It’s not an ordinary world in this flat inspired by Venice, Santorini and an anime. Sona Decor Singapore discovers the details that bring this unique concept to reality.
Occasionally, interior designers encounter design briefs that are out of the norm. While interior designer Carmen Tang is no stranger to challenging briefs, the one given by the owners of this four-room HDB flat was what she would describe as “unimaginably tough”.
The homeowners had initially approached her for a Scandinavian-style home. However, the anime Aria captured their hearts, and they changed their brief to a romantic Venice-inspired space decked out in the colours of Santorini.
Who Lives Here A couple in their 40s
Home A four-room HDB BTO flat in Geylang
Size 2,960 sq ft (274 sqm)
Interior Designer Wolf Woof
Given this unique brief, the design director of Wolf Woof took this as a challenge to push the design limits of the typical HDB BTO homes. She aimed to create a one-of-a-kind home with the concept she imagined for this flat in Geylang.
She says, “I aimed to approach the design from a unique angle so that there is a story behind it, rather than just painting a few walls blue and throwing some blue cushions around for cosiness.”
Living Room Inspired by Venice
Carmen pushed herself to develop a living room concept that revolves around Venice’s canals, but one that would assimilate the television feature wall and incorporate storage. She proposed the idea of a ‘boardwalk’ along the canal bank for the television feature wall and stepped storage units.
![adjusted_dining-door-sliding-open-1024x1002-1](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/adjusted_dining-door-sliding-open-1024x1002-1.jpg)
Nautical Theme Home
She also placed a boat-shaped coffee table on a blue patterned rug to signify the waterway. On the other side of it, behind the sofa, is a seating area she nicknamed the courtyard.
Carmen was meticulous in sourcing items that fit the space to solidify the theme.
“The most important piece of furniture has to be the ‘boat’, which I wanted to pass off as a gondola for the concept to work. So, I dug deep to find the boat-shaped coffee table that I came across on some online platform some time back,” Carmen shares. “I was over the moon when I managed to secure it.”
She explains, “The opposite ‘bank’ would be the courtyard of another ‘home’. It’s a far-fetched concept, but the anime-inspired brief was far-fetched to begin with. To me, it was clearly a case of ‘go big or go home’.”
![adjusted_nook-angle-652x1024-1 Removing one bedroom’s walls makes possible a chillout area that is connected to the living area. This space is decorated to resemble a venetian courtyard.](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/adjusted_nook-angle-652x1024-1.jpg)
Removing one bedroom’s walls makes possible a chillout area that is connected to the living area. This space is decorated to resemble a venetian courtyard.
Homeowners Like the Anime, ‘Aria’
The couple, a data engineer and an auditor, were inspired by the anime Aria, a charming slice-of-life series set in an alternate-world Venice with calming water scenes and an optimistic worldview.
They had pictured their new home as a restful space where they could enjoy their interests in books, computer games, anime, and cooking. Ultimately, the home must evoke a peaceful, laidback ambience that feels like it is outside Singapore.
![adjusted_living-feature-wall-967x1024-1 The living area features a canal-like setting with the television feature wall mimicking the banks of a canal, complete with decorative rails, windows, and a streetlamp, as well as carpentry with a blue strip to symbolise the waterline.](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/adjusted_living-feature-wall-967x1024-1.jpg)
White Brick Walls
The biggest challenge Carmen faced was in executing the details. The aim was to have brick walls for the television and courtyard areas. As a detail-oriented designer, she wanted the bricks to extend to the window.
However, stone veneers would be too heavy for carpentry. She proposed brick-patterned wallpaper instead as a practical way to produce the look. Light blue laminates at the base of the storage solutions subtly denote the water line.
She incorporated outdoor and industrial-style lights, including a street lamp, to anchor the concept. Carmen improvised the window poster frame from a traditional wall decor. The homeowners were also invested in the design process, sourcing knick-knacks to decorate their home.
![adjusted_nook-close-up-fountain-821x1024-1 A water fountain for Feng Shui was an element broached midway, so Carmen revised the courtyard design to make the water fountain the star of the space.](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/adjusted_nook-close-up-fountain-821x1024-1.jpg)
Feng Shui Water Fountain
Carmen also incorporated a European-style water fountain in the courtyard area to fulfil the couple’s feng shui requirements, placing it as a “celebrated feature” in the centre of the wall with display niches. This space, formerly a bedroom, has become a comfortable space for chilling out.
The other room, now a study, can be accessed via a blue door in the courtyard, as if entering a hidden home on a leafy European street.
![adjusted_kitchen-stove-angle-893x1024-1 Clean lines in the kitchen make the space feel more spacious.](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/adjusted_kitchen-stove-angle-893x1024-1.jpg)
The kitchen is an energising space with dark blue and white surfaces interspersed with patterns.
![adjusted_kitchen-sink-angle-812x1024-1 The kitchen is an energising space with dark blue and white surfaces interspersed with patterns.](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/adjusted_kitchen-sink-angle-812x1024-1.jpg)
Kitchen
The dining area, reminiscent of alfresco cafes, continues with the romantic outdoor vibe. A white barn door leads to the kitchen, all decked out in blue and white too, with Mediterranean-style handles.
![adjusted_bedroom-master-wide-1024x694-1 Symmetry is a significant element of the bedroom design, with matching decorative touches like the planters and lights on the wall. The vertical shiplap effect on the walls and wardrobe brings a coastal feel throughout the home.](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/adjusted_bedroom-master-wide-1024x694-1.jpg)
Master Bedroom
Nautical elements were introduced in the bathrooms and master bedroom. The shiplap effect for the customised carpentry and wall features creates a sense of consistency.
Different hues of blue throughout the home, from the accessories and art pieces to blue patterned tiles, bring the Santorini feel into the home.
![adjusted_toilet-common-front-801x1024-1 The bathroom features a vanity cabinet in shiplap style. Patterned flooring complements the square blue and off-white wall tiles.](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/adjusted_toilet-common-front-801x1024-1.jpg)
Bathroom
The bathroom features a vanity cabinet in shiplap style. Patterned flooring complements the square blue and off-white wall tiles.
![adjusted_toilet-master-basin-849x1024-1 The patterned wall tiles, seen at the water fountain, liven up the grey surfaces that the homeowners want for their master bathroom.](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/adjusted_toilet-master-basin-849x1024-1.jpg)
Adjacent bathroom in a similar ship lap interior design style.
Moved in November 2022
Having settled in after their move in November 2022, the homeowners have found what they like most about their home.
The husband appreciates how functional the space is. As for the wife, the chillout area has become a space for respite, where she can enjoy the sound of the running fountain water while relaxing on the rocking chair.