The Chic Home: Reimagined resale flat for small family

SINGAPORE – Sometimes, the road to the right interior designer might require a detour.

“We went to two designers, one of which was M Atelier. Based on the budget, we went with the other designer. However, when we had the first render, it fell way below our expectations,” says Ms Liam Hui Hua, a senior human resource manager.

She and her husband – who are in their late 30s and 40s, and have a 4½-year-old toddler and a helper who lives with them – returned to Ms Megan Zhang, the interior design director of home-grown studio M Atelier.

Their new home was an old Housing Board resale flat built in Redhill in the early 1990s, so they wanted to strip everything away.

“Megan immediately nailed it,” Ms Liam says, adding that she and her husband – American finance controller Casey Arthur – were impressed when they saw her proposal.

Before the renovation, several spaces in the five-room flat lacked natural light due to the unit’s unusual layout. However, it was on a high floor and had an ample floor area of 1,358 sq ft.

The solution was to overhaul the layout. The couple wanted a helper’s room, a walk-in wardrobe, an open-concept kitchen and a room for their daughter.

One bedroom was removed to expand the dining area and add a new study. These merge with the living area to become a large shared space where the family can relax and entertain.

The kitchen was also expanded, with an island added. The original study was converted into the helper’s room, tucked behind a hidden door on one side of the kitchen.

Now that the space has been opened up, light flows through the windows in the dining area towards the living area and kitchen.

With a mix of woodgrain finishes and neutral colours, the home is both soothing and dynamic. The finishes, such as the smooth tiles on the backsplash, were selected for easy maintenance.

“The most ‘wow’ design feature is the pillar in the living area, with one side for dining and the other for work. She used a mirror to make it more spacious,” says Ms Liam of Ms Zhang’s design.

Ms Zhang, who added storage for appliances and household items, says practicality was important. “It can be frustrating to see things lying around and situations where, for example, the vacuum cleaner does not have a place to park and charge. So, we made sure the family has the storage space it needs.”

The project was completed over four months to the tune of about $250,000, and the family moved into the home in May 2023.

Ms Liam says: “Although we don’t cook, we really like the kitchen area. We can see the whole living room, dining room, and kitchen when we come home and open the door.

“It’s a very comfortable space to live in – everything we envisioned a home to be. With such a nice space, it’s a reminder for us to keep it neat and tidy too.”