Channelling mood and hygge in a BTO flat

Home Type: 4-room HDB flat

Floor Area: 1,001sqft

Text by Deborah Jane Goon

Taking inspiration from modern Manhattan-style lofts, this chic BTO flat is drenched in a moody colour palette and carries a simple yet impactful design language that exudes a delightful sense of calm.

The design brief to Aloysius Ong at Parallelogram was simple. The owners wanted their home to be inviting and fit for entertaining. At the same time, they did not want to break down any walls. According to Aloysius, the keywords they gave were “hygge, chic and moody”.

Since this was a premium BTO unit, it came with homogeneous floor tiles but was otherwise very stark. With a clean slate to work with, Aloysius proposed to include textured wallpaper, moody monochromatic colours and clean lines to unify the space for a timeless appeal.

Given that the household shelter was right by the entrance to the home, Aloysius decided to cover the wall here in subtly textured Japanese wallpaper from Sangetsu to help disguise the area and make the space feel more inviting. He also inserted a slatted screen, which now demarcates the entrance and the living room perfectly. “The vertical slatted design acts as a partial privacy screen for the living area,” says Aloysius.

A clever move since the main entrance looks straight into the living room. The slatted design also allows for a subtle play of shadow and light at various times during the day.

The opposite wall along the household shelter is now lined with cabinetry, offering a good amount of space for shoes and storage, while serving to keep the DB box hidden from view.

In the living room, the television console was handcrafted by a furniture maker in China and shipped here, while an oversized L-shaped recliner sofa provides plenty of lounging and entertaining space against the backdrop of a warm, grey wall.

The open kitchen extends visual porosity but to maintain a clean and uncluttered look, a wall was built to accommodate the fridge and block off the service yard. This also helps to frame the space perfectly.

A peninsula counter wrapped in rich, grainy laminate completes the double galley layout. The counter also doubles up as a breakfast bar, provides additional storage space and is a serving area for when the couple entertains at home. Practical open niches at the end of this counter allows for the display of cookbooks and decorative items.

With the chic kitchen in the foreground, the dining area with its comfy bench and twin dining chairs make the perfect spot for intimate gatherings and dinner parties.

In the master bedroom, an integrated storage platform bed takes centre stage. Matching custom designed bedside tables and a laminated headboard completes this modern and minimalist sanctuary.

Since the couple have two spare rooms, the second bedroom has been turned into a large, walk-in wardrobe. This well-organised space follows the same design language with its dark and handsome colour and material selection, and maintains the no-fuss approach to decorating with the choice of a simple dresser and an arched standing mirror.

Both bathrooms in this home are overlaid in tiles from Hafary in order to blend in with the largely monochromatic home. The master bathroom has been dressed to the nines in Chevron wood-toned tiles to create a warm yet distinctive contrast to the dark slate tiles on the walls. The ceilings in both bathrooms have also been finished in a darker shade of grey for a more dramatic flourish.