Be inspired by this apartment’s marriage of unique hues and clever spatial design that gives it a harmonious and comfortable look and feel
May 17, 2016
Trying to combine Scandinavian-style interiors with Eastern influences of harmony and balance may not sound like it could work, but this modern and cosy 645-sqf HDB flat in Tiong Bahru is proof that it does. Working with interior designer Ken Lee of Space Matters and a fengshui master, homeowner Carole Chow wanted her home to be a comfortable and airy space to relax in, which also encourages balance through the use of colours.
Carole likes to jazz up her Boconcept fabric sofa with colourful, printed cushions. The rattan chair is a memento from her childhood home.
To achieve this, Ken created a quintessential Scandinavian look for the home. In the living room, he installed vinyl floor strips in a birch wood tone, and full height veneer panels in white ash wood – part of the overall $60,000 renovation cost. These elements balance out the strong colours used in each room – which were recommended by the geomancer – and also made the home airy and spacious.
In following the geomancer’s instructions, “we were more flexible with the hues, to keep with the light wood tones of Scandinavian interiors. Instead of bright red for the kitchen and blue for the study, we chose more complex hues such as magenta and cyan,” says Ken. Green comes in the form of the Classic Stem wallpaper by Orla Kiely.
The geomancer recommended using red in the kitchen, so Carole chose a red Smeg fridge, which she matched with an unusual magenta quartz kitchen countertop by Silestone
Although the flat was largely designed in a Scandinavian style, there were also some Mid-Century Modern touches, such as this wooden chair in the study.
The renovation cost includes the merging of two bedrooms, as well as the built-in shelves and partition wall demarcating the study and bedroom.
COLOUR TIP: As multiple colours were going to be used throughout the home, both the furniture and built-in shelves featured clean lines and simple designs.
For her orange wall, Carole displayed items such as travel photos and her growing book collection.
The bedroom is a minimalist haven designed just for sleep. A partition wall, which separates the study from the bedroom is clad in wallpaper with a tree motif, chosen to match the grey fabric headboard and Artemide Tolomeo wall-mounted lights. “We chose shades of grey for the bedroom, as we did not want it to be too bright,” says Carole.
All wallpaper used in the home, including this wintry-looking one in the bedroom, is from Goodrich.
The harmonious combination must have worked, as it resulted in the simple, relaxing home she wanted – a cosy place where she now entertains her friends.
Text: Eliza Hamizah/Home&Decor/Additional Reporting: Elizabeth Liew Photos: Darren Chang
