As fans of both the utilitarian industrial look and minimalist Scandinavian style, the homeowners – a couple then in their 30s – of this 5-room DBSS apartment approached interior designer Diana Yeo of Design Channel with their brief, resulting in a $50,000 renovation (without furnishing).
They kept loose furniture, such as these seats from Comfort Design, to a minimum. They prefer to fill their home with knick-knacks and decorative details.
![](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/striking-balance-five-room-dbss-apartment.jpeg)
Concrete-Looking Tiles
Patterned tiles were used with concrete-lookalike tiles, for a softer look. Walls painted with blackboard paint mark out the exercise area in the living room.
![](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/striking-balance-five-room-dbss-apartment-1.jpeg)
Suspended Table for Balcony
Diana and her team fashioned the suspended table in the balcony out of solid teak, and coiled rope around the hanging meta rods for a softer touch.
![](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/striking-balance-five-room-dbss-apartment-2.jpeg)
Recycled Pendant Lamps
Taobao was the couple’s go-to place for decor items, such as the recycled glass bottle pendant lamps in the dining area.
![](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/striking-balance-five-room-dbss-apartment-3.jpeg)
Platform Bed with Storage
For extra storage, the platform bed features pull-out drawers.
This article first appeared on Sona Decor in 2016.