Home Tour: $38,600 Renovation for a 3-bedroom condo along Margaret Drive
A calming, curated space where subtle details speak volumes about its homeowner’s personality, values and way of life.
By Gwyneth Goh -
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When this homeowner bought this 960 sq ft condominium at Margaret Drive, he knew exactly what he wanted it to be like. “My previous place was very convenient, but very buzzy and busy,” he shared, acknowledging his introverted nature. “I wanted to find some respite in my next home, so the view and privacy was important.”
The location, overlooking a lush green swathe of Queenstown with the city skyline set behind it, offered precisely that. Framed by floor-to-ceiling windows in the living area and bedroom, the expansive greenery immediately set the tone for his vision—calm, cohesive, and connected to nature. The next goal was to shape a space that embodied his values—favouring quality natural materials, crafted details, and a quiet elegance rooted in functionality.
“We do spend a lot of time at home, and it’s your one chance to create something that’s uniquely you… I think a home should speak about you and speak for you—It’s a personification of who you are. And for most of us who don’t have artistic expression, the home is your blank canvas for expressing who you are.”
Who Lives Here: A senior manager and his partner
Home: A 3-bedroom condominium at Margaret Drive
Size: 960 sq ft
Interior Designer: Lopez Lam, The Assembly Design
A softly illuminated corridor view from the living room, where architectural lighting and concealed storage enrich the home’s quiet sophistication.
The Assembly Design
Working again with interior designer Lopez Lam of The Assembly Design who had collaborated on their previous home, the couple leaned into a tactile, light-toned palette filled with textural interest—warm wood grains, rich stone surfaces, curved walls, and built-in cabinetry that blends storage seamlessly into the architectural language of the space.
The brief was quite straightforward, Lopez shares, “He wanted to have something cosy and welcoming—something that he can come home to and feel rested.”
A spacious, tactile living room where warm wood tones, curved forms, and discreet storage create an inviting sense of order and calm.
Margaret Drive 3-Bedroom Condo
For this busy executive, home needed to be a sanctuary. “Being in senior management, you’re constantly bombarded with a lot of stimuli—issues and matters—so coming home is important because you need to rest,” he shares, “Because you go out in the world everyday battling whatever life throws at you, when you come home, you want to see what is in sync with you, almost an extension of you. Coming back into that space is almost a reminder of who you are and what you represent.”
Being a very warm person, he wanted plenty of wood elements in the house, alongside warm tones, natural hues, and tiles. He also wanted to incorporate certain curves so that the house wouldn’t feel as harsh. Finally, as someone expressive by nature, the homeowner introduced personally meaningful artworks that bring brilliant shades into the space—creating what he calls a “balance of warmth, colour and variety.”
Another angle of the open-plan living space, showcasing seamless transitions between lounging, dining, and kitchen zones in a cohesive palette.
Living Room Design
The living area features a warm, earthy palette with flush wood cabinetry, luxe marble finishes, and tasteful minimalist lighting. More than simply aesthetic, the warm wood panels and curved forms that tie the living spaces together discreetly conceal storage. The dining area sits adjacent to the kitchen in an open-plan layout, with soft neutral tones and gentle curves shaping the whole spatial experience.
“A darker wood finishing was used for the cladding of the carpentry and the passageway walls and the hidden doors,” interior designer Lopez shares, “But we did not want to neglect the amount of light that enters the space.” He explained how adding a bronze mirrored wall helped create an illusion of space, “So the reflection of the mirror actually reflects the light and improves the visual experience for the whole living room.”
A bespoke curved TV feature wall with flush cabinetry and subtle fluting.
The curved TV feature wall is interior designer Lopez’s proudest bespoke element in the house, which he describes as possessing “multiple forms of simple curvature.” “So that gives a softer, less harsh experience when looking at the cabinet itself,” Lopez continues, “and then with the cabinet there, it also allows a good amount of storage which was greatly lacking in the house.”
A curved kitchen island wrapped in dark wood and topped with stone, serving both function and elegance in this social, open-concept layout.
Curved Kitchen Countertop
This stunning curved bar counter, clad in dark wood with deep vertical fluting, now anchors the communal space. It sits beneath a luxe stone top, adding texture and a sense of sophistication. “We incorporated fluted panels on the surface of the carpentry,” interior designer Lopez explains, “So that actually helps give multiple forms of texture to the space.”
Vertical fluting in rich wood grain adds texture and warmth beneath the luxe marble countertop, subtly elevating the heart of the kitchen.
Kitchen Design
Fondly dubbed “the Din Tai Fung” kitchen (a nod to the restaurant’s signature see-through glass wall), here is where an evening of wine and merriment usually begins for the hosts who love having close friends and family over.
Considered details in the kitchen reflect a design ethos rooted in simplicity and refinement.
