House Tour: Can you insert a loft into a one-bedroom condo? Yes, says this Japandi home
From the outside, you cannot tell that this compact one-bedroom, Japandi-style condominium unit has an additional loft. We find out how.
By Asih Jenie -
Is it possible to squeeze a loft into a one-bedroom condominium unit with a 3.75m ceiling without it feeling cramped? As Carmen Tang, founder of Wolf Woof, illustrates in this 527 sq ft home in North Singapore, you can.
The owners, a couple in their 40s working in the automobile industry, had a short but specific wish list. In addition to a clean Japanese style with wall cladding, they wanted a loft space. The Japanese look was easy, but the loft's construction was more challenging because of the unit's height, Carmen shares.
The process of designing a home is always collaborative between its owners and designers. Good communication resulted in innovative design elements that appear like delightful surprises throughout this home.
AT A GLANCE
Who lives here: A couple in their 40s
Home: A one-bedroom condo in the North
Size: 527 sq ft
ID: Wolf Woof
In the original design, the condo developer used brick-patterned wallpaper and uninspiring furniture and carpentry.
To create a neater, more seamless impression, Carmen covered most surfaces with wood laminate.
These include the flush-mounted tic tac door that opens and closes with a simple push and conceals the bedroom entrance.
Wolf Woof's signature design strategy shows up in the custom-designed TV console in the living room that looks like a planter. Carmen is very proud of this design.
“I enjoy creating playful concepts and unexpected elements,” she says. “I cannot stand the typical box behind the TV clad in wood laminate that's boring and has no personality. Toss a coin into a sea of people, and you’ll hit somebody who owns that kind of console.”
The loft's addition required a significant reconfiguration of the living/dining area, which Carmen used to rip out the existing kitchen woodwork and create a new kitchen island with a view of the pool.
The contemporary kitchen boasts an off-white, leather-textured laminate and a pull-out dining ledge.
Although it and the loft are splitting the 3.75m high, the owners, who've always wanted a loft, weren't concerned about prioritising the kitchen.
It leaves the loft with just 1.5m clearance, which is still perfectly serviceable for storage and maybe occasional naps.
While this reconfiguration eliminates visual clutter and transforms the space, providing the requested Japanese look, the furniture and artwork selection add a Scandinavian vibe.
Carmen says her clients like Japanese design because of its clean look, but they are not purists, so they appreciated the Scandinavian elements the furniture brought in.
These include teardrop cabinet handles, a matte black loft ladder, and many framed prints throughout the home.
As part of the bedroom renovation, Carmen tells us Wolf Woof replaced the old wardrobe with a new one that includes side storage with smaller compartments for their accessories collection.
All told, the $40,000 renovation of this tiny home has made the most of its limited footprint and height, creating a home that fulfils its owners' deceptively simple design brief.
Photography STUDIO GOOWD, WOLF WOOF.