Home Tour: Cooper, TikTok-famous golden retriever & owner’s 1-bedroom condo in Upper Thomson
Cooper’s owner, a marketing manager, spent $70,000 on renovation for his 1-bedroom condo in Thomson.
By Shannon Osztonits -
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Dog-dad to Singapore’s second-highest followed canine on TikTok @wreckitcooper, cologne connoisseur, and appreciator of a fine French wine…
I recently sat down with Nicholas to chat with him about his gorgeous green-centric 1-bedroom condo in Upper Thomson. A dream space, where the colour is a standout.
Not his first home rodeo, Nicholas’ second apartment renovation is vastly different from his Scandi-inspired bachelor pad featured in Home & Decor in 2019.
Wanting to create a home that’s comfortable enough for both him and Cooper, plenty of movable space was a biggie, even forgoing certain aspects, such as a TV and unit in the living room, to create more room for Coops to freely move around. The greenery outside also sealed the deal. Then, the fact that this unit is on the first floor meant easy access for Copper.
“Cooper pays the utility bills,” Nicholas jokes, “he loves the limelight.”
With its curved archway accents, warm back lighting features, gold brass finishings, and an outdoor patio-meets-dining area suiting Singapore’s humid climate year-round, Nicholas’ abode is an example of maximising space in the most stylish way.
Entering this green oasis is straight off a Pinterest board
Interior designer Daud from Icon Interior Design led the way on this project, aiming to create something that’s not the typical “copy and paste” template design. “I love to explore things which are rarely seen in the SG industry,” explains Daud.
This suits homeowner Nicholas’ style. With his love for Asian art and trending topics, he also appreciates a bit of the absurd. “Along with bits of minimalism, I like small touches of weird stuff. For example, the tiles on the walls; they are actually purposefully uneven,” says Nicholas, smiling.
Who Lives Here: A Marketing Manager and his TikTok-famous dog, Cooper
Home: A 1-bedroom condo
Size: 561 sq ft
Interior designer: Icon Interior Design
Archways recur throughout different spaces of the home.
This 1-bedroom condo features a kitchen, living room, balcony/patio, master bedroom, and bathroom. After one archway design led to another, the house ended up with a total of four arches, lending extra softness to the overall space. These were constructed in the living room space, the bathroom, one for the back wall vanity, and one in the bedroom.
From its touches of Mid-Century bliss to creating key design elements through colours and shapes, it’s the type of home I’d conjure up for a perfect Pinterest board, reminding one of a hotel from the 50s or 60s that Andy Warhol would choose.
The green colour palette carried through every room.
The kitchen and the hallway leading to the Master Bedroom with the vanity on the right-hand side.
Green Interior Design
“Green is here to stay!” Exclaims Nicholas, and I couldn’t agree more. “Even a year later, I’m still happy with the colour scheme.”
Although this homeowner was initially a little apprehensive, he and his ID eventually settled on the green-throughout colour scheme; dollar bill green to be exact.
“I wanted a bit more character…I would say it’s very mysterious but also a colour that is quite neutral,” describes Nick.
The green works; an accent that is carried across design, whether it’s the kitchen cupboards or the living room wall. Even the artwork in this home was carefully selected to bring in the green tones, like his print from renowned Thai artist, Gongkan. However, this is also cleverly contrasted with wooden furniture, marble flooring, and brass elements, from ceiling lights to tap handles.
Kitchen Design
The kitchen space is an ideal size for this bachelor and his best friend, Cooper, and is equipped with everything Nicholas needs.
This includes the dedicated wine fridge — a non-negotiable for Nick during the initial design phases.
All cabinetry was painted in dollar bill green, contrasted with gold brass handles for a Mid-Century feel. The kitchen wall is tiled in lighter cream, with warm backlighting used around the cooking area.
The bar nook around the island equipped with vinyl player space.
Home Bar
Separating the kitchenette from the outdoor patio is a bar nook. When Nicholas brought the property, this section didn’t exist. Seeking a space to hang out around the open-concept living room and kitchen, he and the design team came up with the idea of an island, which was initially supposed to be a dining table.
The curved island with fluted panels is topped with white quartz, tying in textures that are contraposed.
Underneath the island (on the kitchen side) is Nicholas’ beloved wine fridge, lined with bottles of French wine. On the opposite side of the island are two rattan bar stools. Off to the side of the island is his vinyl record player.
“I wanted the designer to focus on the kitchen area and the island because I feel like that’s the place where someone walks in and it’s the first thing they see,” says Nick. “Now I have a place for my vinyl player, for my wine, and my chill time.”
The very large outdoor patio with 10-seater dining table.
Balcony Patio
The patio extends outwards from the bar nook area, across the perimeter of the kitchen and living room. It’s Nicholas’ favourite space in his home.
After hearing this homeowner’s brief, his ID wanted to utilise the large balcony as an outdoor dining area as a way to increase the illusion that the internal communal area is larger than it is, post-carpentry installations.
The dining area is now outside, equipped with a 10-seater table. Shaded by trees, it’s the ultimate place to entertain guests.
The living room back wall facing the balcony patio.
Living Room
The living room is steps away from the kitchen. A big, large grey sofa sits against a light green structural wall, creating a cosy space to chill on. Opposite the sofa is a sliding door leading outside to the balcony. A Ziptrak track-guided blind system was installed along here, chosen for a very specific reason.
“So I wouldn’t say I’m a big television guy, so it wasn’t a sacrifice. But actually, I don’t have a TV. But if we put the blinds down, we can actually cast my projector from the sofa. When I have friends over, we can watch Netflix,” Nicholas informs, “But other than that, it is just me and my dog who needs space. Having a television would mean less space to move around the house.”
The Ziptrak was installed so the projector can be cast onto the wall.
The shower and toilet.
Bathroom Design
The bathroom comprises two spaces: the toilet and rainshower, and then a vanity for Nicholas’ 40+ bottles of cologne — which is quite the collection.
The vanity area is separated from the bathroom, directly on the other side, before you enter the Master Bedroom. Where the cabinets are built (to house his collection) was originally a window. The design team sealed off the entire window (it wasn’t there for ventilation, so it didn’t serve a real purpose). This allowed them to construct the storage space for his colognes.
“It’s now a space where I can do my skincare routine,” Nicholas adds.
A green archway feature made from tiles completes the bathroom aesthetic, and the gold finishings are streamlined throughout this space, including the shower head, taps, and toilet roll holders.
Master Bedroom Design
The sliding door into the Master Bedroom is part of the original design. This perfectly suits the size of the primary, with no doors swinging inwards or outwards to worry about.
A king-sized bed with a dark wooden base is accentuated by the wooden arched wall (done in the same wood), completing the space but also adding a sense of depth.
The same fluted green design as the kitchen island is brought into the Master, completing the overall design concept. On either side of the bed are two side tables with a lamp. It’s quite minimalist, yet warm, thanks to the colour palette and wood used in the carpentry side of things. There’s a wardrobe to the side for storage.
The Master Bedroom up close.
This renovation took three months to complete, and Nicholas and Cooper moved in last October 2024.
“When there’s a will, there’s a way,” Nick aptly puts it. “If you really like something, go with your gut feel.”
When asked if he had any tips to share with potential or new home renovators, I loved his answer, showing that the care is in the details.
“Anything brass needs extra care. The wooden deck outside is composite, which means it’s easy to wash.”
Behind every element is thought and purpose. I especially loved the warm mushroom-shaped lights as I liked referring to them (and which Nick agreed they do look like) used throughout the home, from one on the kitchen counter to in the Master Bedroom.