Natural materials and muted hues give this home a down-to-earth and outdoorsy atmosphere. This mirrors the lifestyle of the homeowners, too — a couple who enjoys wakeboarding, holidaying at places-less-travelled, and most recently, gardening.

Their only prerequisites were that the house be clad in terrazzo and wood. A simple request on paper, but not many interior designers could understand the “feel-good” look they wanted. However, with Sujono Lim of interior design firm Parenthesis, it took only the first meeting, and an out-of-the-ordinary floorplan, for the couple to be convinced.

Sujono had proposed an open plan with two-toned floor; the living room and bedrooms would feature a light wood flooring, and the rest a speckled terrazzo floor. The area comprising the study room and kitchen were also configured in a symmetrical setting. Both spaces feature a set of ribbed glass sliding doors, while a long wooden island — customised as a loose piece of furniture — sits between them. The renovation cost totalled to $65,000.

“We like the raw texture of plywood, but Sujono proposed a veneer that could achieve the look we wanted while being more durable. Everything else he proposed, such as the bathroom tiles and open kitchen shelving where we can display our Japanese ceramic goods, [met our criteria],” say the couple.

The homeowners had a knack for decorating, too. They used photographs from their trip to Ethiopia and India, souvenirs such as a weave basket from Morocco, and plants to add texture and vibrancy to the home.

“Sujono did a great job with the space planning. The home is spacious for our friends to hang out in, we can easily refer to recipes on the wooden island as we cook in the kitchen and, when we work in the study room, the ridged glass provides us privacy without blocking out too much light,” shares the couple.

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