.
Design: Akihaus; Source: Home & Decor Singapore
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A long-time client and friend of Akihaus design director Lawrence Puah, Zain sought Lawrence’s help in designing the flat, while also remaining heavily involved in the construction process. With the $300,000 renovation (including furnishings), the interiors showcase lots of rich wood textures, such as the distressed handcrafted walnut flooring throughout the lower floor.
Design: Akihaus; Source: Home & Decor Singapore
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The brick wall in the living room extends to the second level and creates continuity in the design.
Design: Akihaus; Source: Home & Decor Singapore
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The dining set consists of mismatched seats — a customised wooden bench, and chairs from Om and Marquis.
Design: Akihaus; Source: Home & Decor Singapore
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Another impressive nature-inspired space in the home is the cosy family room, next to the dining area. Illuminated by sunlight, the space almost seems to glow, as all its walls – as well as floor and ceiling – are decked out in golden bamboo strips.
Design: Akihaus; Source: Home & Decor Singapore
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Natural light filters in from the balcony area to illuminate the interiors of the master bedroom; herringbone-patterned wood flooring adds character to this space.
Design: Akihaus; Source: Home & Decor Singapore
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The only space in the home that doesn’t sport that much wood is the master bathroom upstairs, which exudes a luxurious appeal with surfaces clad in marble-like tiles from Rice Fields.
Text: Domenica Tan and Michelle Lee/Home & Decor
Design: Akihaus; Source: Home & Decor Singapore
