Family’s Condo Was Inspired by Japan Airbnbs & Donburi Restaurants

24/7 vacation vibes.

After buying a newly launched 2-bedder condo more than a decade ago, Willy and Lynd didn’t move in straight away with their two children. Instead, they rented the unit out as an investment property for 10 years while continuing to live in an HDB flat with Willy’s parents — a practical arrangement that made sense for their family at the time.

After his parents passed on, the family found themselves at a natural turning point. They sold the HDB flat and made the decision to finally move into the condo, just as the long-term tenant’s lease came to an end. What had once been a future plan quietly fell into place.

“We love the peaceful and quiet neighbourhood, and the wide balcony was one of the main draws for us, on top of it being a freehold property,” Willy shares, reflecting on why they chose the unit all those years ago.

When it came time to renovate, the couple approached the process with a clear feeling in mind rather than a rigid style.

“We travel to Japan quite a bit, and really enjoy staying in different Airbnbs with nice interiors. That’s where we got most of our design inspirations from,” Willy explains. “We also love how donburi restaurants display everyday objects like teacups and donburi bowls, so we tried incorporating that in our renovation.”

They wanted a home that felt relaxed, uncluttered and easy to maintain, prioritising comfort over convention. Working with their designer Shirley from Anyday Studio, they began shaping a space that felt less like a typical condo renovation, and more like a home designed to make every day feel like a holiday retreat.

On the communal area

“Since we decided on a Japandi theme, we wanted to stay true to the simple design philosophy and didn’t want the living area to feel heavy or overdesigned,” Lynd says.

That thinking shaped the TV feature wall early on. The couple initially explored shoji door-inspired panelling, but quickly realised it would push the renovation cost too far.

“It would have been too expensive, so we took Shirley’s advice to reinterpret it in a more understated way instead of forcing the idea,” Lynd shares.

The result is a clean feature wall that keeps visual noise to a minimum, with a small cutout for the soundbar rather than a full TV console.

“We wanted to keep it very simple,” Lynd adds. “Less things, less clutter — easier to clean and maintain.”

On that note, instead of cramming the dining table within the living area, they had planned to have it at the balcony from the start. Sourcing for the perfectly sized dining table, however, took some work.

“It was very hard to find one. I looked for it for a long time. Because the size of the dining table had to match the balcony, and we needed it to sit 6 people minimally,” Willy explains.

One of the most distinctive elements in the communal area is the circular wall feature — something Willy and Lynd insisted on including in their renovation brief. It serves no practical function, and that was exactly the point.

“We saw this feature in a few Airbnbs and just really liked how it looked,” Willy laughs. Acting as a soft lighting feature and sculptural moment, it anchors the space emotionally rather than functionally.

Platform steps help define the living area from the walkway, while a small tea corner behind the sofa nods to the low, tatami-style tables found in Japanese homes.

At the back, a small water feature paired with a wind chime and faux autumn foliage at the balcony completes the picture — a pretty zen spot that adds character to the home.

Another thing you might have noticed is the assortment of teacups and teapots neatly displayed in the built-in shelves.

This was inspired by donburi restaurants in Japan, where everyday objects like teacups and donburi bowls are proudly put on display.

“We found quite a lot of these teacups when we were travelling and thought they were quite special, so we wanted to dedicate a space to display them,” Lynd shares. “And it's convenient for my guests to take and use for drinks when they come over.”

On the master bedroom

If the communal spaces were about hosting and shared rituals, the master bedroom was always meant to slow things down.

For their master bedroom, Willy and Lynd were clear they didn’t want excessive built-ins or decorative features that would overwhelm the room. Instead, the focus shifted to proportions, light, and how the space would feel at the end of a long day.

“We wanted the bedroom to feel very clean,” Willy shares. “To us, the bedroom should purely be for rest, so we planned the space around our daily routines as we wind down for the night.”

The raised platform was also a deliberate move to anchor the room visually while keeping the layout open. It keeps the bed low, very much in line with the Japanese interiors the couple kept referencing throughout the renovation.

Since they still needed some space to stow bulky items away, Willy decided to have storage built into the bay windows which came with the unit.

On the decision to separate the shower area and vanity

“The original bathroom was too cramped. I couldn’t even extend my arms fully without touching the walls,” Willy shares.

That is why the couple decided to bring the vanity out of the bathroom to create a vanity nook.

And instead of letting the space at the side go to waste, Willy got Shirley to build a column of shelves to house his wife’s bag collection.

“Previously all her bags were in boxes, then she doesn’t even remember what she has. Now with everything displayed, she can use all of them. Plus when we go out, I get to remind her that she doesn't need to buy that expensive bag,” Willy laughs.

On the walk-in closet

If you’re wondering where the wardrobe is, you’re not alone.

To maximise space in the bedroom, Willy and Lynd opted not to have wardrobes in the bedrooms at all.

The 2-bedder was originally a 2-bedroom + study type, which came with a nook meant to be the study. The couple turned it into a walk-in closet, housing the whole family’s clothes and even their suitcases.

“Originally it was just two rows of hanging racks, then we eventually got some contractors to install the shelves to store our winter clothes and suitcases,” Willy shares.

This closet setup was also planned with the future in mind, removing the need to hack or throw away unused wardrobes when their children eventually move out.

To sum up

When asked what the best investment in the home was, Willy didn’t hesitate — the Ziptrak system stood out immediately.

Because the family had always planned to use the balcony as an everyday dining space, they wanted a solution that would let them enjoy it comfortably regardless of weather. The Ziptrak allows the balcony to be fully enclosed when needed, shielding it from the elements.

The same system was used in the bedroom as well. There, the Ziptrak doubles up as blackout blinds, giving the family better light control — especially useful at night or during rest hours. “It wasn’t cheap,” Willy shares candidly, “but it really changed how we use and enjoy both spaces.”

Looking back, it’s the kind of decision that reflects how the renovation was approached as a whole: spend where it meaningfully improves daily life, and skip anything that doesn’t.