Designing a home for children takes careful planning – and that was exactly what Arissa and her husband did before coming up with the concept of their four-room HDB home at Jelubu Road.
Built with family living in mind, this 126 sqm space conveys cosy comfort through its pleasing Nordic-inspired aesthetic and just the right amount of woody elements throughout.
Working with local interior design firm KDOT Associates, Arissa also sought to create an organised open layout that would allow her to keep an eye on her children easily. Scroll down to find out how the renovation went!
About myself:
Arissa (A): I am Arissa, an Operations Lead at a pharmaceutical company. I live with my husband and three children in this four-room resale flat at Jelubu Road.
My home's design:
A: Going into the renovation, I had a clear idea of what the final result would be. I wanted a Nordic-inspired theme, but something that looks less 'Scandi-MUJI' because of how overpowering the woody feel would be.
I started my research by looking at pictures and photo albums on Qanvast, Pinterest, and Instagram to get a sense of what colours, carpentry and lighting to include. Every small detail plays a part in determining how it (the house) will look like, so it was important for me to know what should be in the final design, and what shouldn't.
How I got to know my designer:
A: After getting a better sense of what the house would look like, the next thing I did was to find designers who I felt would be able to execute my ideas.
I shortlisted a total of three firms, and among them was Kobe (of KDOT Associates), who I ended up working with.
About working with KDOT Associates:
A: Out of the three designers whom we met up with, Kobe was the best choice because my husband and I felt comfortable working with him. We trusted him because of the confidence he inspired through his portfolio and his personal approach to designing our home.
Based on the theme we wanted, Kobe came up with mood boards instead of 3D drawings, which I prefer because of how quickly it allowed us to get on the same page about the colours, furniture, as well as the overall look and feel of the house.
My must-haves:
A: Because I have three children, it was important that the home's design would be easy-to-clean, have plenty of storage, and have sufficient space. These three aspects come into play throughout the entire house. For instance, there's enough (central) walkway space so that there won't be any accidents when the kids run about.
Certain features in the house were also built with my children's safety in mind, like the glass bifold doors of the playroom, which allow my husband and I to keep a close eye on the kids even from the kitchen and dining area.
What's new:
A: Other than the new entrance, we also had a storage partition wall installed between the play room and the bedroom next door.
This idea came from a previous owner, who also has kids. We improved on it such that both spaces now have access to a storage cabinet each, rather than just the bedroom alone.
What was kept:
A: The original design of the house included a shoe cabinet – that is just past the entrance – and a mirrored entrance for the bomb shelter.
The condition of the shoe cabinet was pretty good, and we felt that tearing it down would be a waste, so we had the external vinyl covering replaced to give it a new lease of life.
To sum up...
A: After the renovation, I feel that the house has changed quite a bit as the previous owners had the entire place whitewashed.
I certainly like how it brings a sense of quiet warmth now, and how much more spacious it feels. The flow of the house is also better, and it's easier to view the house from area-to-area because of the expanded sightline.
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