Serangoon North Executive Apartment with Modern Colonial Charm

Home Type: Executive apartment

Floor Area: 1,604sqft

Designing for clients means following a specific brief, while designing for yourself is something else entirely. When The Interior Lab’s Poh Ling took on the design of her family’s own Serangoon North executive apartment, she finally had the freedom to translate her design instincts into a space shaped by personal memories and her family’s own routines.

The 1,604-square-foot flat is designed to accommodate a bustling household of six – plus Chloe the dog. Poh Ling drew from a familiar muse: the Cameron Highlands Resort, a family favourite that left an impression with its colonial-style interiors. Rather than replicating its look completely, she channelled its calm — wainscotting, dark timber tones, rattan panels and brass lighting — softened with warm neutrals and herringbone vinyl flooring. The result feels layered yet measured: polished enough to impress, but relaxed enough for everyday living.

The living and dining areas form the home’s social heart, anchored by dark-stained cabinetry with gentle brass detailing and an irregularly-shaped dining table that introduces organic imperfection. The previously oversized balcony – now defined by black and white colonial-style tiling – was reduced by half, with the extra space given to the adjacent bedroom. Even the beams above the living area serve a quiet purpose, concealing wiring while adding texture and a touch of colonial heft.

The open kitchen now extends from the dining area, brightened with cream cabinetry, wooden countertops and white kit-kat tiles. Every inch was designed for family practicality: the washing machine and dryer are tucked away in cabinets, and the small peninsula (which is connected to the dining table) has its own sink and doubles as both a prep zone and dedicated coffee station for Poh Ling’s son. It’s a hardworking, elegant space that supports family life without clutter.

Each bedroom reflects the individuality of its occupant. The master takes on a tropical, resort-like softness with botanical wallpaper and colonial-style furnishings. The sons’ shared room expresses an industrial energy with brick-pattern wallpaper and black task lamps, divided by a bookshelf for privacy, while her daughter’s room introduces soft curves and a pink arched mural for a whimsical touch.

The bathrooms are where her designer’s instinct for balance shines most. The master bath is playful yet composed, combining green kit-kat, pink scallop and chinoiserie-inspired tiles, as well as gold accents. The common bath echoes the home’s black-and-white restraint in quieter tones, creating cohesion without repetition.

Completed in just nine weeks at a cost of $140,000, the project reads as more than a renovation — it’s a designer’s personal translation of what it means to live well.