Space Out

A clever design and smart choice of materials helped to make this small apartment appear more spacious than it actually is.

Homeowners today are increasingly savvy in exploring design ideas. For newlyweds Robertson and Joanne Tay, they were sure of the look they wanted for their matrimonial home, which led to them meeting Ivan O, creative director of IDISID, through a friend’s recommendation.

Much to the designer’s delight, the couple came prepared with a digital library of ideas, which they had collated from websites like Pinterest. This helped to move the discussion along and provided the designer with a good reference of the style they wanted. “We wanted a bright and airy home, with a good combination of materials like wood and concrete against a backdrop of white,” shares Robertson.

To achieve the look, they broke down the walls of two bedrooms, creating a large, open dining room that sits in the centre of the home, where they enjoy the luxury of natural light and ventilation. The dining table sits on a raised platform, framed by a suspended swing bench and dining chairs.