Pink, fresh & functional: A couple's not-so-typical HDB flat

Singapore is home to many similar styles. Unfortunately, the love for the comfort zone becomes somewhat of a pitfall: Most of our homes are, arguably, alike and you'll be hard-pressed to find someone who dares to challenge the status quo.

Which is why this 4-room HDB in Cantonment Close is like a breath of fresh air. Expressing a mutual dislike for the monotone Nordic look, couple Dixin and Zhihao chose to play with different colours and patterns, resulting in a space that's rather extraordinary.

"Though we were drawn to the industrial look in the beginning, we decided against it in the end as it wasn't inspirational enough," said the duo. "After browsing through the usual platforms and magazines, we came to the realisation that the mix-and-match aspect of the eclectic and modern design spoke more to us."

As a testament to their creative vision, both Dixin and Zhihao had their interior designers, Alvin and Yee Ling from The Scientist, work with a shade that's more than a little unorthodox - a pretty and delicate pink.

But it's not just glitz and poor practicality in this home. "Despite changing up our style, we still wanted our space to remain functional," the couple explained. "That meant introducing more storage, opening up our communal areas, expanding our bedroom (since we're not planning on having kids) and adding warmth back into the space with dark wood elements."

Working full-time leaves both Dixin and Zhihao busy, which led them to decide on an open concept kitchen. To make the space more functional, their designers not only hacked down the kitchen wall but also fashioned several built-ins for the pair including kitchen cabinetry, counter storage and a generous dry pantry.

"The living room is so spacious yet cosy, it's definitely where we spend our time now. Our favourites are definitely the dining chairs (our IDs told us where to get them and they tie the different colour elements together) and counter!" said the pair.

When asked about how they ended up choosing terrazzo for their countertops, Dixin and Zhihao revealed that they went on a shopping trip for tiles and lights with their interior designers.

The quartet hit up Hafary first where they spotted the signature slabs, red and art deco tiles, which were used in the doorway and walkway to delineate the spaces respectively, before heading to the lighting store where they bought pendant lights for the bedroom.

"The design for our recently expanded master bedroom was quite simple, playing only on colour," said Dixin. "So Alvin and Yee Ling suggested that we get new lights to add more character to the space. We also bought a complementary painting, which helped to introduce darker elements."

Further in, a different set of metallic pendant lights were used in the en suite to great effect. Here the rose gold accents were paired with marble-like tiles and a gorgeous round mirror, conjuring an image of pure opulence found only in an upscale boutique hotel setting. "The metallic elements elevated the space, nailing the hotel feel that we wanted to a T," Zhihao shared.

Proving that no detail was overlooked in spite of the hefty renovation work, designers Alvin and Yee Ling went on to advice the duo on home styling - from accessories down to their curtain options, everything was displayed and used with intent to bring out the best of the home.

"They had a complete grasp of our design preferences and tastes," said the happy couple. We trusted them wholly with translating our vision to reality - even when they proposed ideas that were initially beyond our comfort zone."

This article was first published in Qanvast.