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The owners, a retired couple in their 50s, bought this home so all three generations of the family could live under one roof. As the property was only five years old, it was still in fairly good condition, and they were prudent about what to retain and what to replace or change.
The external structure and some existing finishes, such as the living room floor and master bathroom tiles, have been preserved. Nonetheless, some changes were needed to make the home suitable for its new owners. So who better to take on this project than Collective Designs, which also designed their previous home?
At A Glance
Who lives here: A multi-generational family of seven
Home: A detached home in Bukit Timah
Size: 7,700 sqft (land area); approximately 10,000 sqft (built-up area)
ID: Collective Designs
Credit: Collective Designs
On the to-do list were making the sloping vehicular access to the basement car porch easier to navigate, adding an outdoor gazebo, reconfiguring the back of the house to create a covered laundry and washing area, as well as making an interior entrance to the helper’s room, rather than an exterior one.
Credit: Collective Designs
Despite being large, the existing living and dining rooms on the first floor felt rather cold. “We modified the ceiling height and added a full-height, floating bookshelf in front of the staircase. Besides creating a focal point within the expansive living and dining areas, it also disguises an existing column,” says principal designer Selina Tay.
Credit: Collective Designs
Another major modification to the living area is a full-length feature wall with hidden doors leading to the guest room and powder room adjacent to the living area. The feature wall’s vertical fluting, curved elements and subtle gold trim showcase the design team’s attention to detail, brought to life by impeccable carpentry.
Credit: Collective Designs
As the homeowners enjoy cooking and entertaining, and the family eats most of their meals at home, a commodious wet kitchen and beautiful dry kitchen were important additions to the spacious dining room. “Apart from its size, the workflow within the wet kitchen was also crucial to the clients, as it was for their previous kitchen,” says head designer Jane Febrina.
Credit: Collective Designs
Floor-to-ceiling cabinets along one wet kitchen wall provide plenty of storage, including space for a large, double-door refrigerator. An L-shaped worktop houses the cooker hob, hood and sink. An island in the middle not only serves as a preparation and storage area, but it is also where social interactions begin even before the actual dining commences. Additional new windows near the ceiling give the space a bright and welcoming feel.
The dry kitchen provides an aesthetically pleasing backdrop to the dining area. The wall and island bar counter are clad in specially imported, large-format Italian porcelain tiles that were book-matched to make a visual statement.
Credit: Collective Designs
The homeowners, their daughter and two sons – one of whom is married and has a three-month-old daughter – each occupy one of five bedrooms on the second and third storeys. All were reconfigured, with particular attention to the walk-in wardrobes and bathrooms. Their entrances are designed to be as unobtrusive as possible, often concealed as part of a feature wall within the room.
Credit: Collective Designs
The homeowner’s master bedroom is on the second level, together with two other bedrooms for the daughter and the other son. The massive master bedroom was reconfigured as a progression of spaces. The entrance from the staircase landing opens onto a sitting room. A hidden door reveals the sleeping area, while another one leads into the walk-in wardrobe and the en suite bathroom. “Each space within the master was carefully designed to retain the sense of expanse, while imbibing a cosiness and intimacy befitting a private bedroom realm,” Selina explains.
Credit: Collective Designs
The existing enclosed wardrobes were transformed into a bespoke, open-concept one with a combination of full- and half-height units to accommodate gowns, suits and separates. Folded clothing and accessories are stowed in an assortment of cubby holes, drawers and other covered storage. New his and hers basins, a wall-to-wall mirror above the vanity and spacious shower and bath areas separated by a new glass screen make the master bathroom feel so sumptuous, it can rival one in a luxury hotel.
Credit: Collective Designs
Adjacent to the master bedroom is the daughter’s room, which enjoys views of verdant green through floor-to-ceiling windows. The bed and armchair have been oriented to maximise the appreciation of the lush foliage.
Credit: Collective Designs
Occupying the top floor are the junior master bedroom and nursery for the married son’s family. They are connected by an outdoor terrace. It is divided into four zones: sleeping area, study alcove, walk-in wardrobe and bathroom. The sleeping area was conceived as an intimate, cocoon-like space. The wall-mounted TV set and console, built-in cabinets and a hidden door leading to the bathroom are lined up along the wall facing the bed.
A built-in desk at one corner doubles as a small study table and vanity, with half-height cabinets behind it serving as a mini pantry with a water dispenser and integrated bar fridge. The walk-in wardrobe can be accessed from the end of the TV wall or through the bathroom. Mirrored wardrobe doors create the illusion of even more space within an already generously-sized footprint.
Credit: Collective Designs
Despite the scale and complexity of the project, and the various restrictions posed by the pandemic, Collective Designs managed to complete the renovations and hand over the home to the clients in just under a year. Regardless of the constraints or the size of the project, Selina and Jane firmly believe that it is the smallest details that matter to execute the “Living Timeless by Design” philosophy the company is best known for.
