HAVING IT ALL

Many programmatic functions competing for valuable real estate within the home can pose quite a challenge. LYNN TAN finds out how the interior designer managed to pull it off.

When 32-year-old doctor, Akshay and his wife, Louise, a 30-year-old lawyer, purchased this flat, it was somewhat enclosed, dark and suffocating despite being well-maintained. This was something that they asked Justin Loh, senior designer at The Interior Lab to address in the renovation. One of the biggest challenges, however, was that the couple had a lot of programmatic functions that they wanted in the flat. In addition to the usual bedroom for themselves and a nursery for their 13-month-old daughter, the couple also needed a guest room for Akshay's parents, a helper's room, a study, and a walk-in wardrobe within the master bedroom. Akshay enjoys cooking, while Louise loves to bake, so their brief also included a spacious kitchen.

Incorporating such an extensive list of requirements into the home was no mean feat, but Justin took it all in his stride, starting with a review of the existing floor plan to identify how it could be reconfigured to accommodate all these functions.

With just one kitchen, things can potentially get a little chaotic when Akshay, Louise and their helper are cooking and baking simultaneously. Justin proposed the addition of a dry kitchen along the store room wall facing the dining area.

An oven has been integrated under the counter top and this is where Louise does her baking preparation. If she requires more space, all she needs to do is turn around and use the generously-sized dining table as a sort of kitchen island.