SIMPLY PERFECT

Sometimes, keeping things simple is the best solution. 

The spruced-up air well breathes new life into the old shophouse.

For Cheah Wei Chun, shophouses bring back fond memories of Chinese New Year celebrations with his extended family at his grandmother’s shophouse in his hometown of Penang. Since relocating to Singapore more than a decade ago, Wei Chun has lived in various such houses. When the lease of a Little India shophouse that he was living in ended, he set out to find a shophouse of his own.

“I wanted one with character. Air wells are what I love the most about shophouses,” says Wei Chun. When he saw this second-storey shophouse in Joo Chiat Road with an unusual air well, he knew it was the one for him. The mid-70s’ shophouse was in its original condition but Wei Chun’s decision to look beyond the ageing facade and dilapidated interior paid off. After a major overhaul, he now has what he considers the perfect shophouse that is both home and office.

Lofty pursuits

The original walls compartmentalising the three bedrooms were demolished to create an open plan that makes the shophouse feel like a downtown Manhattan loft. This approach complements Wei Chun’s intended use for the shophouse as both a home, as well as a design studio. 

Wei Chun took pains to find this round Francfranc dining table with legs positioned such that guests can easily slide in between the concrete bench and table without the legs getting in the way.

Gracing Wei Chun’s very own wall of fame are celebrities, artists and models that the fashion and design creative consultant has worked with over the course of his career.

The kitchen was redone with its existing layout as it was efficient. There is no hob or even a microwave because Wei Chun has no need for them.

The space freed up from two of the bedrooms has been transformed into a living room and work space. An existing column in between the two could not be removed but, with hindsight, it provides a sense of separation, reinforced by the placement of furniture.

The room next to one side of the air well has been retained as Wei Chun’s bedroom. The light filtering in from the air well gives the bedroom a meditative and tranquil quality. By virtue of the L-shaped configuration of the three original rooms, the bedroom maintains its privacy easily, which is helped by the addition of a set of sliding-folding doors in between the bedroom and living room.

Heart of the home

The air well is the heart of the home, partly due to its central location and also because of the way the rest of the spaces seem to wrap around it. The original wall and small windows enclosing the air well have been replaced with almost full-height sliding-folding doors that strengthen the engagement between the internal spaces and the outdoor space.

The dining area directly facing the air well is where Wei Chun spends a lot of his time. “The light coming through the air well is lovely, and this is usually where guests gravitate towards,” he shares. From being a backdrop for food, coffee and conversation, the air well can just as easily become the heart of the party by having guests turn to the other side of the dining bench, which puts them physically within the air well itself. 

The colour scheme is predominantly grey and white, including the monochromatic Francfranc sofa and Flos lamp. The red Danish-designed discussion chair has been reupholstered numerous times, most recently in this striking hue to add a dash of colour to the home’s interiors.

Magazines are part and parcel of Wei Chun’s work.

The homeowner opted for modest cut-outs in the doors of the built-in storage cabinets.

It was love at first sight when Wei Chun set eyes on this shophouse’s air well.

What used to be an odd top-hung bathroom window fronting the street has been designed as a wall unit that wraps around the existing window, flanked by shelves.

The common bathroom opens out to the air well, giving it an outdoor feel.

The monastic simplicity of the bedroom gives it a contemplative quality.

Less is more

A series of low suspended concrete ledges can be found around the periphery of the air well and below window sills, executed in the same finish as the cement floor. It is simple in form and construction, yet extremely versatile.

Around the air well and in the dining area, it serves as bench seating; in the bedroom, the same element becomes more like a bay window looking out into the outdoor space. By the window overlooking Joo Chiat Road, the same concrete bench can be used as a daybed for reading, or to accommodate guests staying over by placing a futon on top. Even the space underneath these concrete benches have beenput to good use, housing Wei Chun’s extensive collection of magazines. “The best part is that these benches are completely unobtrusive. When unoccupied, they simply become part of the space,” he says.

Instead of a fancy feature wall purely for aesthetic purposes, Wei Chun opted for a practical pin-up wall that runs the length of hisworkspace along with a suspended work desk, which uses the same language as the concretebenches, but crafted in timber.

The pin-up wall is where he tacks photos, postcards and other knick-knacks, creating a visually stimulating collage that also personalises the space. Concealed lighting behind the pin-up wall illuminates the desk below, creating a minimalist yet functional design. 

text LYNN TAN photography WINSTON CHUANG art direction NONIE CHEN