SINGAPORE TATLER HOMES

Larger Than Life

Spacious, Stylish and Intimate - This two storey terrace house was transformed by Summerhaus D'zign into a home for a multi-generation family

Summerhaus Dzign might be a relatively young, having just turned three years old this June, but the interior design firm has already amassed a strong portfolio and a fast-growing list of clients. This is thanks to the firm's solid client-centric design approach, born of a decade of experience in the interior (industry, both on the design and business aspects) of the firm's husband-and-wife founders, Jess Koh and Larry Lim. The team from Summerhaus D'zign ensures every residential project they undertake becomes a home that their clients will enjoy returning to. For this landed home located near Bukit Timah Road, the design team helped to create interiors catering to all the members of a multi-generational family.

More With Less

The client's brief requested and overhaul to make the existing 3,700 sq ft space feel visually larger while adding an additional bedroom on first floor. Other key concerns were renovating the first floor bathroom to be wheelchair-friendly in order to cater the the family's elderly, and creating more storage space. With these criteria in mind, the firm proposed several layout options as well as design and colour schemes. The firm had the major part of the first floor reconfigured; the existing enclosed kitchen was removed and the barriers between the living and dining areas were eliminated. In their place were an additional bedroom, a wheelchair-friendly bathroom, as well as an open kitchen and new living and fining areas. With this design, the team established a visual connectivity bringing the various spaces together in a cohesive look.

Wide Open Spaces

Grey dominates the palette of the living area, ranging from cool granite grey to the palest shade of smoke for the sofa;s upholstery. "Different shades and textures of grey were employed to bring different levels of contrast and depth around the house," says Lim. "Hints of red was introduced in the sofa as accents to the overall monotone colour scheme." The interior has also adopted a bold rectangular shape as its visual identities. The rectangles are tweaked to have a slanted depth, adding visual frame to the otherwise minimalistic setting. The deceptively simple detail belies its tricky construction process. "We took extra care in the construction of these slanted angles, making sure each panel is finished smoothly, and that the angled joints and hinges work properly," says Lim. Incidentally the decision to slant these rectangles has created nook and crannies that serve as storage, display space and hidden slots to install indirect lighting fixtures. Balancing the hard edge of the rectangles are the oval recess of the cove lighting on the ceiling and the round marble table beneath it, which was custom-made from a slab of solid marble that had been the client's family heirloom.

Open Kitchen And Dining Area

Accommodating an expandable wooden table and six chairs, the dining room is positively intimate. Mirror panels covered the whole expanse of its wall give the illusion of a much larger space, while on the side, the kitchen is visible through the low counter - a perfect setting for a heart-warming scene where the host can cook while still exchanging conversations with the rest of the family and guests. The open kitchen is resplendent and cosy in white, complemented with metallic surfaces and the blackness of the magnetic surfaces of the built-in cabinet on its corner. The lightbox and skylight provide ample light for food preparation, and combines with the kitchen's pristine white and chrome surfaces, creating a bright ambiance that flatters both food and diners.