House Tour: A digital marketer & business couple's $220,000 renovation for their 3-bedroom condo at Marine Vista
The former Neptune Court at 1 Marine Vista
By Lynn Tan -
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As nature lovers, it comes as no surprise that Joel and Hazel, who work in the digital marketing and business servicing industry respectively were drawn to this apartment with views of East Coast Park and the sea. A total revamp was in order as the unit is about half a century old and has had minimal renovation done over the years.
Who Lives Here: A couple in their early 30s and their pet pug
Home: A three-bedroom condominium at Marine Vista
Size: 1,636 sq ft (151 sqm)
Interior Designer: Ovon Design Pte Ltd
Lighting from Sol Luminaire complements the interior design and enhances the ambience.
Interior design by Ovon Design
The couple entrusted their home renovation to Ovon Design, where their close friend, Max, is an interior designer. The interior design team proposed hacking a number of existing walls to open up the spaces and promote better cross-ventilation, as well as to optimise the layout in order to suit the new owners’ lifestyle and storage needs.
Other works include rewiring the apartment, replacing water pipes, air-conditioning all the rooms and installing new lights, along with new flooring and custom-made carpentry and furniture.
A Hamilton Round Chaise sectional sofa from Castlery fits the circular theme.
Curved Interior Design
Curved elements abound - from the floor and walls to the false ceiling, carpentry and bespoke furniture, reflecting the couple’s preference for circular forms. Their precious reef tank features prominently at the entrance foyer, alongside a circular, ocean-coloured tile.
The couple’s reef tank takes pride of place by the entrance foyer and beside the dining room.
The rippling effect of the light creates quite the welcome gesture, especially at night,
for both homeowners and guests alike.
The balcony continues the same colour palette as the rest of the interior, so that it feels like an extension of the indoor spaces.
Lime wash wall paint
“Keep it simple and timeless” is a mantra that the design team adopted. The colour palette was kept to just two main laminate choices - one to match the limewash paint for the walls and ceiling and another one in dark brown wood to imbibe a natural feel and to complement the pops of colours around the house.
The dry pantry’s opening is framed with a wooden texture that helps to establish a focus amidst the limewash textures.
TV Console carpentry
This less is more approach also extends to the detailing.
A sleek, recessed shadow gap replaces the conventional, bulky architrave to conceal the joint between the door frame and wall. This detailing is repeated in the bespoke dining table and the television console.
The television
console in the
living room
makes for an
interesting
composition
by combining
concrete and
wood.
The understated design methodology allows the varied textures of different materials to come through. One example is in the living room, where the television set is hung against a lime wash wall backdrop instead of an overly complicated feature wall. This not only enhances the spatial experience, but also remains true to the design concept and the clients’ brief.
Custom made dining table
As Joel and Hazel often host gatherings in their home, the design team catered for
a 2.6-metre long dining table that can accommodate larger groups. The custom design incorporates curved edges and rounded legs that help to soften the space.
A curved shower niche houses the concealed piping and separates the WC from the shower compartment in the common bathroom.
Moving the wash basin into the corridor outside the common bathroom allows guests access to the wash basin even when the common bathroom is occupied.
The kitchen layout was configured to conceal the structural column that sits in the middle of the space.
Curved kitchen cabinets
More curved elements can be found in the kitchen, but not just purely for aesthetic reasons. The rounded ends of the built-in cabinets also serve as storage. Practical considerations form the basis of the kitchen layout that is planned around the efficient work triangle concept between the cooker hob, sink and refrigerator.
The backsplash tiles in the kitchen reflect the different hues of the sea.
As most of the flooring comprises matte, medium-grey tiles, the rest of the elements such as lighting and furniture were selected to balance and soften the cold and harsh effect.
Cement screed flooring
The homeowners requested for raw cement-screed flooring in the master bedroom. To tone down the cold and stark effect that this may have, the design team introduced a wooden laminate for the wardrobe to add a touch of warmth that is appropriate in a private and restful space such as the bedroom.
The plant lovers incorporated greenery into their home, which helps to liven up the spaces.
Timber light fixtures inject a sense of warmth and cosiness into the master bedroom.
A minimalist Dawson bedframe from Castlery gives the master bedroom a calm and restful quality.
Micro Cement Walls
The monochromatic master bathroom comprises dune shades of microcement for the wall and ceiling, and matching 600 x 300mm floor tiles. Even the built-in bathtub is finished in micro cement.
Cove lighting above the bathtub in the master bathroom avoids having direct light shining onto the homeowners when they are taking a bath.
Adopting a similar approach as the common bathroom, the wash basin was moved out of the master bathroom.
$220,000 Renovation
Joel and Hazel moved into their new home in March 2023 after 14 weeks of renovation. They spent about $220,000, including electrical appliances and soft furnishings.
With elements that invoke nature and views of the surrounding sea and greenery, this makes the perfect home for a nature-loving couple.