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George Nelson Bubble lamps of varying sizes hang over the dining space. (Photo: Wynk Collaborative)
There’s nothing like a well-lived-in home as a validation to its designers that they have done a good job.
For the two directors of Wynk Collaborative, evidence of this has been present each time they visit the newly completed LM Penthouse, tucked among the hills off Farrer Road.
“The owners are big on family life. When we visited, we often saw the family members sitting in the communal areas rather than being holed up in their rooms,” says Leong Hon Kit, who makes up half of Wynk.
A complete overhaul
Credit: A stained wood veneer adds colour and warmth to the space. (Photo: Wynk Collaborative)
Certainly, the duo played a major role in overhauling the 2,510sq ft, two-storey apartment and turning it into a compelling residence for a multi-generational family. “Nothing is from the previous house other than the shell,” he quips.
What also helped was that it had “good bones” to begin with, including a pitched roof and views looking out to the canopy of the surrounding trees. Together, these factors came together to help Leong and Wynk’s other director, Si Jian Xin, design an oasis of calm.
Credit: Door panels open up to a balcony. (Photo: Wynk Collaborative)
The starting point of the complete makeover was a total reconfiguration of the layout.
On the lower floor, two rooms were carved out, including one for the owners’ relatives, and the back of the house was reorganised to occupy a smaller area without compromising on storage space. The upper floor saw the resizing of the bedrooms, especially the master, to create a walk-in wardrobe.
More importantly, the pair was determined to emphasise said “bones”.
“We played up the architectural qualities of the space by showing off the pitched roof as much as possible. The building also has clerestory windows, which inspired us to change the position of the bedrooms and redesign the ceiling to ensure the deeper parts of the house get sufficient daylight,” explains Leong.
To that end, sections of the walls in the common bathroom have strategically placed cut-outs with frosted glass to let natural light pass through them and down into the lower floor.
Even the staircase was redone. Previously an unimaginative dogleg style, it is now an organically shaped, curvaceous form that is an artwork all on its own. It winds down, accentuating the double volume height of the living and dining rooms. Contrasting against its white colour and tracing it is a bannister made of mild steel in a spray- painted, black finish.
“We wanted the staircase to look less rigid and more flowy to complement the space and make sure it forms a nice backdrop with the lights,” Si points out.
High spaces and lots of light
Credit: George Nelson Bubble lamps of varying sizes hang over the dining space. (Photo: Wynk Collaborative)
Taking advantage of the high ceiling — 5.7m at the peak — they proposed the inclusion of 12 white George Nelson Bubble lamps of varying sizes with the intention to have a dreamy, cloud-like effect over the dining table.
“We spent quite a lot of time composing them while being mindful of the space. It was a lot of trial and error through 3D modelling,” reveals Si.
On the wall opposite the staircase is a six-metre-tall, customised display unit — also in white — for the owners to display memorabilia collected from their travels.
The adjacent side is largely made up of door panels that pivot in the middle to open up to a balcony. There, they have chosen to retain the original brick wall that is part of the building’s architecture that dates back to the 1990s.
When the doors open, there is a seamless connection to the outdoors, including the view of the lush canopy of the mature trees in the neighbourhood.
To ensure the entire apartment is not simply a white canvas, Wynk had some colour injected into the dry kitchen that overlooks the living room. A stained wood veneer was used as a carpentry finish, coupled with glazed kitkat tiles on the side of the island and Statuario marble in a polished finish for the countertop and wall backsplash.
Credit: The guest bathroom walls are clad with Gris Urbaine stone. (Photo: Wynk Collaborative)
“We wanted some variation where we have very high spaces using very light colours while the other areas have their own character. It also provides a counterpoint to the blank canvas,” says Si.
Perhaps the most obvious manifestation of this is in the guest bathroom — where the walls are clad with Gris Urbaine stone in an antique finish — and on the floors, in a honed finish.
The effect is luxurious and sure to impress the owners’ guests, whom they intend to entertain in this home.
“It should always be about the owner,” says Leong, when asked how LM Penthouse is a reflection of what Wynk stands for.
“The design of residential projects must be rooted in the owner’s lifestyle. We work hand-in-hand with the owner to develop a space that not only embodies their values and taste, but is also designed in a way that changes with them as they live and grow in the house.
“Ultimately, a home should be a very easy and calm space for people to chill. It should also be able to change as the homeowners live, rather than being too rigid and overbearing on the occupants.”
