The big change

Who: A couple and their dog

Home: Two-bedroom condominium in Dover

Size: 950sqf

After living in their two-bedroom condominium apartment for six years, Steve and Jesselyn were ready for a change - and not just a minor facelift, for their living quarters.

"What they wanted was a complete overhaul," says designer Elden Lim from Minimo & Minimology. "Their wish list included a bigger kitchen and wardrobe, more hidden storage and better use of natural lighting."

All of that, however, wasn't possible with the apartment's awkward layout, which had odd angles and plenty of wasted space.

The designer began by knocking down every wall in the space so he could build new ones to reconfigure the apartment. The study was converted into the kitchen, which runs parallel to the living area, separated by a framed glass partition. The elongated living space features wood-look walls and flooring, evoking the feel of a cosy, contemporary Scandinavian log cabin. The calm, neutral palette is warmed up and made more inviting with the colours of the paintings and furnishings.

The centrepiece of the apartment's Scandinavian theme is a wood-laminate TV feature wall which visually lengthens the living area with its horizontal lines. The lines also help it appear less bulky, despite incorporating drawers below.

Thanks to full-height windows on one end, the place is naturally well-lit.

The dining zone takes on a more exuberant vibe. "The dining table top (which features coloured patterns) was handmade overseas and brought back by the homeowners," says Elden, who replaced the table's original metal table legs with a pale plywood base in a laminate finish that better suited the decor. In an unusual move that's bound to get guests to look up, Elden incorporated display areas near the ceiling for decorative objects.

The master bedroom is clearly designed for rest, with dark wood-like vinyl floors, and a wall in a soothing tan shade. Space-saving wall-mounted shelves for books and other knick-knacks eschew the need for a bedside table.

Steve and Jesselyn love how these clever design tricks, coupled with a revamped layout, gave them the home of their dreams - for about $75,000.

Where to go: Minimo & Minimology, TEL: 6635-2221

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