Happy kids, happy parents: Pasir Ris executive maisonette a playground for family of seven

SINGAPORE – Technician Ahzuan Ahzaharin and his wife Syafiqah Johan, who works in customer service, live by the mantra “happy kids, happy parents”.

Everything the young couple do is for their five children. They have three sons and two daughters; the eldest, a boy, is eight and the youngest, a girl, is two. 

They moved out of their four-room Build-To-Order Housing Board unit in Sengkang to give the kids more space, and fell in love with this 1,456 sq ft executive maisonette in Pasir Ris.

Mr Ahzuan, 35, says: “It was a tough decision for us based on our finances, but for the sake of our kids, we are willing to go the extra mile to give them a good life in Singapore.” 

The couple’s priority was for their new home to be as open as possible to maximise space and minimise cleaning. They did not have a style in mind.

Ms Syafiqah, 33, says: “It is more of a mix and match, based on what we like and what we think is nice and suitable for the kids.”

Working with interior design and renovation studio Direct Contractor Singapore, they designed the space beside the entrance as a foyer that is also part of a play area.

A settee installed against the wall below the window along the corridor provides a seating area for putting on and removing shoes, as well as to supervise the kids when they are playing. Shoes are stored in a rack built into the settee. 

It was the children’s dream to have a playground at home and that was exactly what their parents gave them.

The foyer space at the foot of the staircase has been transformed into a playground, complete with a slide, rope swing, ladder and ceiling-mounted monkey bars. The colourful elements inject a cheerful touch into the neutral interior.

The kitchen and dining area take open-concept design to the extreme. There are no walls, only a standalone island that integrates an existing column and pipes in the middle of the unit.

The side near the main entrance serves as a dining counter, with the rest of the island acting as a food preparation zone. There is also plenty of hidden storage in the island.

The living area has a combination of seating options: a sofa, beanbags and cushions over a rug to accommodate various activities.

Nearby, the balcony – the couple’s favourite space – is filled with plants and offers an unblocked view of the neighbourhood.

With the couple’s busy schedules, areas such as the bathroom and laundry corner have been designed with practicality in mind.

Keeping to a monochromatic palette, the bathroom pipes have been painted black and complement the black shower fittings. Stacking the dryer above the washing machine makes the most of a narrow corner.  

A sense of calm permeates the master bedroom, which is one of three bedrooms on the second storey. Here, things are kept clean and simple to create a tranquil space where the owners can unwind. 

Meanwhile, the children’s room has mostly loose furniture for flexibility as the five of them grow.

The family moved into the unit in May 2025 after a 10- to 11-week renovation that cost about $85,000, including furniture and appliances.