SINGAPORE – The owners of this Seletar Hills house, a couple in their 40s who work in finance, bought the property in 2019, but shelved renovation plans due to the pandemic.

However, this gave them more time to consider what they wanted for the home, which they share with their elderly parents and three children: a 15-year-old daughter and two boys aged 12 and 10.

Their search for an interior designer brought them to Mr Lawrence Puah, design director of Akihaus Design Studio.

“We appreciate that Lawrence has a background in architecture. He also has experience working on old houses and understands the challenges that these projects may entail,” say the home owners.

As the house is about 50 years old, the home owners considered demolishing and rebuilding it. However, further discussions with Mr Puah convinced them that they did not need to do so.

Mr Puah says: “Owners of older houses often consider a rebuild because the existing interiors tend to be convoluted and dark, thus giving the impression that the spaces are very tight and limited. However, oftentimes, all it takes is a reconfiguration of the spaces that will not only address the owner‘s modern-day needs, but also open up the interior for more natural light and ventilation.”

This house was originally designed in the Modernist architectural style of the 1970s and 1980s, with cantilevered reinforced concrete forms both internally and externally, as well as an impressive double-volume space.

“This made retaining the existing house more meaningful, as it not only preserves a part of our built history, but its architectural DNA also makes for interesting design,” says Mr Puah.

As nature lovers, one of the things that the couple like about the property – which has a built-up area of 3,310 sq ft – is the expansive outdoor garden at the front, side and rear of the house, which brings the land area to approximately 5,000 sq ft.

Mr Puah added a timber deck in front of the house, just outside the living area, to extend the internal space and heighten the connection between the indoor and outdoor spaces. Large slabs of granulated pavers, surrounded by a border of lava stones, balance the greenery and serve as a space for outdoor yoga.

Located on slightly higher terrain a few steps up is a semi-outdoor patio, which is next to the existing dining room and serves as another place for the family to gather and eat.

To brighten up the interior, the louvres above the double-volume living room were replaced with fixed glass panels and the ceiling timber strips were painted white.

The wall separating the dining area from the kitchen and back-of-house areas was replaced with sliding glass panels. This opens up the vista and the spaces, and enhances natural ventilation.

The interior features and finishes have also been designed to reinforce spatial clarity. A timber laminate feature wall, which stretches from the living area to the dining room, conceals the wiring for the television set and other entertainment equipment. A white wall opposite leads the way upstairs.

The dining room is located a few steps above the living area. To make up for the room’s low ceiling height, Mr Puah hollowed out the spaces between the existing beams above the dining room and kitchen.

The former kitchen was combined with a spare bedroom, with a spacious island added to the enlarged area. The addition of high stools makes it a great place to have breakfast or grab supper. Sliding doors run the length of the kitchen, and allow the kitchen and dining room to become one seamless space or closed off when required.

By extending the house towards the rear, Mr Puah carved out more space for the owners’ parents’ room, which is located just beyond the kitchen. The room has garden access and an attached bathroom. Being on the first storey also makes it more convenient for the seniors to head out for their daily exercise.

There are three bedrooms on the second storey: one each for the parents, their daughter and both sons.

The master bedroom overlooks the front of the house and the park opposite, with a walk-in wardrobe outside the en-suite bathroom. Mr Puah extended the existing balcony with an additional tier above the car porch roof to capitalise on the room’s views.

The family moved back into their home in November 2022 after a six-month renovation.

• This article first appeared in the December 2023 issue of Home & Decor, which is published by SPH Magazines. Check out the digital edition of Home & Decor on the App Store, Magzter or Google Play, and see more inspiring homes at homeanddecor.com.sg