SINGAPORE – The pandemic may have thwarted their travel plans, but this couple in their 40s, who declined to reveal their names and occupations, used the opportunity to overhaul their 8,400 sq ft semi-detached house in Joo Chiat instead.
They enlisted Design Intervention’s principal Nikki Hunt to design a home that would transport them to different worlds.
Inspired by the Netflix series Bridgerton (2020 to present) and the ITV series Belgravia (2020), the wife wanted the home to be decked out in soft pastels and for the living room to be modelled after an English conservatory.
Yet she also yearned for an Italian summer, a touch of Provencal charm and an African safari adventure.
To connect these disparate themes and create a smooth transition between spaces, Ms Hunt embraced an overarching botanical theme and chose complementary fabrics, textures, patterns and prints to enrich the look.
Floor-to-ceiling wallpaper murals deck out the living and dining areas on the first storey, with columns and trellises adorned with images of flowers, fruit and birds.
There are three sofas in the living area, which comprises a double-volume space and a tea nook. In the corner adjacent to the pool terrace is a grand piano embellished with hand-drawn floral motifs.
Drawing motifs and colours from the wall mural, the dining area feels like a walled garden, while the kitchen conjures up images of Tuscan summers in the bold maximalist style of the client’s favourite Italian fashion designer, Dolce & Gabbana.
The tearoom on the second storey combines bespoke creations and antique accessories. A green sideboard houses a crockery collection and a mirrored panel echoes the pattern on the sheer curtains.
On the same floor as the bright and colourful nursery – which features images of animals – are the master bedroom, bathroom and pantry.
The master bedroom, decked out in hues of pistachio and apricot, looks as though it belongs in a French countryside chateau. In the bathroom is a whimsical shower area modelled after a birdcage, set against a scenic mural inspired by Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater – an intricate composition of stylised trees and pink flamingoes interspersed with floral motifs.
The reading room in the attic, with its tented drapery and lattice design inspired by Islamic architecture, puts one in the mood for a glamping holiday in the desert. Sized to fit two double mattresses, the oversized daybed doubles as a guest bed.
This glamorous house won Best Interior Design (Residential, Singapore) and Best Bathroom Design (Singapore) at the 2022 International Property Awards.
• This article first appeared in the August 2022 issue of Home & Decor, which is published by SPH Magazines.
• Get the September 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 https://str.sg/wrGK
