Embracing modern Victorian design in a flat

Home Type: 4-room HDB flat

Floor Area: 1,001sqft

Text by Janice Seow

Eschewing the ever popular minimalist and contemporary styles for something a little more old-world and romantic, the owners of this four-room flat in Punggol asked their interior designer, Joshua Wee from Threehaus Works, to give them a modern Victorian home in which classical features would be reimagined for modern times.

“The couple living here wanted a home with character. They also needed ample storage, and asked that we retained the existing layout,” says Joshua.

Done at a renovation cost of $68,000 with no hacking, the designer has created a modern Victorian home with an updated spin on the traditional. Cornices, shaker-style cabinetry, wainscoting along the walls, bolder colour choices, and a coffered ceiling for the main living hall are incorporated in a pared back manner. Yet, they successfully evoke the romance of a bygone era that the owners desire.

A memory wall in the living hall filled with personal photographs amplifies the sense of sentiment that this flat exudes. The colour palette is also a refreshingly minimalist combination of white against deep green, warm brown (herringbone vinyl flooring) and vibrant blue (in the kitchen and master suite).

The dining area further in is a quietly elegant space, with a marble-look quartz custom table that matches the surfaces in the kitchen next to it.

The lady of the house loves to bake, and so Joshua has created a light-filled kitchen in white and blue with ample counter surface. Here, she can enjoy baking while still having a good view of the main living space through the large glass window.

Lovely details, such as black and white patterned tiles, and shaker-style cabinets with ornate handles bring added charm and colour this space.

Joshua’s intention for the bathrooms was to create a look that was “same, but different”. He has selected accent tiles in the same pattern, but in different tones, with marble-look tiles and choice of fittings incorporated for the modern Victorian aesthetic.

The owners needed a room where the husband could do some work from home, while the wife wanted a dedicated dresser area for herself. “We proposed having cabinets in dark wood laminate paired with green walls to give off a moody look. The design was all about maximising storage for the couple too,” says the designer of this handsome space.

The couple’s master bedroom follows through with the same modern Victorian aesthetic. It’s a cheery space in white and blue, with a shaker-style wardrobe and a wainscoting styled headboard done in a light wood finish for a more casual vibe.