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A warm and sophisticated HDB flat in Tanglin Halt

Clever use of timber and texture by our interior designers ensures the sophistication and serene ambience of an upscale hotel to a HDB apartment in Tanglin Halt for a couple who work from home

The owners of this HDB apartment in Tanglin Halt requested our interior design team create a chic and sophisticated space with the serene ambiance and sophistication of an upscale hotel and the convenience of a fully automated smart home system.

As the couple both mainly work from home, they also required a dedicated home office space while the wife, who is keen on baking, also needed space to create baking videos.

On stepping into the entrance, the usual bland white ceilings common to HDB flats have been transformed by wood panelling to give warmth and character.

Taking a first step into the home, it has a very different feel from regular HDB flats. Instead of boring white ceilings, we used wood panelling to give the house warmth and character. These timber ceiling panels and feature walls are now the most distinctive feature of the home.

To create a space well suited to the lifestyle and usage of the homeowners, we also made various modifications to the structure and layout of the house:

emerald hill
emerald hill

Firstly, a wall shared with the common bedroom was removed in the entrance area to enlarge the entry foyer and create sufficient space for a shoe cabinet and seating for the putting on and removal of footwear. While this decision reduced the size of the common bedroom, it remains large enough to fit the necessities of a bed, work table and wardrobe.

The enlarged entrance area cleverly uses timber for its warmth. while not being too overwhelming to the eyes -- creating a well-balanced space to welcome both the homeowners and their guests. Small details include a small shelf near the front door to highlight special display items.

emerald hill
emerald hill

Moving further into the interior, the entrance leads to a large living area where the flow between four spaces can be readily observed. A home office lies in one corner, subtly private yet open to the living area, followed by the connection between the living and dining area for entertaining, leading to the pantry within convenient reach for serving a variety of drinks (hot and cold water, coffee or wine).

The entrance way and living area include substantial storage solutions which are  unobtrusive to the eye, being made to look like a seamless feature wall with display shelves, with clever use of timber and lighting.

Full length windows allow maximum natural light in to brighten up the space during daytime, which enabled us to use slightly darker colour tones to balance out the natural lighting.

With the design of the timber ceiling, we used a recessed track lighting system to gain different lighting effects at night. This system enables different ambiences to suit different occasions, such as watching a movie, by using various light modes instead of normal lighting controls.

emerald hill
emerald hill

A feature of the living room is a tinted mirror sliding door, a hidden feature leading to the more private section of the home where the master bedroom lies.

A TV feature wall has a fluted panel that blends with the timber, enhancing the overall the wood theme

The dining table becomes an extension of the “dry kitchen” pantry section, allowing the wife to do her baking preparations and create baking videos. The pantry cabinetry also facilitates coffee making for daily breakfast needs and is equipped with a wine chiller for when guests gather at the dining table.

emerald hill
emerald hill

We created a semi-open home office in the living area that is not too closed off, enabling the owners to interact with one another while working. The home office area also has built-in cabinets for more storage space.

emerald hill
emerald hill
emerald hill
emerald hill

The master bedroom suite was enlarged to achieve a hotel style bathroom with a wider shower area and vanity space.

The bedroom itself features different lighting and dimming modes, allowing adjustments to create a soothing sleeping area to calm the soul after the day’s work.

The soothing and serene space was designed in darker tones, paired with black fluted panels and ribbed glass to add texture and depth to the space. A leather upholstered bedhead is a focal point to balance the overall look.

The master bathroom was enlarged and designed to be a modern and luxurious sanctuary. The use of grey tiles juxtaposed with the warmth of wood tiles lend the bathroom a chic, sophisticated flair.

emerald hill
emerald hill

The existing kitchen was re-organised to add  a service yard / laundry section which has a door that can be closed while cooking to prevent odours.

More distinctive tiling compared to the rest of the house, with dark grey tones matched with fun black and white geometrics, was chosen to make the space more fun and lively.

The kitchen stove and cabinet sets were separately purchased by the homeowners. Located directly above the sink, a handy rack for drying dishes can be discreetly hidden away behind cabinet doors.

emerald hill

The common bathroom is also located off the kitchen, with a similar colour palette to the living area with distinctive uses of wood-inspired tiles and darker tones

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