Home Tour: 51-year-old Singaporean lady’s $100,000 Hamptons renovation for her 1-bedroom condo along Geylang River
By Shannon Osztonits -
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An incandescence of natural light, river views and a location ensuring water’s constant state of calmness. A softhearted reprieve where a sense of belonging is felt in every corner…What more could a woman ask for in a home for herself and her golden retriever, Yuki?
Simply, nothing. Everything is perfect, and just as it should be for this 51-year-old Singaporean homeowner, who has spent the last few decades working in the corporate furniture industry.
“I really put my heart and soul into the home renovation,” says homeowner Amelia, who wears her heart on her sleeve.
For her first home reno, she did it entirely on her own, along with the help of down-to-earth interior designer, Dominic from Homely Matters.
“I spent 13 years with my ex-husband,” the homeowner explains candidly. “Always moving, I didn’t feel a sense of belonging as it was never my own home. This particular project is so important to me. It’s my own stage, I designed it the way I want to live and utilise my home. Now, it makes me feel very comfortable and grounded.”
“I live alone, I don’t need a big space,” tells the dog owner. “One bedroom and one bathroom is the perfect size for Yuki and me. Everything is balanced,” says Amelia.
The Hamptons Style
Initially, Amelia had wild ideas of bright colours and rich tones like maroon and dark blue. But the thought of its permanence made her rather anxious. Completing an online quiz, she was reminded that her personality was better suited for a more coastal vibe.
Formerly married to a British man, Amelia constantly travelled, and a lot of Europe. Friends and family are from all over the world. Not only are her views liberal, but her lifestyle has influenced her interests and personal style, enjoying the beauty and design of European countries, like France.
“My lifestyle is more relaxed, and I live close to the river,” says this homeowner, “so the Hamptons theme makes perfect sense for this chilled type of lifestyle.”
As a social person, often meeting with friends and someone who enjoys doing exercise outdoors, or trampolining — a pastime Amelia does two to three times a week — the convenient, close to the CBD location (near the MRT or a 10-minute drive into town) was another attractive factor that drew her to the property.
From the foyer you enter the dining area, which leads to the kitchen.
Who Lives Here: A 51-year-old Singaporean in the corporate furniture sales industry, and her golden retriever, Yuki
Home: A 1-bedroom Condo
Size: 800 sq ft
Interior designer: Dominic from Homely Matters
Comprising an open-concept kitchen, dining area and living room, the rest of the house comprises the master bedroom and en suite. Considering Amelia’s occupation, it makes sense that the onus was on her in the furniture-sourcing department.
A lot of appliances and furniture are brand new; however, her home also displays sentimental collectables gathered throughout her travels, heirlooms, or those with a deep family connection.
When it came to deciding on the right interior designer for her, it was an easy decision.
“Because I am exposed to the interior design industry in my line of work, and for some many years, I knew what I wanted. I just needed to find someone to manage it,” she explains. “My sister knows Dom’s wife. I love his personality, I’ve been to his place, and I love the style: nice and cosy.”
Wainscoting (Miga Korean from DeKorea) wraps around the living room walls — a popular look in Hamptons-inspired homes.
Living Room Design
Classic, timeless and with the river peeking out from certain angles, the living room feels very much like the heart of this home; a space you could easily fall into and spend hours in.
Entering the space, a family photo storyboard allows a sneak peek into Amelia’s life. Next to this is her wine fridge, along with her collections. Above this is a memorable pottery set, handcrafted by her and her daughter from a 2020 Mother’s Day pottery session in Singapore.
A woolly sofa (which she reupholstered to suit the elegant coastal aesthetic) adds warmth and cosiness. The mirror above the sofa Amelia has had for eight years fits in like a glove. A solid light wood round coffee table is from Castlery, finished off with two Kartell chairs. A reindeer skin, which Amelia bought back from Iceland circa 2022, drapes over one.
The wooden corner console is also from Castlery, adorned with keepsakes, like a one-of-a-kind Buddha bought in Cambodia. The transparent lamp is from Kartell, and is one of their signature designs, made in Italy. A Chinese vase was passed down from Amelia’s mom (which her mother bought in China in 1980), constructed from bronze and handcrafted.
“It adds a bit of character to the space,” says the homeowner. “It’s a little bit of oriental and a bit of a Western mixture.”
There is no television in her home. However, upon a recent request from her son-in-law, she purchased a TV on a transportable stand, which she keeps hidden away, and only rolls it in when her daughter and son-in-law are visiting.
The induction stove and hob are from Bertazzoni, and the oven is from Whirlpool. Another impressive and thoughtful kitchen feature is the deep workstation sink from Kohler. It’s a fantastic option if your home is dishwasher-free. The tap and mixer are Grohe.
