Lawyer Suhaimi Lazim has designed three of his own homes and several of his friends', which all have a theme of openness of space.
"It's a signature of mine. I don't like clutter and prefer open plans with lots of light. This creates space, which is a luxury in Singapore," says the 50-something partner in a law firm.
He has also been dabbling in interior design - under a design outfit called Rumah by Lieblingsg - for several years.
He now lives in a contemporary luxe three-bedroom apartment in Siglap with his wife, mother-in-law, a helper and two cats.
To accommodate everyone's needs while maintaining a bright and airy interior, Mr Suhaimi rejigged the layout.
The end result is a master bedroom with a spacious en-suite bathroom, as well as a convertible guest room for his mother-in-law.
The guest room features an accordion-like door and a fold-up Murphy bed, which allows the space to be freed up when it is unoccupied. Mr Suhaimi also incorporated a wardrobe into the guest bathroom.
His wife, Madam Faridah Sidik, who is in private banking, wanted the 1,150 sq ft home to have a luxurious ambience, which he achieved by using stone-like tiles and laminates in shades of cream and grey.
Darker and brighter colours, such as the brown patina-look tiles in the bedroom and the mustard dining chairs, add depth and texture.
"The patina-look tiles were not something in my consideration at first, but I saw their potential. The metallic sheen is interesting compared with regular wood flooring, while the reddish tint can still add warmth to a room."
"Another unique material I used is the TV console laminate, which depicts the cross-section of different stones. It's unusual and creates visual impact," he says.
The couple spent $200,000 on furnishings and the renovation, which took about 31/2 months. The family moved in in April 2018.
• This article first appeared in the December 2019 issue of Home & Decor, which is published by SPH Magazines.
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