SINGAPORE – For those in the creative industry, a home can be another canvas for self-expression. This was the case for Christopher and Natalie, a couple in their early 30s who work in marketing and art therapy respectively.
For the renovation of their 1,001 sq ft, five-room resale Housing Board flat in Commonwealth, they approached designer Chris Huang of local boutique firm Bowerman Interior Planner. The process took six months to complete, with the owners moving in over the last two months of 2021.
One of the top priorities for the couple was having a large enough space to entertain. They opened up the kitchen, visually expanding the area and making space for a 2.8m dining table made of solid timber – which was shipped from Australia and cost about $7,000 – and a matching kitchen island of the same length.
The couple also requested more counter space with a coffee corner, as the husband is a coffee lover. The island even contains a special feature: a weighing machine embedded into the surface for him to precisely measure out the beans. A niche, designed to accommodate a Nespresso machine and coffee grinder, completes the look.
The other end of this long island serves as a breakfast nook, with dusty-pink tiles from supplier Hafary forming the backsplash.
The entire home, decked in pale grey for a cosy feel, feels bright and airy, thanks to the nearly full-height windows in the living room and Silhouette shades from window covering specialist Hunter Douglas.
A new curved ceiling conceals beams and lighting, with lights tucked away at each end of the curve – one above the kitchen island and the other above the shoe cabinet.
The bedrooms were reconfigured to enlarge the master bedroom with distinct rest and dressing areas. The remaining two rooms are the guest room and the couple’s study.
Taking pride of place is a full-length pegboard wall that showcases the couple’s interests, with the missus’ handicrafts on one side and the husband’s audio equipment on the other. The pegboard lets them move things around and set up new shelves as they need.
• This article first appeared in the August 2022 issue of Home & Decor, which is published by SPH Magazines.
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