For cats and collectors

Designed by Studio Luuseed, this HDB maisonette along Towner Road makes its personality known from the start. A curved wall of coloured glass blocks, a terracotta-toned café kitchen, a claw-machine-inspired display cabinet and a sculptural cat stair come together in a home that feels vivid without being contrived, and playful without losing its sense of ease.

Home to a creative director, an educator and their beloved cats, the residence is shaped less by a fixed aesthetic than by the lives, memories and routines it was designed to hold. Instead of arriving with mood boards or style references, the homeowners prepared a personalised presentation that mapped out how they lived, what they collected and the experiences they wanted their home to support. Travel mementoes, artworks, salvaged pieces and everyday rituals were not treated as decorative afterthoughts, but as the starting point for the design.

“As devoted cat owners, they were also keen for the cats’ needs to be thoughtfully integrated into the design, not as standalone pet features but as natural extensions of the home itself,” says designer Claire Goh.

That thinking shaped the home from the ground up. The cats’ daily routines and natural behaviours informed several decisions, resulting in spaces that support climbing, resting, observing and basking in the sun while remaining part of the overall architecture. Rather than reading as pet add-ons, these gestures are woven into the way the maisonette works.

Working with the existing architecture, the design team allowed old and new elements to sit side by side. Original marble flooring was polished, not replaced; display shelves were repainted and repurposed; and the brick wall facing the double-volume balcony was preserved as a nod to the architectural heritage of many Singapore maisonettes.

References to the homeowners’ personal history are also integrated into the renovation. At the entrance, a curved glass-block screen takes inspiration from a stained-glass feature in their previous home. The coloured glass introduce shifting moments of light throughout the day, while a wall lamp salvaged from the former Raffles Hotel continues a cherished story into this new chapter of their lives.

The living and dining areas celebrate the homeowners’ collections. Existing shelving now displays artworks, keepsakes and curiosities gathered over the years, while a gallery wall beside the dining table transforms personal memories into a backdrop for everyday life. Beneath the staircase, previously unused space has been enclosed to provide much-needed storage. A sculptural Tom Dixon Press Surface wall lamp adds a contemporary accent while reinforcing the home’s layered visual language.

One of the home’s most distinctive interventions occurs at the double-volume balcony. To improve natural ventilation without compromising daylight, Studio Luuseed introduced a bespoke window system with operable panels at the upper and mid levels. “We made the panels accessible using a custom pole, allowing accumulated warm air to be released efficiently and improving airflow throughout the volume without the need for a ladder,” elaborates project manager Shawn Tjoa.

The kitchen reflects the homeowners’ love of cafés and gathering. Stainless steel surfaces, warm timber finishes and terracotta tones create an inviting atmosphere. A curved pistachio-green mosaic bench forms a cosy breakfast nook for coffee, reading and conversation. Carefully selected lighting pieces add character throughout, reinforcing the casual and welcoming mood of the space.

Upstairs, the entertainment room is anchored by a Togo sofa and a custom display cabinet inspired by the experience of a claw machine. Designed to showcase the homeowners’ collection of penguin plush toys, the cabinet also incorporates practical storage and a dedicated cat nook below.

The room also serves as the destination point for the custom spiral staircase designed for the household’s cats. Finished with a VOC-free wood stain in a soft pink tone, it gives them their own route through the home while doubling as one of the maisonette’s most memorable sculptural gestures.

The bathrooms respond to the homeowners’ request that everyone should feel like entering a different world. The lower-floor powder room is wrapped entirely in yellow-toned microcement and softened by natural light filtering through glass blocks. The master ensuite adopts warm terracotta hues and includes a custom stone-clad mini bathtub designed specifically for the cats. Meanwhile, the upper common bathroom layers deep burgundy, pistachio-green and emerald tones to create a textured and atmospheric retreat.

Throughout the maisonette, Studio Luuseed demonstrates how good design can emerge from listening closely to the lives unfolding within a space. Rather than imposing a singular visual language, Claire and Shawn have created a home that celebrates memory, embraces individuality and accommodates both human and feline residents with equal care.

Studio Luuseed
www.studioluuseed.com
www.instagram.com/studioluuseed

Photography by Finbarr Fallon

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