It’s hard to believe that the design and renovation of this beautiful HDB flat in Cantonment Close was done entirely with the homeowners overseas. They didn’t lay eyes on it until they arrived in Singapore after everything had been finished – that was in March 2022.
But this home, now clad in light wood and reconfigured to suit their needs, is exactly how the homeowners pictured it to be. This was thanks to the design team from Hansel Studio, whose turnkey service includes taking care of the process from conceptualisation all the way to the styling. The design team communicated with the homeowners using Zoom and Whatsapp throughout, sending them regular updates on the progress.
“The aesthetic [the homeowners] wanted can be described as modern Japanese meets Scandinavian,” says the design team. They took inspiration from elements of traditional Japanese architecture, such as minimalism and the use of natural materials, while incorporating key concepts from Scandinavian design. They also used shoji (sliding screens) and fusama (sliding doors) where possible, since those offer the flexibility of dividing spaces when needed.
AT A GLANCE
Home: Three-bedroom HDB flat in Cantonment Close
Size: 75 sqm
Who lives here: A couple
ID: Hansel Studio
The house underwent a major reconfiguration. One of the requests was to change the common bathroom entrance from the kitchen to the living room. This entrance is now concealed in the panels to the right of the dining area, while the left houses storage cabinets.
The household shelter was also concealed behind the same smooth wood, providing a streamlined look to the living and dining area.
The use of neutrals is key to creating a soothing atmosphere where nothing jars the eye. To create this, the Hansel Studio team chose fixtures and upholstery in shades of grey that complemented the pale wood.
Since the homeowners wanted a larger master bedroom and a study, the team demolished the internal walls of the three bedrooms and rebuilt the spaces. They relocated the master bedroom door to the end of the hallway, the entrance of the guest room further back in the apartment, and managed to carve out space for a small but comfortable study.
The study features a modern twist on the traditional shoji screen, with frosted glass instead of paper, framed by solid nyatoh. This enables light to transmit through to the dining area even when the study door is closed, lending a sense of permeability to the spaces.
The internal doors are inspired by fusama, and can be slid back to connect the rooms with the living space when needed. Their double volume also makes the space appear larger.
In the kitchen, the same streamlined look is kept by means of power points installed within the cabinets, so that each appliance has its own niche and the kitchen counter remains clean and uncluttered.
As one of the homeowners is petite, the design team installed the dish rack on the side of the kitchen sink instead of above it, for easy reach.
In order to achieve the same minimalist look in the bathroom, the team avoided using tiles as much as possible. They hid the bulky water pipes within cabinets, so that they remain easily accessible while hidden out of sight.