This 3-Storey Cluster House in Holland is a Hi-Tech Tropical Retreat

A next-level abode most of us can only dream of.

While a cluster house is a rare property type here, that’s not all that makes this home at Holland Road a special one.

“The homeowners like unique layouts and are daring, so the layout of this home gave them the freedom to explore features they were interested in,” shares Anson (from Comfort Home Interior), the designer who took on the task of renovating this home.

After its complete overhaul, which included layout changes and extensive electrical works, the home is now a “chill resort” with a twist: smart home features at every turn, so the owners and their four cats can enjoy maximum comfort and convenience.

Follow Anson as he details the highlights of the renovation, including the construction of an elegant spiral staircase and a curved shower wall feature.

About the homeowners and their home

Anson (A): The owners work from home most of the time, so they wanted the house to have a relaxing atmosphere. We took inspiration from homes in places like Bali and Europe to create a chill resort vibe indoors. The nature surrounding the house emphasises this effect.

One other requirement they had was to integrate smart home features through the home. In my line of work, I’ve seen many homeowners who have a smart home setup don’t end up fully utilising them, but the owners of this home have fully adapted to the digital lifestyle.

That’s why it was important to them.

WATCH: Designer Anson talks about giving the home a makeover

About the entrance and fountain

A: There’s a feature that catches your attention at every space in the house. Right from the foyer, you’ll see this fountain the owners wanted. They like the sound of running water and its calming quality.

They had a specific design in mind with the curve and the surrounding beam, so we customised it, instead of getting a build-to-order fountain from a water feature company.

We constructed it in a few phases, starting with running the pipe to circulate the water.

A: For the exterior, we used stone tiles over the beams, and quartz tiles for the curve of the fountain basin. Since quartz can withstand weather elements like rain and humidity, it’s a good choice for the outdoors.

On doing up the living/dining room

A: Past the fountain, you’ll get to the entrance: a striking arch door.

We went with this shape since the owners love curves; in fact, we incorporated several curves and arches in the different areas since they’re great for softening spaces and sharp lines.

Unlike a typical arch door, we had more horizontal space to work with for this home, which made figuring out the ideal dimensions a challenge.

The first time we did up the door, it looked like an egg (laughs). After doing further research and revising the proportions, we settled on this design.

A: While the outside is more white and bright, the interior has a muted neutral palette for a cosy atmosphere since the owners spend most of their time working at this table.

That’s why the walls on this level all use an earthy lime wash effect paint. Other than that, we incorporated wood, stone and cement effects around the home for a charming yet timeless look.

A: We also positioned the coffee bar right behind the dining table for the owners’ convenience, along with water pipes to facilitate the coffee machines and the water dispenser.

A: Right next to the coffee bar is a simple space for the couch, where the owners like to hang out and chat.

When you have a relatively empty space with such a high ceiling, it can look visually unbalanced, so we installed wooden beams to balance it out.

Rather than sticking to a square-shaped design for the stone tiles backing the couch, we thought of adding more visual interest by cutting the tile pieces following an irregular ‘line’.

Afterwards, we plastered it to make the surface even.

On the feature wall with ‘camouflaged’ spaces

A: Right opposite the couch, you’ll see a wooden feature wall that’s actually a series of camouflaged doors.

There’s the store on the left, and the common bathroom and DB box area on the right.

A: We installed wall lights too, so that the owners can create a softer ambience without using downlights, which are more harsh.

A: Just before the common bathroom, there’s a corner dedicated to host a server. This was an essential set-up for the husband because he’s very tech-savvy and wanted to make sure it could accommodate the smart home features.

Everything is linked to this server, so he can programme the smart lights and power points to control them while they’re away. They even programmed a system to monitor the water pressure through the home because they want to keep an eye on it remotely.

The husband was very clear with his needs, so we made sure there was an access point for data on every level as well so that the Wi-Fi would run smoothly.

A: Past the server is the common bathroom. This area doesn’t get much natural light, so we went with a bright concept; that’s why there’s a mix of textured white tiles and fittings.

Like for the rest of the home, we sourced most of the tiles from Hafary and Lian Seng Hin.

While the bathroom looks pretty simple, there’s an interesting hidden feature: a speaker built into the ceiling here. The husband likes music a lot, so we installed Sonos speakers within the false ceilings around the home – there are about 10 to 12 in total!

About the revamped kitchen

A: One of the major layout changes we made on the first floor was to combine the former outdoor service yard/laundry area with the kitchen to extend the kitchen space.

Now, there are two distinct spaces separated by a tempered glass sliding door: a dry kitchen with a peninsula, and a wet kitchen with more storage and counter space.

