SINGAPORE - When expatriate couple Anjali and Vickram Mangalgiri moved to Singapore in 2012, they wanted a home that was special.

"I could not imagine living in a gated community and was on the lookout for something unique with significant architectural character and cultural context," says Mrs Mangalgiri, an architect.

A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States, she practised architecture and interior design in New York before founding her own firm - Grounded, which now has a presence in Singapore and Goa, India - in 2009.

She went house hunting in Geylang and Joo Chiat and checked out shophouses before stumbling on a historic black-and-white walk-up apartment in Newton.

The unit is housed in a four-storey, 100-year-old block of flats at Monk's Hill Road, which is managed and leased out by the Singapore Land Authority through an auction process.

Mrs Mangalgiri and her husband, who works in asset management, won the bid for a 2,500 sq ft apartment on the second floor in mid-2014. Since then, they have renewed the lease, which lasts two to three years, a few times.

The couple, who are in their 40s, now live there with their two daughters aged five and 18 months, and a domestic helper.

Mrs Mangalgiri oversaw the renovation, which cost $50,000, herself. It was done in three phases and was completed this year.

"I wanted a space that is comfortable, functional and easy to maintain," she says. "It had to have ample room for our kids to play and have a sense of connection throughout."

The bright and airy apartment features a lofty 3.6m ceiling with windows on two or three sides of each room. These features keep the home cool and mean that the owners usually do not need to use air-conditioning for most of the year.

The renovated apartment retains most of its original structure, except for the walls between the kitchen and the dining area, which were removed for an open layout.

"The open plan suits the needs of my young family while the raw, loft-like character reminds me of my time spent in New York," says Mrs Mangalgiri.

Paying homage to the heritage building's facade, she used white surfaces with matte black trimmings throughout the interior, and injected warmth and personality with natural materials like wood, jute, paper and ceramic.

A large island with a wooden counter connects the open kitchen with the living area. A suar wood dining table from Indonesia and a rice paper lamp from her favourite designer in Goa lend warmth to the dining area. Linen curtains dance in the breeze and add a sense of movement to the space.

Collectibles from around the world - an antique Indian arched door, a reclaimed wood mirror, hand-embroidered Uzbekistan textile, Japanese noren, Chinese thrift store lights and ceramic lamps from Vietnam - are displayed throughout the home.

"Each object carries a memory and story," says Mrs Mangalgiri.

One of her favourite parts of the home is the ribbon balconies that wrap around each room. The family uses the areas for gardening and as a way to connect the home with the surrounding trees.

"Sometimes, homes can be so clean and so perfect that one is afraid to live freely within the space. They are elegant from a distance but may not be particularly warm or inviting," says Mrs Mangalgiri.