A filial granddaughter’s 1-bedroom plus study condominium in Normanton Park
Having prioritised her grandmother’s caregiving needs, moving into her own home took a backseat, until now.
By Lynn Tan -
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Who Lives Here: A civil servant in her early 40s
Home: A 1-bedroom plus study condominium at Normanton Park
Size: 581 sqft
Interior Designer: SqM2 Interior Design LLP
For most people, owning their first home is a significant milestone that is often associated with achieving financial independence or a change in marital status.
For Miss Koh, a civil servant in her early 40s, buying her first home has an altruistic element. She only started entertaining the idea of having her own home a few years ago when her family found a helper to look after her ailing grandmother, whom she has lived with since young.
“It marked a turning point for me and after years of caregiving, the move toward my own home felt emotional,” she shares.
As she started relinquishing her duties as the primary caregiver, she was able to begin her search for a suitable unit, not actively at first, as she was merely browsing the listings on property websites and keeping an eye out for new developments in Bukit Merah, Queenstown and Telok Blangah areas, which are near her family.
Nothing piqued her interest until the Silat Avenue and Normanton Park developments came on the market. Comparing the pricing and floor plans of the various one-bedroom and one-bedroom plus study units in both developments, she finally decided on the latter despite it being the least accessible of the two as she does not drive.
She loves that it is close to nature, being right next to Kent Ridge Park. She also prefers less crowded developments, so the larger site area is an advantage.
Search for an interior designer
A Straits Times feature of SqM2 Interior Design LLP creative director, Don Wong’s home caught Miss Koh’s eye and she decided to approach him to take on the interior design of her new home.
“I also looked at his other portfolios and noted that he does not have a fixed personal style, showcasing his adaptability to tailor his designs to his client’s needs and preferences. This was a characteristic which I very much appreciated as I am not a fan of the typical look and feel of overly neutral toned homes, which is a little boring and lacking in character from my perspective,” she says.
She shared her preferred colour palette of wood tones, blush and sage with Don, as well as the need for more storage space as the unit does not come with a storeroom. Having been a pastry chef for four-and-a-half years during the earlier years of her career, she has a sizeable collection of recipe books, baking tools and equipment, which require storage as well.
“As the space is small, she was aware of not overdoing the design so that it will not feel cramped or claustrophobic. The main goal was to design a home where she can rest and relax after a long day,” says Don.
Entrance foyer
Don introduced new built-in cabinets at the entrance foyer. Apart from properly defining the transition space leading into the home, these new additions comprising shoe storage, a seating area and a mirror also address important functional requirements usually associated with heading in and out of a home.
Living room
The new television feature wall continues across the entrance leading into Miss Koh’s private study, bedroom and bathroom, all the way to the side of the open concept kitchen. The use of wood adds warmth to the interior.
The fluted panelling and the flushed air-conditioner screen are Miss Koh’s favourite features in the home, along with the concealed door that gives her the flexibility of enclosing or opening up the spaces in the inner sanctum of her home.
Dining balcony
In the original floor plan, the dining area was a tight corner located between the kitchen and living room. Moving it to the balcony not only freed up the interior space, making more room for the Son & Bear sofa, but also makes better use of the balcony real estate in the compact home.
Miss Koh now gets to enjoy her meals in an alfresco setting with a view. Decking and zip blinds were added to make the dining balcony more conducive, private and weatherproof. The area remains cool and usable with the blinds down and the air-conditioner on.
Study area
With some reconfiguration, the study area, which was originally open to the rest of the home, is now enclosed within the homeowner’s private realm.
Built-in cabinets were added to increase storage capacity for bulky items such as suitcases and a vacuum cleaner. The sage and wood combination reflects Miss Koh’s colour preferences.
Bedroom
To make the off-the-rack storage bed feel like a cohesive part of the bedroom, Don designed a headboard that integrates with the adjacent wardrobes, using a fluted detailing which echoes that in the living area. The existing wardrobes were replaced with custom designed ones with blush and wood laminates that give the room a soft touch and warm aura.
Interior designer Don tailored the wardrobe compartments according to the client’s needs, including a KKPL manual clothes lifter and an open section for her next-day outfit. A vanity counter opposite complements the wardrobe and is also decked out in a similar colour palette.
Bathroom
The bathroom can be accessed from both the bedroom and the study area. It is a cheery space and the shower area was retiled using colours similar to the bedroom.
$64,000 Renovation cost
All in, the cost came up to about $64,000. About $50,000 went into the renovation cost, lighting, electrical works, zip blinds and curtains, and another $14,000 for furnishings, excluding appliances, décor items and other living essentials.
Even though Miss Koh collected the keys to the unit at the end of 2023 and the renovations only took about two months and were completed some time ago, she has yet to move in. This is due to personal reasons and also because she currently has a place in her sister’s home, together with her brother-in law, nephew and parents. She plans on moving into her new home sometime in May or June 2026.
For her, having her own home is a significant milestone in her adulthood and she intends to live here for the long haul.