There is a red "shipping container" in the living room of this four-room Housing Board flat in Punggol.

The red unit, which has a large glass window cut into the centre, is used to display the owners' knick-knacks, collectibles as well as toys and models from franchises such as Star Wars, The Avengers and Batman.

Although the ridged exterior looks like it was made from steel, it actually comprises plywood panels that are painted red.

Unique furniture items form several show pieces in this industrial-inspired home owned by compliance officer Jefferson Lee and financial analyst Sheryl Tian, both 32, who are parents of a one-year-old girl, Aletheia.

Next to the cabinet, for example, is a set of shelves supported by steel sprinkler pipes.

The shelves, which are made using American white oak timber, were designed and made by Peng Handcrafted, a furniture workshop founded by Mr Peng Qing Song, 43, a self-taught craftsman.

For a maximum "industrial warehouse" vibe, Mr Peng fitted sprinkler heads, light bulbs and meter gauges to the pipes.

The overall interior design was done by Mr Alvin Ang from Prozfile Design. The renovation took eight weeks to complete and cost $72,000 with furnishings.

Other industrial touches include an exposed brick wall in the living room that is studded with metal plates the couple collected on their honeymoon in Europe.

In the master bathroom, the water pipes have been given a coat of black paint and a wall is covered in Peranakan tiles of a pearly grey colour, rather than their usual bright shades.

"I picked more modern-looking furniture to soften the industrial theme," says Mr Ang. "Materials and colours matter. For instance, I chose the dining table set as it is made of natural wood and the leather sofa for its neutral colour."

The couple have also added their own touches to their home. In the study, they installed a bicycle stand, which they bought from online shopping website Taobao. Ms Tan says they were avid cyclists before their daughter came along.

Now the living room is where they spend most of their time as a family, hanging out on the L-shaped sofa. "We like to watch movies and cartoons with Aletheia in the evenings or during the weekends," Ms Tian says.

Adapted from The Straits Times.