At A Glance
- Serene, her husband and their children
- Area size: 93 sqm / 1,000 sqft
- Location: Clementi Avenue 6
- Cost of renovation: $50,000
- Cost of furnishing: Less than $10,000
- Interior design firm: In2Space Interior
- Interior designer: Paul
Believing that an overabundance of storage space encourages clutter, Serene knew that she wanted just the right amount of carpentry so that her home looks both pretty and practical.
We sat down for a chat with her and find out how she pulled off a modern theme by keeping the design of her home consistent.
Qanvast: What made Paul the right person to be your interior designer?
Serene (S): We met two interior designers and Paul’s service really made him stand out. As a mother of two toddlers, I’m quite busy so I would sometimes be unable to make it for our meetings. Paul understood and he was willing to accommodate my schedule. Our discussions could even last until 2am. He was also very easy-going and talking to him felt like I was talking with a friend.
Qanvast: What were your requirements for your home design?
S: I wanted a modern design that is easy to clean and child-friendly. My living area was also quite dark when we stepped into the place originally so I wanted to install mirrors around the home to brighten up the place.
When it came to my kitchen, I knew that I wanted an L-shaped countertop, and glass windows and doors so that I can watch over my children while I’m preparing food or cooking.
Qanvast: Tell us about the colour concept of your home.
S: I wanted a colour palette of black, white and grey. To that end, I decided to purchase black switches because it is fits my concept. In addition, they are also unique as you can’t get these switches in Singapore.
Qanvast: How did Paul help you to keep to your budget?
S: He advised me on which areas I could afford to spend more on and which areas I could save on. For example, he suggested that I upgrade my kitchen counter top from quartz to Caesarstone as I use the counter top a lot when I’m cooking. To save money, he suggested that I leave the common toilet as it.
Qanvast: Tell us about one hiccup that occurred during the renovation and how Paul dealt with it.
S: I wanted to install floor-to-ceiling mirrors in the living area but they were too tall to fit through the doorway and the false ceiling made it even more impossible to accommodate these mirrors. Hence, Paul came up with this idea of joining strips of mirrors together to form a full-height mirror.
Qanvast: How would you describe your renovation process?
S: It was fun but tiring. I learnt a lot of things during the renovation process such as about the different types of switches and the various kinds of woods.
Qanvast: Lastly, what advice can you give potential homeowners?
S: Keep your house design simple and practical because you’ll be staying in your house in the long-term. I believe that it is better to not have too many storage spaces because the more storage spaces you have, the more things you will tend to accumulate.
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