Apart from an L-shaped sofa,
a built-in TV console and a
custom-made dining island, the
rest of the space is deliberately
kept void of any furniture, with
just one striking black and white
print on the wall. Mads visited
many furniture showrooms
to get a feel as to what the
ideal dimensions of the island
should be, before drawing it up
and getting it fabricated by a
contractor.
“It was important that I
got the size right - how high
it should be, how deep the
recesses needed to be in
order not to bump our knees
when seated, the height of
the stools to go with it, and
so on,” she elaborates.
She even went to the extent
of ensuring that the island,
sofa, TV feature wall and the
bedroom wall are perfectly
aligned. Storage below the
island serves more than just
a functional purpose; it also
conceals unsightly stool legs
from the living room to create
a more aesthetically pleasing
1.Sticktoa
themeand
colourswatch
whendesigning
yourhome.This
helpsyouto
buystuffthat
matches.Be
patientwhen
youcan’tfind
thecoloursyou
need.I’msure
itwillshowup
somewhere!
2.Thinkabout
yourdailyneeds;
whatdoyoudo
anduseevery
day?Ibuiltmy
homebasedon
howIwanted
todisplayand
storethings.
Forexample,
Ihaveautility
cabinetfor
drymopsand
pails,insteadof
puttingthemin
thebathroom.I
alsomeasured
allmykitchen
appliances
anddesigned
storagespaces
accordingto
theheightand
widthofeach
appliance.ForMiniMalist on a budgetHere are Mads’ top six tips on getting the look without
breaking the bank.the daily stuff
like water, coffee
and snacks, I
have another
cabinet within
the built-in
countertop, so I
can conceal this
area after I’ve
poured a drink.- I installed
a lot of lights
in the house,
about four in
each area, so it
is well lit. The
lights are from
Taobao, because
they have
newer designs
at affordable
prices. I used
Ezbuy to ship
them over by
sea. In total, I
spent about
$500-600 on
lighting. - I put a lot
of thought into
concealing
plugs and wires.
There are no
wires hanging
inthe open. I
built the sockets
inthe cabinet
tocontain the
mess. It’s easier
to plan this part
before starting
any carpentry
work.- For my dining
table, I couldn’t
find a large table
with storage,
so I engaged
my carpenter
to build a
counter for me
according to my
specifications.
It cost around
$2,000. I also
added a solid
surface so it is
more durable
than the usual
laminates. Below
the table, I have
storage for
stationery, files
and documents. - For the
flooring, I
opted for
unconventional
black vinyl
($5.50/psf),
because I didn't
want to see dirt
or hair which
would be very
conspicuous on
white flooring.
far left
A specific space
is dedicated to
every item in
the kitchen.
left
The determined
homeowner
searched for
items in black,
white or clear,
in order to
maintain the
monochrome
look.view. The master bedroom has a
continuation of the same black
and white theme and everything
is discreetly built-in or tucked
away. There is no stray wire or
multi-plug lying around. The
master bathroom light was
recently replaced with a smart
system, allowing the homeowners
to switch it on or off via an app.
This is just one of many smart
features around the home, all
of which Mads installed herself
using components procured
online. She is able to control any
infra-red appliance via the app
and it is an expandable network
to which individual hubs can be
linked. “A smart home doesn’t
have to be expensive,” she says.
Even after more than four
years, Mads finds the home very
liveable and she believes that the
key lies in its functional elements,
which she maintains consistently
neat and clutter-free. She says:
“It may not be the nicest-looking
home around, but it is definitely
one of the most practical.”http://www.youtube.com/madsncakesphotography darren cHang art direction kristy quaH^111