Who lives here
A newlywed couple in their 30s
and their pet dog and cat
home A three-bedroom condominium
apartment in Bukit Timah
size 1,200 sq ft
N
icholas Teoh and Chew
Ru Shan purchased this
unit in a condominium
development that is over two
decades old. In spite of its
age, the two instantly saw the
potential the unit possessed. It
had a rather dated look, but the
loft layout – with two bedrooms
and a study spread over two
storeys, complete with double
volume windows and a spiral
staircase – provided the perfect
canvas for a New York City
industrial loft concept.
“It is one of our favourite
interior styles as it is classic,
timeless, aesthetically pleasing
and it just has a certain je ne sais
quoi,” says Nicholas.
Having experience in the
area of interior design (Nicholas
was trained as an architect while
Ru Shan had taken a part-time
course on the subject), the
pair decided to take on the
work of designing their new
home on their own. This was
no mean feat, as the works
carried out were extensive,
involving new finishes for
most of the floors and walls,
replacement of doors, sanitary
fittings and light fixtures, and
reconfiguration of the kitchen
and master bathroom.
“Regrettably, we could
not get enough natural light
into the entrance foyer, but
it is a compromise that we
accepted because we spend
only a couple of seconds
there daily,” says Ru Shan.
As the apartment is an
open-concept loft, the living
and dining rooms, and kitchen,
are essentially one large space.
These areas get plenty of natural
light – thanks to the double-
volume windows in the living
room and other generously
sized windows all around.
The master bedroom
had an awkward corner that
was turned into a niche for
Nicholas’ wardrobe, while
he relinquished the main
wardrobe to Ru Shan. The use
of black wire mesh doors ties
the two together visually.
The master bathroom was
reconfigured to accommodate
a spacious shower area and a
large concrete vanity and basin.
left
The unusual door
finish offers a
clue to the unique
interior that lies
on the other side.
below
The custom-made
dining table
accommodates
eight comfortably.
The tabletop is
fabricated using
unfinished wood
and it sits on a
pair of hand-
welded steel legs
painted matte
black.
opposite
Wire mesh shelves
make it easy to
spot the various
spices and
cooking
ingredients. The
marble-look
homogeneous
tiles were cut
into strips and
arranged in a
herringbone
pattern.
