The Chic Home: Minimalist, monochromatic cool in couple’s BTO flat

SINGAPORE – It took Ms Grace Wee and Mr Ri Sheng Kwa seven attempts to get their four-room Build-To-Order flat in Ubi – and even then, the construction was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The silver lining was that the couple had more time to save up for the renovation – which took three months and cost about $95,000, excluding furniture – before moving into the 1,001 sq ft unit in November 2023.

“We were able to spend on better-quality materials and features, such as an open-concept walk-in wardrobe and telescopic sliding glass doors,” says Mr Kwa. He and his wife are in their 30s and work in banking. They have a young son.

Ms Wee says: “We both cannot deal with colours, so it was easy for us to decide on a monochromatic colour scheme.”

Consistency was an important part of the couple’s brief to creative director Dan Wu of home-grown interior design studio Dan’s Workshop. “We wanted to have a place for everything, from furniture to appliances, and right down to the docking station for our cleaning robot,” Mr Kwa adds.

While they wanted a monochromatic palette, Mr Kwa prefers dark colours, while Ms Wee likes lighter shades. They compromised by giving each other free rein in different rooms: a dark kitchen and master bathroom for him, and a light-coloured living room for her.

Recessed ceiling track lighting runs from the entrance foyer to the living area. Strip lighting along the top of the built-in cabinets continues all the way to the living room, and helps to tie the two spaces together.

The large-format floor tiles, which have been used throughout the entire flat, were selected for seamlessness.

The living area is a light, bright space without a ceiling fan, coffee table or exposed cables.

Nearby is the default dining area where the family’s dining table, which can be extended up to 3m for gatherings, usually sits.

The bedroom beside the living and dining areas is a flexi-room that functions as a home office, an additional hosting area and a guest bedroom when needed.

The dining table, when not extended, fits comfortably into the room and can be used as a large work desk to complement a smaller desk concealed within the built-in cabinets.

The wall and door of this space were replaced with telescopic sliding glass doors. The couple had to wait about three months for the fabrication, but they say it was worth the wait.

“We love these glass doors as they allow us to convert the room for multiple purposes when needed,” Ms Wee says.

In the all-black kitchen, even the appliances are dark. Lights above the backsplash provide sufficient illumination for simple tasks. The ceiling downlights can be switched on when cooking.

The old yard door was removed to combine the yard space with the kitchen. The original kitchen wall and door have made way for telescopic sliding glass doors, like the flexi-room.

As a result, the kitchen, dining area and flexi-room appear as one fluid and interconnected space.

The highlight of the master bedroom is the walk-in wardrobe. The open rail system, enclosed by floor-to-ceiling tinted glass, is unobtrusive yet elegant and practical.

Drawing inspiration from luxury hotels, Mr Kwa went for a master bathroom decked out entirely in grey and black hues, as he finds the dark setting relaxing and therapeutic.