Watch: This Geylang flat is bursting with colour

Home Type: 4-room HDB flat

Floor Area: 1,001sqft

Text by Janice Seow

Married couple Adil and Rachel were looking for a home that would reflect their personalities and allow them to pursue their creative interests.

Adil is a software developer who loves to build objects in his spare time, while Rachel is a product designer by day and an illustrator by night (she goes by the moniker Rachodoodles).

“We set out to create a space that we would be excited to come home to every day – a place that felt authentically us, rather than conforming to any single style or theme,” says Rachel.

Despite being creatives themselves, the couple describes the design and renovation process as being a highly collaborative effort with their designers at Ethereall. “We wanted partners who would be just as excited about the project as we were, while also bringing a sense of practicality and liveability to our home,” says Rachel.

The couple leaned on the designers and trusted their expertise when it came to colour pairings and the selection of materials and their application. While the colourful shades and tile choices in this cheery BTO flat are unapologetically bold, they are well balanced with neutral tones so they don’t feel overwhelming.

Husband and wife each have their own ‘work room’ in this four-room unit in Geylang where they can go to get inspired and create. Glass windows between Adil’s workshop and the living area enhances visual connection when the pair are in different parts of the house, and improves light circulation so the home feels brighter.

Every corner of the home is decorated with colourful art, posters, toys and various collectibles that the couple have gathered during their lives and travels. Some of the furniture pieces and objects around the home are also Adil’s creations which he has painstakingly built over time.

This flat is not all colour, and various areas offer a warmer and more restful ambience. The living room, for example, is a tranquil and sunlit space where the couple spend much time lounging, reading and caring for their plants in their little garden. With 30 plants and counting, the couple say that it’s like having their very own ‘indoor forest’.