PALE COMMUNION

Soft illumination is a key character on this home's minimalist stage, tying materials and colours together in a timeless ensemble

- Ryan Reuben

“I believe that light is the most important part of architecture. Without light, there is no space,” declared prominent Japanese architect Tadao Ando once. Amid the bustling surrounds of Newton Road in central Singapore stands a five-bedroom apartment that personifies this mantra, with its thoughtful use of illumination playing a decorative and practical role in defining what is an eminently atmospheric and liveable abode.

Located in the Newton One condominium development, the 2,411 sq ft home's occupants comprise a couple and their two young sons, their pet dog, and two helpers. They approached Parenthesis Studio to undertake a full overhaul of their abode, with a view to creating an elegant, inviting haven for their multigenerational family.

“The makeover had to balance the owners' idea of the home as a safe haven in which to rest and entertain, with the realities of raising their two young children there,” says Koh Xin Fang, senior interior designer at Parenthesis Studio, who led the project alongside design director Sujono Lim.

INSIDE INFORMATION

Koh reveals that much deliberation went into determining the selection of materials so the abode could keep up with the demands of its occupants' lifestyle. The owners themselves proposed some ideas about the home's colour scheme, also expressing a preference for a contemporary yet classic look, and that the interior should incorporate curves to mirror the ovoid facade of the building itself.