Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Sleek and Minimal in Singapore
Contemporary style and a neutral palette transform a public housing unit in Singapore into a chic retreat
Kathryn Goh's clients came to her with a fairly simple directive: design a sleek, minimalist space that reflects their contemporary design aesthetic. "My clients really represent the young Singaporean professional set. They work hard, travel a lot, and when they're at home, they want things to be easy, orderly and fuss free," says Goh, of Black N White House.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A young professional couple
Location: Bishan, Singapore
Size: 1,200 square feet
That's interesting: The unit is considered public housing (called HDB flats).
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A young professional couple
Location: Bishan, Singapore
Size: 1,200 square feet
That's interesting: The unit is considered public housing (called HDB flats).
The couple's home office reflects their minimalist leanings. "Everything has its place," says Goh. The wood shutters usually stay closed during the day to prevent the glaring sunlight from heating the room. Singapore's heat and humidity leads most residents to invest in central air conditioning; Goh's clients are no exception.
HDB flats were introduced by the Singaporean Housing and Development Board (hence the acronym). It's important to note that, unlike in the United States, about 85 percent of Singaporeans live in public housing that they own, in self-contained towns with their own schools, groceries, hospitals, food centers and recreational facilities. As Singapore settles into its role as one of the most economically stable and respected countries in the world, high-end HDB developments, like the one in which Goh's clients live, are sprouting up.
"My clients live in an up-market HDB development that reflects the current times. Typically and traditionally, HDB buildings were pretty nondescript blocks of units," says Goh. The center burnt-orange and taupe building in this photo typifies some of the older structures.
"As you can see, the couple specified that they love the contrast of black and white hues, with neutral shades of beige and gray included in their color palette," Goh says. "They wanted a space that reflected their upward mobility and their sensibility for a more global, contemporary design aesthetic."
The floating cabinets in the entry were custom made by Black N White House. They store shoes and other items.
Another set of floating cabinets, mounted on the wall opposite the entryway, houses the couple's bar, coffee and entertaining accoutrements. Goh sourced décor that adds curves and softness to the otherwise lean and angular space: a round dining table, molded chairs, a curved mirror installation and a triangular coffee table with rounded edges.
Although Singapore is known for its affordable hawker stalls (outdoor food courts serving internationally renowned Malay, Chinese and Indian food) and world-class cuisine, the lady of the house sometimes decompresses by baking and cooking in her kitchen. Although compact, the kitchen has everything she needs.
"Space constraint is always an issue in HDB flats as the government scrambles to build more and more units for people," says Goh. "But I think we were able to give our clients the contemporary unit of their dreams within a doable budget and within the limitations of the space."
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More:
5 Smashing Black and White Homes
Black and White Rooms
So Your Style Is: Contemporary