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