Petite Paris

Channelling Parisian charm with a touch of Peranakan flair, this 4-room HDB flat looks like it belongs on the set of Emily in Paris.

- JOYCE YANG

After experimenting with the cool, minimalist vibes of Scandinavian design in her last place, Angie was ready for a change. This time, she wanted her new 4-room HDB flat to be a warm and cosy escape.

“I’ve always loved how French apartments are decorated, so when I bought this place, I wanted it to be done up like a little Parisian apartment with Peranakan influences,” Angie says.

Christine, her interior designer from Loft.9 Design Studio, proposed a modern French theme, with its subtle details and timeless charm. From sourcing unique materials to working around the resale flat’s exposed beams, executing it would be no small feat. But Christine was committed to the plot. Her goal was to have Angie “feel as though she’s vacationing in Paris at every turn and corner of her home.”

Step one? Tear up the original layout to shreds. The previous setup, with its kitchen, storeroom, and three small bedrooms, just wasn’t cutting it for Angie, who lives alone. So, Christine reimagined the space by opening up communal areas and adding fun new features like a foyer.

Walk through the door, and you’re greeted by Peranakan tiles leading to a pair of double-leaf doors with a chic arched top, giving you access to the guest-cum-study room. It’s not every day you see two doors facing each other, but somehow it works, lending the foyer a bit of old-world elegance.

“I’m most proud of the entrance of the apartment,” Christine says, beaming. “Seeing how the foyer turned out, from 3D rendering to reality, makes me feel that my hard work has paid off.”