Gilded trimmings and a multitude of bespoke details combine to create an impressive apartment

This apartment is a glamorous homage to the owners’ heritage, articulated with rich colours and textures inspired by their art collection

Ahome is the embodiment of its owner’s personality, hopes and dreams. As such, balancing different characters in a dwelling remains simultaneously one of the most challenging and most rewarding aspects for designers. In the case of a five-bedroom apartment in the River Valley area, this has resulted in a glamorous interior that unfolds in a series of aweinspiring moments. The work of Design Intervention, the apartment is home to a family of four, comprising a well-travelled couple who lives with their two children.

“Being of Indian heritage and collectors of Indian art, they wanted their home to showcase their collection and culture in a fresh and contemporary way, blending the best of East and West,” says Design Intervention founder and principal

Nikki Hunt. The home must also balance two main forces: the husband and wife’s tastes. The husband prefers the masculine and streamlined while the wife is partial to softer, more sensuous aesthetics. They agreed that the home must be made sufficiently glamorous to impress, yet warm enough to feel welcoming.

MAKING AN ENTRANCE

The original architecture shell was plagued with low-hanging beams that cut into rooms and ceiling height. Design Intervention decided to start afresh by gutting the whole apartment. The entire f looring and windows were replaced, wiring and air-conditioning systems were updated and spatial zoning was reconfigured to better suit the needs of the family.

The firm turned the cumbersome beam that cuts through the foyer into a key architectural feature that imposes a sense of arrival to the previously uninspiring entrance. “Our aim was to create an inviting first-impression space that would set the tone for the rest of the house and welcome the family home at the end of each day,” says Hunt.

Part of the beam has been incorporated into an architrave finished with Nero Marquina marble that marks the threshold between the foyer and the living room. The rest of the beam’s length was hidden inside custom storage with a mirrored finish, which visually expands the perceived footprint of the apartment.

A grand sense of arrival has also been created for the master suite. The point of entry to the master quarter is a foyer dressed in a cluster of Bocci lights arranged in a dome configuration. This golden foyer branches out to the master bedroom and master bathroom.

SOCIAL NETWORK

The family frequently entertains, so a large living area to accommodate gatherings is a must. Design Intervention removed most of the walls in the living area to create one breathable open space and filled it with clusters of furniture to host smaller activities. On one end of the room, plush sofas, armchairs, and coffee tables congregate around the glossy piano beneath a painting of a smiling Mahatma Gandhi.

The dining area is treated more like an extension of the living space than a separate zone. It comprises a sculptural dining table with its six chairs placed near the balcony. In lieu of planters and potted plants, the balcony features a vertical garden to offer maximum f lexibility for entertaining.

Mediating the living and the dining spaces is the bar area, which cuts a dramatic figure with its sparkling green counter finished with malachite stones and a f loor-to-ceiling wine fridge.

GLAMOROUS EDGE

Shades of gold project an unmistakable glamour, ranging from the subtle to the sumptuous. Recessed architectural lights placed along the wall cast a golden hue and add dimension to the otherwise f lat surfaces. The spacious kitchen boasts both vegetarian and non-vegetarian cooking zones, while a booth-style dining area doubles as a spot at which the children can do their homework. The culinary space also features brass hardware that calls forth the gilded undertones of the wood and decorative tiles. The family room features a ceiling finished with gold leafing.

The shades of gold are paired with accent colours to create an either more masculine or feminine impression to suit both husband and wife’s tastes. For the bar, gold trimmings elevate the mix of zebra prints, Nero Marquina marble and the vivid green of the malachite. In the kitchen, touches of gold are matched with warm white surfaces and aqua blue leather while in the master bedroom, these gilded accents are tempered by subdued shades of terracotta and grey.

With its play of scale and meticulous attention to detail, this home is at once a welcoming sanctuary and an unapologetically f lamboyant homage to culture and art.

Left to right: By extending the entrance wall, the firm created architraves that conceal the lowhanging beams; the overall colour scheme was based on the tones in the paintings owned by the family

Left to right: The emerald bar counter connects to the verdant accents in the living room and the vertical garden in the balcony area; the living area features bespoke furniture by Design Intervention, a Serip chandelier, and a Mahatma Gandhi artwork; Andrea Savage and Nikki Hunt, partners of Design Intervention; the use of mirrored surfaces visually expands the space

Left to right: The use of patterns is kept to a minimum and paired with gold hardware, steel drawers in a champagne finish and white cabinetry in the dry kitchen; the sculptural dining table conveys a sense of lightness while matching the gold hardware found on the doors and furnishings; the bar area features zebra-print bar stools, an emerald bar counter and wine chillers that showcase the husband’s collection of wines and spirits

This page: The curved proportions of the furnishings add a cosy touch to the master suite Opposite page, from top left: The powder room has a wall feature comprising Minera Cambria quartz pieces and gold trimmings; the master bathroom features mirrored panels on the walls and cabinetry; the Bloom chair by Kenneth Cobonpue adds a pop of colour to the balcony; a cluster of Bocci lights makes a statement at the entrance of the master bedroom