Not every homeowner is keen on big ideas, but when presented with the opportunity of a fresh perspective, they can come away with surprising even themselves.
For Carmen Tang’s client, a support account manager, and her older brother, a project engineer, the initial brief was for a Muji-ish concept that is low in maintenance. However, Carmen spotted something in the client’s spontaneous personality and interest in travel, cultures, food, dogs and socialising.
Who Lives Here Two siblings in their 40s and 50s and their Shiba Inu
Home A 4-room BTO flat in Queenstown
Size 926 sq ft (86 sqm)
Interior Designer Wolf Woof
Designing with personality in mind
“After speaking to her, I was even more convinced that the style she had asked for was a little too sedate for her personality and style,” the director of the interior design studio Wolf Woof says. “I felt that she spoke rather animatedly and had such a quirky sense of humour.”
A refreshing home concept
Carmen dug deeper to understand her better and proposed an alternative design: a Scandi dog cafe.
Although it felt risky, Carmen had confidence that the client would like it. The client, who first knew about Carmen from her cousin, found the concept refreshing and loved it.
Balancing concept and practicality
That said, Carmen was also mindful.
“I didn’t want to take the concept too far till it’s more of a concept home than a home for my client to live in. I wanted it to be quirky yet relatable and not trying-too-hard-to-make-a-statement-for-statement’s sake,” she says, adding that exercising restraint and knowing where to draw the line is vital.
With the client’s welfare in mind, she proposed a concept that prioritised cohesiveness. She also strove to seek a balance between quirkiness and uniqueness.
Making more space
To cater to the siblings’ lifestyle needs, one of the significant moves was to open the bedroom closest to the living area and convert it into a study area. It is also a cosy corner with additional seating, anchored by several design ideas.
Display wall with toy dogs
For example, a display wall with circular cutouts occupied by toy dogs communicates the dog café vibe. The space is functional too. The platform holds storage space, and folding doors allow the area to be closed off when needed. This results in an open feel that is in line with cafes.
Mobile dining area
For the dining area, she customised a mobile table. It can be extended to give the siblings space to host larger dinner parties.
Dark and light kitchen
The kitchen is decked out in black, light wood, and patterns. The light wood lower cabinets, used throughout the home, match the vinyl flooring for a Scandinavian feel.
Patterns and contrasting colours
Carmen’s focus on accent colours and patterns brings vibrancy to the concept. While the living area is awash in light hues and spruced up with artificial plants, the bathrooms sport patterns and finishes in contrasting colours.
Blue and dark bedroom
The same goes for the older brother’s bedroom, which takes on a palette of blue and dark wood.
White and airy master bedroom
The master bedroom, on the other hand, is an airy space with white walls and a wardrobe in light wood and soft teal laminates.
Challenges in design
While the outcome displayed a laidback vibe, the process came with challenges.
“The doggie display was a little more challenging because we needed to display the toy dogs yet ensure the usability of the cabinet for storage without sacrificing storage for the concept. At the same time, I wanted to ensure freshness in the format and execution,” Carmen says.
Unique signages
Notably, the signages throughout the home that signal the cafe setting – even the standing ‘Free Wi-Fi’ sign in the study – were sourced and designed by Carmen.
Four months to completion
The project was completed over four months, and the siblings moved into the home in August 2022.
It is a showcase of the chemistry shared between the client and designer. Carmen says, “We think alike, which made the entire process a breeze. She was very open to ideas and had absolute trust in me.
She was also unafraid to let me know if any aspects of the design and renovation bothered her. It was very precious open communication. The best thing that came out of this collaboration is a friendship that will last many years, and I love that my job brings some of the nicest humans to me.”
This article was originally published on Home & Decor.