House Tour: Mosh Interior founder's own 5-room Tampines HDB resale flat is a laid-back, calm sanctuary
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At 1,400 sq ft, this five-room resale HDB flat in Tampines is considerably larger than the typical five-room flats in Singapore.
This is thanks to the flat's many angled spaces, which could either be a boon or a bane depending on the design of the interior.
Shermaine Ong, the founder of boutique interior design firm Mosh Interior, saw it as an exciting challenge.
"My husband, on the other hand, was a little bit deterred by all the angles. So I teased him: "What are you afraid of? I'm the interior designer'," she shares with a laugh.
Who Lives Here A family of four, a helper and a dog
Home A five-room HDB flat in Tampines
Size 1,400 sq ft
Interior Designer Mosh Interior
The details of the cabinetry help to balance out the glaring presence of the odd-angled beams, making the open living area feel cosy and intimate.
An Interior Designer's Own HDB Home
Today, the couple live in the renovated home with their two daughters, aged 7 and 5, a helper and the family dog.
The extensive renovation saw the original flat's awkward angles eliminated, turned into clever storage solutions and cosy pockets to retreat while leaving the common areas airy and spacious for socialising.
More difficult to design her own home
When asked if designing your own family home is harder than designing for clients, Shermaine says, "For my first home, yes, but for this second home, it's easier because by then I have learned from all the mistakes I made in my first home and I apply those to address my family's needs for this new home.”
This odd corner has been turned into a cosy nook the family members love snuggling in.
Shermaine’s home office is simply designed but well equipped to meet all her needs.
Designing around the structural beams
The structural beams of a flat play a crucial role in shaping the interior space. Reconciling the spatial requirements with the flats existing beams was the biggest challenge in designing the home, according to Shermaine.
Her engineer turned professional baker husband requested an ample dry kitchen with a baking station, which necessitated it to extend beyond the space dictated by the beams.
After changing the layout several times, Shermaine decided to break out of the rigidity of the proverbial box and not worry so much about having clean-cut spaces under the beams.
“This might not be approved by regular clients, so I'm lucky that I'm my own client,” she comments.
French doors open up into the playroom, which used to be another bedroom in the home’s layout.
This softer approach paid off beautifully. The dry kitchen, dining and living areas are one seamless open space. The beam running parallel above the rectangular dining table actually makes the dining experience feel more intimate.
So does the beam running above the daybed section of the L-shaped sofa in the living room.
The diagonal layout of the flooring tiles provide an interesting contrast with the kitchen cabinetry.
The backsplash, composed of square tiles and black grouting, add a quaint charm to the open kitchen.
Walls hacked to reconfigure layout
Shermaine removed and reconfigured about 80 per cent of the original flat's walls to create a better layout for her family.
The wall between the parents' and the kids' bedrooms are shifted to create storage.
The wall between the living and dining area was knocked down while the entrance to the playroom – formerly a common bedroom – was enlarged with double French doors to visually and spatially connect it to the main common area.
The balcony area was brought indoors, its existing awkward-angled nook turned into a cosy reading room with plush cushions, a bookshelf, storage and power points.
Home appliances are carefully concealed behind wall panels to create an open and uncluttered layout.
A Storage Wall
Shermaine created a storage wall to screen off the living area from the entrance. The former balcony area next to the door was cleverly turned into Shermaine's home office.
Another design highlight is the custom carpentry, which neatly contains things and workstations.
For instance, the storage between the entryway and the kitchen contains a laundry and ironing station that can be folded and slotted to the wall when not in use.
Instead of trying to conceal the odd angles, Shermaine decided to turn them into highlights of the home.
The drawers in the dry kitchen have a tiered interior for maximum snack and utensil organisation, while the white carpentry neatly contains the oven, the fridge, and an LG Styler on the side, which takes care of the dry cleaning duty.
White, Grey, Natural Colours
The colour palette is dominated by white, muted grey and natural wood, while the finishes are chosen for their ease of maintenance.
Among them are large-format tiles, wood laminates, Silestone slabs in the shower, and mosaic tiles for the kitchen backsplash. These are paired with French doors and shutters that lend a relaxed yet luxurious touch.
"We have a lot of doors here, 16 of them,” Shermaine says. These allow the adults to manage the access of the children and the dog depending on the occasion.
Total Renovation Cost: $140,000
The renovation cost around $140,000, and the family moved into the new home in August 2022. The home balances its open space with intimate nooks where they can decompress and pursue their interests.
It's a home whose luxury is intangible, formed by ample light and the thoughtful articulation of the interiors.
“I asked myself, what do I want my children to think about their childhood when they're grown up? I want them to think about an airy, laid-back, happy space where they ran around with the dog,” shares Shermaine.