“I grew up in a larger house,” the homeowner explained, “It’s usually about having different zones to entertain.” He continues to share how the kitchen is usually where guests gather upon arrival, watching as they wind up food preparation, before everyone heads to the balcony for drinks, and then to the dining room for dinner. “I always like to have this sort of movement when it comes to entertainment.”
The homeowner’s favourite perch, where lush greenery meets city skyline, and sunrise coffee and sunset wine bookend each day with intention.
Balcony Design
Here is where the night usually ends too, as the group heads back to the balcony for more drinks after dinner. “I think music and wine is a very big thing for me at home,” he reflects, “Also these days I am particular about what I’m drinking, and also the stemware comes it. What is important for me is a good space for entertaining.”
But this space is so more than just an entertainment zone for guests.
It’s where the day usually starts too. “Every morning, I go to the balcony and stone. Have a coffee,” the homeowner describes his grounding ritual with great contentment, explaining how he watches the mesmerizing hues of sunrise slowly illuminate the city silhouette.
At sunset after work, here is where he unwinds too. “I just enjoy the moment, have my wine and sit on my balcony and watch the daylight fade away,” he adds, “Those are my magical moments—the transition moments.”
No prizes for guessing his favourite spot in the house.
The balcony is anchored by a repurposed cabinet and framed for conversation, wine, and cityscape views.
When sharing about balancing built-ins with the furniture pieces that follow him from home to home, this homeowner shares, “My balcony chairs were actually my previous dining chairs from my previous home. When I bought those chairs, I already envisioned they would sit on the balcony of my next home.”
“The balcony cupboard, when I bought that previously I also knew that it would follow me along,” he chuckled, “Why I like that piece is quite a bit of a joke, because if you’re of a certain age, you’d ask if it’s a TV cabinet.”
A gently lit passageway wrapped in full-height wood cladding, where hidden doors and seamless storage maintain spatial flow and quiet elegance.
Hallway Design
Rather than segmenting the home with strong architectural dividers, the couple wanted a seamless spatial flow from the public areas to the private quarters. To achieve this, interior designer Lopez designed a full-height wood-clad storage wall that extends from the living room through to the corridor—camouflaging doors and maximising storage in one cohesive gesture.
The homeowners have a very considered way of living. Disliking clutter and chunky built-ins, every storage space in the house is allocated for something specific, and every cabinet is designed for its function without excess. “People in Singapore build a lot of cabinetry because they have so much stuff,” he says, “I’m very mindful about that. The previous owner had quite a lot of storage… we hacked it all down.”
“I have this philosophy: when every cabinet is filled up properly, you don’t buy anything new until you throw something away.” “I think Marie Kondo would be proud,” he jokes, “Even though I’ve been moving to bigger houses, I never increase storage capacity.”
A cozy reading nook and functional guest room layered with built-in shelving and personal touches.
Guest Room Design
This space, although compact, has been carefully fitted to accommodate family. Reminiscent of the ones his parents used to buy, the Chinese antique carpet serves as a loving reminder of them, his family home and family.
“My nephew has staked out his sofa bed for sleepovers,” he smiles, “Now the space has become more family- and kid- friendly… It’s for my family and close friends as well. Having that community space, that’s the biggest thing about this home.”
A light-filled sanctuary framed by floor-to-ceiling windows, where restful tones and soft textiles create a calming retreat above the treetops.
Master Bedroom Design
Last but most certainly not least, the couple’s private living space sits at the far end of the apartment. One of the most significant spatial interventions in the apartment was the decision to remove the dividing wall between the master bedroom and original guest room. This allowed the homeowners to create a larger, light-filled private zone that combines both rest and work.
“By removing the wall and adding on a reeded glass double door, we allow light to come in to brighten up the whole passageway,” interior designer Lopez explains.
The change was also a practical one. Taking Zoom calls from home frequently, this busy executive needed a dedicated space for video meetings where he would be able to conduct calls with both privacy and professionalism, without disrupting the bedroom’s restful tone. The result is a generous suite-like layout and a peaceful bedroom sanctuary—a beautiful retreat from the rest of the world.
An airy home study seamlessly integrated into the expanded private suite, designed for both quiet focus and daily Zoom calls.
$38,600 Renovation Cost
The renovation cost $38,600 and took under six weeks to accomplish. “I gave Lopez a very tight timeline,” the homeowner laughed, recalling how he got Lopez to hand over the house in six weeks when a renovation this scale usually takes about three months. “There were a lot of moving parts at work… it was quite a stressful period because of the timeline, but we were very lucky—we managed to get early possession, and in fact moved in before half the house was completed.”
The works had commenced on 22 December, and they began their move on 15 January the following month—barely three and a half weeks later. “Lopez came in two days before Christmas, my lawyer passed him the keys. He was so committed to helping us achieve everything on time.” The homeowner explained that they’d moved in early because they hadn’t wanted to move twice after their previous home was sold. “Three months’ work, he managed to do it for me in 6 weeks,” he smiled, “We had no doors. We had pieces of canvas to seal in the aircon with tape.”