Step into this Singaporean couple's Muji-style home

Oh how we'd love to let our hair down, put our feet up, and just lay on our backs after a long, tiring day at work! Luckily for this couple, they could always retreat to a relaxing haven to destress. Where? In their condo unit at Meadows @ Pierce. The couple and their two-year-old daughter have been living in this 1,800-sq-ft unit for just four months.

"Because our home is designed to suit our preferences and lifestyle, we love to spend a large part of our free time at home. That makes it special because this is where we build our memories as a family together," says 32-year-old business analyst Zhenqian.

According to his wife Evelyn, a 29-year-old economist, they aimed for a home that's not only aesthetically pleasing but functional as well. "It should reflect our lifestyle, such as where we were going to be spending most time at home. We wanted a cosy, simple, and uncluttered look."

To achieve this, Zhenqian and Evelyn engaged The Minimalist Society because they understand their design goals. "We hit it off well at the first meeting, and we felt that we could trust them, especially for them in helping us achieve the house theme that we were looking for."

Step into this contemporary minimalist four-bedroom home (and check out the before-and-after photos, too!):

LIVING ROOM

For Zhenqian and Evelyn, the living room is a cool place to be in because it features a unique design that played with the fusion of whites and woods-an interesting design detail in itself. "We love the full-length cabinets that run the length of our living area. Full-length cabinets that run a substantial part of a wall can sometimes look very flat and uninteresting if not designed properly," explains Zhenqian.

A clutter-free living space? Check. Thanks to ample storage solutions that are in place to hold the family's knick knacks and curios out of sight.

STUDY ROOM

The study room seems to transport one to another zone-think Japanese-style Zen corner. Evelyn shares, "This room has a built-in platform just beside the window where natural light can stream in."

It has become the perfect spot for them to enjoy doing things-read, listen to music, work on a computer, just relax-whether alone or together.

KITCHEN

Zhenqian and Evelyn declare that the kitchen and the study rooms are their favourite spaces in the house because they reflect their hobbies. These are also the areas they spend a lot of time in.

The husband says, "Having a pantry cupboard and an island in our open-concept kitchen has always been a dream for us. The pantry is such a convenient one-stop spot, which houses all our snacks, tea and coffee machine (we are big on snacks and hot beverages!)."

"We enjoy cooking out, and highly value the counter space that our island offers. It is also where we gather as a family for a quick meal. The open shelves on one end of our island lend an interesting touch to an otherwise common-looking island, and which allows us to display some of our often-used kitchen items that are aesthetically pleasing," furthers the wife.

DINING ROOM

A teak sideboard made of reclaimed teak-one feature that looks different from the rest of the home-is housed in the dining area. "The darker wood grain makes it stand out against the wall and flooring, which is white-light grey and light wood respectively, yet it still blends into our interior because of its simple straight lines," muses Evelyn.

RENOVATION DETAILS

Type of property: 4-Bedroom Condo Unit

Total space: 1,800 square feet

Budget: $60,000

Designer: The Minimalist Society

ZHENQIAN AND EVELYN'S TIPS FOR HOMEOWNERS

A well-designed home that home owners are proud of is a result of a well-coordinated effort between both the home owner and the ID. While theID can help to suggest designs and provide advice on other aspects of the renovation, ultimately, as the house owner, you get to have a say in shaping and making decisions. Hence, it is very important to have good chemistry with your ID so both parties can organically build upon each other's ideas to create that dream home.

Always plan your layout/ design of your home according to your lifestyle, for example, by focusing on how you intend to use each space (where you will eat, where you will work, the sequence of activities you do in the various spaces) so that they are always functional and not obsolete.

Don't overlook the smallest of details. These small details (such as the type of handles for your cupboards, the different sizes of drawers) all contribute to the overall look and functionality of your home.

This article was first published in Cromly.