Out Of The Woods
SquareRooms|IdealHomes Vol.14 2022
These two graphic designers had a crystal clear vision for their home interiors-and it involved lots and lots of wood!
Out Of The Woods

Born and raised in the east, Matt and Alee knew they wanted to try their hand at getting a BTO flat in Tampines and jumped into the ballot straight out of school. Both graphic designers by trade, they enjoy the creative process and decided to opt-out of the standard BTO components.

“We were essentially left with a blank canvas,” shares Matt. “It was a good decision because we had full control over the creative decisions in terms of materials and art direction.”

Despite their design background, however, they weren’t quite confident to tackle an entire home renovation by themselves. “Being first-time homeowners, having the vision alone for the house wasn’t enough. We lacked the project management skills and interior knowledge.”

Having placed their home sweet home in the capable hands of professionals, they now get to make the most of their woody abode, unwinding at the end of the day and practising art, yoga and gardening on relaxed weekends. We asked Matt and Alee a couple of questions to uncover more about their earthy home design and their top renovation tips.

home to Matt and Alee

space 5-room HDB flat

size 1,205 sq ft

location Tampines

The woody look is the key to your home design. How did you choose this aesthetic?

This story is from the IdealHomes Vol.14 2022 edition of SquareRooms.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the IdealHomes Vol.14 2022 edition of SquareRooms.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

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