The Chic Home

Magic of mix and match

A blend of styles, colours and patterns gives this five-room Housing Board flat a unique touch

Art features prominently throughout the apartment, such as in this corner, which is also furnished with a quirky two-seater chair.
Art features prominently throughout the apartment, such as in this corner, which is also furnished with a quirky two-seater chair. PHOTOS: VERONICA TAY; ART DIRECTION: NONIE CHEN
The multipurpose kitchen island doubles as a worktable and incorporates storage below it.
The multipurpose kitchen island doubles as a worktable and incorporates storage below it. PHOTOS: VERONICA TAY; ART DIRECTION: NONIE CHEN

Tucked away in a quaint estate along Circuit Road is Mr Mark Wong's bachelor pad.

He bought the five-room Housing Board flat in 2017 after selling his previous home - an industrial loft-style maisonette in Sin Ming that was designed by home-grown design studio Three-D Conceptwerke and featured in Home & Decor.

Having worked on Mr Wong's maisonette eight years ago, the design team is familiar with his preferences. "This is a project where the client's taste and personal touches really made a difference to the end result," says a spokesman for the team.

While the basic style can be considered modern European, with wall beadings, a coffer-like ceiling and the Hamptons-style kitchen, the interior is largely inspired by American interior designer Julia Buckingham's signature Modernique style.

Defined as a "blend of modern and vintage that boldly mixes styles, periods, colours, patterns, textures and even some bling", it is a decorating approach that allows home owners to create one-of-a-kind spaces.

According to Ms Buckingham, "the concept of Modernique is to acquire over time. Start with a few anchor pieces and then you consider scale and how you can put them all together".

This was exactly what Mr Wong, who is in his 50s and works in hospitality, and the design team did.

They began by stripping the 1,474 sq ft apartment and reconfiguring the layout such that the spaces are as open as possible.

The existing master bedroom with an attached bathroom has been converted into a walk-in wardrobe. The room next door is now the master bedroom, which opens out onto a semi-circular balcony that is shared with a third bedroom.

The doors are usually left open. Mr Wong says: "I want the spaces to flow throughout the entire apartment. There is no need to close up the rooms because it is just me and my cats, Freddie and Sofia."

To the left of the main entrance is the open-concept kitchen that was designed around the Smeg hob and oven. The red Smeg refrigerator and other Smeg appliances add a pop of colour against the grey cabinets and white Dekton countertops too.

Since moving in just before Chinese New Year in 2018, Mr Wong has already made changes to the interior, something he is used to doing in the homes he has lived in.

The original sofa and armchairs in the living room have been replaced with a pair of chaise longues that can be placed separately or rearranged to form a large daybed.

The latest revamp also saw the incorporation of metallic elements, such as ornamentation salvaged from a Queenslander home, which Mr Wong spray-painted silver.

He also added hand-painted wallpaper from Britain within the existing wall beadings. Together, they form an interesting frame and backdrop for some of his art collection.

The choice of furniture and furnishings in the apartment reflects his penchant for salvaging one-off pieces that people cast off as junk. He says: "I like the idea of reusing old stuff and incorporating some new elements to create interesting details."

The master bathroom has been extended to create a larger shower area.

While the controlled palette of greys, whites and black is consistent with the rest of the interior, the neon pink and glittery silver of an artwork depicting New York City's Times Square on the wall adds a pop of colour.

The renovation, which took around four months, set Mr Wong back by about $150,000, excluding furniture and furnishings.

For the design team, this project was about creating a versatile interior that the home owner can add his own personal touches to over time. "It reflects the bond between the client and his home," says the spokesman.

• This article first appeared in the June 2020 issue of Home & Decor, which is published by SPH Magazines.

• Get the July 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 www.homeanddecor.com.sg

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 18, 2020, with the headline Magic of mix and match. Subscribe