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Best Culture/ Heritage
- Interior Designer: ID1. Rix Yap
- Contact: 8181-3780
- Website: www.r-plusstudio.com
- Type of home: 4-room HDB
- Size of home: 980 sq ft
With help from the Peranakan Tiles Gallery, the team acquired authentic pieces that aligned perfectly with the concept.
The Brief
When the homeowner moved into this Dawson flat, she brought with her a longing to recapture the charm and character of her previous Blair Road conservation house. While the existing space was sleek and modern, it felt detached from the sense of identity she cherished.
Designer Rix Yap, founder of R+ Studio, approached the brief with sensitivity and care. “I began by having in-depth conversations with the client to truly understand her preferences and priorities,” he says. She loved the charm of traditional Peranakan design but wanted “a modern interpretation that required minimal maintenance”.
Rather than replicating Peranakan elements wholesale, Rix set out to reinterpret classic motifs with purpose, balancing nostalgia with contemporary living while grounding the design in meaningful details.
Materiality completes the home’s cultural narrative, exemplified by the custom dining table.
Crafting Heritage for Today
The home’s defining gesture begins at its entrance. “I’m most proud of the project’s entrance”, Rix says, “The client’s decision to incorporate Peranakan tiles as a permanent ‘welcoming rug’ set the tone for the entire design.” With help from the Peranakan Tiles Gallery, the team acquired authentic pieces that aligned perfectly with the concept.
Executing this feature required meticulous collaboration among the tiler, carpenter and electrician. “Their craftsmanship and attention to detail ensured that the final outcome not only celebrated cultural heritage but also reflected the high standard of quality and harmony we aimed to achieve throughout the space,” notes Rix.
To resolve the client’s love for terracotta while avoiding visible grout lines, Rix sourced large-format Dekton slabs in a warm terracotta tone. “It’s a Spanish material that captured the look while offering durability and easy maintenance.”
Throughout the home, patterned glass, rattan, and warm veneers reinforce a quiet narrative of cultural inheritance.
Designing for Meaningful Living
Functionality forms the foundation of the home, As Rix explains, “practicality and safety always come first, as a home must function comfortably and safely for its occupants.” Once those essentials were set, he focused on “rethinking how functionality can coexist beautifully with design.”
The guest-room solution captures this mindset well. The homeowner had hoped to accommodate guests but felt the space was too limited. Rix’s answer was a foldable glass partition that “serves dual purposes—creating a private guest room when needed and functioning as a decorative dining feature incorporating traditional patterned glass.”
Throughout the flat, the same consideration applies to every detail—from hidden functions to ergonomic layouts and carefully curated lighting. Thoughtful choices enhance everyday comfort while preserving the light, relaxed atmosphere that defines the space.
Peranakan design motifs reinterpreted for modernity.
Objects with Story and Soul
Materiality completes the home’s cultural narrative, exemplified by the custom dining table. The homeowner proposed using her favourite peacock stone as the tabletop, and Rix paired it with antique French elements to create a unique centrepiece that sits gracefully between heritage and modernity.
Throughout the home, patterned glass, rattan, and warm veneers reinforce a quiet narrative of cultural inheritance. These elements don’t mimic the past, but reinterpret it with relevance and longevity.
“This project taught me to deeply appreciate our own cultural heritage, and the importance of preserving it through design,” Rix reflects. “My firm’s design philosophy is to harmonise the timeless wisdom and artistry of the East with the innovation and precision of Western technology.” In this home, that philosophy finds gentle expression—heritage that feels timeless, yet entirely present.
The Appeal
With sincerity, craftsmanship, and thoughtful reinvention, R+ Studio creates a home that feels both rooted and renewed, one that honours its owner’s history while embracing the rhythms of contemporary life.
Founder of R+ Studio, Rix Yap brings over 12 years of experience across residential and commercial work.
R+ Studio
Founded in 2022 by Rix Yap, R+ Studio is a boutique interior design firm dedicated to creating spaces that are distinctive, meaningful and emotionally connected to their users. The team treats every space as a story waiting to be told, crafting environments that go beyond aesthetics—allowing users to form genuine, lasting connections with their homes.
Rix brings over 12 years of experience across residential and commercial work. A graduate of Universiti Sains Malaysia, he began his career designing compact homes including studios, HDBs and condominiums, later expanding into landed residences, A&A works and a range of retail interiors. This breadth of experience informs his holistic approach, where functionality, identity and emotional resonance come together seamlessly.
Since 2023, the firm has received multiple accolades, earning its first honours at the Singapore Interior Design Awards (SIDA) with a Silver and Luminary Award in the Retail category, followed by recognition from the London Design Awards, MUSE Design Awards, IDCS Design Awards (Singapore), Titan Design Awards, A’ Design Awards (Italy) and the French Design Awards.
R+ Studio seeks collaboration with clients who value originality. The studio believes that meaningful design grows from trust and collaboration, resulting in spaces alive with purpose and emotion.