Proof that simple choices can have great results!
Be it contemporary, Scandinavian, or modern-luxe theme, most homes would typically feature a variety of colours and materials. But for the homeowners of this 4-room BTO flat in Tampines GreenVerge, their hearts were set on one particular colour: walnut.
“When they were looking for inspiration, they found themselves drawn to homes with lots of walnut accents,” says Noble Interior Design’s Winstar. “As they really liked how it looked, we decided to make that the main colour of the house.”
“For variety, we also introduced some grey and white accents to complement the theme. In a way, I guess you could say that the walnut hues were the starting point of the entire look.”
With its cohesive look, expanded living space, and higher-than-usual ceiling, it’s hard to believe that this home measures at just 93 sqm in total. To see how everything came together, we sat down with Winstar to find out more!
About the homeowners and their home
Winstar (W): This house belongs to a couple. As it’s their first home, their main goal was to turn it into their own private haven, while still having enough space for their future kids to run around in.
The house’s floor plan, pre-renovation
While it’s a regular 4-room BTO flat, they were really keen on the idea of having a bigger communal area, which is why we decided to hack down one room to enlarge the living room.
The house’s floor plan, post-renovation
WATCH: Noble Interior Design’s Winstar talks about the home’s renovation
About the foyer’s makeover
W: There was originally a ceiling beam near the entrance, which I thought didn’t really look nice. So, we lowered the ceiling to conceal it, and then pasted walnut-coloured film over the main door, walls, and the entire ceiling – and the benefit of doing all these things is that it creates this cohesive look.
Storage was another important thing – we wanted to maximise the space as much as possible given the size and structural constraints.
That’s how we came up with the idea of a peninsula right by the door, which also doubles up as a shoe cabinet. This creates enough storage room for things like socks, masks, and other essentials, while also giving the owners a place to drop their things as soon as they come home.
On renovating the living and dining area
W: This unit is on the top floor, so it has a ceiling that’s higher than normal. So, we were thinking of emphasising this [ceiling height] by getting furniture that was built lower than usual.
When we were searching for such furniture, the homeowners found a shop called Hommage, which sells Japanese-inspired furniture. They’re built lower – like typical Japanese furniture – but I think we just really liked how their items look, and ended up sourcing most of their furniture there.
For the flooring, the homeowners were against using tiles as they didn’t really like the grout – it adds to the visual clutter. So, that’s why we decided to use cement screed – it keeps things seamless, and in a way, the raw look kind of complements the natural wood theme.
About renovating the kitchen
W: Because of the household shelter in the middle [of the house], the homeowners were initially quite sad that they couldn’t do an open-concept kitchen. But we found a way to work around that, and I think the design that followed turned out better than expected.
The first thing you’ll see is the kitchen door, which was custom-made to match the rustic cabin look of the foyer. We thought it would be nice to add a little glass panel on top, to create that visual continuity that makes up for the lack of openness the owners wanted.
Inside, we stuck to the same walnut theme. The homeowners aren’t really heavy cookers, so it was more about the look they wanted rather than the practical aspects.
For instance, the particular quartz we used for the countertops and backsplash was intentionally chosen to match the walnut cabinets. We also decided to extend the kitchen cabinets on one side and have them flushed with the dry bar outside, just to create this seamless line.
About renovating the master bedroom and ensuite
W: If you noticed, the master bedroom is actually larger than normal – we took some of the middle junior bedroom space to enlarge it as the owners wanted some room to incorporate a dresser by the ensuite.
The furnishings here were kept simple; I figured that it would be better since the outside already looks quite dramatic.
Like the kitchen door, the ensuite’s door was also custom-made. The only difference is that we changed the clear glass panel into a reeded one for privacy reasons, and we also made it a pocket door that goes behind the dresser to minimise the amount of space it takes up.
These marble-like tiles were chosen by the homeowners – they fell in love with it while they were shopping for flooring. The creamy tint complements the walnut colour vanity, and it gives the space a luxurious vibe – kind of like what you see in hotels.
To sum up
W: For me, what stood out about this project is the homeowners’ confidence in having one main colour. Most people tend to mix and match different colours and materials, but this was one of the first times we used a single laminate shade throughout the entire house.
And from the way the house turned out, I think this proves that simple choices can have great results!
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