Home Tour: A couple with triplets' HDB executive apartment in Queenstown
A couple embraces colours and shapes so that their home is a space for fun and learning for their four kids.
By Airis Abdullah -
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When their triplets came along, homeowners Marco Low and Mavis Long realised their 4-room BTO flat was too small for the family. This reality set in even after they had it renovated to make it more spacious for their four young and active children. So, they searched for a larger home and chose a HDB executive apartment in Queenstown. The 30-year-old HDB executive apartment was 1,592 sq ft, and its layout offered them possibilities to make it feel even more spacious.
Who lives here: A couple with their four children
Home: An HDB executive apartment in Queenstown
Size: 1,592 sq ft
Interior Designer: M Atelier
Lighting is kept simple and streamlined to work with the rounded edges throughout this 1,592 sq ft HDB executive apartment in Queenstown.
M Atelier
Interior designer Megan Zhang was with them throughout this journey. The founder of M Atelier designed their first home and also did the second renovation. Similar to their first home, the couple’s brief for this home included a liberal use of colours.
“We wanted our kids to come home and be happy with the environment. Brighter colours tend to evoke such feelings,” says homeowner Marco Low, a legal counsel.
A storage area for the kids is built at the appropriate height so that they can reach for their things and grow their independence in this 1,592 sq ft HDB executive apartment in Queenstown.
Colourful interior design
While their previous home had bursts of yellow, they wanted something more evergreen this time. The colour palette comprises blue, green, and pink. Swathes of white balance the combination.
Many homeowners are averse to bold colours, but the couple felt differently about colours.
Blue and pink make an engaging yet relaxing combination for the master bedroom in this 1,592 sq ft HDB executive apartment in Queenstown.
Colourful master bedroom design
Homeowner Marco explains, “In our previous home, we tried to put in more colours all the time. For the master bedroom this time, there is pink, but it was not excessive for us. Megan guided us on the level of expressiveness and how to balance it with longevity. The colour choices were carefully curated because we also wanted them to remain relevant over the years.”
Megan shares her perspective: “We were mindful of the proportion of the colours, and we also created a structure for the use of colours. For example, the master bedroom had pink walls, laminates, and a velvet headboard in the same tone.” Getting the right tone for each colour to work well together was a big part of the design process too.
TV feature wall in the living room with plenty built-in storage stretching across the house in this 1,592 sq ft HDB executive apartment in Queenstown.
Storage planning
Another significant part of the process was the space planning. The balcony is now part of the living area. The interior design team also removed the kitchen wall to create an open-concept kitchen. The study area has been converted into a bedroom.
Since the flat was built in the early 1990s, they were able to remove the storeroom to create a large master bedroom. It also meant that they needed to include more storage solutions to make up for it.
To meet this storage need, the interior design team created storage as part of the feature wall stretching across the living area wall. They also made a cosy and vibrant foyer decked out in more durable floor tiles.
The passageway to the bedrooms in this 1,592 sq ft HDB executive apartment in Queenstown is now a gallery displaying the kids’ artworks. Painting it blue draws attention to this transitional space, typically given little attention.
The passageway to the bedrooms in this 1,592 sq ft HDB executive apartment in Queenstown is now a gallery displaying the kids’ artworks. Painting it blue draws attention to this transitional space, typically given little attention.
An open-concept kitchen lets the adults in the family go about their tasks and stay connected to the kids in this 1,592 sq ft HDB executive apartment in Queenstown.
Colourful kitchen design
In the dining area, a half-height wall feature leads towards the counter in the kitchen. Homeowner Marco highlighted that Megan suggested practical solutions, such as the extra washing area in the kitchen.
Vinyl herringbone flooring in this 1,592 sq ft HDB executive apartment in Queenstown juxtaposes against the vertical lines on the wall. The door to the bathroom blends with it.
Vinyl herringbone flooring in this 1,592 sq ft HDB executive apartment in Queenstown juxtaposes against the vertical lines on the wall. The door to the bathroom blends with it.
“Megan was telling us that after a meal, we might not have enough place to wash the kids’ hands. Having the washing area outside the bathroom might not be intuitive, but she pointed out the necessity,” he shares. It has turned out to be heavily used by the family.
By removing the kitchen wall, they could accommodate additional countertop space in this 1,592 sq ft HDB executive apartment in Queenstown.
By removing the kitchen wall, they could accommodate additional countertop space in this 1,592 sq ft HDB executive apartment in Queenstown.
Curved kitchen countertop
Design-wise, the curved edge of the kitchen counter is exemplary of the design language throughout the house, where curved lines frame areas or whimsically embellish the surfaces. This interior design concept kicked off with having rounded edges for furnishings, initially intended to make the home kid-friendly.
Arched doorways at the foyer and the walkway to the bedrooms create a sense of welcome. Wavy lines on the feature wall in the living area jazz up the home.
“Sometimes, we had crazy ideas that would sound nice on paper. Megan would point out to us that we needed to be practical and not fall into the trap of looking good so much so that it wouldn’t be practical,” homeowner Marco shares.
“She was there to guide us on ensuring balance because, at its core, we want the design to be lasting.”
The master bathroom, with its pink ice cream tiles, exudes fun, joy and positivity. Curved edges from the ceiling to the vanity and mirror ensure consistency with the overall design theme.
Child-friendly interior design
Most interior design solutions were crafted with the family’s needs in mind. Growing children need space to roam, explore, and learn, and the home was designed to cater to that.
Homeowner Marco says, “They are just starting to learn how to read. That was why we set aside a special reading corner. Play corners can be rotated as they grow and the spaces allow that to be done easily.”