Home Tour: $90,000 Colourful Indian heritage renovation for a 2-bedroom condo in Tanjong Rhu
“The vision was a clear colour palette; a creamy white as a base with forest green, terra cotta and wood. We wanted a lot of plants. We drew inspiration from houses with big courtyards and homes in South India.”
By Shannon Osztonits -
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Engrained with heritage, culture and a place to remind the homeowners of India, this gorgeous 2-bedroom condominium in Tanjong Rhu breathes life through colour, earthy textures and sentimental moments.
It’s the attention to detail: a custom coffee table with a bright green print reflecting the couple’s Indian descent…A beautifully patterned tapestry used to cover the front of their walk-in closet …Individually selected, funky patterned knobs from an antique shop in India…A swing seen in Southern Indian homes reminiscent of the homeowner’s childhood at her grandmother’s house…
Apart from the details, a major standout feature of the home is the couple’s customised furniture and decorative pieces, most of which were handcrafted in India. Expect teak woods, rattan finishes, bold and colourful prints and eco clay weave panels.
The condo’s already open-concept design won their hearts, especially as they love having friends over, whether it’s for a jam session or chilling with a book in hand (selected from the 10-meter-long floor-to-ceiling bookshelf, sliding library ladder included).
“We like to host. With this living space, there’s a lot of natural light that comes in, and there are spaces in the house that naturally support hanging out,” says the homeowners.
“I play musical instruments,” informs the husband.
“And my one real passion is books,” adds the wife.
A shared space for the musical instruments and books was very important, as well as easy guest access to these items.
Who Lives Here: A husband and wife in their mid 30s
Home: 2-bedroom Condo
Size: 1,389 sq ft
Interior designer: Distinct Identity
The master bedroom’s walk-in style closet area.
3 Bedroom, 3 Bathroom Condo
The condo comprises three rooms (two bedrooms and one study), three bathrooms (each bedroom boasts an en suite), and an open-plan living room leading into the dining area, a kitchen, and outdoor balcony patio space overlooking the river below.
Growing up in East Singapore, the couple knew they wanted to find a home in the same area. Searching for the perfect house with an agent, it was the property’s natural light via a row of windows, an existing, beautifully installed bookshelf and an open space making up the living, dining and kitchen areas that sold the couple.
The interior design studio, Distinct Identity, was recommended to the homeowners by a friend and their interior designer (Akriti) sharing the same ethnicity, just really “got” their vision.
“Our ID best captured the vibes. She got the energy of it all. We definitely wanted some softer Indian influences in the design of the house. We never had an explicit conversation about this, but she just kind of understood that anyway,” explains the homeowners.
“A lot of typical Singaporean renovations that we see are clean and minimalist. We wanted something closer to the energy of an Indian home. I think she brought us that.
“I like a base of earthiness and then like a display piece or a colour on the wall,” says the homeowner.
Living Room Design
One of the couple’s favourite spaces in their home is the living room, and this was also a strong focal point of the interior designer.
A feature wall was created from stone cladding, softened by a custom light-coloured couch (custom-made from an Indian shop in Singapore) and a subtle creamish grey-coloured carpet with faint blue and dark orangey-brown accents. Thanks to these colours, the bone inlay coffee table stands out as the star of the show (which was custom-built in India).
“There was so much colour going on in the living room itself, we didn’t want to have too many loud accents.”
Customised teak wood side tables with rattan tops sit on either side of the sofa, and the smaller one of the pair slides into the larger one if need be. The beanbag is for lounging.
“We discovered small details, like rugs, frame the different spaces and define the living room. If we have no walls such as this for the open concept vibes, it helps to define these areas,” says the homeowner.
A swing sits in the front of the living room, a traditional element you often find in Indian homes.
“It was something we spoke about before we found the house. When we found the home, there was a beautiful beam running across, and we decided that this was the spot for it,” details the couple.
“We wanted to do it in a way that wasn’t obstructive or occupying the whole space, as we like this sense of openness. When we put the swing in, we didn’t want it to block off space when you’re looking at the whole room from across the house. But also to support lounging and hanging out in the living area. There’s no back to the swing. That’s intentional.”
