FOREVER HOME

It is hard to believe that this substantial detached property with its luxury of space used to lack the intimacy of a multi-generational home. LYNN TAN finds out how the designers enhanced and enriched the existing spaces.

- LYNN TAN

The owners, a retired couple in their 50s, bought this home so all three generations of the family could live under one roof. As the property was only five years old, it was still in fairly good condition, and they were prudent about what to retain and what to replace or change.

The external structure and some existing finishes, such as the living room floor and master bathroom tiles, have been preserved. Nonetheless, some changes were needed to make the home suitable for its new owners. So who better to take on this project than Collective Designs, which also designed their previous home?

On the to-do list were making the sloping vehicular access to the basement car porch easier to navigate, adding an outdoor gazebo, reconfiguring the back of the house to create a covered laundry and washing area, as well as making an interior entrance to the helper’s room, rather than an exterior one.

Despite being large, the existing living and dining rooms on the first floor felt rather cold. “We modified the ceiling height and added a full-height, floating bookshelf in front of the staircase. Besides creating a focal point within the expansive living and dining areas, it also disguises an existing column,” says principal designer Selina Tay.

Another major modification to the living area is a full-length feature wall with hidden doors leading to the guest room and powder room adjacent to the living area. The feature wall’s vertical fluting, curved elements and subtle gold trim showcase the design team’s attention to detail, brought to life by impeccable carpentry.