Who Lives Here? A family of three generations

Home? A multi-generational home in Tamsui, New Taipei City

Size? 1,680 sq ft

Interior Designer? Srain Interior Design

40 Year Old Building

Situated in a forty-year-old building, the home underwent an overhaul that included creating different entrances on both sides of the ground floor and putting in a skylight. The original layout had little to no space for storage, and the interior was dark due to a lack of natural sunlight.

Skylight Roof Admits Sunlight

To brighten the home, the design team installed a skylight that visually connects the spaces and allows natural light to enter from the roof, passing through the glass floors of the second and third levels to reach the kitchen.

The resulting well of light is like a sundial that tracks time throughout the day for the family.

Space For Daily Activities

Priority was also given to the spatial layout.

The ground floor, home to the grandparents, was kept unchanged as much as possible while the design team reworked the configuration of the second and third floors to accommodate the family’s daily activities and storage requirements.

Sliding Doors To Create Spaces

The third floor houses the living room and a bedroom for the family — which has three young children — to sleep together.

Children’s Bedroom

Sliding doors separate each space and can be opened up if needed, giving the family flexibility to change up the room’s layout and divide spaces to accommodate the children’s need for independence as they grow.

Flexible Communal Space

The communal spaces were also designed for flexibility.

The family loves plants, and the skylight made for a natural indoor garden where plants could thrive in the sunlight.

The design team also incorporated sliding doors here, so the garden can be opened up and made part of the indoor space when needed.

Japandi Themed Home

The team chose a simple and uncluttered Japandi style for the overall design.

They used muted earthy tones for the palette, choosing furniture with natural elements — wood, leather, fabric — to create warmth.

“We wanted to let the natural shapes and textures come through,” says the team.

7 Months of Renovation, Cost $225,700

The renovation was completed in seven months at the cost of around TWD $5 million (approximately S$225,700), and the homeowners were able to move in at the end of 2021.

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