A SUBTLE SOPHISTICATION
An Angullia Park apartment gives us house envy
ASingapore-based real estate investment and holding company had purchased 38 of the 54 units at TwentyOne Angullia Park and were looking for a specialist who truly understands the subtleties of quality, luxury and sophistication. They chose Brewin Design Office (BDO) to design the interiors of a 311 sqm, four-bedroom duplex in basebuild condition. The brief was simple, if not a little complex: Design a space that would showcase and enhance the qualities of the apartment and tailor a unique and furnished residence that emanates understated luxury with comfort for the owner. It was a tall order, but BDO is a veteran in the business and knew what was expected.
The milieu
First thing they took into consideration was the location. The apartment was on the fourth floor of a building that looks out into one of the busiest cross sections in Singapore – Orchard Boulevard and Scotts Road. The setting was unique: It represented the sort of apartments one would see in cities like Manhattan, where double height volumes look out to a busy metropolitan city.
“The double height living room is surrounded on all three sides by a landscape of beautiful large Angsana tree canopies that line the intersection, “says Robert Cheng, principal and founder of BDO. Because the apartment opens up to a view that peers out to the tops of the trees, “It was natural that we drew colours and textures from the exterior landscape into the apartment,” says Cheng.
Because of the green canopies that were on view outside, it seemed only natural to have an interior palette that mirrored the outside. Green tones were used in the exteriors, says Cheng. “Verde Alpi marble, for example, is the primary material for a range of custom designed furniture pieces at the apartment.”
An airy and light space
To highlight the double height of the apartment, BDO created a ceiling feature – a light box installation that emphasised the space, cladding the two walls above the living room with full mirror panels that, together with the double height glazing, form a four-sided “light box”.
“We placed 60 Bocci lights in a gridded layout to create an infinite reflection in the mirrors; a similar effect is created when reflected against the windows at night.”
To complement these main interior concepts, BDO designed a range of custom furniture pieces. “We also sourced a collection of décor, including vintage pieces, that reflected a unique but understated sense of luxury,” says Cheng.
For instance, the walls for joinery panels and millwork panels in the living room and elsewhere are a washed sycamore veneer that exudes a light-beige silvery tone.
Conversation pieces
The furniture too were given a lot of thought. In the living room, for instance, a Frank Lloyd Wright Talesin standing lamp provides an interesting counterpoint to the Extra Large Cassina Cab Chairs by Mario Bellini. Verde Alpi green stone is mostly used in the living space, while the carpet is a custom coloured Taiping rug.
While the dining room also had a major piece that draws the eye to it. “We chose a made-to-measure Lindsey Adelman chandelier, made from ceramic petals that help softly diffuse the light source,” says Cheng.
Green tones were again evident in the bedrooms, where green compressed marble that included bits of iridescent shell components were used while timber-veneered panels were lined with American walnut. The master bedroom also has a large custom headboard while all the soft fabrics in the living room and bedroom were by Jim Thompson.
One of the bedrooms was converted into a study, says Cheng. “We designed a daybed, a custom tabletop that cantilevered the bay window ledge, helping to save space in the room.”
A major challenge
While the main living areas were relatively easy to conceptualise, the balcony presented a bit of a challenge for the firm. The architecture of the building resulted in balconies of different units being very close to each other. There wasn’t much privacy. To get around this, “We designed a large architectural installation that helped frame the frontal view from the balcony, but partitioned the views from the neighbour,” says Cheng.
The result is an airy, comfortable, luxurious – and private – abode amidst a bustling metropolis.