Inside a Modern Scandi Shophouse with Dreamy Kitchen Skylight | Singapore

The project brief was to create a light-filled, warm and welcoming space where cooking and entertaining are the focal points. The homeowner is a passionate cook who wanted the kitchen to be the heart of the home, where she could host friends and family. The unit was previously partitioned into four mini living studios, each with an attached bathroom and a mini kitchenette. The home underwent a major layout redesign and had to be completely gutted out, so we were basically working with a clean slate. The entryway is carved out intentionally to act as a transition zone between the outside and the family's personal space. It features an integrated settee that provides ample seating and doubles up as storage as well, making it a functional area for entertaining before guests are ushered in. Rather than being just a transient space, we designed it such that people would want to linger and have conversations here. The laundry room is situated within the entryway, which is quite an unconventional layout, but that actually aligns with the home's design philosophy, which is the deeper you enter into the space, the more private and intimate it becomes. To create a bright and open living space without compromising privacy from the bustling neighbourhood, we designed a ribbon divider that subtly separates the entryway from the rest of the house. This allows natural light and air to flow through while maintaining a sense of seclusion without the need for a full wall or door. For better airflow, we installed a 43-inch caramel spin fan. With its lighter wood finish complementing the wooden ribbon divider below, and we thought it would be a perfect match. While the homeowner didn't have a specific design style in mind, she naturally gravitates towards wood tones and appreciates the effortless, quiet elegance of casual Californian chic homes. For the dining area, the homeowner loves entertaining, so we designed a sculptural solid thick table, paired with equally sculptural chairs, all anchored by a floating linen shade. A mini yet well-equipped bar counter besides the dining table keeps conversations flowing all night. There's also an oversized mirror that visually expands the space and doubles up as a perfect mirror for a selfie spot. Behind the dining is the powder room where we took a very deliberate design by drenching the room in shades of clay to blush, using textures and shapes to entice guests to hang a bit longer in here. The dining area then seamlessly transitions into the living room, with both spaces subtly defined from the dry kitchen by a flooring change and an open display shelf. The shelf conceals a misplaced pillar in the middle of nowhere and to draw attention away from it, we added quirky little asymmetrical end caps to the shelves and all of them are in different shapes. To complement the living area, we selected a signature 60-inch caramel spin fan, featuring a beautiful light wood grain out of their wide range of options as it seamlessly mirrors the wood laminate of the TV console. Given the spaciousness of the open living-dining-kitchen area, the fan effectively cools the space alongside the air conditioning, reducing the reliance on the latter while maintaining energy efficiency. We designed a skylight that spans the entire length of the dry kitchen, addressing the challenge of limited natural light in the boxy layout and drawing brightness deep into the entertaining area. This not only enhances the connection between the kitchen and the rest of the home, but also transform it into a centerpiece for gatherings. Given that the homeowner loves cooking and hosting, we embraced the kitchen as the heart of the whole mantra, making sure it functions as a shared space for meal prep and conversations, yet remains well-defined enough for each activity to happen separately when needed. The countertop is clad in Taj Mahal quartzite, a gorgeous, hardy stone that is highly resistant to heat and stains. During sunny days, the skylight above shines across the layers of this natural stone, which further highlights its beauty. Separated by a glass door, the wet kitchen stands in distinct contrast to the dry kitchen. The space transitions from a wood-dominant design to a bold theatrical setting with checkerboard flooring, blue moon marble, and a brushed copper hood. Given the limited walking space, we replaced the usual pull-out spice trolley with a hidden spice rack concealed behind a sliding backsplash. The mix of open and closed shelves here allow the homeowner to tinker with both storage and display. The stepped entrance and landing to the master bedroom creates the feeling of checking into a private sanctuary every day. The master bath is my favourite space hack in the home. We had a huge design challenge when designing the master ensuite. We ended up designing a sunken bathtub that adds a luxurious, spa-like element to the bathroom. With the use of velvety floor and wall tiles to add softness to the space, and allowing the integrated marble sink with its strong veins and romantic colours to stand out. We designed the home to be able to feel private and also social at the same time, so it was fulfilling when we saw that she hosted a large gathering and shared with us afterwards that the kitchen functioned exactly like how her dream kitchen would. The homeowner envisions this as the family's home for many years to come, so the space needed to be adaptable while exuding a timeless elegance that never goes out of style.