Home Tour: $90,000 Aesop-style renovation for a young 30s couple’s 4-room BTO in Eunos

In many ways, a home often reflects the personalities, life philosophies and aspirations of the people living in it. With its soft colours and curves, this home portrays a calming ambience that invites a person to slow down. Homeowners Clarence and Jiahui would describe themselves as people who take things easy.

Who Lives Here: A couple in their early thirties
Home: A 4-room HDB BTO flat in Eunos
Size: 1,001 sq ft
Interior Designer: SG Interior Design

SG Interior Design

“Even when problems crop up, we don’t take it too seriously. Clarence’s work can be stressful, so we tend not to get bothered about other stuff,” Jiahui explains, adding that Clarence works as an actuary.  

From the start, they wanted a space that feels down to earth. They had approached a few interior designers and chose to work with SG Interior Design. “We felt like we clicked with the team better than the others we approached,” Jiahui says.

4-Room BTO Eunos

The couple’s home is a 4-room BTO unit in Eunos. They chose this location for its convenience – it only takes 20 minutes to get to Clarence’s workplace – and proximity to his parents’ home. As with many homeowners, they were concerned about the space in the 1,001 sq ft unit. “

At first, I thought it would be quite small. There were a lot of walls that made the space a bit more cramped, so we did knock a few walls down to expand the space,” Jiahui shares, adding that as a home baker, she would need more kitchen countertop space.

Aesop Interior Design Style

Clarence and Jiahui’s unique vision for a modern wabi sabi interior, inspired by Aesop stores, set the tone for their home. While Jiahui initially envisioned a “red, earthy and clean” aesthetic, the first interior design concept was too red for their liking. They aimed for a living area that feels soft and not boxy, leading the interior design team to introduce curves throughout the living area, such as curved edges for the customised features and wall edges. 

Main Entrance Design

The main entrance opens up to an understated foyer area with display shelves flanked by two wall lights. This curved door hides the entrance to the household shelter. “Normally, we would use a carpentry feature wall for the entire stretch. In this case, we had partition walls to clad the stretch so that we can create two oval niches on both sides of the door,” interior designer Nicholas explains. 

Further in, the television feature wall was also created with a partition wall, creating a recess for the television and two niches at its base. The drawer, made of MDF board, was built flush to blend into the feature. 

Curved Walls & Ceiling

In addition to the focus on curved lines from the ceiling to the wall designs, the soft ambience comes to life because of the finishes. The couple opted for limewash in a neutral hue for the walls, with the same limewash treatment given to the television console door.

“As for the flooring, Jiahui and Clarence were willing to explore a new flooring type. They were open to micro cement flooring because it wouldn’t have grout lines, so it would be easy to maintain. It’s a rare choice for homeowners,” says interior designer Nicholas. 

Micro Cement Floor

While it costs more than tiles and vinyl flooring, installing micro cement flooring also requires more time. “They were not rushing per se, and they gave us as much time as we needed,” Nicholas said, adding that the micro cement and limewash work came in last. Their patience was rewarded, as the matte flooring finish and limewash paint give the living area a soft, seamless and spacious feel. 

Aesop-style Kitchen Design

The interior design team opened up the service yard and merged it with the kitchen to make it possible to have a long counter. The couple wanted a chimney hood with a curved design feature. A large sintered stone piece clads the wall. 

Aesop-style Bedroom Design

While the bathrooms are decked out in a light and neutral palette, the master bedroom sees a splash of green to create a calming environment. These finishes and colours shine due to the lighting choices throughout the house, which the couple purchased from Sol Luminaire. 

Sol Luminaire Lights

During the renovation journey, the couple was surprised to learn about the importance of lighting and the different lighting types needed to create the overall feel. Sharing that the living area is her favourite space, Jiahui says, “It’s a good place to relax and not think about anything. I have friends who come over and fall asleep in the living area. When they enter the home, it’s like there’s no stress.”