Feline-friendly design and furnishings take centre stage in this colourful apartment.
Feline-friendly design and furnishings take centre stage in this colourful apartment.
Knee-high skirting made of timberlook tiles was installed all around the home – stains and marks left on the tiles by the cats are easier to clean this way.
Cats rule in this household. Throughout the home, the wall fixtures, furnishings and accessories have all been chosen for that purr-sonalised touch. Interior designer Irvin Mun of Free Space Intent explains: “The owners wanted a playground for their cats, who are free to roam around the home. They also wanted a backdrop of vibrant colours and dramatic textures.”
Raymond Seow, the firm’s director of design, and Irvin, did extensive research on cat cafes in Singapore and overseas. One of their foremost inspirations is Peter Cohen, a Californian house builder who turned his sprawling home into a five-star sanctuary for his pampered clowder. The renovation for this flat cost $90,000, while furniture and special furnishings added up to about $15,000.
Suspended platforms running across the ceiling in the living room, and perches built against the walls, make for a frolickhappy haven for the pets. The ramps and steps are made of plywood wrapped in laminate. One of the three bedrooms was even designed to be a cosy “abode” for the paw pals, with wooden “catwalks”. It is also a designated space for cleaning and feeding the cats. Feline-themed decals on the walls of the entire home add to the element of fun and whimsicality.
ABOVE
Part of the kitchen wall was torn down to “open up” the kitchen space. A structural pillar here is wrapped in thick hemp rope, which prevents the cats from scratching its surface.
RIGHT (TOP & BOTTOM)
When it comes to cosy corners, the cats are spoilt for choice in this household.
OPPOSITE
Colourful walls in violet and yellow, and cat-themed decals make for a whimsical backdrop in this cat sanctuary.
RIGHT & BELOW
Kitchen cabinets sport patchworkstyle laminates.
OPPOSITE
One bedroom became a designated space for feeding and cleaning the cats. It is outfi tted with planks and perches, and accessories that make the room resemble a mini animal “gym”.
To make the cat-friendly design practical, knee-high skirting made of timber-look tiles were installed on the walls of the home, to ensure easy cleaning of marks and stains left by the animals. A structural pillar in the foyer is also wrapped in thick hemp rope, which prevents the cats from scratching the surface.
While the owners wanted their home outfitted for their pets, they did not neglect their own comfort, and penchant for colour and mod designs.
The living room walls are in violet and yellow; their cats’ bedroom walls are awash in ocean blue. “The owners love things colourful and kooky, so we kept that in mind,” says Irvin. “The home is also an extension of the couple’s young and fun personality.” The patchwork-style laminates used on the kitchen cabinets, and the walk-in wardrobe in the third bedroom, are also unique and striking choices.
WHERE TO GO
Free Space Intent, TEL: 6392-8885, www.fsi.com.sg
LEFT
The bed in the compact master bedroom is built on a low platform to make it look less ”bulky”.
BELOW
A more soothing palette was adopted for the common bathroom, which features tiles with Peranakaninspired motifs.
BOTTOM
An L-shaped wardrobe in one of the bedrooms is covered in red patchwork-style laminates, echoing the design on the kitchen cabinets and brightening up the space.
Unlike the loud pops of colour in the rest of the home, the master bedroom and common bathroom have a more muted palette as they are spaces for relaxing.
