The Chic Home: Siblings’ BTO flat inspired by dog cafe
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Home & Decor
SINGAPORE – For this support account manager and her project-engineer brother, the initial brief for their home was a low-maintenance dwelling in the style of Japanese retailer Muji.
The siblings, in their 40s and 50s respectively, share a 926 sq ft, four-room Build-To-Order Housing Board flat in Queenstown with their pet Shiba Inu.
Wolf Woof design studio’s director Carmen Tang spotted something in the clients’ quirky personalities and interest in travel, food and dogs.
She went beyond the original brief and proposed a Scandinavian-style dog cafe.
“I didn’t want to take the concept too far till it was more of a concept than a home for my client to live in,” she says. “I wanted it to be quirky yet relatable, and not trying too hard to make a statement for statement’s sake.”
Ms Tang opened up the bedroom closest to the living space and converted it into a study area. It is now a cosy corner with seating, plus a display wall with circular cut-outs occupied by toy dogs.
The platform holds storage space and folding doors allow the area to be closed off when needed.
Cabinets flanking the display area and storage units within the platform are part of the space-saving solutions needed for a small home like this.
PHOTO: WOLF WOOF
“The doggie display was a little more challenging because we needed to display the toy dogs, yet ensure the usability of the cabinet without sacrificing storage for the concept,” she says.
For the dining area, Ms Tang customised a mobile table that can be extended when the siblings host dinner parties.
The kitchen is decked out in black, light wood and patterns. The light wood lower cabinets, used throughout the home, match the vinyl flooring.
Walls were removed to combine the kitchen with the service yard and create a long kitchen counter.
PHOTO: WOLF WOOF
While the living area is awash in light hues and spruced up with artificial plants, the bathrooms sport patterns and finishes in contrasting colours. The same goes for the brother’s bedroom, which has a palette of blue and dark wood.
The master bedroom, occupied by the sister, is an airy, white-walled space. The wardrobe is in light wood with soft teal laminates.
In the master bedroom, a cabinet hides the television set when it is not in use.
PHOTO: WOLF WOOF
The cafe-inspired signs throughout the home, such as the “Free Wi-Fi” sign in the study, were sourced and designed by Ms Tang.
The project – which cost about $66,000 before furnishings – was completed over four months and the siblings moved into the home in August 2022.
This article first appeared in the August 2023 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
homeanddecor.com.sg
