This Geylang flat offers a slice of Japanese living

Home Type: 3-room HDB flat

Floor Area: 743sqft

Text by Yen Kien Hang

Winner of the recent Architizer A+Awards 2025 by popular choice, this 743-square-foot, three-room flat in Geylang exemplifies the homeowners’ love and passion for Japanese culture. The married couple living here are outgoing and love hosting friends, but do not need a conventional living and dining space. Hence, a new layout had to be figured out. At the same time, the husband is a chef and owner of a Japanese restaurant and often visits Japan for work – therefore, part of the brief included incorporating a commercial kitchen.

To accommodate these needs, Soh Xin Hui from interior design studio Hock Hoon reconfigured the layout by merging the two bedrooms to create a more open and fluid space. A dedicated foyer was introduced, allowing the existing kitchen to be extended to a size that meets the homeowner’s requirements. “We believe in crafting spaces that are imbued with values meaningful to the occupants,” says Xin Hui. “And to do so, a balance between aesthetics and functionality — grounded in a deep understanding of the homeowners’ lifestyle — has to be spot on.”

Here, “living” doesn’t rely on a sofa. Instead, the space is designed for flexibility. A built-in table lift within the platform allows the area to transform easily — rising for meals or retracting flush with the floor to keep the layout open and adaptable. Whether for hosting, movie nights, or everyday dining, this smart, space-saving feature reflects a thoughtful approach to maximising small spaces without compromise.

Xin Hui also designed fluted sliding window panels to softly diffuse natural light while cleverly concealing the projector screen behind a custom pelmet. The short-throw projector is tucked into a drawer beneath the platform, with the gap between the window and platform providing just the right distance for optimal projection.

Storage played a key role in achieving the clean, minimalist look. As avid travellers and collectors, the homeowners realised they needed ample storage not just to house their treasures — especially their sake collection — but also the flexibility to conceal these display cabinets when desired.

To meet these needs, two sets of light wood cabinets were custom-designed. One, located in the living room, is concealed behind a shared lattice sliding door that also serves the foyer; the other flanks both sides of the foyer and even includes a cantilevered platform for sitting while putting on shoes — a thoughtful touch of functionality.

Sliding doors, in fact, play a subtle but important role throughout the home. The lattice version defines the foyer as a calming transition space between the outside world and the interior. In the master bedroom, a solid sliding door offers flexibility: it can close off the study area at night or conceal the wardrobe when one partner wakes earlier. These considered design choices reflect the quiet intelligence and adaptability often found in Japanese-inspired homes.

Even material selection reflected a shared commitment to sustainability. The use of eco-conscious materials like Onewood for the platform surfaces highlights the designer and homeowners’ dedication to environmental responsibility. More than a passing trend, this focus on sustainability and longevity serves as a thoughtful inspiration for modern living.