Old resale flat now ultra chic in black and white

Text by Vanitha Pavapathi

The sporty bachelor living in this 43-year-old resale flat desired an open, spacious and uncluttered space where he could reside comfortably and host small gatherings from time to time. Once a dingy flat with dull yellow walls, beige floor tiles and mismatched furniture, the current space is a far departure from that. With the help of Happe Design Atelier, the flat has been revived as a modern interpretation of the colonial black and white heritage house in Singapore, which the owner desired.

Despite the petite size of this resale flat, designer Choo Yih of Happe Design Atelier managed to achieve a spacious home by keeping the furnishings and colour palette minimal. The walls and floors have also been levelled throughout, creating a large, open and cohesive entertaining space from the living area all the way to the kitchen.

Subtle space demarcation takes the form of vertical wood panelling on the wall. What’s more, the dining table also doubles as a workspace when needed, with power outlets neatly hidden from view.

The master bedroom has been extended into the original living room space to accommodate a walk-in wardrobe and study. In doing so, the furniture placement had to be flipped with the sofa creating a divide to the pathways of the bedrooms. This results in a linear layout that facilitates in uninhibited flow and movement despite its smaller footprint.

resale flat black white Happe Design Atelier

The kitchen remains unaltered structurally but it has perhaps undergone the most dramatic transformation aesthetically. Outdated, dark green cabinetry and tiled walls were replaced with black handle-less fronts and a subway-tiled backsplash for an au courant and masculine look. Black-framed bifold doors were added to contain cooking fumes while allowing natural light to pass through the glass panels. Choo Yih even designed a bespoke ceiling light (similar to that in the dining space).

To maintain a universal design language throughout the flat, subway tiles, too, clad the walls of the bathroom in contrasting shades of black and white. The room is dressed in a similar fashion with a black feature wall that serves as a focal point. The monochromatic palette sure works in favour of a blissful slumber.