Covid-19 sparks designer sanctuary home
When Roy Teo, founder of The Mill Group of design companies, started XXII Century (pronounced “22nd Century”) in 2003, his focus was on forward-thinking designs. These included movable walls that allow a home to evolve with a person’s changing lifestyle needs over time. “Homeowners wouldn’t have to hack away walls to make more space,” explains Teo. “I looked at it from a functional point of view, where everything else was added on as layers and was not permanent. I felt that one shouldn’t be fixated on a certain design style.”
At that time, the vision of XXII Century was considered “ahead of its time” and well received by only a select group. Teo founded other design companies before that, namely The I.D. Dept in 1998, followed by Kri:eit Associates and Splendor; and made a name for himself in the design of luxury homes, developers’ sales galleries and showflats.
“But Covid-19 and the lockdown made people reach in and look at things from a new perspective,” he says. “People have adopted a lifestyle where spaces within their homes need to serve multiple purposes, and yet be the ultimate safe haven.” That change in perspective led to a quantum leap in the way people look at adaptability of space and design. XXII Century suddenly became very relevant.
Teo therefore spent the past two months making over a 2½-storey bungalow that he owns at Coronation Road West into a home that embodies XXII Century’s ideals.
‘Your own oasis’
At the start of the “circuit breaker”, he did a survey of everyone he knew to find out what they missed most, and what they enjoyed most, about working from home.
There was certainly a newfound appreciation for the outdoors. “Those living in condos said their balconies were their favourite place. They could enjoy the fresh air while remaining in the safety of their own private space,” says Teo. Seeing the number of people jogging or cycling on weekdays and flocking to parks reinforced his belief that people wanted outdoor activity but may not necessarily have the space in their own homes, he adds.
Many of the bungalows, including Good
Class Bungalows, were designed to maximise gross floor area, hence they lack a garden, notes Teo. For the house at Coronation Road West, he focused on creating a landscaped garden, with chengal decking around the perimeter of the house. The deck varies in depth to accommodate different functions: an outdoor dining area, poolside seating, a cabana as well as pockets of “fun additions”, such as a hammock over the pool and a swing next to the pool. There is even an alfresco spa area.
Trees planted around the perimeter of the house were selected as they were the most effective as a screen and for providing privacy. Plants and trees have also been strategically placed so that the views from the house are of the greenery. Big glass sliding doors of the house open out to the garden, the outdoor dining area, the swimming pool or the al fresco spa. Mirrors have been strategically placed in the living and dining area to reflect the garden and swimming pool outside, further reinforcing the connection between the interior and exterior of the house, says Teo.
“The idea is to create your own sanctuary, so that no matter how much time you spend at home — two months or longer — you have everything you need in your own little oasis,” he adds.
Reassessment of what a home means
Speakers have been installed around the house, both indoors and outdoors, so that one can enjoy music in every part of the home. All the lights within the house were changed to LED (light emitting diodes), low-energy-consumption lights. The lighting system was reorganised so that it was more efficient and effective, with minimal number of lights, adds Teo. Intelligent home switches are also used with timers to regulate the lights outside in order to conserve energy.
Covid-19 has also led to a reassessment of what really matters in a home. “While the luxuries in life are still important, it’s about creating a home that balances grandeur and comfort,” Teo says. “It is about soulfulness. So I used warm, earthy hues and Hermes products to symbolise quality and the luxury that one is accustomed to.”
In the living and dining areas, Teo designed cove lighting with a sloped ceiling to create an airy, “coastal style” interior. Teo says: “The timber fins serve more than just an aesthetic feature. The rear fins have reflectors that