SINGAPORE - Mr Wong Wen Shun and Ms Charissa Li had a clear vision for their new home: "a sanctuary with defined yet fluid areas, which brings in the natural light, ventilation and greenery of the surroundings".

A tech executive and a media producer respectively, the couple - who are both in their late 30s and have a son - have been spending more time working from home because of the pandemic.

Consequently, the spaces in their three-bedroom, 1,270 sq ft condominium apartment in Bukit Timah have to be versatile enough to accommodate multiple functions.

They discovered one of Akihaus Design Studio's projects at The Tropic Gardens in the east that featured clean lines and efficient use of space, like the rest of the home-grown firm's other projects. The areas also flowed naturally from one to another. Most importantly, the designs had the right vibe, say the couple.

Design director Lawrence Puah took the same architectural approach for the apartment's interior design as he did for his projects, creating a series of interlocking volumes that he could add to or subtract from to produce a composition of solids and voids.

For a start, the kitchen to the left of the main entrance, as well as the dining area, were created by removing existing walls.

The open kitchen is ideal for the couple because they rarely cook, so they do not have to worry about smoke or grease. A generous island serves as a dining table for six, a kitchen work surface and a desk. Below are storage drawers.

By using a consistent palette across different spaces, there is visual and spatial continuity.

The wall that extends from the main entrance, along the kitchen-dining area and to the windows in the living room was painted with a special-effects paint from Wallco. The paint was customised to match the cement look of Lamitak's Urban Slate laminates on the full-height kitchen cabinets and living room feature wall on the other side.

The ceiling above the kitchen-dining area is covered with light wood laminates cut into thin strips, applied to plywood base strips and mounted to mimic a timber-strip effect. In addition to adding dimension to a flat surface, the strips add depth.

The same detail can also be seen under the island, on the feature wall recess and along the corridor wall to the bedroom doors. As the ceiling height drops above the kitchen-dining area and rises towards the living area, visitors get a sense of compression and expansion.

Water seepage issues had resulted in stains and damage to the floor below the windows in the 16-year-old condominium unit. Although the existing timber flooring in the bedrooms already needed to be replaced, any subsequent water seepage could cause serious damage.

Mr Puah initially proposed a full timber floor in the bedrooms, but decided to add a cement-screed border around the perimeter of each room. The cement screed not only reduces negative impact from future water seepage, but also ties in with the style and material of the interior, he says.

The couple spent about $150,000 on the renovation, which took four months, and moved in in May 2021.

They feel their new home has a more "mature look" than their previous one, which was more Muji-esque.

"We love the neutral palette, with its light, mid and dark tones of whites, greys and blacks. It also incorporates the natural elements like wood and cement that Lawrence knew we wanted to use."

Every project is about pushing the boundaries for Mr Puah. "Sometimes, I also push my luck," he quips.

• This article first appeared in the April 2022 issue of Home & Decor, which is published by SPH Magazines. Get the May and latest issue of Home & Decor now at all newsstands or download the digital edition of Home & Decor from the App Store, Magzter or Google Play. Also, see more inspiring homes at homeanddecor.com.sg