Outfitting a home in black and white may be simple and stylish, but due to its basic colours (or lack thereof), monochrome homes can just as easily come off as bland and uninspiring.
Homeowners Serina and Benjamin (far left and right) with Colourbox Interior designer Cris (centre).
Fortunately, that isn't the case for this 5-room flat belonging to Serina and her fiance Benjamin. Partnering with Cris of Colourbox Interior, the couple softened the monochrome look by furnishing their abode with an array of character-filled, custom-made fittings.
To find out more about her take on classic monochrome, we spoke to Serina about her renovation journey and the process of creating her dream home.
About ourselves:
I’m Serina (29) and I live in this flat with my fiance of 6 years, Benjamin (31) who is a market researcher.
Our inspiration:
We got our inspiration for the (home’s) concept online, mostly from Tumblr and HGTV!
Our initial reaction:
When we saw the completed project for the first time, both Benjamin and I were really happy because it was our idea of a dream home brought to life.
We also appreciate the work done by Colourbox and are thankful that every aspect of the renovation turned out well.
About finding an interior designer:
Like most new homeowners, I used the Qanvast app to search for designers with portfolios that matched what I liked. Afterwards, I contacted Cris from Colourbox, seeing that his works are simple, clean, and affordably priced.
About working with Colourbox Interior:
Working with Cris was truly a breeze. When the renovation works first started, I was going through a job transition, which meant that I didn’t have the time to overlook the entire process.
Fortunately, Cris constantly kept us in the loop with regular updates, so that neither Ben nor I had to worry about the renovation’s progress.
In the event of any hiccups, Cris would also propose effective and practical solutions, which is definitely a plus point in my eyes.
Major works performed:
That would definitely be the hacking of the living room walls. Ben and I knew that we wanted to maximise the space and having an open-concept layout for the place would certainly make it more conducive for hosting friends and family.
We also removed one of the bedroom walls to create a convenient entrance that allows us to hop out of bed and walk directly into the walk-in wardrobe next door.
Most interesting home feature(s):
The pseudo-marble wall in the dining area is usually the first thing that guests will notice when they come over. Ben and I worked quite closely with the artist to achieve the ‘veiny’ effect that you see today.
There’s also the living room bookshelves, which I wanted to occupy a prominent position in the house.
I scoured through plenty of Tumblr pages before stumbling on the idea and proposing it to Cris who then re-created it. I also like how the books add a pop of colour to the monochromatic living area.
Favourite area at home:
If I had to pick one, I guess it would be the living area because that’s usually where Ben and I hang out during our downtime.
The ledge shelf beneath the television also holds some of my favourite art print that I collected over the years. I am glad that I finally have a place to display them!