Living beautifully in a two-room flat

Home Type: 2-room HDB flat

Floor Area: 505sqft

Text by Stephanie Peh

Conceived for a homeowner who is single, this two-room flat by interior design studio Resistance is based on a utilitarian design approach and a minimalist aesthetic. Located in Ghim Moh, the brief was to retain the original bones of the relatively new HDB flat as much as possible.

Resistance sought to maximise the use of existing resources while ensuring that the living spaces adhere to the homeowner’s lifestyle. Rather than hacking and redoing the floors, the team opted to paint over the existing tiles with white and dark green epoxy as a cost-efficient and sustainable way to preserve existing materials while enhancing the quality of the spaces and demarcating the two-room flat.

Creating a dramatic first impression upon entering the flat, the foyer leads to the kitchen seamlessly with a unifying dark green and dusty green colour scheme that extends beyond the floors to the walls, ceiling, carpentry and countertops. “By muting the spaces with a common colour, the spaces are expanded visually,” says team Resistance on visually enlarging the compact flat beyond the modest 505 square feet layout.

Stepping away from the foyer into the living room, a sharp contrast creates visual cues to slow down and unwind as one enters the resting zone. Demarcated by a minimalist white scheme, the living room and ensuite bedroom make up the majority of the unit. The cosy living room features a hidden storage area for stowing away clutter and a restrained colour palette to reinforce the overall creative concept.

Uniting the spaces while disrupting the seamlessness with a playful touch are Japanese mosaic tiles that feature a uniform grid, implemented in the master bathroom and kitchen.

Apart from valuing utility, Resistance also sought to create a living and breathing space that would develop a patina with the homeowner’s usage through time. The commercial paint used on the floors were meant to wear gradually to unveil hints of the original space.

“It is a poetic exploration of leaving traces and allowing materials to age gracefully,” says Resistance who were also inspired by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor who once said, “I am convinced that a good building must be capable of absorbing the traces of human life and taking on a specific richness.”