Home Tour: $150,000 Renovation for an expat couple’s 4-bedroom condo in Newton 

When homeowners Ankush Bajoria and Anubha Jain decided to live permanently in Singapore, they did what they always wanted: owning property here. “We have been living in the Newton area for the last seven years, and we really like the hustle and bustle of the place,” Ankush says. “What appealed to us, too, was the central prestigious location close to Orchard Road.”

Who Lives Here: A family of three and their helper
Home: A 4-bedroom condo apartment in Newton
Size: 1,650 sq ft

Newton Condo

Instead of going for a resale condominium unit, they preferred a newly constructed condo development. Their choice of home is a 4-bedroom condominium apartment in Newton. Among other things, they liked how it looked. They also loved the unblocked view of the Balmoral-Novena area from their high-floor unit. 

Ankita Tambi Interior Design

Anubha found interior designer Ankita Tambi on Instagram. “Our backgrounds aligned, giving us comfort that our needs will be better understood,” Ankush says. The couple’s brief was simple. They pictured their home to be minimalist and spacious without clutter. They preferred light colours and wanted sunlight to enter their abode.

Minimal Lifestyle

Delving deeper into their brief, interior designer Ankita learnt that the family leads a simple lifestyle. They preferred a functional and aesthetically pleasing home. They aimed to focus on necessary elements without excessive decoration. “Our goal for them was to create a minimal yet effective and efficient space, harmonising with their lifestyle,” she says. “Since it was a new unit, there wasn’t much need to re-layout or demolish anything.” 

Dynamic Minimalism Interior Design

As explained by interior designer Ankita, the concept given to this home was dynamic minimalism. It embraces the core principles of minimalism while incorporating elements that create a sense of movement and energy within a space. The experience begins as one steps out to the private lift lobby. Here, a console holding daily essentials is decorated tastefully to evoke a sense of calm and ease. She introduced striped wallpaper at the edges of the wall to bring dynamism and movement. 

Striped Wallpaper

The striped wallpaper detail recurs in the living area, framing the passageway to the bedroom. As it is a compact living and dining space, the walls and custom television feature are kept light in colour.

A significant design feature is the television panel, which conceals the air-conditioning service window and integrates with the beam structure. Wood finishes of different tones, observed from the television feature wall to the kitchen peninsula and the dining table, ground the area. The design intent for the dining area is to create a neutral minimalist space enhanced by a bright, layered artwork.

Dry Kitchen Design

The dry kitchen is equipped with a peninsula that can serve as a breakfast counter. A small washing area offers everyday convenience. The apartment has a balcony, which the interior design team has furnished for integration with the living space. Lounge seating for two is available, perfect for lounging with a good read.

Interior designer Ankita has also included a customised high table made of solid wood, a cosy spot ideal for enjoying the view. Altogether, these intentional additions provide comfortable areas for guests whenever the couple holds gatherings. 

Child’s Bedroom

Both avid readers, the couple designed their child’s bedroom in a way that inculcates this habit. Wall-mounted shelves keep books within sight and free up the floor space. In addition to the colourful books, there are illustrations depicting words of affirmation. A mood-lifting customised wallpaper brightens up the bedroom. This room is currently a playroom as the child sleeps with the couple. 

Master Bedroom Design

The master bedroom is a picture of calm with its customised headboard in soft green and delicate wallpaper design. This restful environment is equipped with bedside tables for their current reads. The couple turned another bedroom into a study, with a shelving unit to house collectables, plants, office equipment and more books. The striped wallpaper makes an appearance here too. 

Centralised Air Conditioning

Interior Designer Ankita helped the couple with design solutions such as addressing the air-conditioning. The couple had initially discussed this issue at length. They went with Ankita’s suggestion of moving it to a centralised capsulated area.

They also appreciated the wall-to-wall cabinetry installed in the utility area. Not only does it stack the washer and dryer, it also conceals laundry and cleaning gadgets, allowing a functional flow of movement.

When asked how he felt seeing the completed home for the first time, homeowner Ankush says, “We absolutely loved our home. We thought the rendering was an ideal scenario that was not achievable. However, the interior designer delivered what was promised, and the end result is something we are proud of.”