Home Tour: $150,000 Renovation for a finance lady’s terrace house at Joo Chiat Avenue

The homeowner’s brief to the Home Philosophy interior design team comprising founder, Rashi Tulshyan and lead designer, Melissa Wan was to update the home and make it feel modern and expansive without doing extensive renovation and hacking.

The terrace house was renovated about 10 years ago, but because of the subpar finishings, it was already looking lacklustre and tired. However, the interior design duo recognised that the property possessed good bones, is spacious and enjoys plenty of natural light.

All it needed was a more contemporary and modern design. Their approach? “Work with Home Philosophy’s forte of smart planning, beautiful furniture and lighting to transform the home,” says interior designer Rashi. 

Who: A lady who works in finance, her teenage son and pet dog
Home: A terrace house at Joo Chiat Avenue
Size: 1,250 sqf
Interior Design: Home Philosophy founder Rashi Tulshyan, and lead designer Melissa Wan

Modern American Interior Design

Working in the high stress finance industry, the homeowner, who is in her 40s and who lives with her teenage son, pet dog and helper wanted to come home to an absolute oasis.

Having designed her first home when she moved from Hong Kong to Singapore a few years ago, interior designers Rashi and Melissa are familiar with her style. They know that she prefers a classic look, so they took inspiration from modern American home designs that incorporate a lot of high contrast colours and textures, as well as brass finishes.

“The materials, including rugs and other finishes also have to be dog friendly. The client wanted the spaces to be comfortable, uncluttered, expansive and functional,” Melissa shares. 

Outdoor Patio

Upfront, what used to be a mundane patio has been turned into a beautiful semi-outdoor space by introducing black and white floor tiles that instantly give it a striking look and an inviting gesture right from the front gate.

Living Room

Separated from the adjacent living room by a sliding-folding glass door, the patio also feels like an extension of the living area and blurs the boundaries between inside and outside. 

Playing on the different tonalities of a neutral colour palette, the interior designers were able to create a comfortable living room for the client and her son. An oversized rug harmoniously brings the various furniture pieces together. 

ROOMA Dining Table

A custom-made dining table from ROOMA anchors the dining room. The fluted details on the table legs add visual interest and depth to the simple rectangular profile of the dark toned tabletop and echoes similar fluted detailing in the bespoke GAMAR cabinet by the main entrance.

Statement chandelier and artwork elevate the space. Wall mouldings that continue from the living room into the dining room further reinforce the classic theme. 

Kitchen

The kitchen has been totally refreshed without recourse to extensive hacking works. “This was more about a practical face lift to the cabinets, adding a new sink, tap and sleek refrigerator, which instantly gives the kitchen an updated look,” interior designer Rashi explains.

Shaker Style Kitchen Cabinets

Shaker style cabinets in a deep blue colour provide contrast with the white Calacatta Oro sintered stone countertop that was extended up to the backsplash.    

Master Bedroom

The master bedroom is a picture of serenity and it feels like a moment frozen in time.

The clean lines of the bed frame complement the pure, spherical forms of the pair of bedside pendant lamps. A black-and-white wall art adds a bold element against the classic wall mouldings.

Walk In Wardrobe

The former open wardrobe has been reconfigured into a walk-in format with classic black doors and brass handles that helps to keep clutter out of sight.  

Bathroom

For the bathrooms, the homeowner leaned towards darker colours with a “stone-y” look. “She wanted the bathrooms to look cohesive, but not exactly the same, so we played around with different finishings and tiles to ensure that each one has its own distinct personality,” says interior designer Melissa.

The lady of the house instantly fell in love with the stone-look tiles in the master bathroom. The large format tiles give the bathroom a touch of luxury. A large storage mirror and open ledge were added to complement the existing layout. Two globe-like wall lamps cast a soft, warm glow and makes even the bathroom feel cosy and inviting.

“It was challenging working with the existing bathroom layouts and fixture positions. We also had to overlay the tiles as the client was not keen on any hacking,” interior designer Rashi points out.   

Study Room

One of the bedrooms on the second storey is the homeowner’s study and chill out space. Wall mouldings give the space a fresh look.

A pair of armchairs, a floor lamp and an armoire in the corner balance practicality and aesthetics.  

$150,000 Renovation Cost

The homeowner moved into her new home in September 2024 after a 10-week renovation that cost about $150,000. “Working with an existing space is always more challenging as you need to plan properly and think ahead to anticipate any potential issues.

We appreciate the client’s trust in us and letting us work our magic, which we feel is the key to a beautiful space,” says interior designer Rashi.