Enhance Your Home Decor With A Sense Of Playfulness

Thanks to a considered pairing of crisp whites with bold, refined colours, this family home boasts a minimalist aesthetic that is enhanced with a sense of playfulness

- Germaine Cheah

Home to a pair of married creatives and their 10-year-old daughter, this five-room point block HDB apartment nestled between the Bukit Ho Swee and Tiong Bahru estates was destined to be unique right from the get-go of the overhaul. As designer-in-charge Clarence Lee of The Merry Men Interiors recalls, “With a deep appreciation for art and graphics, our clients sought a home that would be a colorful and playful backdrop to their creative work.”

Employing a theme that Clarence best describes as “a variation on soft minimalism with Muuto influences”, the new home now boasts a sophisticated yet playful interior that juxtaposes tailored furnishings and a carefully curated material palette set against a soft industrial backdrop.

For the living room, although quite unconventional, the owners requested not to have any downlights installed on the ceiling. Instead, they preferred the shadowy yet romantic ambiance that floor and table lamps bring to the evenings. This led Clarence to envision the idea of using polycarbonate sheets to create a partition wall for the television area, which also serves as a cozy lightbox at night. And seeing as both the entrance to the bomb shelter and a stretch of built-in cabinets are hidden behind it, the sliding screen also helps to soften the sharp edges of the fixtures while adding both textural layers and depth to space.