Kitchen Design
Walking into the kitchen, the first bits of the space you see are a series of pocket door cabinets. These comprise sliding pocket doors, concealing pots, pans and other appliances.
Amelia excitedly explains the fridge, a standout feature of this kitchen. Gifted to her by her sister, it’s a Mitsubishi Electrical fridge made in Japan, boasting individual doors/drawers/compartments instead of the classic one/two door story.
“I love the fridge because of the compartments,” says the homeowner. “There is no sharing, which means I’m able to keep fruits and vegetables fresh, and no contamination can be caused.”
Sintered stone decorates the counters and kitchen backsplash. The bottom cabinets are Iron and the top cabinets are finished in Designer White, both from Lamitak. Back lights add ambience.
“I wanted to add a little dash of colour, so we have a little warmer tone on the panels instead of all-white,” Amelia says. “These colours blend well with the sintered stone and the bit of grey it has in it.”
The homeowner wanted to bring in coastal blue tones, done with the side lamps and artwork hanging on the wall.
Master Bedroom Design
A relaxed neutral colour palette was selected for the primary, allowing Amelia to feel instantly rested the moment she enters this part of her home. With windows around one end, plenty of natural light continues in the master, as well as the river vistas. It’s a gorgeous setting to wake up to.
Her queen-sized bed is decorated with a super plush custom-built headboard, constructed to the exact height that she wanted.
“A trick I learned is to always purchase a duvet one size bigger than your bed size,” shares Amelia. “This creates an overhang, making it appear more luxurious.”
More wainscoting is used in the bedroom, but this time from the ceiling top to the centre of the wall, not the bottom like the rest of the condo. A standout feature of the bedroom is the sintered stone bar counter overlooking the river. As a way to disguise a permanent cement building structure, they added the same sintered stone as the kitchen for the counter.
“I really try to use the same rule of thumb when designing,” says Dominic. “One stone, one metal, one overall paint.
Here, there is a vanity, a very large and luxe shower with a glass panel, and a toilet.
En Suite Design
“I focused a lot on the bathroom, which I wanted done up in a baby blue French style,” recalls the corporate furniture sales guru.
Separating the primary and en suite is a custom, perspex oval design sliding door. “I liked the idea of having a little more of a lighter look and feel travelling through the bathroom,” Amelia says.
Walls are painted a light powder blue (Lake Placid from Benjamin Moore), decorated with a larger wainscoting-like ceramic tile: XS Sorico Bianco. “Dominic said it’s a new design, and I am the first one to use it.”
Two paintings from Spain transport you to Europe, enhancing the Frenchness of the bathroom.
“Because we did this half wall in a wainscoting tile and then painted the other half, we even put a painting above the toilet bowl,” says Dominic. “It’s these details that help to create the whole look. For Singaporeans, it might seem impractical, in case the paint peels. But for the art and beauty of things, it makes a difference.”
Floor tiles, ‘Firenze’ from Hafary’s Realonda series, ooze a French colonial feel.
Very Hamptons-esque vanity cabinets in a Sky Grey laminate match not only the wall colour, but the French feel. A sintered stone vanity tabletop is the same as the kitchen countertop. Completing the vanity area are two wall sconces on either side, as well as a round wall mirror from Umbra.
The shower is complete with marble tiles from Hafary, adding richness and luxury to the bathroom, especially with its large size. Grohe bathroom finishes are all gold.
The grand foyer hints at what to expect from this Hamptons-inspired abode.
Foyer Entrance Design
The wainscoting starts in this section and is then carried into the dining and living room spaces, creating an elegant flow.
On the left-hand side are a set of 2.9-meter-tall, ‘Designer White’ Lamitak laminate-finished cupboards, one of which camouflages Amelia’s shoe rack. The rest are for storage. The design team installed a custom enclave settee with wall sconces for extra detail, so she can sit down when taking off/putting on her shoes.
At the end of the corridor, a spotlight shines onto an art piece of a girl from the Vietnamese black Hmong tribe, which Amelia bought in Hanoi more than 10 years ago.
The contrast of the timeless seaside feels against the Asian artwork is a beautiful expression of this homeowner’s style.
The dining area exudes a chic coastal feel, with classic yet modern design.
$100,000 Renovation Cost
Amelia spent $68,000 on interior design costs, excluding fixtures, appliances, furniture, and AC installations. Including all costs, the total renovation came to $100,00. The design process was six months, and construction works were 2.5 to three months. Compared to HDB buildings, construction hours are shorter for condominiums.
“Dominic and I planned it quite well. I came up with the broad-based ideas, then he would do all the detailed execution,” Amelia tells. “And if there’s one piece of advice, don’t underestimate a white colour. White can have many varying shades.”
On that note, the entire home is decked out in Benjamin Moore paint.
Can’t get enough of this home? We spoke with the homeowner to understand more about their design thinking and favourite home pieces here: