The Chic Home: Couple’s River Valley penthouse an oasis in the city

SINGAPORE – Relocation and marriage are big moves in life, and buying a home takes it to another level.

In their move from Hong Kong to Singapore, the owners of this home – a couple in their early 30s – chose this two-storey, three-bedroom, 3,550 sq ft penthouse unit in Oxley Walk, which has high ceilings and a rooftop terrace perfect for entertaining friends.

The husband and wife – executives in business and finance respectively – engaged design studio Home Philosophy’s founder Rashi Tulshyan and lead designer Melissa Wan to renovate the unit.

To achieve the owners’ desired Art Deco style, the designers incorporated colonial-era decor with rattan, dark woods and classic wall mouldings in white. They also added grass, decking and furniture to the terrace for a lush landscape.

For the living room, the designers worked with the unit’s original layout and added the home owners’ sense of style. As all the ceilings in this home are more than 3m tall, the designers accentuated the sense of volume with a full-height television feature wall and stepped ceiling features.

The look of the dining area was softened significantly by removing original features, such as the large mirrored panel, and adding matt woodgrain. Wall mouldings in white harmonise with dark wood and rattan chairs for a colonial-era look.

The owners wanted to use teak wood cabinetry for the bar area, which the designers complemented with a thicker stone countertop. Gold wallpaper makes the carpentry stand out.

The design team also installed a slim wooden frame around the bay window and added seating.

The kitchen is lined with matt-black cabinets and white marble-veined porcelain stone countertops. Instead of installing upper cabinets – the height of the room would have made these inaccessible – the design team opted for fluted wall panels and easy-to-access shelving.

For the master bedroom, the designers added a velvet headboard, grasscloth wallpaper and dark wood for the wardrobes, with rattan accents for lightness.

“Soft furnishings were key to making the spaces come together beautifully, so all the fabrics from the bedspreads to the curtains are where the magic lies,” says Ms Tulshyan.

Between the master and guest bedrooms is a third, smaller bedroom which the couple wanted to transform into a study or chill-out space.

Striking bamboo-patterned wallpaper, a cushy sofa and wall mouldings make this a practical space with flair. Rattan surfaces soften the look further.

A green haven awaits on the second floor.

The designers got rid of the terrace’s overgrown shrubs, artificial turf and hot tub. With landscaping, real grass and large potted plants, there are many pockets of space for quiet moments. The sheltered lounge and dining areas are perfect for gatherings as well.

The project cost $100,000 before furnishings and took 12 weeks.