A wabi-sabi cat cafe home without the clichés

Home Type: 5-room HDB flat

Floor Area: 1,206sqft

What do you get when you cross a cat café, a Japanese wabi-sabi ethos, and two homeowners with a love for anime, food, and all things Japan — but none of the typical Japandi tropes? A home that purrs with personality, that’s what.

This five-room HDB resale flat has been reimagined by Carmen Tang of Wolf Woof into a cosy, character-filled retreat that’s ready for the couple — and their not-yet-but-soon-to-be-adopted cats. “We’re mainly inspired by the meme ‘I wish I was a cat, no school, no work, just meow meow’,” the owners share. “It’s not even about wanting actual cats — it’s the mood.” That irreverent meme, combined with their love for all things Japanese, sparked a clear brief: no sterile minimalism, and definitely no typical Japandi reno.

“I just wanted a wabi-sabi cat café themed home that’s fun,” says the husband. The wife? She did most of the planning. “The man is a simple creature,” she laughs. “I handle everything.”

Carmen took the concept and gave it a thoughtful, design-forward spin. “We wanted the look to be minimalistic and chic — yet not polished,” she explains. “We were very intentional about avoiding full-on cat café visuals like menu boards and went for a more subtle expression instead. And since the cats haven’t been adopted yet, we didn’t install cat play accessories/wall features, but were mindful to incorporate cat-friendly design features such as play niches in the TV console, and stools with niches for the future cats to hide in.”

Given the somewhat awkward layout, the walls between the kitchen and living area was demolished to open up the footprint. In the kitchen, function was key. “Kitchens are meant to be practical, so we didn’t over-design it,” Carmen explains. “Open shelves were tempting, but storage needs won.” Raw-looking laminates tie it to the home’s earthy, organic palette.

Further in, the open living and dining areas reflect the core idea: relaxed, playful, and personalised. A raised platform subtly separates the lounging zone from the wife’s work nook-slash-future-cat-play-area. Look closely and you’ll spot cat-friendly features like niches in the TV console and stools with little hidey-holes — ready for their future furry companions. But the real scene-stealers? The custom café-style pendant lamps above the kitchen and work counter, featuring cat illustrations hand-drawn by the wife.

In the dining zone, an LED-lit arched tiled wall adds a soft glow and anchors the space. Materials like screed flooring and textured paint from Wallhub keep things grounded — imperfect by nature and all the better for it. “With concrete floors, you can’t control how it’ll turn out,” Carmen says. “But our clients embraced it in true wabi-sabi spirit.”

In the private zones, the master bedroom and an adjoining room were combined to create one large, multipurpose space. To meet the wife’s need for a dedicated dance and yoga studio, the wardrobes were clad in full-height mirrors — turning the walk-in closet into a practice area without compromising on storage. More unique touches await. Above the bed, a textural wall conceals a sweet hidden message crafted in alphabet art — a quiet nod to the couple’s love.

And then there’s the husband’s mancave. A darker, cooler departure from the rest of the home, it’s also his gaming den. Neon lighting featuring the couple’s own cartoon bear drawings (yes, hand-sketched by the wife) adds a whimsical glow.

“We really love how the place has come together — combining our vision as designers with the clients’ input and effort to create a truly bespoke home,” says Carmen.