The look of this bachelorette apartment is the result of a close collaboration between an interior designer and a feng shui master. Lynn Tan picks up a few tips on how to incorporate feng shui requirements into a home’s design without compromising on style.
The choice of light wood colours within the home adds a softer, more feminine feel.
WHO LIVES HERE
A marketing director and her miniature schnauzer
HOME A three-bedroom condominium at Highline Residences
SIZE 915 sq ft
Homeowner Li Ling is a firm believer that feng shui can help to optimise health and wealth. So, when she collected the keys to her new apartment, she consulted both a feng shui master, as well as an interior designer.
Based on her horoscope and the orientation of the place, the feng shui master came up with a list of recommendations – including which of the three rooms to use as her bedroom and her study, as well furniture placement and even the colour scheme to adopt.
As Li Ling lacked the element of metal, she was advised to make up for it by using grey, white and gold – all colours associated with metal. “I am alright with grey and white, but decided on rose gold instead of the traditional yellow gold,” she says. “Even my dog is the correct colour,” she says jokingly about Fonzie, her seven-year-old grey miniature schnauzer.
To maximise space, Li Ling opted for more compact furniture. The living room clocks help to keep her on time when dealing with the overseas markets she works with.
The walls of the kitchen are clad with a marble-like laminate to complement the marble dining table.
Built-in cabinets provide much-needed additional storage space and keep clutter at bay.
Working closely with the feng shui master on the layout, Carmen Tang, design director of Wolf Woof, went to great lengths to integrate these elements into her concept proposal. “It wasn’t just simply about addressing the feng shui needs. More importantly, it was about doing it with style,” Carmen emphasises.
The dining area is a small and cosy corner right beside the kitchen. The existing glass panel separating the two was removed to create a better spatial connection between the small spaces. The priority for the dining area, however, was to incorporate more metal elements, so Carmen designed a marble dining table with metal legs complemented by a large monochromatic portrait by illustrator Ruben Ireland framed in metal. Her original intention was to copper-plate the metal table legs and poster frame, but as the cost was exorbitant, Carmen settled for a rose gold spray-painted finish instead.
Built-in storage runs the length of the wall, from the main entrance, past the kitchen and dining area, and all the way to the TV console feature in the living room that was designed to flush with the protruding column and beam. As Li Ling's unit is relatively small with no provision for a yard or any form of storage, it was important that the design catered for these and concealed any clutter. “I travel frequently, so my home has to be maintenance - and clutter-free,” says Li Ling.
Rose gold elements comply with the feng shui recommendations and add a more modern, luxe touch.
Grey wallpaper with metallic motifs is exactly what the feng shui master prescribed.
When home, she spends most of her time working and taking conference calls in the study, which used to be one of the bedrooms. According to the feng shui master, the south-facing room is ideal as her study, so an existing bedroom wall was hacked and the door was replaced with a glass wall to open up the space. Now, although a defined work space, it remains spatially connected to the rest of the home.
Another south-facing room is the master bedroom. Working with a grey palette proved tricky because too much would make the bedroom appear dull, so Carmen introduced some rose gold here. The existing wardrobe was retained, with more cabinet space clad in grey and rose gold laminates added. Even the track lighting is rose gold. “Most of the rose gold elements were difficult to source locally, but we managed to find some from Taobao,” shares Carmen.
Li Ling admits to heeding the feng shui master’s advice very closely and some of that means limiting the time she spends in the dining area and adjacent kitchen because these are unfavourable for her due to their orientation. She also keeps the windows in the third bedroom and common bathroom closed as they face north.
Overall, however, she is pleased that her new home has a softer appeal as compared to her previous home that she shared with her brother.
For Carmen, in addition to understanding the client’s personality, lifestyle and preferences, the biggest challenge was incorporating the many feng shui requirements. “The key is to work in the feng shui considerations, while injecting a modern twist that complements the design.”
PHOTOGRAPHY ANGELA GUO ART DIRECTION KRISTY QUAH
