The Chic Home: Space-saving style for Queenstown apartment
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Dark furnishings and concrete textures characterise this Queenstown home.
PHOTO: SPACE SENSE STUDIO
Home & Decor
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SINGAPORE – Having purchased their Queenstown condominium unit brand new, the home owners – who are in their 40s, and work in the retail and energy sectors – were prudent in prioritising the interior works that they wanted and needed.
They enlisted the help of Mr Kelvin Teo, design director of Space Sense Studio and President’s Design Award recipient, who had also designed their previous home.
The existing layout of the 1,184 sq ft, four-bedroom unit was unchanged, as it already suited the needs of the couple and their two sons aged 10 and eight.
The built-in kitchen and peninsula island were retained.
PHOTO: SPACE SENSE STUDIO
Most of the developer’s built-in fixtures – from the kitchen cabinets to peninsula island to the bedroom wardrobes – were retained, as were the bathrooms, flooring and overall configuration of the rooms.
Mr Teo’s first aim was to maximise the spatial efficiency.
“I tried to ensure that every inch of space is well-utilised by designing cabinets edge-to-edge and floor-to-ceiling,” he says. He managed to pull this off without cluttering the apartment and still preserving a sense of spaciousness.
Asymmetrical open shelves sit alongside closed cabinets in the boys’ bedrooms.
PHOTO: SPACE SENSE STUDIO
The wall space in the bedrooms was used to great advantage by building asymmetrical open shelves alongside closed cabinets. These are not only functional, but also inject artistic flair.
The shelves in the study are placed high up so as to not obstruct the view.
PHOTO: SPACE SENSE STUDIO
In the study, open shelves above the desk were constructed using slim steel members that are strong enough to support their contents while still conveying lightness.
Although the shelves are in front of a window, positioning them at a higher level ensures they serve their purpose without compromising on the view.
The home owners wanted to strike a balance between cosiness and concrete finishes.
PHOTO: SPACE SENSE STUDIO
Mr Teo’s next task was to create the right ambience for the home: something modern, sophisticated and cosy.
The clients like concrete textures and the feel of metal, but did not want to go to the extremes of the raw, industrial look.
“We did a lot of cladding, painting and concrete textures for the internal walls in order to achieve this,” he says. “We also tried to keep the forms simple, but played up the textures.”
Excluding furniture, the owners spent about $70,000 on the renovation, which took three to four months. The family moved into their new home in early 2023.
This article first appeared in Home & Decor Singapore. Go to
homeanddecor.com.sg
for more beautiful homes, space-saving ideas and interior inspiration.
