Maximising space while ensuring a certain level of child-friendliness are the driving forces behind this couple’s tiny condo revamp!
How many of you prioritised convenience over other factors when it came to purchasing a home? Couple Arvin and Ezlyn did.
“Symphony Suites is close to both our workplaces,” says Ezlyn. “And now the convenience is much more apparent – just a short drive home to reach our 11-month-old son (in case of emergencies)."
However, the two-bedder at Symphony Suites offers little in space, a major concern of the duo. Read on to find out how they transformed their tiny condo into an efficient, child-friendly home!
On their home’s concept
Ezlyn (E): Truthfully, I wanted my home to look like how I dress – a little more vibrant with a smattering of quirky elements [laughs]. But then we met Jason, our interior designer (and the director) from Voila, who convinced us to focus on creating something a little more functional; a family-friendly space that's evergreen and timeless.
I guess the minimalistic Scandi appeal won out in the end because the muted palette gave us a clean base to work with and build on.
On her must-haves
E: Storage. Loads of it. For our books – we’re avid readers – and other miscellaneous items. Having a space that’s child-friendly, practical and efficient are huge pluses too.
On her house, post-renovation
E: We included several built-ins to maximise space. Our full-height console actually makes use of exposed paneling – we wanted to showcase our books but also hide folders that are less pleasing to the eye. Our shoe cabinet is pretty much done up in similar fashion since I have a large collection and I wanted to display them [laughs].
Our dining bench came with three built-in compartments. One of them is used to store many of our child’s toys while the other two is used to keep our kitchen essentials. The compartments shut slowly and quietly – no loud, startling booms or fingers getting slammed on when the lids slip from our hands! The usual sharp corners have been rounded off, much safer for our child.
We really wanted one of those hydraulic beds initially… but we changed our minds and decided to go for a platform bed because it was the more pragmatic choice. We actually use it to hide our luggage bags [laughs].
About working with Jason and Voila
E: I stumbled across Voila while scrolling through Qanvast. Interest piqued, I checked out their projects, saw that they were quite savvy with small space solutions and here we are [laughs]! Of course, Jason was extremely helpful through the process, he was the main reason we stuck with the firm. He was decisive and honest, guiding us through the process and offering expert advice, which we really appreciated. As homeowners, we can't help but feel a little apprehensive about handing the project over but he was extremely approachable and answered all our queries. Though the renovation was quick, it was painless on our end. Voila was also near to my workplace so that’s a huge, and coincidental, plus too!
