With the right design approach, a downtown home can be transformed into a relaxing retreat in the heart of the city. Lynn Tan finds out how.
Behind the two-seater Flexform Edmond sofa is a grand and elegant looking kitchen counter.
The Valet office
shelf sets in
the study area
are by Stellar
Works, from
P5 Studio.
The homeowner
is an avid art
collector.
Who lives here
A bachelor in his 30s
home A 2+1 bedroom condominium apartment in Mohamed Sultan Road
size 1,109sqf
When homeowner Tony Tan first met Tommy Lai from TLDesigns, he gave a very clear brief: a modern interior that’s luxurious yet understated, with a hint of “Asian-ness” to reflect his Peranakan roots. As an avid art collector, the banker asked for as many blank walls as possible so he could hang up his art pieces, with a well-planned lighting scheme designed to showcase them.
“Although the unit was well-maintained, I wanted some massive changes – to create an open-concept kitchen and an open-concept study that is versatile enough to serve as a guest room,” Tony adds.
To achieve the client’s requirements, Tommy reconfigured some of the spaces within the unit, starting with the existing study adjacent to the main entrance, which has been converted into a wet kitchen and yard. “The demolition of the original kitchen walls to create an open area for lounging also allows more light into the living room,” Tommy points out.
The absence of a television console and all visible traces of any audiovisual paraphernalia in the living room is in response to Tony’s request to have all such equipment concealed when not in use. Tommy ingeniously integrated the projector screen and sound bar within the curtain pelmet, while the projector itself and the cable television boxes have been tucked in the ceiling space above the dry kitchen island. “Doing away with a television console frees up valuable floor space in the living room, which can be put to better use, especially when entertaining guests,” says Tommy.
The new dry kitchen next to the living room is envisioned as a space for pre-dinner cocktails or after-dinner drinks. The generously-sized kitchen island – clad in dark wood laminate with gold trim and a dark grey Caesarstone quartz countertop – helps anchor the open-concept space.
The dining room, new study area and balcony are three spaces designed to flow seamlessly as one- visually, spatially, and also in terms of enhancing natural crossventilation. The study area was designed around a Moooi study table and chair that Tony fell in love with during the early stages of the interior design process. Says Tommy: “Those being iconic pieces, I felt that they ought to make a statement among the rest of the furniture and within the apartment. But Tony also wanted the study area to double as a guest room, so it has to accommodate a queensize bed that can be stowed away when not in use.”
The balcony is
Tommy’s labour
of love, as he
had to personally
integrate about
500 pots of
plants into
the green wall
system.
The study is
nicknamed the
“Throne Room”,
because the
Moooi study
table and chair
overlook the
dining room
from an elevated
perch, just like
an emperor’s
throne.
After exploring various options, he finally came up with the solution of building a platform that not only helps to define the open-concept study area, but also within which the mattress can be hidden and brought out only when necessary. The rest of the time, the space remains as an open study area. A set of bi-fold doors gives Tony the flexibility to adjust the level of privacy in the study-cum-guest room, and also the amount of natural light and ventilation entering the dining room.
A black-and-white digital collage print by artist Yee I-Lann was the inspiration for the design of the master suite. “The artwork depicts women sitting by paddy fields and evokes the feeling of a Chinese landscape painting,” Tommy shares. “I wanted the bedroom to be a calming space for Tony to relax in, and the sound from the condominium’s water feature outside the master bedroom balcony really brings you into the physical realm of the painting,” he explains.
The master bath and walkin wardrobe was reconfigured slightly, with the removal of the door between them and the sleeping area. With some redesign, clever use of space and thinking out of the box to address the homeowner’s brief, Tommy created a private sanctuary for Tony.
“This project reinforces our philosophy that design should not be just about aesthetics, it should also enhance the lives of its occupants,” Tommy emphasises.
A circular
volcanic ash
digital printed
media by
Indonesian
artist Arin
Dwihartanto
Sunaryo
catches the
eye from the
moment you
enter the
apartment.
The Blink
dining table
is by Stellar
Works, from P5
Studio, and the
Belleville dining
chairs are by
Vitra, from
Grafunkt.
Existing pipe shafts are concealed behind fullheight dark wood wall panelling that matches the rest of the kitchen carpentry. A Michael Anastassiades Tip Of The Tongue wall light adorns the panelling.
The screens on
the building
facade,
together with
the bamboo
plants beside
the shower,
filter the light
entering the
master bath
and create an
interesting play
of light and
shadow.
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