Tatler Homes Singapore

A New Beginning

Ong&ong gives this semi-detached house a muchneeded makeover to address its owners’ evolving needs and lifestyles

- By Luo Jingmei. Photograph­y Jasper Yu

Ong&ong mastermind­s a cosy new look for this family home

It had been more than a decade since a family of four moved into this semidetach­ed house. They loved the location but as the children grew up and the family’s lifestyles changed, they thought about looking for a new abode. The couple spoke with their friend Teo Boon Kiat, a director in Ong&ong’s interior design department, who convinced them that a remodellin­g of their 4,000sqft home could address their concerns.

The couple’s bedroom was formerly in the attic, but they no longer wanted to climb up two-and-a-half storeys several times a day to reach it. They also wanted to be closer to their children, whose bedrooms are located on the second f loor. Teo took these factors into considerat­ion, and improved not only the house’s functional­ity, but also updated it with a contempora­ry look featuring grey tones and timber veneer.

MAKING PLANS

On the ground storey, Teo receded the entrance door to expand the size of the car porch. Two trees were added to the grassy lawn; the family’s two large dogs enjoy roving around the property, indoors and out. The architect also reduced the size of the koi pond and extended the timber decks outwards to increase the functional­ity of the terrace—it now features an outdoor dining area that also functions as a breakfast spot.

As the couple love entertaini­ng, Teo created several small zones for lounging on the ground f loor; these include a cosy dining nook with a circle of armchairs. “This is a casual sitting area where the wife and her friends can have afternoon tea,” says Teo. He kept the location of the dining room and dry kitchen at the back of the house but enhanced them with sophistica­ted touches.

A Heracleum II pendant light by

Bertjan Pot from Moooi f loats above the

“The vertical slats have become the home’s defining feature”

Poliform dining table and chairs, with the feathery details of the lamp giving the space a sense of lightness. The dry kitchen counter was expanded to facilitate the wife’s love of cooking. Around the space, Teo created display shelves and cabinetry that incorporat­e Gaggenau kitchen appliances and a Kadeka wine chiller.

CREATING CONNECTION­S

Behind the dining table, a sliding door opens to reveal a drinking lounge reminiscen­t of a gentleman’s club with coffered ceiling details, wall mouldings and a dark palette. “After dinner, the couple head here for drinks with friends. It’s very decorated but also very functional,” says Teo, of the space that used to be a TV room. An icemaker and other equipment sit among prized bottles of spirits, lit luxuriousl­y against the copper mesh panels.

The second storey incorporat­es a family hall and the teenagers’ bedrooms, as well as a guest room. Two other bedrooms were merged to form the master bedroom. The impressive walk-in wardrobe is designed like a boutique, with metal trimmings and backlit shelves.

Glass doors showcase the wife’s handbags neatly and afford easy access. Between the wardrobe and master bedroom, a pocket sliding door gives the sleeping zone additional privacy if desired. The master bedroom looks out to a terrace atop the car porch roof, where enveloping timber louvres provide seclusion.

TOPPING IT OFF

While the first f loor is for entertaini­ng guests, the attic is where the family spend the most of their time together. The front-facing portion functions as a secondary living area, whose lofty pitched ceiling features new timber panelling and ambient lighting. Louvres at the facade mitigate sunlight and ensure privacy.

“The vertical slats have become the home’s defining feature,” says Teo. The room extends to an outdoor deck where the family holds barbecues. A sliding door offers the f lexibility of closing the room for guests.

At the attic’s rear is the multipurpo­se family space, which houses a study for the wife as well as a gym where the couple work out regularly. Sometimes, friends come to join them for Zumba classes together.

The attic also features a music room, which can be enclosed with soundproof glass sliding doors when needed.

“As the family are into music, we enclosed a room for jamming sessions. The daughter plays the keyboard and drums, the husband plays the guitar and the son plays the piano,” says Teo.

Like the family room, the pitched roof here also features timber panelling. Outside, a sheltered balcony extends the room outwards and makes the space usable even in the rain or midday heat. There is a laid-back, tropical feel to this area that takes one away from the bustle of daily life. The end result of spatial redesign has given the family renewed functional­ity and so much more.

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 ??  ?? Left to right: This cosy alcove on the ground floor provides a cosy nook in between the living and dining areas; these vertical slats in a walnut-stained ash veneer are among the home’s defining features; the family’s dogs roam freely throughout the property
Left to right: This cosy alcove on the ground floor provides a cosy nook in between the living and dining areas; these vertical slats in a walnut-stained ash veneer are among the home’s defining features; the family’s dogs roam freely throughout the property
 ??  ?? Previous spread: Various pieces from the family’s art collection liven up the ground floor; a view of the entrance of the semidetach­ed house
Previous spread: Various pieces from the family’s art collection liven up the ground floor; a view of the entrance of the semidetach­ed house
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 ??  ?? Left to right: The Moooi Heracleum II pendant light creates a focal point in the dining area, drawing the eye towards the drinking lounge at the back
Left to right: The Moooi Heracleum II pendant light creates a focal point in the dining area, drawing the eye towards the drinking lounge at the back
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 ??  ?? This page: The drinking lounge is a handsome space with a backlit glass cabinet that showcases the husband’s treasured spirits; the walk-in wardrobe in the master bedroom is modelled after the displays in fashion boutiques Opposite page, clockwise from top left: The louvered windows can be adjusted to provide privacy in the master bedroom; calligraph­y works and an abstract art piece create visual interest in the stairwell; a montage of posters and memorabili­a adds a personal touch to the son’s bedroom, which also features concrete screed walls; the master bathroom is a light-filled space furnished with a freestandi­ng bathtub, fittings from Kohler and a steamer cubicle with retractabl­e screens;
This page: The drinking lounge is a handsome space with a backlit glass cabinet that showcases the husband’s treasured spirits; the walk-in wardrobe in the master bedroom is modelled after the displays in fashion boutiques Opposite page, clockwise from top left: The louvered windows can be adjusted to provide privacy in the master bedroom; calligraph­y works and an abstract art piece create visual interest in the stairwell; a montage of posters and memorabili­a adds a personal touch to the son’s bedroom, which also features concrete screed walls; the master bathroom is a light-filled space furnished with a freestandi­ng bathtub, fittings from Kohler and a steamer cubicle with retractabl­e screens;
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 ??  ?? Opposite page: Family get-togethers are often held in the cosy secondary living area, located in the attic
This page: The family enjoy regular jamming sessions in the music room; the timber-themed powder room next to the home gym features a tropical look
Opposite page: Family get-togethers are often held in the cosy secondary living area, located in the attic This page: The family enjoy regular jamming sessions in the music room; the timber-themed powder room next to the home gym features a tropical look
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