When the owners or their helper is cooking, they can close off the wet kitchen to keep the cooking fumes in.

A: The owners mainly use the peninsula to rest their groceries while they sort them and keep them in the fridge or the cabinets in the wet kitchen area.

They sourced the lights hanging over the peninsula from overseas to match the rest of the wooden look. Some of the other lights we used around the home are from Shiok Lighting.

A: Expanding the kitchen made room for more storage. When you open up the cabinets, you’ll find some uncommon features like the shelving built into the inside of the door.

This was something the wife had in mind to store various condiments.

A: She also wanted a space to store her collection of chopping boards, so we customised a section just for those.

A: Storage aside, there are two special features here you won’t be able to find in a regular flat: a semi-circle window and a skylight.

Not only do they add a special touch to the kitchen, but they’re also a functional way to get more natural light into the space and make it feel more open.

Throughout the home, we tried to maximise the natural light coming in since we didn’t install a lot of bright downlights – we relied more on hanging lights and wall lights for a more relaxing ambience.

A: I find that they also complement the shaker-style designs of the cabinets.

On constructing the stairs

A: Compared to the standard HDB flats or condos, there were both unique highlights and challenges while we were working on this project.

One of the tougher parts of it was constructing this spiral staircase leading up to the second and third levels.

A: While we could use carpentry to form the base spiral structure all the way to the top level and work on the sides as well, we couldn’t do the same for the bottom half of the spiral due to its ribbon-like curvature.

As an alternative, we cut partition boards into smaller triangles that were pasted on the base to form the shape. We then repeated the process of sanding and plastering at least five times.

Working on the staircase alone took us two weeks.

Explore: 8 Cool Staircase Design Ideas That Will Elevate Your Home’s Look

A: I remember staying up late with the husband trying to figure out how to configure the LED lights for the steps (laughs). He’s very passionate about it, so I could tell he was having fun while explaining how certain things worked to me.

A: Every step has an LED strip, and the owners can control the colours for the configured sequence of steps.

For Christmas, for example, they can change the look into something more colourful.

About the study and entertainment rooms

A: Moving up to the second level, the owners wanted a no-frills study room. We did an L-shape desk and only a few upper cabinets.

Since they would be doing work here, we used grey for a more professional look and feel.

A: One more fun detail just outside the study is the cat flaps we installed for the cats to pass through.

A: Opposite the study is the entertainment room – like the study room, it’s a simple space and meant just for the owners to relax in the reclining chairs and watch some shows.

On cosying up the bedroom

A: The last room on the second level is the bedroom. Here, we got the carpenters to incorporate rattan sheets into the design of the wardrobe doors; since the meshes are fine, they don’t catch as much dust as the types with larger meshes, making the doors easier to maintain.

The rattan look, together with the unblocked view of the greenery outside, really brings out the relaxing resort vibes for a consistent look around the home.

About the master bathroom

A: On the side of the bed, what looks like wardrobe doors actually leads to the master ensuite.

A: It’s so spacious because we combined the two original bathrooms into one bigger one. With that space, we set up an integrated his-and-hers sink and plenty of niches for storing toiletries.

To emphasise the resort feel, we installed wooden cabinets below the sink.

A: The most impressive part, though, is this domed shower area which was inspired by an Australian coastal interior design we came across.

On par with the impressive look, it was also one of the most challenging parts of the space. To achieve the curve, we had to use miniature tiles which are even smaller than KitKat tiles.

We had to be careful with how we angled the curves too – beyond the aesthetics, we needed a relatively flat section to install the necessary shower parts like the shower head, and a functional ledge inside for shower items.

On the outdoor set-up

A: The third floor is for times when the owners gather with friends and family, so the set-up under the awning is meant for barbecuing and serving food.

There’s even a pizza oven for the husband to bake.

A: Meanwhile, the fully outdoor area with the settee is for them and their guests to chill. To add some greenery, we made space for planters in between the settee and the backing.

To sum up

A: One of the more challenging parts of this project was thoroughly studying the structure of the home’s three levels to understand how the water pipes run.

This helped with accommodating a 180-litre storage heater that powers the entire house, and making sure the water doesn’t take too long to heat up, regardless of where the tap is turned on.

A: There were many considerations that you wouldn’t typically need for an HDB flat or a condo while working on this project, so it was a process that involved thorough research, discussions with the homeowners and coming up with alternative solutions.

The husband was the most tech-savvy homeowner I’ve worked with and he’s in the tech field, so I learned a lot about smart home set-ups from him (laughs).

From my follow-ups with the homeowners, they seem to be enjoying the space. For them, it’s a constant work-in-progress since they’re having fun exploring even more advanced smart home features and tweaking the current setup.

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