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A couple and their pet dog and cat

three-storey detached house in Yio Chu Kang size 3,000sqf

text Mavis Ang

photography alan lee / k studio
art direction Nonie Chen
& Nicco Lim

The designer retained

the homes original
staircases, but swopped
the parquet flooring
on the ground floor for
concrete screed.

Glass doors abound

on the ground floor,
brightening the
expansive space.

full ofsurprises
Not settling for run-of-the-mill furnishings,

this couple went all out to source accessories

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that add a bold, edgy kick to their home.

fter handing the keys over to their interior

designer, Mark Yong of Museum, David
Bell and Lydia Yee jetted off to Bangkok
to shop for their new place. And boy, did they
shop. From dining chairs to statement lighting,
the couple filled a containers worth of furniture
and accessories for their future home. After living
in a rented place for some time, David and Lydia
were ecstatic to put their first home together, so
they couldnt resist indulging.
Home was to be a 27-year-old bungalow
nestled in a quiet corner in the east, and they
had engaged Museum to give the house a
contemporary industrial makeover. After a sixmonth renovation that cost $300,000, which
included a few tweaks to incorporate the couples
buys into the interiors, the place is now a dandy
pad that is cosy and dramatic at the same time.

Savvy Shoppers
It wouldnt be an exaggeration to say that David
and Lydia have mastered the art of shopping
for their home. Buying things online, in town
(Lydia bagged the armchairs in the living room
for $300 at last years International Furniture
Fair Singapore) and around the region, the
couple managed to furnish their pad with wellmade items, minus the inflated price tags. It
was amazing how many bargains we managed
to get, David says. Due to the couples offbeat
choices, which are quirky yet on trend, every
corner features a talking point.
One knock-out piece David and Lydia
acquired on their trip in Bangkok is a surgical
lamp-inspired lighting fixture that drops 1.85m
from the living room ceiling. It commands an
industrial cool that not only pulls together the
spaces masculine palette, but also sets the tone
for the entire home. The double front doors made
of wood (each weighing a hefty 150kg), balcony
decking, dining set and the entertainment rooms
sofa were also shipped over from Bangkok.

To improve air flow, the

designer replaced the
wall between the living
room and kitchen with
these open shelves.

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David, Lydia and their

13-year-old pet dog
Max lounging in the
shady backyard. above
The living rooms
industrial setting is
articulated via a hide
rug as well as various

The kitchen hood was

customised so that it
would be proportionate
to the massive island.
below The dining set
was bought in Bangkok,
and the mobile-inspired
light from a Dutch
designer online.

Lydia declares that the kitchen,

which she designed with David,
is her favourite part of the home.

whathedid
k eep ing it in
Instead of engaging
professional help, Mark
soundproofed the
entertainment room by
cladding the walls with
perforated hardboard.

As David is a music
fan, artist Andre Tan,
one of Museums three
partners, created a
painting featuring jazz
musicians for the home.

It started off from a few brochures and

referrals from Davids friends. We also bought
many pieces from a two-storey building
called Crystal Design Centre. We were a bit
apprehensive at first because it looks really
expensive from the outside. But we soon realised
that their prices were really reasonable, recalls
Lydia of their sourcing trip to Bangkok.

Reshape and Reshuffle

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Towards the back half of the ground floor is

the kitchen and dining area, which now enjoys
a healthy dose of natural light thanks to some
adjustments. The area was opened up by
knocking down the maids room which used to
be adjacent to the kitchen, and using glass doors
to merge the indoor and outdoor areas. The
kitchen is the heart of our home, Lydia declares.
We do a fair bit of cooking, so we designed it
ourselves so that it could fit with our habits. The
result is a fully tailored kitchen that is both ultrastylish and a breeze to work in.

Originally two separate

bedrooms, this space
is now the master
bedroom with an
attached bath and
shower area worthy
of a private spa.

The master bedroom used to occupy the

second floor (now turned into a home theatre),
but because its windows looked out onto the
main road, the couple decided to shift their
bedroom up to the third floor for more privacy.
Their personal haven is now an open-concept
sanctuary that was crafted by merging two of
the three bedrooms on the top floor. The shared
washroom now sits in the middle of the master
bedroom, flanked by a utilitarian bed and an
open bath area.
It takes good synergy between the
homeowners and the interior designer to produce
amazing results. Lydia and David thoroughly
enjoyed the process, and Mark was glad to have
quite a free hand when it came to design and
material choices. I only did the basic renovation
works so that they could fill it and truly make it
their home, he humbly states.

whatwelove
l a ter al t hi nki ng
Instead of a conventional
handle, Mark carved a hole in
the cupboard doors instead,
creating a minimalist detail
that adds to the homes
overall concept.

where to go

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Museum tel: 6737-9793