For Tyco Tat and Kaleb Loh, who share this walk-up apartment, plants are more than decoration. They are a preoccupation in all corners and are composed like artful installations. There is even a tree, whose lithe branches and feathery leaves arch over the sofa in place of the iconic Arco floor lamp with a curved stand that can be found in many a designer home.
Tat even has an Instagram account dedicated to his botanical fixation.
Not surprisingly, the brief for Mikael Teh of design studio Monocot Studio was to inject ample natural light into the originally dim home to enable these green babies to flourish. The brief’s keywords were “bright”, “warm”, “lush”, “life-filled”, and “welcoming”. This was achieved with a melange of deft architectural manoeuvres, including opening two skylights in the roof.
A MULTI-FUNCTIONAL SPACE
Located on a quiet road off the main Little India stretch, the owners first encountered a compartmentalized layout with three rooms upfront and a kitchen. Dark brown doors and utilitarian tiles made it feel dated and forgotten. But industrial designers Tat and Loh, who work in advertising and branding, saw potential.
“We live in an old, vibrant, and colourful part of Singapore. We wanted our home to feel like a sanctuary amidst the chaotic energy just steps away in one of the most bustling parts of the city,” says Loh.
This story is from the August 2024 edition of The PEAK Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August 2024 edition of The PEAK Singapore.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Feeling The Blues
Timeless And Versatile, The Colour Favoured By Watchmakers This Year Manifests In An Incredible Range Of Hues, Especially For Ladies-appropriate Models.
Her Royal Rebellion
Get ready to lose your head as SIX the Musical” brings Tudor queens turned pop icons to Singapore this November.
It Isn't That Complicated
Accurate until 3999, the WC Portugieser Eternal Calendar keeps ticking for posterity.
Plants and Patina
Monocot Studio transforms a nondescript walk-up apartment into a dwelling filled with light and life.
Welcome to the Auntieverse
Singaporean artist Niceaunties celebrates women, particularly aunties, who are pillars of their communities, using AI as a tool of pure automatic expression.
Beyond Skin Deep
It makes sense that the first Augustinus Bader spa in Southeast Asia is located at One&Only Desaru Coast. After all, both luxury brands are deeply committed to giving back to the community.
Bahru Beginnings
Two homegrown F&B businesses herald a new chapter with their stores at lifestyle enclave New Bahru in River Valley.
Solitude in the Sun
Get up close and personal with wildlife at Waldorf Astoria Platte Island in a far-flung part of Seychelles, where nesting spots of the endangered hawksbill and green turtles coexist with luxury villas.
Remixing Space and Time
Renowned Ethiopian-American artist Julie Mehretu flirts with the notion of the space-time continuum in creating the BMW 20th Art Car.
Tailored Perfection
Giorgio Armani's new Made To Order service offers customised garments from each season's collection to not just men, but women.