At A Glance
- Yee Ling and family, early 40s
- Home to 5 adults and 2 kids
- Area size: 126 sqm / 1,356 sqft
- Location: Tampines Avenue 9
- Cost of renovation: $80,000
- Cost of furnishing: $20,000
- Interior design firm: Boon Siew D’sign
- Interior designer: Calvin
The design concept for this contemporary home with its pops of blue all started when Yee Ling came across a sofa in a lovely bluish-grey shade.
We sat down for a chat with her and get her to tell us more about how her designer brought her inspiration to life with his practical and aesthetic-pleasing designs.
Qanvast: What kind of design did you envision for your home?
Yee Ling (YL): I wanted a mix between Scandinavian and eclectic design because I like colours. The previous colour scheme for my home was all beige and I had had enough of such neutral colours so for the renovation this time around, I wanted a colour palette of blue, white and grey. The blue colour concept would also create a soothing vibe around the home.
Qanvast: In what way did Calvin differentiate himself from the other interior designers that you met?
YL: We wanted something simple and functional because there are four adults and two children living in our home, and Calvin’s proposal showed that he understood our brief the best. The other interior design firms’ designs included too many features which was something that we did not want because maintenance and cleaning would be an issue.
Qanvast: How did you approach the design of your daughters’ room?
YL: We decided not to install any built-in furniture in our daughters’ room because their tastes will change as they grow up and we felt that there was no point in fixing up anything permanent.
Instead, we purchased loose furniture so that as and when their taste changes, we can replace the furniture. This also makes it easier to repaint the room in future if they have a new favourite colour.
Qanvast: What designs did Calvin come up with to satisfy your storage requirements?
YL: We needed a lot of storage space and Calvin did up the TV feature wall in such a way that we would have a whole wall for storage. His design also included a lot of closed cabinets so that we could hide our things away and keep everything neat.
Qanvast: What were some things that you liked about working with Calvin?
YL: His service standards were very high and he was very accommodating. If we didn’t like something, he would recommend alternatives for us to consider.
He was also a good project manager. From what I could see, he is on good terms with his sub-contractors which definitely contributed to the smooth progress of my renovation.
Qanvast: Can you share about one particular area in which Calvin impressed you?
YL: I would head down to the site once a week to take photos and list down any corrections that needed to be done so that I could inform Calvin about them. He would then take the time to go through these issues with me one at a time which I really appreciated.
Qanvast: Which area of the home are you most impressed with?
YL: The kitchen. Seeing the before and after pictures, the kitchen has gone through an amazing transformation from a messy, disorganised area to a space that is clean and neat.
Calvin’s design of the kitchen showed that he really understood my functional needs. I told him that we do a lot of heavy Chinese cooking at home and he was able to recommend a suitable laminate for the countertop.
Qanvast: Was your renovation journey smooth-sailing?
YL: It was very smooth. Calvin provided me with a schedule so that I would know exactly when the renovation works were being carried out. His sub-contractors were also quite friendly so I could inform them directly if I saw something that did not meet my expectation when I was on-site.
Qanvast: What tips can you give to young homeowners who are planning to renovate?
YL: Homeowners should plan the design of their home around their lifestyle instead of around a trend. Since most homeowners would probably stay in their home for about ten to fifteen years, there is no point in following design trends.
They also need to think about their storage needs and plan their storage such that there is sufficient space to store the things that they might accumulate in future.
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