Embracing transitional style in a landed home

Home Type: 3-storey semi-detached house

Floor Area: 2,600sqft

Text by Isabelle Tow

For the renovation of their semi-detached house in Tai Keng Gardens, the new owners drew inspiration from its facade. Noting its modern classic design, the owners strongly felt that the interiors should bear some resemblance to its outer face, so aesthetic continuity could be maintained. They decided that the transitional style, which blends elements of traditional design with more contemporary ones, would be suitable to achieve a balance between comfort and sophistication.

In their discussions with Third Avenue Studio, whom they commissioned for the renovation, they specified the architectural features they wished to retain, and the ones they wanted to update. “Our client’s wanted to retain a number of decorative details such as the staircase railing, ceiling cornice, and window lattice,” shares the design team from Third Avenue Studio. “The challenge then was to ensure that the new features we were to introduce, such as the dark wood framings, would complement the existing ones to achieve a cohesive and clean, modern aesthetic.”

The backdrop of the home reflects the dual influences of traditional and contemporary styles that’s in keeping with transitional interiors. While the white walls and polished marble-effect tiles are decidedly modern, the accents of dark hardwoods from the loose furniture pieces and finishes around the house, like the staircase and architrave, are a nod to an older, bygone period.

Besides their desire for a transitional interior style, the owners also asked for more natural light penetration in the communal zone, namely the living, dining, and dry kitchen, whilst keeping the latter space enclosed. To fulfil this demand, a cut-out was made in the wall between the dry kitchen and dining area. This window opens the spaces to each other, expanding the visual depth of the entire communal zone. Bi-fold aluminium windows ensure that the kitchen can be fully enclosed so that cooking fumes won’t escape.

A Suar wood bar counter was added under the dining-facing window, a thoughtful feature that anticipates the stream of dishes that will move between the kitchen and dining area. Shaker-style detailing in the kitchen cabinets bring in the traditional influence, while the trio of brass pendant lamps and shiny rose-gold handles give a modern touch.

Upstairs in the couple’s private quarters, the same minimalist scheme presides, although more warmth radiates from the herringbone parquet flooring. Since abundant wardrobe space was the task for the master bedroom, besides the built-in wardrobe next to the bed, an island wardrobe was fashioned in the middle of the room as well.

This custom island wardrobe design, which extends to the ceiling, is a dynamic feature that serves multiple functions on each of its four sides. A television console faces the bed, a handy long mirror on the outer edge, and doors to the extra wardrobe storage on the opposite length.

The family’s fun-loving personality is perfectly encapsulated in the entrance to their home cinema on the third floor. Not wanting an ordinary entryway, they asked the designers to create a secret door disguised as a bookshelf.

To build this feature, the bookshelf was made using bi-fold cabinet doors with hidden mechanisms that maintain a seamless exterior finish. Ensuring that the bookshelf-entrance stayed flush to the existing wall also helped to conceal its covert identity.