Ushering the homeowners’ wanderlust for Morocco into their new home, AMP Design Co. managed to pull off a balanced and laidback look of modernity accented by Moorish design highlights.
20 July 2023
Text by Disa Tan
Project type: HDB maisonette
Floor area: 1,600sqft
Charmed by a Moroccan hotel she once came across online, the female homeowner of this home wanted to go with it as a point of inspiration for the maisonette she shares with her husband, three children and mother-in-law. “It came up during our design discussions,” shares Amanda Pang, Design Director of AMP Design Co., who helmed the renovation. “We then decided on a Moroccan inspired resort home, and kept it modern with clean lines punctuated with arches and curves to emphasise the Moroccan silhouette.”
Noting that the kitchen was previously dark and cramped, Amanda knew it was not ideal to entertain in this space. After a much needed reconfiguration, the kitchen is now fronted by a bar counter that encourages flowing conversations thanks to the folding windows installed between the wet and dry zones. Notable Moroccan-inspired accents here include grand-looking gold laminate trimmings and mosaic floor tiles in distinct arabesque motifs.
Originally the balcony, the new dining area enjoys a bright and airy atmosphere. This was made possible by opening up the ceiling to expose the wooden structure, which Amanda updated with new laminate finishes. She says: “The intention was to create a patio or outdoor-like dining concept.” Another modification includes sealing up the door leading into the kitchen, and turning it into a serving window.
For something refreshingly different, the staircase sports a brand-new railing comprising ventilation block inserts. Amanda worked in a curved aesthetic for the walls to project more captivating shadows, especially when daylight enters or when the pendant lamp is turned on. She shares: “We also added shutter windows at the top to bring in more light, and to act as a point of interest when one is climbing up the stairs.”
Though the kitchen has been reduced in size, it does not affect its functionality. All the essentials from the cooker to the double fridge to the laundry space have been considered to meet the lifestyle needs of the family. An arched window that looks out to the dining area references Moroccan architecture with its scallop details.
In arched forms, these folding windows are a great way to draw more daylight from the wet kitchen to the otherwise dark mid-section of the home. It also keeps oil and cooking smells at bay. Inset mosaic tiles on the floor form a striking zellige-inspired runner that elongates the visual scale of the walkway.
Shutter windows have been worked into the elderly mother’s bedroom on the upper floor, where she can look out towards the staircase landing. This feature also allows more daylight to bathe the space and improves the room’s ventilation.
Graceful arches frame the daughter’s bedroom as a built-in storage and wardrobe ensemble. The curvature creates a cosy nook to house the bedframe, and artificial hanging plants have been added to provide a tranquil resort look.
Dominated by white hues, the common bathroom sports interesting scallop-shaped details that clad the sink’s tiled backsplash and ceiling. An arched mirror also follows the form of the scallop accents and adds to the design consistency.
The master bathroom has been widened to emulate a luxurious Moroccan bathhouse. A variety of tiles have been selected to set off the look such as striking three-dimensional tiles in a warm peach hue for the vanity backsplash. In contrast, hexagonal tiles with timber-look finishes carry a more neutral look and are used for the flooring of the shower stall. The archway leading from the master bedroom to the bathroom is also clad in a similar peach hue.
Leading into the master bedroom is a trellis-like design feature that forms part of an L-shaped cabinet. As this is intended as a restful space, Amanda decided to keep everything clean-lined and minimalistic with neutral colours. A curved ceiling feature with cove lighting imbues the space with a cosy atmosphere.
AMP Design Co.
www.amp-design.co
www.facebook.com/amp.d.space
instagram.com/amp-design.co
Featured in Lookbox Annual 2023
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