A complete overhaul turned this once-cluttered flat into a modern, practical space.
It helps when the client happens to be a friend who trusts you to design her home.
“My friend left most of the design choices to me. That gave me plenty of room, literally, to play around with ideas. She co-owns the flat with her brother and sister-in-law, and the three wanted a modern space that suits their lifestyle – they enjoy having guests over and love entertaining,” says creative director Melvin Tan, a Singaporean who’s been running his own interior design agency, Hello Embryo based in Jakarta, for the past five years.
Wooden accents were incorporated in the living room to enhance the “natural” feel of the space. Solid pieces of teak wood form the wall panel, lending an earthy touch to the breezy interior.
The wood paneling is framed in grids of Scandinavian blue laminate, giving it a vivid pop of colour and making it a standout wall feature in the living room.
The result is an easy, relaxing style – renovated and furnished for $85,000 – that’s designed to let in as much natural light as possible.
“It’s a top-floor unit, so it makes sense to create a bright, airy interior filled with dashes of green,” says Melvin.
A cement wall acts as a subtle divider between the entrance foyer and the living space, and also doubles as an area for the owners to mount their bikes.
A day bed serves as a relaxing corner for the owner to catch up on comics, and makes for extra space to lounge around in when guests drop by. Storage space was also built into the day bed.
Melvin also added more character to the living area with a spacious bay window, which serves as a cosy niche for the guy in the house to read comics, and also a corner for relaxing and playing card games with friends.
For a pop of colour, kitchen cabinets are in Scandinavian blue and the kitchen backsplash is covered in geometric tiles.
The second bedroom is more discreet in style, with basic raw touches such as wood and cement for a restful environ. The only dramatic element is the row of gold-toned track lights on the ceiling.
Part of the original walk-in wardrobe in the master bedroom was also carved out and turned into a display corner with a bright, egg yolk backdrop.
Even the bathrooms are kept simple with glass partitions for the shower areas, accented with an aluminium rim spray-painted in black.”
Behind the bold blue wall lies a walk-in wardrobe with customised compartments and drawers to keep accessories in place.
Elegantly finished, this home exudes an atmosphere of calm and serenity.
This story first appeared in Home and Decor in 2018.
Text: Home & Decor