Lofty ceilings, free-flowing spaces and a surprising mix of urban industrial chic and rustic charm define this condominium maisonette
27 July 2016
Home Type: Condominium Maisonette
It didn’t take long for homeowners Nicole Ong and Gerald Koh to fall in love with this maisonette when they first saw it. Despite the home being in a rough state from how its previous owner left it, the couple were eager to realise its full potential. In fact, they were so excited that that they decided to forego the services of an interior designer, and instead, managed the renovation process themselves. The only extra help they got came from Nicole’s brother Jonathan who helped with spatial planning and material selection.
On the first floor of this maisonette, Nicole and Gerald wanted to keep the space as open and inviting as possible. The young couple regularly has friends and family over, both for elaborate dinner parties and casual get-togethers. As such, it was important that they have a large, cohesive space to entertain their guests. The living and dining areas and kitchen all sit in the same lofty space as one – the perfect social space for large groups of friends to mingle in. The space also benefits greatly from the light streaming in through the wall-to-wall balcony windows.
The kitchen in particular, has been given special attention. The couple carries out a lot of Western-style cooking, a social activity where friends and family can get involved. Hence, it was important that the space is large and can accommodate a large number of people – not just standing room, but space for extra hands to help with the cooking as well. A large island counter in the middle of the kitchen serves this purpose well.
This home is definitely a labour of love, especially for Nicole and Gerald who have never had any experience renovating a home. Even with Jonathan on board as a consultant, the family was faced with unique challenges (“We spent half a day just deciding on the number of panes to have on the balcony doors,” says Gerald cites an example) that they had to solve by a process of trial and error. The end result however, was worth the effort.
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