Lego-loving family’s eclectic apartment layered with personal stories

SINGAPORE – For homemaker Dolly and corporate executive Gaurav, creating their first permanent home in their mid-40s was a milestone worth waiting for.

After years of renting, they knew what they wanted for their 1,743 sq ft five-bedroom condominium in Pasir Ris: bold colours, eclectic character and space for the artefacts they had collected over decades of travel.

But finding the right designer for the home, which they share with their 18-year-old son and a helper, proved harder than expected. It was only when they met Ms Ami Yap, senior interior designer at The Interior Lab, that all the pieces fell into place.

According to Ms Yap, the couple wanted a slim TV wall for the living area. Her solution was a navy blue feature just 15cm deep, integrating sleek partitions for display with hidden storage space.

Sitting atop the open shelves is a Balinese wood carving – which Dolly hand-carried home from the Indonesian island – along with other memorabilia from their travels.

Mere steps away, the dining space reflects another of the family’s shared passions: Lego.

Ms Yap designed a custom display cabinet to showcase the family’s toy brick creations while keeping other everyday items neatly stored. A small section of the shelving is lower than the rest, forming a T-shaped outline to accommodate taller items.

“This cabinet has quite a few layers,” she explains. “The middle part is for the Lego display. Right below this is a row of drawers for cutlery, spices and sauces, and the cabinet below is for plates. Right on top, that display cabinet is also for a Lego display, but it has a glass door to prevent dust from entering.” 

Nearby, the pantry and kitchen’s muted olive cabinetry are paired with a marble-topped island, providing both a preparation zone and an informal gathering spot.

Custom double doors – nyatoh wood spray-painted in a rich navy chosen to echo the living room console, with flower-patterned glass inserts – evoke a traditional kopitiam. The doors lead to the wet kitchen and service yard.

Dolly says: “The extra pantry area gives us a lot of space. If we fall short of table space, we use that.”

At the end of the corridor is the master bedroom, behind a unique bi-fold door with Peranakan tile inserts and long glass panels similar to the kitchen doors’, richly textured with floral motifs.

Inside the room are an L-shaped bay window and a mounted television set with a custom-made wall feature. The space is decked out in blue, echoing tones found elsewhere in the home.

The en-suite bathroom is also where the washing machine is located, along with a double vanity. Ms Yap reworked the layout and plumbing so these features sit side by side.

Perhaps the biggest layout change was made for the couple’s son Aadi, who is in national service. Two bedrooms were combined into a single suite in grey-blue hues, giving him both a private sleeping area and a space to relax with friends.

Dolly says: “Our son’s room was left entirely up to him. He discussed his needs with Ami directly and both of them came up with a plan for the colours they wanted to use. He couldn’t decide what laminate to use, but she has used a subtle tone of grey and blue, so he’s not going to outgrow it.”

For Gaurav, having a functional study was a priority, given his regional role and need for a quiet work zone at home. His desk is topped with sintered stone, accented with deep teal drawers. Trophies and model cars sit atop wall-mounted shelves.

The guest bedroom is finished in a soft blue, accented by a geometric pendant light that is playful without being overpowering.

Meanwhile, the guest bathroom features patterned tiles with birds and foliage, also accented by a wall light.

The renovation took about four months, following two months of planning. Including appliances and furniture, the cost was approximately $230,000.