When they were looking to renovate their new home, Mr Jonathan Chia and his wife, Ms Melissa Tjahaja, were recommended by their family friend to approach architect Lim Shing Hui of home-grown architecture and design firm L Architects.
The design of their four-room Build-To-Order Housing Board flat in Lorong Limau was driven by their love of the colour rose gold.
Mr Chia, 31, a pilot and Ms Tjahaja, 30, a veterinarian, live in the flat with their baby.
Besides giving a simple brief, the couple also requested materials such as timber flooring as they wanted a warm, cosy ambience.
Another requirement was to ensure that the living and dining areas remain spacious to accommodate gatherings.
With these needs in mind, Ms Lim and her colleague, technical executive Tse Lee Shing, studied the palette to ensure the 1,001 sq ft home would be able to effectively incorporate rose gold-coloured finishes and meet the functional needs of the couple.
To draw the eye, two feature walls were incorporated – in the living room and bedroom, which also offers a continuity of design language in the home.
With the aim of adding dimension and creating shadows when light fills the interiors, Ms Limsuggested constructing lattice structures against the walls in these spaces.
The result is a timeless-looking apartment that has unique features, and sufficient space for the home owners to display their accessories.
With an overall palette of four main hues – rose gold, oak tones, blue and white – the home has a cohesive look, with all its furniture and decor features in harmony.
The Oceanic Blue laminate from Lamitak clads the surface of the cabinetry and this finish appears in several parts of the home.
The Carrara marble dining table was also customised by Ms Lim, as a gift from Ms Tjahaja’s relative. The understated tabletop is a perfect foil for the rose-gold pendant lamps, allowing them to stand out among other fixtures.
Playing on various shades of blue, Ms Lim chose a Prussian blue subway-tiled backsplash for the kitchen. As the couple do not cook often, they opted for an open-concept kitchen, which helps the dining room look more spacious.
The lattice feature wall design in the bedroom was constructed using timber and given a striking coat of blue paint.
It draws the eye, adding dimension to the otherwise plain wall while creating the illusion of a higher ceiling.
Utilising wall space was a clever strategy in this home, as Ms Lim carved out a small study area as well as a vanity space for Ms Tjahaja.
The renovation took 2.5 months to complete and the couple, who declined to reveal the costs, moved in in April last year.
• This article first appeared in the January issue of Home & Decor, which is published by SPH Magazines.
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