Home to a family of three, the design of this 936sqf three-room HDB home at Sky Terrace @ Dawson was inspired by the homeowners' travels and years of studying in Australia. They also needed lots of storage and wanted to keep cables of appliances hidden especially for the safety of their young son.

Homeowner Lester Goh (pictured with his wife and son here) is an interior design enthusiast and decided to design his home on his own.

The living room is kept white, including for the cabinetry, which hides the TV. This palette allows the collection of furniture and furnishings, such as a vintage leather sofa, rattam armchairs, a drift wood lamp and a Union Jack rug, to stand out. Lester dressed the walls with his favourite art pieces and guitar.

The wall between the kitchen and living room was hacked, and replaced with an island counter to extend the use of space, while maintaining visual connectivity with other parts of the home.

The counter was designed such that there is standing space on three sides to encourage interaction when family members are preparing meals. This area is also a perfect spot for dinner parties as food is served over the counter.

To create dimension in the home, Lester designed an angled laminate wall for the TV cabinetry, and a slanted false ceiling, to give the living room a unique feature.

As the bathrooms in the apartment had limited floor space, the interiors were kept white and bright to prevent it from looking claustrophobic. Ledges were created to conceal pipping, while offering space where plants can be displayed.

The open-plan living spaces allow the family to communicate effectively even when in different areas of the home.