In a home where its owners wanted openness and privacy, a balance of both is achieved through mindful space planning and design elements borrowed from Japanese and Scandinavian design principles.
10 July 2024
Text by Olha Romaniuk
Project type: 4-room HDB flat
Floor area: 1,463sqft
The owners wanted to keep the balcony closed off for privacy most of the time, but were worried about the living room not receiving enough light. As a solution, the designers introduced a shoji panel to close off the balcony from the living room, while allowing the light to filter through. A series of matching screens were placed to the right of the shoji panel to be used as privacy dividers for the adjacent workspace.
At the entrance of the flat, the designers removed an existing display cabinet and converted the space into a semi-enclosed foyer by delineating its boundary with a see-through wood panel divider that also serves as a backdrop for a settee where the owners can put on their shoes.
The living room was transformed into a warm and inviting space with the use of warm woodgrains and pastel colours. To minimise clutter, the previous shoe cabinet location was changed to now sit next to the television console and connect the foyer and the living area. The cabinet serves as a place to store shoes, as well as a display for the owners’ collectibles.
A sliding shoji door opens to a U-shaped kitchen with plenty of storage space. To keep the area bright and airy, the designers created a large window opening in the wall between the yard and the kitchen to allow the natural light from outside to filter through. A wall-hung cabinet was added to conceal a ceiling beam running through the kitchen and to provide extra storage space.
The entrance to the master bedroom is a long passageway that provides privacy to the sleeping area. With the wardrobe facing the passageway decorated simply, the Japandi look effortlessly carries through from the public areas in the flat to the most private spaces.
The master bedroom’s previous layout was completely reconfigured to accommodate the homeowners’ request for additional privacy. The expansive, wood laminated wardrobe was kept devoid of detail to make it appear like a wall, rather than a space for storage and hanging clothes, while a built-in shelf was integrated with the wardrobe to serve as a small display and open storage nook.
A previous glass panel that served as a divider between the dining area and the walkway was removed and replaced with a wooden slat panel to open up the space. Just like the living room, a shoji panel was added to separate the dining area from the storage room, concealing the utility space from public eye and enhancing the overall aesthetic of the home.
AP Concept
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