Eliza HamizaH finds out how a young couple

undertook the design of their home mostly on their

own, with help from their style-savvy carpenter.

EyE for

StylE

The wall
separating
the living
room and
kitchen was
demolished
and replaced
by a bar
counter to
open up the
two spaces.

The new nesT

W

ell-travelled

homeowners Ronald

Wan and Rachel Ong

were inspired by the many

stylish Airbnb apartments they

stayed at during their trips to

Paris, London, New York and

Bangkok. Those homes were

chic, simple and inviting –

something the married couple

believed could be achieved in

their own home by using the

timeless palette of black

and white.

“For us, the feeling of being

home has to do with a space

that is constant and consistent,

and the black-and-white colour

scheme makes a good base for

this. It’s easy to match, and

coloured decor pops nicely

against it. To keep to our budget,

Ronald and I planned our own

mood board, while Gay Zhengcai

from The Merry Men Interiors

helped us realise it,” says Rachel.

We find out what went into

the $46,000 renovation, which

included transforming one

bedroom into an open study and

combining the two remaining

bedrooms into a master suite

with a walk-in wardrobe.