Small-sized condo no barrier to bachelor's big dreams of a beautiful home

Small-sized condo no barrier to bachelor's big dreams of a beautiful home

Who: A bachelor in his 30s
Home: One-bedroom condominium apartment in Alexandra
Size: 604sqf

Naval architecture graduate Jay Chia has always had an interest in design and an eye for detail, so when it came to designing his own home, he knew what he wanted - a cosy contemporary-style space with dark hues and earthy tones, even if the apartment was only 604sqf.

His six months' long renovation cost $50,000 (including furnishings).

Because the interior space is extremely limited, Jay extended the living area of the home into the semi-outdoor patio.He even repla ced the bay window in the bedroom with a sliding door for more light and ventilation, as well as easier access to the patio.

[[nid:382677]]

The hands-on homeowner created the impressive green wall in the patio as a do-it-yourself project. "I bought 1,000 pots of artificial plants from Ikea and displayed them in the supporting frames that I built," he says.

His initial idea was to use real plants but, as he travels often for work, he knew he could not maintain them. Nonetheless, he has a corner dedicated to easy-to-maintain real plants, including herbs such as rosemary, which he uses in his cooking.

The teak bench in the outdoor area is customised by a contractor, and Jay installed a rain-activated awning to prevent his cushions and other furniture, such as the coffee table from Grafunkt, and Normann Copenhagen outdoor seats, from getting drenched.

For the apartment's interiors, he had the TV cabinet custom-built to display his favourite knick-knacks, cookbooks, and Bang & Olufsen speakers.

[embed]https://studio.brightcove.com/products/videocloud/media/videos/5361505896001[/embed]

Jay also kept his bedroom simple, using Marimekko fabric as artwork, positioned within a black frame that takes the place of a headboard.

The bathroom stands out with the use of deep blue tiles that add colour to this intimate space, proving that not everything has to be light and bright in a small space.

BONUS! Furniture retailer HipVan is giving AsiaOne readers 15% off all purchases on their website. Simply enter promo code: HVASIAONE15 at the checkout.

           
           

Home & Decor, Singapore's #1 interior decor magazine is
now available in both print and digital formats.
Log on to www.homeanddecor.com.sg to subscribe!

AsiaOne is looking to feature our readers' renovations and beautiful homes. If you have a HDB or condo flat that you would like to be featured, send along photographs of the home, along with your name and contact number, to a1photo@sph.com.sg, with the email subject: "Home Works", and we will be in touch.

This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.