House Tour: Industrial-style loft-inspired duplex condominium apartment in Bukit Timah
Nicholas Teoh and Chew Ru Shan purchased this unit in a condominium development that is over two decades old. In spite of its age, the two instantly saw the potential the unit possessed. It had a rather dated look, but the loft layout – with two bedrooms and a study spread over two storeys, complete with double volume windows and a spiral staircase – provided the perfect canvas for a New York City industrial loft concept.
“It is one of our favourite interior styles as it is classic, timeless, aesthetically pleasing and it just has a certain je ne sais quoi,” says Nicholas.
Having experience in the area of interior design (Nicholas was trained as an architect while Ru Shan had taken a part-time course on the subject), the pair decided to take on the work of designing their new home on their own. This was no mean feat, as the works carried out were extensive, involving new finishes for most of the floors and walls, replacement of doors, sanitary fittings and light fixtures, and reconfiguration of the kitchen and master bathroom.
As the apartment is an open-concept loft, the living and dining rooms, and kitchen, are essentially one large space. These areas get plenty of natural light – thanks to the doublevolume windows in the living room and other generously sized windows all around.
Wire mesh shelves make it easy to spot the various spices and cooking ingredients. The marble-look homogeneous tiles were cut into strips and arranged in a herringbone pattern.
"Although our main theme was industrial chic, we did not limit ourselves to fittings and furniture styles that are typically considered “industrial”, which can sometimes be rather impractical and uncomfortable. Our furniture and decor accents are a mishmash of different styles and they were chosen not just for their aesthetics, but also for comfort. In one corner, you’ll find a large Persian or kilim rug, yet on the other, you’ll find a handpainted Oriental Chinese stool. Despite this, they seem to come together really well because we tried to stick to the same colour/ material palette as much as we could. In fact, we find that some of these elements really help to take the hard edges off the oft-considered cold and masculine industrial style and we are really satisfied with the outcome," shares Nicholas.
The handpainted ceramic basin sourced from China provides a beautiful alternative to the run-of-the-mill basin, while copper pipes with red valves inject an industrial look that the couple wanted.
Against the concrete wall inspired by one of the couple’s favourite Japanese architects, Tadao Ando, is a painting by Nicholas’ mum based on one of their wedding photos taken near Lake Tekapo in New Zealand.
The master bedroom had an awkward corner that was turned into a niche for Nicholas’ wardrobe, while he relinquished the main wardrobe to Ru Shan. The use of black wire mesh doors ties the two together visually.
The master bathroom was reconfigured to accommodate a spacious shower area and a large concrete vanity and basin.
A herringbone arrangement adds an element of interest to plain white subway tiles.
A large sliding door separates the guest bedroom from the dining area. The same finishes from the living and dining rooms blend into the guest room, bringing the spaces together as a cohesive whole.
"Fortunately, our home is split across two levels which suits our home dynamics. We have a dog and a cat, and they do not get along with each other. The dog is afraid of going up the open riser spiral staircase and the cat hangs out mostly in our bedroom upstairs, sparing us the inevitable “war”."