House Tour: Classic contemporary Scandinavian look for 3-room condo home in Siglap
Cean lines, a soothing atmosphere
By Tristan Wu -
Being frontline health workers in a densely populated nation like Singapore can be stressful, and that's why this couple felt they needed a home that can evoke a sense of calm and serenity when they embarked on renovating their new condominium in Siglap.
AT A GLANCE
Home: Three-room Condo apartment in Siglap
Who lives here: A couple and their 10-month old baby
Size: 1,023 sq ft
Interior Designer: Craftsmen Studio
"The brief provided by the client was to keep things simple; to find balance between some modern classic elements with a Scandinavian theme in mind. As both of them come from big families and value daily time and gatherings, they see themselves hosting quite often, so they wanted the space to be versatile enough to accommodate everyone when guests come over. They value function and hope to find balance between aesthetic and function in their home too." explains Tristan Wu, design director of Craftsmen Studio.
Renovation took 10 weeks
The project, which took 10 weeks to complete, went with little complication. However, Tristan and his team did have to find creative solutions in some areas that were beyond their control.
"The biggest challenge was working with the half tinted film on the existing windows. With an intense half-warm tint casting into the bedroom throughout the day, the spatial experience and mood for the user seems disoriented at times. The solution was to have day curtains and louvered blinds with sensitively selected finishes that can help soften this effect, creating a more soothing atmosphere for both the space and the user. A darker tone laminate was also selected to find balance with and complement the hue of the tinted cast." he explains.
Below, Tristan takes Home & Decor on a tour of the newly completed home.
The home is designed with a soft neutral hue palette, keeping things simple and to showcase the natural beauty of the material character and details.
Lighter neutral hue laminates are selected for Living and Dining, and the darker tones for the Bedrooms. Half wall mouldings were also added, bringing some subtle classic details and character within the various spaces.
In view of the frequent hosting and big gatherings, the main design intent was to allow the main functional spaces to have a more defined boundary via subtle visual cues through built-in carpentry. The result also made the corridors seem more distant, creating less visual distraction from the main spaces.
Various frames were introduced throughout the different spaces such as the Foyer, Living and Bedrooms to help anchor and draw visual boundaries between these spaces but also creates visual interest. In the “public” space, these extended frames tie the Dining and Living space as one, organically allowing hosting and socializing moments to spill between the comfort of the sofa to the gourmet conversations on the Dining table.
As we lead to the “Private” spaces for quiet contemplation and rest, the frame language continues with a deeper tone of finishes and furnishing. The overall result, to create a warmer and restful atmosphere for slow living and to end the day.
As mentioned previously, a darker-toned laminate was selected in the study in order to cut out the tinted glare of the windows.
The open shelving helps to make the room look more spacious while also allowing natural light to filter into the space.
Simple and straight lines dominate in the bedroom, visually enlarging the look of the space. The neutral colours also help to create a restful ambiance.
I did the styling and curation of the furniture pieces in consideration of the budget, it's a mix of local brands and taobao purchases. The sofa, carpets, bedframe and lamps are from Castlery. The dining table is from Soul & Tables, while the light fittings are from Verde Light.
Other furniture, such as the dresser, pendants, lamps, coffee table and dining chairs are from Taobao. With sensitivity and balance in styling and curation, nowadays we can find many good pieces from there.
This article was first published in October 2021.