HOUSE ON GARDENS

Type: Landed | Location: Hougang, Singapore | Home to: 3 adults + 2 children

Designers: Farrah and Mark Goh

OVERVIEW

Being a transitional home, our clients opted for a hotel-like theme, to act as a rest stop before their forever home. Mark and Farrah sets a white-on-white colour palette throughout the abode, complemented by parquet floorings and organic wool carpets. The rooms are minimal but cosy, mixing warm textiles and natural wood with the beige tile flooring. The intentionally restrained aesthetic brings respite from the bustling public realm right outside its entry, ushering the residents into a sophisticated haven and establishing a moment of arrival.

Space Segregation

Open plan living, dining and kitchen areas provided the house with the much-needed commodity of space. From the front entrance, the abode sets the tone for a light and bright interior, with the staircase leading to the private quarters upstairs. The interiors are soothingly intimate and undeniably luxurious, inviting the residents and guests to immerse themselves in this refuge from the outside world. The ground floor spans the living, dining and kitchen areas, ample communal spaces ideal for hosting huge gatherings. There is also an establishment of a strong connection to the outdoors through steel-framed doors and windows, revealing views of the garden.

Beacon

The home has a generous open-plan layout brimming with natural light. Full-length doors and windows frame the outskirts of the living, kitchen and dining spaces. Upstairs, steel-framed glazing continues to connect the interior and exterior with ample views of the streets and sky. Concealed tracks for sheer blinds and curtains retain the contemporary design narrative while addressing privacy without forfeiting light. More natural light pours in through a carefully-placed central skylight, imbuing the luxurious abode with a radiant, calming charm.

The house also embedded passive sustainable design elements into the interior by placing doors at both ends to allow air circulation. The central staircase functions as an air well to provide sufficient cross ventilation. It helps to cool the entire structure and keep temperatures throughout at optimum levels.

Extensions

The hacking of numerous walls of the first floor extends the space to give an illusion of spatial luxury. It results in the open concept of the kitchen and dining areas, providing abundant dining space and an efficient kitchen layout, including the seamless cabinetry and island.

To further exude the sense of opulence within the house, two upstairs bedrooms combined to complete the master bedroom, a walk-in wardrobe and the lounge room. The bathroom was also further expanded through the same method.

The staircase is the spine of the two-storey retreat, while soft white interior walls are constant throughout, heavily contrasted with the black steel-framed glass doors and windows. The renovation modernises the space by adding larger openings in the façade to allow more light to enter. Embracing the panoramic views of greenery across the width of the house, the abode is quintessentially an urban refuge that exudes privacy and tranquillity.

Opulence Openness

With the first storey being the main social space, a sense of openness in the environment enables the gatherings to move smoothly from the living room to the dining area.

The classic white and beige palette of the communal areas ensures the interiors feel timeless and established. The marbled tabletop table and kitchen island allow our clients and their guests to congregate for meals together. Built-in storage cabinetry introduces a minimalist beauty to the kitchen, while durable patterned tile floorings add subtle visual contrast and texture to the underlying neutral canvas. The addition of the curved kitchen ceiling further enhances the seamless flow in the spaces.

The living room is furnished with vibrantly-coloured and unique furniture to liven and spice things up. The tile flooring is softened by the various textiles, establishing a balance of soft and hard elements. The chunky, patterned carpet in elegant white and blue tones add layered interest and luxury underfoot in the living room. Ambient and open, the communal areas are created for entertaining, sharing moments with family and friends or simply relaxing.

Luxurious Lounging

In the upper levels, the floorings change from patterned tile floorings to chocolate chevron floorboards, making a clear transition between shared and private spaces. The master bedroom exudes elegance with an extensive walk-in robe and a lounge area. The bespoke joinery brings a sense of refinement and delivers ample storage, addressing our clients’ individual needs. It is the minimalist and sophisticated balance of neutral tones, rich materials and textured layering that invites our clients in to cosy up. Beginning and ending their days in a beautiful bedroom space is a real game-changer.

Sticking to the restrained colour palette, black steel-framed windows, silver tapware and a white stone sink vanity complete the fresh look for the current lavishly-sized bathroom. A space crafted for relaxation and reflection, the bathroom’s sole function is to inspire moments of retreat and modern luxury.