House Tour: Neutral, earthy 4-room BTO in Tampines for a young couple & cat
Brb, calling Nigel for my mechatronic issues
By Lynn Tan -
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After a five-year wait, Nigel Yong, 32, and his wife, Shairah Sidhu, 31, finally collected the keys to their four-room BTO flat. While waiting for their flat, the couple took the time to ponder over what they wanted for their first home.
They compiled some references of styles that they liked and even went as far as to list down the renovations required for each room.
These were conveyed to interior designer, JT Wong, from At.om Designs Pte Ltd, whom they engaged for her versatility and her particularity over clean lines and symmetry.
Who Lives Here A couple in their early 30s and their cat
Home A four-room BTO flat in Tampines
Size 1,001 sq ft (92 sqm)
Interior Designer At.om Designs Pte Ltd
Hacking away existing bedroom walls opened up the interior and the couple now have a proper dining area to host family and friends.
Neutral Natural Interiors
JT recalls: “Nigel and Shairah had a very clear vision of what they wanted in terms of neutral, muted wall paint colours, cement screed finishes and wood elements.”
The organic industrial style reflects a sleek, yet warm quality with earthy tones reminiscent of baked clay used in ceramics and pottery that imbue the home with its natural aesthetics. “To tie the overall look together, I incorporated raw textures and elements of nature, such as plants,” she adds.
A bench paired with chairs of different styles add visual interest to the dining area.
Reconfigured Home Layout
Nigel and Shairah also wanted the master bedroom to be integrated with the adjacent bedroom to create separate sleeping and wardrobe areas within the master suite. The bedroom next to the living area was to make way for a dining area that can accommodate a communal dining table for hosting family and friends.
“When we entered the apartment for the first time, we realised that the existing layout made the living and kitchen areas feel pretty dark. That really cemented our decision to hack the walls of the third bedroom next to the living area to allow more light in and also to create a proper dining area,” says Nigel, a marketing and communications manager at Volkswagen.
The coolness of grey-toned cabinets and matte silver appliances and plumbing balance out the warm palette of beige and dark woods.
Cement Tiles
One of the things that the couple was conflicted about was the flooring.
“We really like the look of cement flooring, but were concerned over maintenance issues. We also heard many horror stories about contractors not doing a good job. We eventually settled on cement tiles, which achieved a similar look,” shares Shairah, a social media manager at Singtel.
A beige walls- and dark wood combination gives the home a contemporary look with a warm and cosy ambience.
Laminate Feature Wall
Crossing the threshold, visitors are greeted by a wood-textured laminate feature wall whose groove lines cleverly conceal the door to the household shelter. With the third bedroom walls demolished, the interior is light-filled and welcoming.
The seamlessly connected living and dining areas read as one, with the furniture arrangement and beam overhead providing a notional segregation of space. A few iconic pieces of furniture anchor the spaces without overcrowding them.
A framed print by Richa Kashelkar, a self-taught artist from Goa, is casually propped up on the floor, against the dining room wall.
“This is my favourite piece of décor in the home. Its bright colours add vibrancy to the home and it reminds me of a tropical holiday,” says Shairah.
A concealed shoe rack by the entrance checks both practical and aesthetic considerations.
Carpentry was kept to a minimum to allow the couple the flexibility of changing things up.
The sleeping area within the master suite is a cosy, cave-like space that is entered through an arch that the couple wanted.
Master Bedroom
With the integration of the existing master bedroom and the bedroom next to it, JT configured the layout such that it is now a master suite with a separate sleeping area that Nigel likens to a “cave”, which is entered through an arch that the couple specifically wanted.
While built-in furniture was kept to a minimum in the rest of the home, JT dispensed with built-in furniture altogether in the master suite. “This enables the clients to rearrange the furniture and play around with the space in future,” she explains.
Glossy green wall tiles and a terrazzo basin give the common bathroom an interesting twist.
Bathrooms
The two bathrooms in the home may have almost identical footprints and layouts, but each has its own distinct design. The attached master bathroom features grey wall tiles with a subtle stone-like texture.
The common bathroom has its bottom half of the wall cladded with glossy dark green tiles and cement screed on top, a combination that Nigel feels differentiates it from the rest of the home and makes it stand out.
An organic, blob-shaped mirror and a wood-textured open shelf below the basin can be found in both bathrooms.
Total Renovation Cost: $62,000
The couple moved into their new home in November 2021. The renovation took three to four months and cost about $42,000, with an additional $17,000-$20,000 for furnishings, appliances and other decor items.
Being first-time homeowners, they are taking their time to add to the spaces. “We brought in a few plants to brighten up the colours. We also added some artworks, prints and rugs that reflect our personalities and what we like,” says the couple.
At.om, which can be interpreted as “atom” or “at home”, encapsulates JT’s belief that good design starts with the smallest building blocks, just like atoms.
“The name is a tongue-in-cheek reminder that great things often start small. For Nigel and Shairah, I would like the home that I have created for them to be their starting point to something even bigger and even more extraordinary,” she says.