The bookshelf is adjacent to the swing, running along the wall. There is no TV in the living room as it’s used as a social space.
The music corner was designed next to the window. Guitars and art are on the wall.
Music Corner
A special space in this home is the music corner, decked out in a forest green wall (wall paint from Nippon) and plants. A ukulele and an electric guitar hang on the wall.
An elevated platform was created, so that the area almost becomes like a sort of performance space for when the homeowner is playing music with or for friends.
Opposite the dining table is a floor-to-ceiling rattan shoe cupboard with a wood teak laminate. The heavy green door next to the cupboard is the front door.
Dining Area
Flowing in from the living room is the dining area. A single slab mahogany wood dining table sits in the centre. A special feature of the table is its live edge, not a straight one, following the natural line of the wood grain.
Six chairs surround the table, done in custom upholstery. Three sport the same fabric as the sofa, whereas the other three don a pattern similar to the walk-in-wardrobe. The wishbone dining table chairs are finished off with a rattan back.
Beneath this, the table and chairs sit on a two-toned carpet from India, showcasing cream and maroon/reddish brown colours.
The master bedroom is situated behind the living room, and the home’s original flooring carries through to every bedroom and room (except for the outdoor area).
Master Bedroom Design
A king-size canopy bed frame was custom-built in India, as well as the rattan and cane headboard — two materials that became recurring features in the house. The side teak wood tables also show off a rattan finish.
Most of the interior designer’s efforts went into creating a gorgeous “walk-in” closet area, sectioned off by a dark wood drawer.
Wardrobe Design
French colonial-style tiles zone off the wardrobe from the bedroom, creating a very individual area for this section. The couple were adamant on a larger-than-normal wardrobe space.
Akriti proposed using a fabric overlay for the cupboards as opposed to wallpaper, which again, introduces the textures of India. Selected by the homeowners from a local fabric shop in Singapore, the material is a bold peachy orange, leaning towards a dark brown hue. The print itself is a tropical combination of hummingbirds and plants.
Breaking up the print is a laminate section, where the couple’s hand-selected circular doorknobs are placed. It’s a wonderful ode to home.
From the wardrobe area, you reach the primary en suite, constituting a shower, toilet and vanity.
Master Bedroom Design
Countertops are sintered stone, and the vanity is custom-made from a fluted wood with intricately detailed cut-out knobs. The vanity mirror is framed by a dark wood panel, tying in the darker bottom with the rest of the bathroom’s lighter shades.
To access the balcony area, you enter via the kitchen.
Outdoor Social Space with River Views
Overlooking the river below, the outdoor area is the perfect place to gather with friends. Its unobstructed views are a pleasure. Here, there is a bar and high stools for social gatherings.
The homeowners specifically opted for a bar top material that can withstand the elements, especially the rain, albeit it gives off a wooden appearance. However, the bucketseat bar stools are constructed from hardwood.
“We decided that we wanted open back chairs that can go under the bar counter, and we wanted to be able to move the chair around so that people could speak in different directions,” say the homeowners.
Spanish mosaic tiles run along the wall and were installed by the original owner. The couple decided to leave as-is, as it went with the whole vibe they were after for the outdoor balcony: a Mediterranean-type style. On the other hand, they redid the flooring, opting for textured Hafary floor tiles that were a completely different vibe from the inside of the house, selecting a rusty ocean grey colour.
This corner of the living room is soft and inviting. You can see the textured wall up close and personal.
$70,000 to $90,000 Renovation Cost
The couple’s first home renovation clocked in at $70,000 to $90,000, excluding furniture and their custom pieces. Other parts of the home that were also redone include the kitchen and guest bedroom, which doubles as a storage space, a working area with a standing desk and has an en suite bathroom.
“This is our first home reno. Understanding the space and the limitations of the space is important. Also, deciding on the colour theme quite early on in the process was helpful. It’s difficult to go back when you’re committed to lighting and electricals, as these aspects determine where furniture will be,” advises the homeowners.
“Drawing inspiration from our ancestral homes, we were both on the same page and being able to communicate this to our interior designer, who actually got our idea and vision was really helpful.”