A unique feature of this almost-40-year-old development is the step down living room is placed three steps lower than the rest of the interior. While this poses certain constraints in terms of layout and circulation, it also presents some exciting design opportunities.

Great design potential

Terrence Quah, director of Architology, recognised the potential to create an amphitheatre-like living area that would form the heart of the home, with all the other rooms flowing into this focal space.

“This complements the family-centric brief and the clients’ lifestyle. Everyone, including the kids, has their own private spaces, but this is where they can come together to spend time as a family,” says Terrence.

Pre-renovation, the sunken living room was accessible via two separate sets of steps, one leading from the entrance foyer and another from the dining area.

This made the circulation flow in the living area feel somewhat disjointed.

By continuing the steps in a C-configuration around the living space and widening the treads, it creates a more seamless connection between the entrance foyer, living area, dining room and also the newly-introduced open-concept dry kitchen.

“We have a large extended family, and we used to host family and friends often, especially before the pandemic. This sunken amphitheatre concept is great because there is ample space for everyone, and some of them can even sit on the steps,” say the homeowners, who moved in in August 2021.

The living area, dining room and dry kitchen have an elongated configuration.

Balconies at either end offer contrasting city and nature views from two opposite elevations of the residential tower. The dry kitchen is a designated hub between the living and dining areas.

“It is an intersection where members of the family cross paths and interact when they emerge from their respective bedrooms to get a snack or a drink of water,” Terrence points out.

The balcony bar table was custom-made using marble that is 30mm thick. This is where the homeowners can enjoy a view of the city lights or catch the fireworks display during the National Day Parade.

The $600,000 renovation saw the apartment totally gutted. The demolition work took about one month, the planning and design took another few months, and the final fit-out was completed within five months.

Numerous walls were hacked, and the corridor leading to the bedrooms was realigned. There is now a clear line of sight from the entrance foyer straight to the corridor.

Together with the consistent use of timber flooring for the corridor and steps, this establishes a distinct circulation parti.

The designer’s thoughtful design extends to small details, such as the sound-proofing in the piano area. The piano corner along the corridor is clad with padded acoustic panels to help contain the sounds when the children are practicing.

The original master bedroom and an adjacent bedroom have been merged into one large master suite, which also includes an enclosed study for the homeowner.

A row of curved panels separates the sleeping area from the built-in wardrobes that line one wall. Gaps in-between the panels allow natural light from the balcony to filter into the wardrobe area and create a play of light and shadow.

The wardrobe doors echo the curved form of the partition panels, which is similar to the television feature wall in the living room.

The study is located at the end of this walkway within the master suite.

With the light streaming in-between the curved panels that echo those in the living area, the experience of walking down this corridor alludes to the very private nature of the study.

The enlarged master bathroom now opens directly onto the balcony. This, along with a freestanding bath and rattan elements, gives it a resort feel.

Unlike the rest of the home, which sports light and neutral colours, the master bathroom uses a darker colour palette to provide some contrast.

The dark marble cladding on the walls of the common toilet is in direct contrast to the white marble cladding used for the master bathroom.

The large-format black and white marble with dramatic veins makes a bold statement in the master bathroom.

The children’s bedrooms underwent some major reconfiguration.

What used to be the master bathroom and dressing area is now part of the daughter’s room. And her original attached bathroom is now her brother’s (pictured above).

Both the children’s rooms now have access to a shared balcony that extends all the way to the dining room.

By turning four bedrooms into three and by reconfiguring the layout, Terrence has managed to make better use of the space in a way that also better complements the family’s needs.

In a bid to create more spaces for the children to hang out, an existing service room beside the entrance foyer has been transformed into an inviting library.

Unlike some interior designs that are stylistically driven, Terrence took his cue from the site conditions and let his design be guided by a clear planning hierarchy, vistas, materials and finishes.

“The challenge for a relatively minimalist design with a neutral colour palette such as this is to be very conscious of the various textures and tints so that the result does not end up looking plain or flat,” Terrence reiterates.

“We also incorporated a touch of luxe, but not in an opulent manner. Our interpretation of luxe is expressed through the delicate balance of materials and finishes.”

Main photo credits: Lawrence Teo; Art direction: Nonie Chen & Kristy Quah

This article was first published in Home and Decor.

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