A designer's dwelling

What choices might an interior designer make in their own home? Joshua's family home in Punggol Northshore offers a glimpse.

Japandi, Industrial, Mid-century modern-these are some of the themes that come up when Joshua, a 32-year-old interior designer at Threehaus Works, chats with his clients. But when it came to designing a home for his family and Joji, a 5-yearold Corgi and Sheltie mix, he drew a blank.

"To be honest, I didn't have a specific theme in mind. It was more about designing the space around our kids and the dog," he said.

"It's very cliche, but we wanted the space to invoke a sense of calm." At first glance, you would notice that Joshua had gone big on the carpentry-an expense typically shunned by homeowners who plan to flip their properties after the 5-year Minimum Occupancy Period (MOP) is up. We thought it might have been because Joshua plans to make this house his "forever home," but that isn't the case.

"It's easy for me to say this because I'm an ID, but even if it's just five or ten years, it's about the quality of life. This is where my family and I will spend the majority of our time, so I feel it's something worth investing in.

If one can spend $100,000 on a car and spend around three hours a day in it, then why not a home?" As Joji sheds a lot, carpentry also ensures that minimal fur and dander get stuck between loose furniture pieces and the flooring, making the investment worthwhile.

But it isn't just about costs. For some, doubling down on carpentry may seem unwise when it comes to maximising a 4-room flat-let alone one for a family of four and their furkid. Yet, even with the built-ins, the space maintains a sense of lightness with natural materials, neutral tones, and rounded edges.