PERFECTLY IMPERFECT

A major makeover for an almost 50-year-old flat gives this couple a slice of the Big Apple in Singapore. LYNN TAN Sinks her teeth into the juicy design details.

- LYNN TAN

Michael and Kristy Lin, a couple in their mid-30s, love New York City's industrial lofts and wanted to bring elements of that into their first home. Michael, in particular, subscribes to the notion that "there is no perfection this side of heaven".

"I did not want finishes such as marble or parquet. My selection was based on materials that would gain patina and age with time," says the legal professional. Located in a quiet, mature estate near Michael's mother's home, the nearly 50-year-old flat had not been renovated for a few decades. The couple approached Three-D Conceptwerke to overhaul its interior. The $120,000 project took about five months to complete and involved hacking most of its non-load-bearing walls and extensive layout reconfiguration. The design team considered the clients' preference for industrial style and materials with a raw and unfinished look that will age over time. The brief also requested a guest room and feng shui elements.

The entrance foyer is semi-outdoor, much like the front porch of a landed home. The walls were kept unplastered to create a natural, unfinished look that sets the tone for the rest of the interior.

Even though the couple had bought the access area from HDB, they decided to have an outer gate and an inner door to facilitate deliveries when nobody is home. A one-time password for the gate allows packages to be safely deposited in the foyer.