Houzz Singapore Contributor. Former editor for a home and design magazine for five years, and now a full-time freelance writer for various online and print publications for the past decade and counting. Part-time crafter, wannabe gardener, and breast cancer thriver.
“A cool, modern industrial-style home with distressed-looking surfaces” is how the design team from Fuse Concept describes the concept behind this four-room resale HDB apartment. “The owners wanted the grungy-chic look of an industrial warehouse-turned-loft apartment,” the team says. The owner who is a fitness enthusiast also made one more specific request – a room to house a small gym, a study, and his guitar.
“The homeowners and us had the same insights, so we built good rapport and trust from the beginning,” says the team. It meant the discussion on the bold industrial look and the colour scheme went without a hitch.
“A cool, modern industrial-style home with distressed-looking surfaces” is how the design team from Fuse Concept describes the concept behind this four-room resale HDB apartment. “The owners wanted the grungy-chic look of an industrial warehouse-turned-loft apartment,” the team says. The owner who is a fitness enthusiast also made one more specific request – a room to house a small gym, a study, and his guitar.
“The homeowners and us had the same insights, so we built good rapport and trust from the beginning,” says the team. It meant the discussion on the bold industrial look and the colour scheme went without a hitch.
Houzz at a Glance Who lives here: A young couple in their 30s Location: Bendemeer Road Size: 89 square metres (960 square feet) Project duration: 8 weeks
Steely masculine shades set the tone of the flat. While the open living-dining area features epoxy-finished concrete screed flooring, an architecturally-inspired feature wall draws the eye and frames the dining space.
“This focal point, which looks like concrete slabs, is simply concrete screed with vertical and horizontal groove lines and holes. Instead of disguising the protruding structural walls and beams, we painted them an arresting deep blue that made them part of the feature,” says the design team.
Adding a jolt of colour to the entertaining space are select furniture pieces – the mustard yellow armchair in the living area, and the dining table made of colour-stained solid timber. Most of the furniture pieces were from the owners’ previous home, and their streamlined and tapered profiles fit right into the loft-inspired aesthetic.
The careful selection of laminates for the built-in cabinetry also plays a big role in achieving the raw, rustic look that the owners wanted. Near the entrance, for example, the design team built a shoe/storage cabinet with laminate that resembles weathered wood.
In the kitchen, more pronounced woodgrain and concrete screed take centre stage. “A wall was finished with the same material as the living-dining area, but mixed with black grouting for a darker and more textured surface. This sets off the smooth and glossy finish of the white subway tile backsplash,” the design team says.
Another aspect of an HDB home that often needs disguising is the bomb shelter door, but the team managed to turn the eyesore – at a prominent location along the corridor – into a striking feature. The existing door was retained, but it was acid-washed to create a textured and aged appearance.
Across the bomb shelter is the hobby room, where much of the space is occupied by the owner’s gym/weight rack and workout bench. The upper portion of the wall was taken down and replaced with metal-framed glass partitions, to allow plenty of natural light to stream through, and create an overall sense of airiness.
The room also doubles as a study. Since the room already holds heavy-looking gym equipment, the design team decided to free up some floor space by mounting an L-shaped floating desk to the wall. Industrial-style benches easily stow under the desk for a tidy look.
Down the hall is the master suite, which begins with the master bathroom. To maintain consistency with the ‘grungy chic’ theme, the room was re-tiled with glazed porcelain tiles in a rustic stone finish.
To create a roomier master bedroom, two rooms were merged. “We restructured the wall between the master bedroom and the guest room to allow for a walk-in wardrobe,” the design team says. Glass panels were installed to separate the two areas.
Aside from laying over with vinyl flooring, they also created a bay window seat to enhance the laid-back look.
The bedroom is decidedly minimalist, but is made uniquely cosy through textures, such as the concrete-look pendant lamps and side tables, and a showing of colours through the abstract artwork hanging above the bed.
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