House Tour: A couple & 2 daughters' minimalist walk-up HDB Maisonette by Cream Pie Studio
Stephanie Er of cross-disciplinary design firm Cream Pie mixes industrial and warm touches in this walk-up apartment.
By Luo Jingmei -
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When Melissa Tai was looking for a new home after her second child was born, she wanted a place that offered a similar tranquillity to her previous home.
“We always seem to gravitate toward quiet, small estates. This place was kind of what we were looking for, and within the budget we were willing to spend,” shares the business operations manager who lives with her husband and two young daughters.
Who Lives Here: A Couple with two young daughters
Home: Walk-up HDB Maisonette
Size: 1,400 sq ft (130 sqm)
Interior Designer: CreamPie
Stephanie added a curved wall at the entrance to create a more formal foyer.
Walk-up maisonette
This walk-up maisonette is housed in a matured development in the east of Singapore, surrounded by leafy foliage. White walls and brick walls define the exterior – typical of estates built in the 80s.
To design her new home, Melissa called upon a friend, Stephanie Er, the founder of cross-disciplinary design studio Cream Pie.
“We have known Stephanie for a long time, even before she started Cream Pie. One of her strongest traits is her curatorial eye for design,” says Melissa.
Stephanie has an illustrious portfolio of residential and commercial work, which includes F&B establishments such as Binary and Mr Holmes Bakehouse. Before she founded her firm, she was running her own cafe Sugarfin.
Interior design brief
On the brief, Melissa shares, “We like spaces to be big. Our tastes are quite random so we needed the home to be designed in a way that it would look good with the stuff we have and might buy in the future.”
Adds Stephanie, “We had to consider the couple being able to work from home, so we needed areas where they could work separately and yet still have enough space for two young children to run about and play. For example, we intentionally left the living area pretty sparse in terms of fixed furniture so that the family can introduce whatever they need as their family dynamic changes.”
The existing staircase was embellished with a metal trim at the top for an industrial touch.
Spiral staircase
Next to the entrance door is a round structure housing the spiral staircase to the second storey. This inspired the leitmotif of curves in the common areas.
“Because this feature directly affected the entry way on the right, we introduced another curve on the opposite side. It creates a sense of symmetry when you enter from the main door into the dining space,” Stephanie describes.
Stephanie added a cylindrical storage room between the living and dining area that follows the circular theme of the common areas.
Curved Wall
This new curved wall defines a dedicated foyer space so that one does not look directly into the living area. It also hides a shoe cabinet for the large collection of sneakers belonging to Melissa’s husband.
Stephanie also added a round storage room near the band of windows that hugs the living area.
“All the curves present themselves as functional spaces,” she says, adding that the extra storage was useful for hiding the mess commonplace of having two young children.
The metal
elements in the
home brings an
industrial touch.
Wood laminate
She dressed the walls of the entire living and dining area in timber laminate. Above them is a rim of corrugated metal sheets with articulated ribbing.
The use of metal reflected the couple’s leaning towards industrial elements.
“They are into pop culture and street wear,” says Stephanie, adding, “We also used a lot of warm lighting as the couple prefer a cosy interior.”
At the dining area, a black-painted pegboard adds definition and is a suitable backdrop for the lamp from Santa & Cole.
Wabi Sabi Interior Design
A Louis Poulsen PH5 lamp highlights the foyer while a Tekio lamp from Santa & Cole brings drama to the dining area against a black-painted pegwall, mirrored by the kitchen that Stephanie dressed in grey tones and stainless steel accents.
The kitchen joinery doors are cladded in laminate with a stainless steel finish, matched by a stainless steel backsplash.
On applying industrial touches, she comments, “You always have to prep clients about the wabi sabi intent. Once you incorporate industrial elements, you won’t achieve a ‘perfect’ finish. But that is its beauty. We were wary to add in lots of timber element to balance out the use of corrugated metal and stainless steel so that it is not overbearing for a home with two young children.”
A peephole between the two beds in the children’s bedroom is a playful touch.
Kid's Bedroom
An RGB light animates the journey upstairs at the stair well, while a barn-shaped partition with a peephole in the daughter’s room provides both privacy and play. Against the bed are scalloped micro foam walls.
“It softens the overall look of the room’s oblong shape,” she explains.
Fluted glass doors at the master bedroom’s walk- in wardrobe reduces the sight of clutter while augmenting the sense of space.
The master bathroom has a custom-designed mirror that continues the theme in the common areas.
Home for the family
Stephanie believes a home should not only be for the adults, but also give the children a sense of belonging.
“Overall, we wanted the family to come home to a fun space – fun, but still grounded and not too whimsical. It should be functional as well. I’m happy to report that after moving in, the clients are happy and their kids even more so.”