New Zealander Richard Lee and his Singaporean wife, Priscilla Chong, bought this four-bedroom condominium in its original condition back in 2015. “It was over 30 years old and showing its age. The interior layout was very compartmentalised and closed-in, and it did not take advantage of the sea view or the spacious balcony,” says Richard.
The couple’s initial reaction was that they needed to open up the spaces to maximise views, allow more natural light into the apartment and to enhance cross-ventilation. They started with a conceptual drawing of what they wanted and passed it on to Victor Ting, design director of The Carpenter’s Workshop.
The footprint of the apartment block is an irregular shape, which not only posed a design challenge, but also provided the opportunity to create potentially interesting spaces.
The De La Espada Welles dining table with Manta dining chairs designed by Matthew Hilton are ideal for the odd-shaped space, complemented by a De La Espada Autoban Double Octopus lamp.
Richard now spends most of his time in Singapore, and returns to New Zealand for vacation.
“Richard and Priscilla were very clear that they wanted the apartment designed around their lifestyle and needs. We reconfigured the apartment, did away with rooms that we knew would stay empty, and went about designing spaces that would be well-utilised by the couple,” says Victor.
The original kitchen was located in a cramped corner to the right of the main entrance. “It was an odd shape and would not have accommodated the kitchen island that the homeowners wanted, so we moved the kitchen to where the living room used to be,” Victor explains. The space vacated by the kitchen now fits a four-seater rectangular dining table comfortably and the living area now occupies the original dining room. This musical chairs of sorts makes perfect sense as the three areas now flow seamlessly, which is ideal for entertaining guests, and the vista has been opened up so that everyone can sit back and enjoy the unobstructed views.
Full-height pivot glass doors take advantage of the natural breeze, allowing it to flow through the entire apartment.
A series of Nemo Ark Wall Shadows Petit lamps creates a unique wall installation-like feature along the corridor.
One of the bedrooms was converted into Richard’s home office. It is a versatile space that can be closed off for privacy, or opened up to become a family hall-like space. It can also serve as an antechamber to the master bedroom.
An elegant Cassina Cavalletto desk in American Walnut provides ample workspace without overpowering the small study room.
Victor and his team combined two adjacent bedrooms into one master suite comprising bedroom and walk-in wardrobe. The bathroom originally attached to one of the bedrooms is now the master bathroom. Like the rest of the living spaces, the master suite capitalises on the breathtaking sea view.
A Porro open storage system provides flexible storage within the walk-in wardrobe attached to the master bedroom. There is another built-in wardrobe where the couple store the rest of their clothes.
The generously sized Paola Lenti Move chaise longue in the music and reading alcove makes it the perfect accompaniment to music and books. It also doubles as a guest bed.
The extended common bath feels like a spa, complete with pebbles, a pedestal wash basin, a Jacques Adnet Circulaire mirror for Gubi, and some Oriental home accessories.
“While our Singapore home has a more city character that provides a great balance to our home in New Zealand, it is nice to be able to feel a sense of space even in a smaller home. “Opening up the original rooms, letting in more light and capitalising on the views definitely did wonders,” Richard concludes.