The Chic Home: Unfolding new spaces in young family’s BTO flat

SINGAPORE – Although the boundaries for living, working and leisure are increasingly fluid, it is still important to establish some form of segregation between these activities, even with a limited floor area.

This was a priority when the team of local design studio Artistroom worked on the four-room Housing Board flat in Ubi Road.

First-time home owners Neo Yaozhong and Chua Xiuqi, both accountants in their 30s with a baby daughter, wanted to maximise the space in the flat, which spans some 950 sq ft, so they can entertain.

Also on their wish list was a dedicated home office, and a space for Mr Neo’s plants and pet fish.

Removing the wall separating the kitchen and dining area created an open-concept layout for a more seamless relationship between the spaces.

The built-in kitchen cabinets with Brazilian rosewood veneers, complemented by terracotta-coloured counter tops and black appliances, inject a sense of warmth.

Diagonally across from the dining area is the living area, where Mr Neo’s fish tank takes pride of place on one side.

The couple’s requirement for the living area was simple – enough space for “a large television set and a cosy sofa where we can chill over Netflix and wine”, says Ms Chua.

The three bedrooms underwent some reconfiguration to enhance the zoning and privacy.

The bedroom in the middle has been transformed into a home office, with the master bedroom and the baby’s room on either side.

These three rooms open into a small private alcove. Sunlight streams into this area, thanks to the use of sliding glass doors for the home office and a fixed glass panel above the doors. The fluted-glass panels on the bedroom doors also allow some diffused light in, while preserving privacy.

The baby’s room was left flexible, so the space can be modified as she grows. The common bathroom was also deliberately designed without a shower screen, so the couple can bathe their baby in a small tub.

The flat came without flooring, and the Artistroom team selected large, stone-like square tiles that span the entire unit. This flooring blends in with the warm palette and creates a sense of visual continuity.

The couple spent about $120,000 and the renovation took about eight months to complete, due to the team’s multiple projects and the lead time for the cabinet veneers.

Mr Neo moved in first – in October 2023 – while his wife joined him later, as she was still pregnant at the time and they wanted to wait for formaldehyde from the renovation process to disperse.