They say parenthood changes your life. Sometimes, it might even force you to change homes.
That certainly was the case for Mr Arun Mathew John and Ms Tania Chan, who were living in their previous apartment for barely 10 months when they learnt they had a baby on the way.
While comfortable for two, their previous 860 sq ft two-bedroom condominium apartment in West Coast would be too small to accommodate a third family member.
Today, the couple, who are in their 30s, reside in a 1,100 sq ft two-bedroom resale apartment in Tanglin, where their year-old son enjoys a nursery of his own.
The couple - he is a director in a marine shipping company and she is a marketing and communications director - asked Ms Joy Ouyang, design manager at boutique design firm Eightytwo, for a timeless look with a largely monochromatic scheme, which they could add character to with wares acquired on their travels.
Ms Ouyang, who also designed the couple's first apartment, noted the evolution in their tastes, obviously influenced by parenthood.
"They opted for a more grown-up classic aesthetic for their new home, as compared with the edgy-industrial vibe that their old place had," she says.
The renovation took four weeks and cost $45,000. The family moved into the apartment last year.
Being a resale unit, the home had elements the couple chose to retain and adapt. But it also had parts that they did away with altogether.
For instance, the island counter in the kitchen built by the previous owners proved useful, so they kept it and changed its front face from the original tinted mirror surface to a wood-like laminate.
The master bathroom was overhauled. Everything - from the heavily veined marble walls and floors to a sunken bathtub - was removed and replaced with new tiles, decking and doors.
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• This article first appeared in the September 2019 issue of Home & Decor, which is published by SPH Magazines.
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