A JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY

An open-minded and a lively exchange of ideas between the homeowners and the interior designer led to many pleasant design outcomes in this walk-up apartment. LYNN TAN uncovers them.

- LYNN TAN

WHO LIVES HERE

A couple in their 30s

HOME A three-turned-one-bedroom walk-up apartment at Keng Lee Road

SIZE 1,006 sq ft

ID Bowerman Interior Planner

www.facebook.com/bowermaninteriorplanner

When it comes to apartments of a certain vintage, it takes discerning owners to recognise what needs to go and what to retain to suit their lifestyle and aesthetic preferences while preserving the place's character.

This was exactly the approach that 33-year-old Edward Seah and 31-year-old Joel Cheong adopted for this 37-year-old walk-up apartment. Armed with a detailed brief in the form of PowerPoint slides addressing the aesthetics and specific requirements for each area within the home, the doctor and business analyst duo reached out to Bowerman Interior Planner.

"We wanted the space to have warmth, to feel lived-in without too much clutter, and to reflect our personalities. It should also be as open as possible," say the homeowners. Among the elements that they wanted to keep were the solid oak timber strip flooring, the common bathroom and some cabinets. They also preferred loose furniture over built-in carpentry, allowing the home to evolve over time.

Style-wise, interior planner Ian Lai took his cue from Edward and Joel's furniture wish list, which conveyed an inclination towards a mid-century modern with details such as pencil legs and fluted glass.

"Using this as a starting point, we presented various mood boards before eventually arriving at a scheme that is a blend of mid-century modern, bohemian, Scandinavian and luxe," lan explains.