A Quirky, Unconventional Singapore-Themed HDB Flat in Tampines
This eclectic home doesn’t have a sofa or dining table – instead, it contains tributes to Singapore architecture such the Dragon Playground
To say that this four-room HDB flat in Tampines is unique would be an understatement.
Designed by Studio Super Safari, the home – belonging to couple Albert and Agnes – feels like a tribute to Singapore culture, thanks to the homeowners’ collection of local paraphernalia. There are plenty of interesting focal points as well, thanks to the custom-made shelves and furniture inspired by local icons.
The Singaporean references are only for the communal areas, though. The bedrooms themselves are a tribute to the homeowners’ favourite places of travel, namely Santorini, Japan, and the Ranomafana National Park in Madagascar.
“We created an eclectic design that combines Peranakan style in the living, dining and kitchen area with the different travel themes for the three bedrooms. The common corridor becomes a time capsule of sorts which takes the owners to different parts of the world,” says Studio Super Safari.
AT A GLANCE
Home: 4-room HDB flat in Tampines
Size: 93 sqm
Who lives here: A couple with their children
ID: Studio Super Safari
Notice a familiar sign? The shelf in the living room was playfully inspired by The People’s Park Complex, kitted out in bright colours of yellow, lime and red.
There are five “storeys” in the shelf, each with separate niches for the homeowners’ display of knick-knacks.
In place of a conventional sofa, the seating options include plastic chairs commonly seen in coffee shops and cushions featuring popular local delicacies ang ku kueh and pineapple tarts.
In pride of place is a display shelf designed to look like a map of Singapore. Pulau Ubin stands out on this map, as it was where Albert and Agnes had held their wedding.
The homeowners also decided to do away with the conventional dining room, opting to transform this area into a minimalist corridor with a low coffee table and cushion seating. It’s also the transitional area to the bedrooms, each featuring a different travel theme.
The concrete coffee table was custom-made by Dennis Quek from The Half Half Studio, and features the iconic Dragon Playground structure in mosaic tiles.
Off to one side is the Peranakan-styled kitchen, which incorporates the owners’ collection of patterned tiles onto the wall.
It also features other nostalgic touches such as the old-school patterned glass on the sliding door and ventilation blocks by the kitchen entrance.
Each bedroom takes on a different theme from the rest of the home, though they are no less uniquely styled. In the master bedroom, a Santorini theme takes over, with a deep blue and white palette paying tribute to the architecture of the Greek island.
Inside, Studio Super Safari designed a treehouse bed frame and added a wooden swing.
Finally, the study is styled as a Japanese ryokan, complete with an elevated platform.
This is where the couple gets their work done. The raised platform also pulls double duty as storage space for the family.
Text: Home & Decor Team