An inter-terrace home designed for comfort and the good things in life

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Text by Janice Seow

 How do you design a home for an intergenerational household? For Parenthesis, when it came to this particular A&A project it was first and foremost about putting focus on the essential.

“We tried not to overstretch the brief that was given, but rather address the part that was needed. Our approach was to place emphasis on function, and to ensure that the needs of every family member was catered for,” says designer Sujono Lim.

A couple with three active young kids, and their elderly parent live in this inter-terrace house, which comes with three bedrooms and an attic. Not surprisingly, the brief called for comfortable and open spaces that were functional and practical.

The owners also enjoy the fine things in life. Relaxing with a glass of whisky or wine is part of their daily life at home, and so that sophisticated way of living was something to be translated into the design itself.

To start with, inter-terraces are notorious for being dark and narrow, so creating a bright, airy and well-ventilated space became a priority.

“The challenge was to maximise the light penetration on the first floor. Between the dining area and kitchen, we created a double door opening, in glass. On the left side is the original opening, which we made wider. On the right side is the new opening that leads directly to the fridge and kitchen worktop. These openings help to bring more light from the backyard into the dining space,” Sujono explains. Other than that, much of the structure and most of the walls were retained, as were the original marble flooring on the first floor.

According to Sujono, wood finishes were chosen to give warmth and a rustic touch, but were applied in a contemporary way in this inter-terrace house to be relevant for modern day living.

To create a sense of welcome from the start, the designers inserted a full-height cabinet on the steps, and facing the main entrance, to carve out an inviting foyer area. The design also serves to hide the staircase.

A console stretches across the living and dining zones, effectively bridging the different levels to achieve a connected space. “There were originally small steps leading from the living to the dining area. We extended it to become full width and deeper,” says Sujono. This not only plays up the different levels, but the steps now also serve as a casual sitting area.

The dining area is a social gathering space and features an elegant Calligaris dining table, with a pulley pendant above that was restored from the old house for that bit of history and old world charm.

Further in, the kitchen features a durable but luxurious looking Dekton countertop and backsplash. The space is kept clean and airy looking with light wood-look laminated cabinetry that makes it a comfortable space to be in, given that it is the most heavily used space in the house.

Upstairs, the master bedroom is a calm sanctuary designed for relaxation. The luxurious headboard is made of padded fabric and Mirage Amazzonite large format tiles. Taking advantage of the room’s elongated layout, the designers inserted a tall, standalone multipurpose cabinet to serve as a dresser, work desk, and a future television console. This not only makes efficient use of space but also brings further emphasis to the room’s lofty ceiling.

This inter-terrace house is now the definition of comfort and elegance, and a true family home in every way.

Parenthesis
www.parenthesis.studio
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