RENO REDUX

Peter and Alicia’s first renovation experience wasn’t a good one, so they had an interior designer “fix” their apartment and create their dream space.

Interior designer Desmond created more defined living zones by building a wood-laminate clad structure which sits in the centre of the living area. It houses the wardrobe, too.

After a bad renovating experience that left them at odds with their contractor, Peter Thew and Alicia Pan decided to call for help from friend and interior designer Desmond Chew from Three-D Conceptwerke. “The previous renovation had left the home with some defects, so the couple decided to get me to redesign the house to meet their needs,” Desmond recalls. The first thing his team did was to reconfigure the layout. “We had an open plan layout the first time around – but this didn’t really work in 990sqf. We needed storage, and trying to build that and retain an ‘open plan’ feel wasn’t feasible,” Peter recalls. “Desmond advised us to build a walk-in wardrobe in the centre of the apartment, taking up previously ‘unused’ living space. This structure marked out clear areas for living, sleeping, cooking and dining,” says Peter. He likes that the interior designer had the confidence to “tell us ‘no, you don’t want an open-plan concept, this would be much better’, no matter how stubborn they were.

Wood tones and greys dominate the home, creating a warm atmosphere that is sophisticated and welcoming.

Splashes of red – from the coffee machine and Smeg dishwasher – give the kitchen a fun retro feel.

The designer also had a large hand in helping the couple curate their furnishings for their home, which has an interesting mix of styles with contemporary, retro and industrial elements. That said, Desmond believes that the role of an interior designer is to provide homeowners with the right canvas to bring out their personal style, but not to stifle it. “This home is unique because the selection of furniture and decor is a reflection of the owner’s characters and personalities,” he adds.

The mix of hexagon floor tiles and woodlook flooring in the hallway was a gamble that paid off for the couple

Far from being “cookie-cutter” white bathrooms, Alicia and Peter’s bathrooms have a personal, intimate feel to them.

“We had picked too many ‘feature pieces’. They helped us see that not everything has to stand out, and it’s about balancing the look,” Peter explains. The couple liked the feel of reclaimed wood, steel, and warm lighting. “We were happy to try something a little funky – like mixing hexagon tiles with wood-look ones,” Peter reveals. After a bumpy start with their initial contractors, Alicia and Peter are delighted with the results of this second round of renovations. “It’s something we could have never envisaged had we attempted to salvage the situation ourselves. We couldn’t be happier with the outcome!” says Peter.

The glass partition separating the bedroom from the living space makes the room look more spacious, says Desmond.

The neutral-hued en-suite master bathroom has a relaxing and soothing vibe.

The bedroom – with its moody blue wall – has a warm, eclectic feel. Desmond says the rusticlooking bed frame, from Crate & Barrel, is his favourite piece of furniture.