A holiday home with a man-cave twist

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Text by Olha Romaniuk

At Parc Komo along Upper Changi Road North, a compact two-bedroom condo has been transformed into a stylish holiday home for a young couple and their two children. The homeowners, both business owners in the F&B and supply chain industry, lead busy lives marked by frequent travel. When it came to their home, they wanted a space that could transport them away from routine – a sanctuary that echoed the mood of luxury hotels. At the same time, the husband requested a dedicated space where he could unwind and indulge in his love for gaming.

The resulting apartment design by Brennan Phua from SG Interior Design strikes a balance between two seemingly opposite moods: the darker tones of a gaming den and the warm neutrality of a restful holiday suite.

The home’s living room establishes the man cave aesthetic with a darker palette layered with dimmable ambient lighting. This not only sets the scene for gaming sessions but also transforms the space into a moody lounge for evening relaxation. A large-format marble feature wall from Hafary anchors the living area. Rather than opting for a conventional TV console, a pair of vertical cabinets flanking the wall was introduced to house devices and sockets. “Designed vertically rather than suspended, the console wall is a standout element,” notes Brennan. “It spotlights the luxurious marble slab as the room’s true centrepiece.”

Soft furnishings, chosen in neutral tones, soften the boldness of the marble and glass. Lighting design also plays a key role here, with downlights, track lighting, and LEDs from Sol Luminaire setting flexible moods depending on the occasion.

One of the challenges of the project was working within the compact footprint, particularly in accommodating storage and seating. “To provide more storage solutions, the simplest fix would have been to place additional cabinets around the TV console area, a common solution for small apartments,” explains Brennan. “However, this approach would have created a chunkier-looking living room, taking attention away from the TV console feature wall clad in a luxurious glazed porcelain tile.”

Instead of crowding the TV wall with storage, the design extended the shoe cabinet along the corridor beside the kitchen. This created a continuous run of concealed cabinets that maximised storage while keeping the living area uncluttered and widened the dining wall, making room for a dining settee with hidden storage beneath. To counter the narrowness of the corridor, mirrors were strategically used, giving an illusion of depth and reducing any sense of confinement.

In contrast to the darker communal zones, the master bedroom adopts a lighter, warmer palette for rest and rejuvenation. The headboard features textile-inspired laminates, accented with rose gold stainless steel strips for a touch of understated glamour. An Italian sintered stone slab from Bellus forms the feature wall, its refined marble pattern lending quiet sophistication. The fabric bedframe, paired with flowing curtains, enhances the sense of comfort and intimacy.

An anecdote adds further charm to this project. A large custom canvas painting arrived broken and torn. Rather than discarding it, the team salvaged the piece on-site, rewrapping the undamaged canvas and retouching it with a black marker. Though it was reduced in size, the refurbished artwork turned out surprisingly well — and today it hangs proudly in the living room, adding a personal story to the home.

In the end, by embracing contrasts – dark versus light, bold versus soft, functional versus decorative – Brennan created a home that mirrors its owners’ personalities while offering the luxury of a holiday getaway. It is at once a place to relax, to entertain, and to retreat – a compact condo that manages to feel like more than the sum of its parts.

SG Interior Design
www.sginterior.com.sg
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