When it comes to his first home, Haikal Mohamed left no stone unturned. From hunting for the perfect property, to scouting for an interior designer most suitable for the project, the digital marketer spared no effort.
After engaging with 10 interior designers, he finally decided that Pivot would be the one. “Some designers just wanted to design what they wanted, while others gave me rather “normal” proposals.
Pivot’s scheme was unique, out-of-the-box and I could tell that a lot of effort had been put into it,” he says.
Who Lives Here A digital marketer in his 30s
Home A three-bedroom condominium at Bedok Reservoir Road
Size 1,055 sq ft
For Pivot’s designer, Keith For Pivot’s designer, Keith Low, clinching this project against nine other firms was a tremendous motivation.
Interior design inspired by The Golden Ratio
He brainstormed no fewer than 10 schemes, before eventually going with this one. He was inspired by the Golden Mean, a mathematical ratio used by artists, architects and designers to come up with aesthetically pleasing proportions.
The Golden Spiral is one of the derivations of the Golden Mean.
“It started out as an exercise on the plan, where I superimposed the spiral and curves onto the layout. When Haikal collected the keys and I visited the unit, everything just fell into place. The design echoes the curved banks of Bedok Reservoir, as if they are engaged in dialogue,” Keith explains.
objects.
The original layout was fairly typical – you entered via a corridor leading from the main entrance, and another corridor led to the bedrooms.
Keith felt that doing away with the corridors would achieve a more efficient use of space.
Extensive Layout Reconfiguration
Besides, Haikal also favoured a more open layout. The unit underwent extensive reconfiguration and almost everything was replaced, except for the main door and windows, as well as part of the bedroom flooring.
Open Concept Kitchen
To the right of the main entrance, the original enclosed galley kitchen is now an open concept L-shaped kitchen, which flows seamlessly into the dining area. Without the original corridor, the enlarged dining area offers more space for Haikal to entertain, which he does a fair bit.
The curved ceiling, rounded corners of the kitchen cabinets and oval dining table reinforce the circular theme.
The timber dining table was designed by Haikal, taking inspiration from a Belgium design. He went to the extent of having a 1:1 scale version fabricated out of cardboard in order to test out the design and size and how it fits within the space before actually going ahead with the build.
Open Concept WFH Setup
One of the bedrooms has been converted into an open study. With the walls hacked away, the study and adjacent living room read as one large space. Visually connecting the two are the sweeping arcs of the custom-built, reinforced concrete work desk that was built over an existing bay window, and the curved Tacchini sofa from Made & Make.
The wall that extends from the main entrance to the dining and living rooms is finished in a terracotta limewash, terracotta being one of Haikal’s favourite colours besides green and blue. “I love the colour and texture, and how organic and raw it looks. It makes the home feel earthy and warm,” he says.
Bedroom, Bathroom Doors Relocated
The layouts of the rest of the bedrooms and bathrooms also saw some extensive changes involving the shifting of walls and relocating of doors. The existing corridor was dispensed with and replaced with a cosy nook behind a curtained arched opening that leads to the two bedrooms and common bathroom, each accessible via an arched doorway.
The green curtains and doors, along with the botanical wallpaper imbibe nature, creating a tranquil and restful feel as you cross the threshold into the more private spaces within the home.
By incorporating an en suite wash basin and vanity area within the master bedroom, the enclosed toilet and shower areas can be smaller. This makes the room feel more spacious.
Aligning the new wardrobes with the vanity counter and flipping the position of the bed to the opposite side of the room allows for a more efficient layout. The lowered curved ceiling above the wash and vanity area and the transition from timber flooring to tiles are clever ways of notionally defining the wet area from the rest of the bedroom.
Japandi Guest Bedroom
The guest bedroom pays homage to the Japandi style that Haikal originally wanted. A tatami platform was built over an existing bay window. The Zen setting with a view of the swimming pool is perfect as the room is also where Haikal reads or takes work calls.
Total Renovation Cost: $70,000 over 4 Months
Haikal moved into the home in February 2021 after a four-month renovation costing $70,000 (excluding furniture and furnishings).
The success of this project can be attributed to many factors, but one of the most important is the two-way, collaborative process between Haikal and Keith.
“I may have been the one who came up with the design, but it was with Haikal’s feedback and input that I was able to really push the design boundaries,” says Keith.
Although he initially wanted Japandi style for its serene and organic qualities, Haikal started gravitating towards elements of eclecticism and modernism as he discussed the design more in-depth with Keith.
“My full personality would not have come through if we had stuck to a pure Japandi concept. Keith and I had a lot of discussions during the design process and explored what I really preferred. I am glad that it evolved into what it is now, which truly reflects my tastes and lifestyle.” Haikal comments.