Project Makeover:

We take a look at how four interior designers helped these homeowners and tenants turn their blank canvases into home, sweet home.

Four interior design success stories

Kelvin Zeng, Chinese How did you hear about Arete Culture?

They came highly recommended after they transformed my friend’s unit at Leedon Residence – an impressive design-build project, from carpentry to renovation.

Tell us about your space, and the state it was in prior to the project.

We had just moved into an eight-year-old, threebedroom apartment. It had the basic fittings but was in a bare condition. We wanted the scope of the project to cover everything from the lift lobby entryway to the living and dining rooms, as well the bedrooms and outdoor area.

What was your brief to Arete Culture?

I shared a few pictures and colours that I liked, as well as some points to keep in mind. For one thing, we have three children, so wanted to keep our space child-friendly and add some concealed storage in the entryway for all the shoes and toys. We also had a few existing items of furniture that we wanted to keep and work around. From there, the team managed to pull together the ideal plan of action.

How was it working with Arete Culture?

I’ve had negative experiences with interior designers in the past, but the team at Arete Culture were incredibly experienced and professional. Communication was easy and smooth, and they provided a holistic solution for the project – from the layout and colour palette to the selection of furniture, wallpaper and soft furnishings. Everything was hassle-free and detail-driven. Several of our new furniture pieces came from the Arete Culture collection, too!

Caroline was even gracious enough to help me months after completion of my project. Unfortunately, there was some leaking in my son’s bedroom and the false ceiling had to be repaired and redone. Caroline had the great idea of using glow-in-the-dark wallpaper and sourced far and wide for it. She even waived the styling and consultation fees for us – my son loves it!

Arete Culture

#06-01 Tan Boon Liat Building, 315 Outram Road

9640 3829 | areteculture.com

Jon Curry, Australian How did you hear about Gallery 278?

I moved to Singapore from Sydney in 2019 with nothing but suitcases. My new role kept me more than busy, so I was on the lookout for someone to help turn my house into a home. I came across Expat Living online and noticed Gallery 278’s advert. Their style captured my attention so I decided to visit the gallery and check it out. I met Felicia at that visit and we hit it off instantly.

Tell us about your space, and the state it was in prior to the project.

After looking at nearly two dozen apartments, I finally found this generously sized space in Dhoby Ghaut. Cathay Residences was built circa 2009 and, while it’s an older building, it stands the test of time well. The space was truly a blank canvas, with white walls, large white ceramic tiles, a white kitchen and timbered floors.

What was your brief to Gallery 278?

I grew up on the northern beaches of Sydney, surrounded by water and bush for most of my life. I’ve also spent a lot of time in Bali over the years and love the style; I wanted a look that reflected this without being too “beachy”. I’m not into high luxury but I like a comfortable laid-back look. I already had my eye on some furniture from Originals, too. I mentioned this all to Felicia and we took it from there.

How was it working with them?

I could write a novel on my positive experience of working with Gallery 278! I spammed Felicia for days with heaps of photos and pieces that I liked. We had endless conversations on options before we settled on the major pieces to purchase. When the Circuit Breaker started, my moving plans came to a halt. Felicia took over and helped manage the suppliers to hold stock until I could move. If they couldn’t hold the items, she helped store them at her warehouse. On moving day, Felicia facilitated all the deliveries for me.

The Gallery 278 team are warm and welcoming and have vast experience – which they impart at a very reasonable price. I never felt pressured to take an idea that I wasn’t comfortable with, and that led to Felicia and I having a very honest relationship. Moreover, the Gallery 278 showroom has a huge selection of pieces – I purchased some really interesting driftwood timber pieces and lamps that I simply had to have!

Any tips to share with readers who may be considering an interior design job?

Spend time on Pinterest, flick through magazines and visit furniture shops online and offline. This will help narrow down the look and feel you’re after. There’s an abundance of choice in Singapore and sensory overload is pretty easy, so work with someone you’re comfortable with to help figure out what you like and dislike. Start with the bigger elements and build a look over time. It doesn’t all come together in a day, so a little patience is needed.

Gallery 278

278 River Valley Road

6737 2322 | gallery278.com

Cleofe Leahy, Filipino How did you hear about EightyTwo?

I was looking for options to renovate my house and I saw a feature of one of their projects in a local mag. I liked their designs and style, and decided to reach out.

Tell us about your space, and the state it was in prior to the project.

We bought the house back in 2009; at the time, it was almost 17 years old. The interior was mostly white and looked rather dated so it was time for a change!

What was your brief to EightyTwo?

We wanted to keep the house looking minimalist and spacious, but we were after a style that resembled a holiday resort getaway, while still retaining the cosiness of a home.

How was it working with them?

The EightyTwo team were incredibly attentive and easy to work with. They were enthusiastic about their designs and inspirations, and offered a lot of options to work with.

There were several things that I loved about the new interior. The minimalist cement floors were an overlay of the house’s existing compressed marble flooring and kept the hacking costs to a minimum while giving the house a deconstructed look. The linen curtains were handpicked in earthy tones, while the cabinet doors and walk-in wardrobes were custom-made with rattan from Indonesia, adding to the resort feel, along with the open-space bathroom concept in the master bedroom. I also loved how the kids’ rooms were designed with their favourite colours in mind and how the stylistic elements tied in with our art pieces.

Any tips to share with readers who may be considering an interior design job?

Get inspiration from interior design magazines and start envisioning how you want your home to look. Discuss options and ideas with your other half and agree on the expectations. Most importantly, do not rush the process. Take some time to live in your house, get yourself comfortable and evaluate the designs you had in mind with practical considerations.

EightyTwo

685A East Coast Road

6698 7987 | hello@eightytwo.sg eightytwo.sg

Christine Miyasaki, American How did you hear about E&A Interiors?

We moved into our apartment a little over two years ago and wanted to give it a fresh look. A close friend recommended Chloe from E&A Interiors. I checked out previous projects on her website and loved the look and style of the rooms that she’d transformed.

Tell us about your space, and the state it was in prior to the project.

The apartment was a blank canvas. The main living space was a large, open rectangle with white marble floors and white walls.

What was your brief to E&A Interiors?

The furniture from our previous place was too dark and didn’t complement the new space, so I knew I needed help with the décor, and I wanted to add more colour to the rooms. We’ve lived in Asia for over 13 years and have collected several pieces of artwork during that time, so I also wanted the placement and colours of the furniture to blend with our artwork.

Explain your experience working with E&A Interiors. Did they meet your expectations?

When I reached out to Chloe, I didn’t know what exactly I liked or wanted. She helped to narrow down my style, encouraging me to create mood boards of styled rooms and furniture pieces that I liked. From there, she was able to create a look book for the space.

Chloe used my art as a starting point, from which we drew out the purples, blues and greens from one of my Vietnamese pieces. By introducing oak, teak and rattan, she helped me move away from the heavier and darker pieces to open up the space.

All the furniture and rugs were custom-made, including the large oak dining table with rattan chairs and our striking blue sideboard. The added details and textures add depth, from the trellis-patterned cotton dhurrie in the living room to the detailing of the wooden bobbin chairs with botanical prints.

The finished product turned out better than I expected. The E&A Interiors team was able to incorporate everything I wanted within the budget!

E&A Interiors

59 Eng Hoon Street, #01-75 Tiong Bahru 6702 4850 eandainteriors.com