A Family Home That Marries Japanese Design With Playful Animal-Themed Decor

We wanted a comfortable, zen-like home where we can wind down at the end of our busy days. Having an open view to natural scenery was something that we actively searched for. When we first saw this unit with its gorgeous views of the reservoir, it was love at first sight and a quick decision for us. We chose a mix of oriental, zen style in a neutral colour palette with bastions of wooden accents around the house to have that natural and homey feel that we wanted. We focused a lot on the special planning as we knew that our young family would require lots of storage as we grow. We also wanted our home to have a comfortable flow instead of being cluttered and disorganised. Hello, I'm Taylan. I'm an interior designer. Hi, I'm Kai and I work in Seafood Sales. Our home is a 4-room resale HDB unit in Bedok Reservoir View. It's roughly 110 sqm and we've been staying here for about 2 years now. Being so close to the reservoir, we made sure our home has good ventilation as well as plenty of sunlight across the entire apartment. We picked a rough textured tile for the walls of the entryway to add more visual layers. We added a large mirror framed by wooden carpentry with a walnut laminate as a feet check before we go. It also conveniently gives a warm welcoming impression when guests enter our home. The dining is in a well-ventilated and well-lit spot. Since we are on a rather high floor, we get quite a bit of renient sunshine across the entire common area. The dining table and chairs are made of thick wood. We picked a rather large table with textured wood grains to give it a raw natural vibe. All of us love spending time here, not just to eat, but also to play, draw, read or even to do work. We have a pantry outside to separate our son's stuff from the main kitchen space. As we do heavy cooking sometimes, the separation keeps his things clean. The wooden carpentry provides plenty of storage for our snacks and other barang-barang. The grainy quartz slab balances out the woody look of our pantry and kitchen areas. The pantry also has a small secret. Like Alibaba, we hid our bone shelter behind the storage cabinet to maintain the overall thickness of the home. We picked a dual glass pocket door for the kitchen to be fully concealed when open. We also shifted the kitchen doorway to achieve a smooth and seamless flow between the spaces. Shifting the door also widened the walkway into the kitchen, allowing us to have ample space to cook. We chose a combination of one gas stove and one induction hob for more cooking options. Everything needed for cooking are all within arm's reach. My wife designed this dream kitchen specially for me. So far, I've enjoyed cooking for loved ones in this well-designed space. We used some cleverly designed carpentry to house the fridge. The back of the fridge housing is into the service yard, allowing for a front that is flushed with the kitchen cabinets. We replaced the door to the service yard with foldable glass doors, which minimised the smell from the kitchen. We have also concealed the extra structural beam that was sticking out for a better flow. We used it for laundry, storage of cleaning products and gardening tools. We also attached a simple hose for an easier washout. I hope you're enjoying today's episode. So I had the pleasure of visiting Hevea's showroom, a hidden gem in the tranquil Tiong Bahru neighbourhood, and it is this visit that made me witness their commitment to enhancing sleep through design and personalised service. It's not often that you'll find that eco-friendly practices are at the core of luxury. The Hevea 3 mattress, for instance, prioritises spinal health and comfort with its natural organic latex construction, whilst the adjustable bed bases crafted from beech wood is just one example of the brand's efforts towards sustainability. But one of the true highlights for me would be the bespoke service, where each side of the mattress can be individually tailored to both you and your partner's unique sleep habits and preferences. So chat with their consultants, find your fit, and maybe like me, you'll be inspired by their dedication to a greener, more luxurious rest. And if you're interested to learn more about Hevea's showroom and their offerings, you can click on the link in the description below. Now let's get back to our home tour. The living room is where you can really see the Oriental Zen mix come to life. This used to be the area for the dining room, but we swapped it as we wanted more sun during our day-to-day activities. We also added bi-fold windows to the original full-height windows, which can be fully folded to create an even more open view. We love to sit here and chill with the views to the reservoir. It's beautiful during sunsets and in thunderstorms. We wanted our home to have a more free flow, so we did not commit to any large furniture in this area. This allows for more space for activities instead. The original layout has this structural pillar awkwardly jutting out from the wall. We decided to install two slim bookshelves on it to conceal the awkward break of flow, and to provide more space for storage and display. Having two slim columns instead of one wider shelf allows for more flexibility in the display. Since we get quite a lot of sunlight, we have set up a small area by the TV to grow some houseplants, adding another layer of natural elements into the living room. My Chinese name, Yan, refers to a type of migratory bird, earning me my childhood nickname, Xiao Yanzi. Growing up, I have always had a special appreciation for bird themed art pieces. Now, we have them all around the home, which blend in really well with the natural theme and zen vibes. The hanging paper birds near the window cast an interesting rotating shadow with the sunset. We are still amused by how it interacts with lights and wind as we watch it react to the changes of the environment. We wanted visual separation between the common and family areas of our home, one of which is the cement feature wall along the kitchen, study and living room. Our toweler used a specially crafted metal comb to script it into a pattern resembling that of a zen garden. This created a very nice texture that reacts to the changing light and shadows when the sunlight shines in. Staying consistent to our theme, we've added a zen frog painting and a Chinese calligraphy piece to the wall. The guest room is separated from the family bedrooms so that guests can have their own privacy when staying over. When not being used by guests, the space functions as our study room. In the study, we don't need too much storage but more table space. We fabricated a customised desk with a compact top that was curved around the corner for practicality and preventing it from looking too angular for more focusing rather than calming and zen. On the way to the bedroom, we created a carpentry doorway to demarcate the family and commons areas. We changed the flooring from terrazzo to chevron tiles that are directionally shaped towards the master bedroom. The corridor also acts as a play area for our son where we store all his toys and help build a study by occupying some space from the study room with glass panels creating a visual connection and letting in more light into the study. Our son loves marine life thanks to my father's influence as a marine biologist. He used mostly loose furnishings for his room but went with an aquatic-themed wallpaper and wardrobe with various marine animals he loves. We wanted our son to grow more independently and incorporated this into the design. This room also has the best views of the reservoir but unfortunately, he will only be able to admire it as he grows taller. Common bathroom was kept relatively simple with carpentry to box up the sewage pipes and to create storage for easy access to our toiletries. Our son loves yellow so we brighten up the shower area with yellow tiles to give it a vintage and colourful white. We again used nyato wood for the master bedroom door as its strong natural wood grains, textures and colours give off an authentic feel. The chevron tiles also follows through from the corridor creating a smoother flow into the room. One of the walls of our bedroom is actually diagonal. Our full-height wardrobe lines across the diagonal wall to maximise both our storage and walking space. We opted for a green leaf-like textured wallpaper which adds a natural soothing feel to our bedroom. We based the bed's position to the views of the reservoir. The master bathroom is quite different from the common as we had to relocate the door to compensate for the diagonal wall. Maintaining a similar aesthetic to our big head we chose green tiles for the shower area to tie in with the overall natural feel. Our quad sinks counter is curved instead of angular creating more space for us to walk in with a seamless flow. Our home is a place where we feel belonged. It is our sanctuary amid a hectic world outside. We can always find comfort and shelter the moment we are home. It is also a safe space for our young family to play and grow. Our home is inspiring with its natural elements brought out by thoughtful design.