A maisonette mansion for two

A young professional and her dad live in this minimalist and colourful maisonette home that’s made for rest and entertaining.

  • A maisonette mansion for two

Home Type: HDB maisonette

Floor Area: 1,600sqft


Text by Janice Seow

The designers at Atelier Here were handed a rather unusual challenge when they took on this maisonette project. The clients, a young lady in the advertising industry and her semi-retired father, had something most living in flats don’t get – the luxury of space, and lots of it. As only two occupants living in a 1,600-square-foot unit, they wanted their home to be both minimalist and cosy, and in this case, the design directive was to find a way to reprogramme the spaces so they aligned with their lifestyles, yet didn’t feel cold or too large.

minimalist maisonette

“Being in advertising, the daughter has a keen eye for aesthetics and a liking for clean lines and calm spaces. She approached us to help realise a pared down minimalist home. Having very aligned aesthetics, we gladly took on the project,” say the designers at Atelier Here.

The daughter hosts frequently at home, and so it was clear from the onset that she needed a large dining area capable of sitting many guests. She also desired a more private space to entertain comfortably late into the night without disturbing her dad.

dining and kitchen island

As is typical of many maisonette units, the interior was rather dark, but the designers have addressed this by removing walls to allow natural light to enter the deeper recesses of the plan – and for improved spatial flow. On the first level, breaking down a wall has allowed the designers to build a conjoined dining-island centrepiece that straddles the entire width of the maisonette unit, from the interior dining area to the semi-outdoor balcony.

dining and kitchen island

In this newly formed open-plan kitchen, the owners can freely enjoy conversations with guests during food preparation, and delight in their close proximity to greenery and the park, which can be seen unhindered from their window in this second floor unit.

The large structural column in the middle of the island marks what used to be the dividing wall between the living area and balcony, and has since become an alluring design feature in this home. “We decided to clad the column to make it round so that it is more aligned to the geometry of the dining table. A round column will also have no sharp corners as this column will be visible/experienced all around,” say the designers.

earthy palette

It may be minimalist, but this home’s identity stems also from its warm and beautifully earthy palette. Inspired by the maisonette’s existing sienna coloured marble flooring, the designers have retain this special feature, and it eventually led them to propose a terracotta colour scheme for the area that also provides a distinct threshold from this space to the next.

maisonette

The existing staircase was sculpted into a pared-down chiselled form, which accentuates the sawtooth profile and is beautifully consistent with the minimalistic quality of the interiors.

maisonette

The father’s bedroom is on the first level, while the daughter’s is on the second floor. With no need for three bedrooms on the upper level, the designers have demolished two rooms while keeping the master suite for the lady of the house. The additional space from the demolition of rooms has then been converted into an incredibly spacious and open-plan lounge area with comfy sofas in deep colours reminiscent of nature that one can sink into. It’s a private oasis for the daughter to hang out with her guests late into the night, and underscores the luxury of space in this maisonette mansion for two.

colourful lounge area in maisonette

Atelier Here
www.at-here.co
www.facebook.com/atelierrhere
www.instagram.com/atelierhere

Shop The Look
Tiles and countertop from Hafary
Lights from Artemide, Hay and Flos

We think you may also like The cheery blue home



YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Like what you just read? Similar articles below