From co-living space to a mid-century family home, Singapore-style

Text by Janice Seow

In the East, and close to the walk-ups and easy charm of Joo Chiat, a 1950s apartment has been quietly reinvented. What used to be a seven-bedroom co-living space with zero living room, and absolutely no kitchen is now a spacious, personality-filled family home redesigned by The Local Interior. The transformation was not for the faint-hearted: $180,000, six months, and the courage to strip everything back to its bones.

For the homeowners — a couple in their thirties with two very young children — the brief was to design a home that celebrates the past. Instead of chasing Instagram trends, they wanted to blend global mid-century and retro references with the visual and emotional memory of 1960s–1980s Singapore homes. “We wanted a home that felt warm, lived-in, and nostalgic — but never like a museum piece,” they share. Working in creative industries, they’ve always had an affection for designs that carry history and personality — something that showed up in their previous three-room BTO as well.

With The Local Interior, that idea was translated into a very specific, local vocabulary. Kopitiam tiles. Retro-style appliances. Colour-blocking in vintage hues. “We took cues from the everyday aesthetics of older Singapore flats and kopitiams, rather than just following mid-century trends,” they explain. The goal wasn’t nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake, but a sense of familiarity recast for a young modern family.

The entire layout was rethought from scratch. With seven former rooms but no actual communal space, walls were knocked down to create a flowing open-plan kitchen, dining and living zone. The lounge pairs a green sofa with a modular shelving wall intended to grow with the family’s keepsakes. There’s also a flexible play area that can morph in time into a study or reading nook.

The kitchen and dining area foreground tactile details, such as a Lamitak Eames laminate for a warm, understated retro charm, while chrome surfaces and stone-patterned finishes add a quiet layer of elegance and modernity.

The children’s rooms lean into soft vintage hues — peach, pink, warm neutrals — with convertible furniture that grows with them. Wall decals of mermaids, thoughtfully inclusive and curly-haired (just like the family), add personality without overwhelming the space. It’s playful, but not saccharine.

Bathrooms get the same treatment: nostalgic kopitiam tiles paired with smart mirrors and hardy waterproof finishes. Also, hand-painted ceramic sinks brought back from Thailand, featuring the homeowner’s favourite flower — the frangipani. It’s the kind of detail that doesn’t scream; it simply makes you smile each time you wash up.

Outside, the restored spiral staircase is kept safely behind a baby gate — a very real reminder that charm and parenthood must co-exist. There’s a planter box, hanging greenery, and even a thrifted retro stone table set sourced from Carousell, repurposed here as a mini outdoor corner with attitude.

Throughout the home, the couple prioritised reuse and authenticity. Up to 60% of their furniture and décor were thrifted while others were carried over from their previous flat. And rather than hiding practical needs behind heavy carpentry, they allowed useful elements to blend seamlessly into the retro narrative. The result is refreshingly unpretentious — lived-in from day one, without waiting for a “settling in” period.

The homeowners sum up the spirit of the renovation best: “Beyond aesthetics, the design was meant to feel familiar. It reminds us of the homes and kopitiams we grew up around, now adapted for our children’s generation. It’s a space that carries memory — yet feels completely our own.”

The Local Interior
www.thelocalinnterior.com.sg
www.facebook.com/TheLocal.INN.terior
www.instagram.com/thelocalinnterior

Homeowners: @ourgreennook

Photography by Mesa Haus Studio

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