Transporting laid-back island living into an HDB flat

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Text by Janice Seow

Every time the owner of this 4-room flat enters his home, he gets transported into his own personal island paradise. Concrete and plywood cladding are the main materials of choice, and make for an honest and unpretentious interior. It’s the perfect canvas for the art and music buff, and also travel enthusiast, to layer on his signature style at his own pace.

“The client is a writer and is super laid-back. He loves the tropical Bali vibe and wanted to his home to have that same quality,” says designer Mikael Teh of MONOCOT. “To mimic the idea of island living, we therefore kept our choice of materials as natural as possible,” he continues.

Clad from wall to ceiling in warm plywood, and with a cast in situ concrete bench, the dining area is akin to a cool and moody cave for unhurried and intimate meals, and not unlike a ‘transit tunnel’ in which to get from the living area to the kitchen.

The kitchen island is a hollow block structure with a stainless steel countertop. As a perfect foil, the terracotta floor tiles and area rug warm up the space and make it feel homey.

Cool concrete and warm terracotta once again make the perfect pairing in the bathroom, with a ribbed window to draw more light into the compact space. There’s even a cat passageway just under the vanity for the flat’s feline resident to move about with ease.

With the rule to keep things casual, curtains replace a standard door for privacy in the master bedroom. A custom brick wall headboard is the most handsome feature here and also carves out a secondary space dedicated to the owners’ mementoes. In every way, this is a style of island living that’s personal to its resident.

MONOCOT
monocotstudio.com
www.facebook.com/monocotstudio
www.instagram.com/themonocotstudio

Where To Shop
Kitchen pendant, Projecteur 365 pendant by Le Corbusier, from Nemo Lighting
Kitchen cabinet laminate from Lamitak
Bathroom sanitary ware from Meir Singapore
Tiles from L’Appart
Stool and pots from AEAE Furniture
Bar and vinyl counter, custom by Monocot x Just Build

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