Home: Settling In

8/10/2019 Home: Settling In

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textMAVISANG

ographyVERNONWONG

tdirectionKRISTYQUAH

D HOMES

WHO LIVES HEREA COUPLE AND THEIR TWO PET CATSHOMETHREEBEDROOM CONDOMINIUM UNIT IN JERVOIS ROAD SIZE1,700SQFthefacts

AFTER YEARS OF LIVING IN

RENTED APARTMENTS, THIS

COUPLE WANTED NOTHING MORE

THA N TO TAI LOR THE IR O WN

HOME TO THEIR PRECISE NEEDS.

settling

An inviting open-plankitchen and diningarea greets this homesguests as they stepthrough the front door.

in


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A NEUTRAL PALETTE AND AN

UNPRETENTIOUS STYLE LEND THIS

SPACE A HOMELY TOUCH.

Ms Low and her husband have been

living rather nomadic lives for some

time. As he often gets posted to

foreign countries for work, it was important for

them, when they finally got a chance to live in

Singapore again, that their home should feel as

comfortable and personal as possible.

The couple chose a resale apartment that

is minutes away from town, yet enveloped by a

restful serenity. The original interiors, however,

were far from ideal. From a list of shortlisted

interior design firms, they approached Dwell firstsimply because the companys office was nearest

to them. One designer was free to view the home

immediately, and Ms Low and her husband took

to his proposals rather quickly because his ideas

werent too crazy, she recalls. It took a three-

month renovation to create this relaxing abode,

which fit their specifications perfectly.

The idea behind theliving room, says thedesigner, is to createa warm and cosylibrary-like den.

A six-seater diningset was chosen asthe couple often hostguests for dinner.

belowWithremovablevertical columns, thisbookshelf can becustomised easily.


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FOODIES PARADISEA big fan of baking and cooking, Ms Low

couldnt settle for anything less than a well-

designed kitchen. The original layout allocated

a narrow and dark space to the kitchen, so the

storeroom adjacent to it was brought down to

make way for more light and room. The only

hindrance was a support beam that couldnt be

removed. So Ed Ong, Dwells creative director,

proposed for the island to be built around it.

The result was a very open and social space

designed around the kitchen and the dining

area in front of it. Almost twice a week there

will be someone coming over to dine, and our

guests always end up hanging around this area

chit-chatting, Ms Low reveals.

Besides her skills in the kitchen, another

pride and joy of Ms Low is her 1,500-strong

cookbook collection. Thats why the well-made

floor-to-ceiling bookshelf that graces one wall ofthe living room is her favourite feature of the

home. She appreciates the fine craftsmanship

and sturdiness of this customised piece as it

shows no signs of buckling under the weight of

all the books.

SCRIBBLE BOARD

TO MAKE BETTER USE OF THE

STRUCTURAL PILLAR IN THE

KITCHEN, THE DESIGNER CLAD IT

IN GLASS SO IT COULD DOUBLE

AS A WHITEBOARD.

whatwelove

The wife got used tothe standard Americankitchen counter heightafter living there, sothe island was builtslightly higher.


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DOING IT THEIR WAYThe couple also personalised their space by

eschewing the usual design elements no

feature walls for us! says Ms Low. While the

home has a refined shell bathed in a neutral

palette, it is filled with not just contemporary

furniture that would have represented a formulaic

style but also Timothy Oulton pieces that give

the interiors an elegant twist.

From the vintage-inspired British furniture

brand, the couple picked out a chest that features

riveted aluminium panels evocative of the finisheson World War II planes, a coffee table made out

of recycled boat wood, as well as a settee in a

worn leather look (the cats scratches will look

less obvious, says Ms Low) to create the living

room setting. Peppered around the common

area are Chinese sideboards and antique pieces

passed down from the couples parents.

where to goDWELL INTERIOR DESIGN TEL: 68831005

above right The largebuilt-in wardrobe bythe bed keeps themaster bedroom freefrom clutter.aboveleft Antique andcontemporary pieceslie side by side to bringout a sophisticated

juxtaposition.

When it came to decorating, Ms Low

states her main aim was to make the place

look more like a home than a showroom, and

this approach is evident in the way the house

is adorned casually with art and collectibles.

Besides her husbands collection of model

airplanes and tanks, a couple of old maps he

acquired are also displayed such as the one of

Africa drawn in 1861, which is propped against

the wall at the reading corner. The couples

cats are also endearingly represented through

photographs and a painting done by theirfriend. The best compliment I think we got

for this home so far is that it looks like weve

already been living here for a long time, Ms

Low proclaims with pride.

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Home: Settling In