At a Glance
• Widya and Herman, their two daughters and a son
• Size: 113 square metres
• Location: Choa Chu Kang
• Cost of Renovation: $53,000
• Interior Design Firm: Meter Square
• Interior Designer: Belmont and May
From the looks of this clean-cut and polished home, it's hard to imagine that three precocious children are actually living under this roof (save for the play area hidden behind the sofa)!
We sat down for a chat with parents Widya and Herman to find out how they pulled off an almost all-white concept (and still juggle daily life with the kids!) for their home, and why Belmont and May from Meter Square were the perfect team for the job.
Qanvast: What gave Belmont and May an edge over the other interior designers?
Herman (H): We met a total of six interior designers and some of them were unable to understand our concept for our home. Many of them also kept saying “yes” to our requirements instead of giving us constructive advice. By contrast, Belmont and May understood what we wanted. They could also advise us on the feasibility of our ideas and counter propose some designs.
Qanvast: What was the concept that you had in mind?
Widya (W): From the very beginning, I knew that I wanted a minimalist home that lived up to that 'showroom standard' at all times. Since we have three children, there’s a tendency for the house to get quite messy so we also wanted a lot of storage space. I also wanted a timeless all-white concept for my home.
Qanvast: How did Belmont and May improvise the concept?
W: My husband had concerns that an all-white concept might be impractical since we have three children so Belmont and May proposed to introduce a secondary colour in the home. They also recommended the incorporation of raw wood in their design to balance the whites and to add more colour to our home.
Qanvast: Your wardrobe looks unique. Tell us about it.
W: Initially, I wanted a walk-in wardrobe but it could not be done because of the lack of space. Thus, Belmont and May designed this L-shaped wardrobe with the tinted glass door instead.
W: They recommended this L-shaped design because it meant that we could put those clothes which we don’t wear often – like our winter clothing – at the inside corner. The wardrobe also has open shelving for my handbags so I’m really pleased.
Qanvast: Tell us about an interesting design which Belmont and May came up with.
W: We felt that the bomb shelter can be quite unsightly and we wanted it to be concealed so Belmont and May designed a built-in shoe cabinet to be positioned in front of the bomb shelter. They also came up with a similar design for the book cabinet which is on the other side of the wall so that their design looks more seamless.
Qanvast: What did Belmont and May do to make your renovation journey smooth?
W: They kept us updated on the status of the renovation by sending us pictures at the end of each day. Any time we noticed a flaw in their carpentry, we would reach out to Belmont and he was very efficient in getting his workers to rectify the flaw. I did not come down at all during the renovation since I felt that they could be trusted to get the job done.
Qanvast: Did you have a pleasant experience using the Qanvast platform?
W: Yes. I liked that Qanvast was very responsive and reliable. Whenever I had any questions, the staff from Qanvast would get back to me really quickly.
W: I was also able to get many design ideas through Qanvast. In fact, some of the ideas in our home were inspired by the projects listed on Qanvast or from the projects which have been featured in the Qanvast articles. Qanvast is really like a one-stop shop for homeowners.
Qanvast: Do you have any tips for homeowners who are renovating their homes for the first time?
** W**: Homeowners should do a lot of research. They should also meet several interior designers because it’s very important to find one who is on the same wavelength as you and who understands your needs so that the both of you can work hand in hand.
H: Homeowners should try to speak to someone who is in the industry or to someone who has recently renovated so that they can find out more about the things that they should take note of during their renovation.
Love Widya and Herman's Zen-Like Home?
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