Calming, yet eclectic, this $58K BTO reno, with its neutral backgrounds and colourful decor, is certainly a study in contrast. @wumahdakota, the owner of this adorable apartment, has deliberately designed this home to be “themeless”, but admits being heavily influenced by Mid-Century design and the Bauhaus style, along with a sprinkling of other ideas.
Quirky accent gallery wall in living room
Arguably the highlight of this home, the living room is bright and airy, filled with paintings and other decor that the homeowners have collected from their travels across the world. Their pieces are certainly diverse in origin, with works from Korea, New York and even a commissioned piece from their honeymoon in Milan.
Image credit: Ascend Design
The plain white palette of the flooring and walls, besides providing a calming vibe, also functions as a blank canvas for the amount of colour introduced by the decorative art here.
Image credit: @wumahdakota
Image credit: @wumahdakota
The large windows in the living area really open up the room, making it feel spacious and providing the homeowners with lots of natural light during the day. The lovely amber glow when the sun sets in the evening is a nice bonus too.
But after the golden hour has passed though, the homeowners at @wumahdakota like to continue filling the home with warm light, using a variety of quirky, uniquely-designed lamps from the likes of IKEA, Studio Yono and Artemide Lighting, among others. The comfy vibe the lamps provide make for great ambience when the couple has their movie nights.
Dining area with Wes Anderson-esque arched coffee corner
Image credit: Ascend Design
The modern dinner table, with its metal and acrylic materials, is complemented by retro Bauhaus-style lamps in primary yellow, adding a vibrant touch. What stands out, however, is the arched niche by the dining area.
Image credit: @wumahdakota
The homeowners are big coffee people, so they fashioned a lovely alcove beside the dining area where they keep all their coffee making appliances and accoutrements. The gentle palette, soft curves, warm lighting and grey stone backsplash really give this corner a charming Wes Anderson aesthetic.
Light-drenched Japandi study
Image credit: Ascend Design
The study room is the other big feature in this home. Between the large windows and the wood and glass lattice wall, this room is simply drenched in work-conducive natural light.
Image credit: @wumahdakota
Besides being a great home office for those work-from-home days, this area also happens to host yet more art collected by the @wumahdakota couple. Half of the lattice wall is actually built into shelving, where the homeowners keep their vinyls and books. The amount of birch also incidentally helps give it a calming, Japandi vibe, which makes the study a super conducive place to buckle down and get to business.
An artsy $58K 4-Room BTO reno in Dakota
The homeowners confided that one of the biggest challenges in this BTO reno is admittedly one we are all probably guilty of: the constant struggle between form and function. There were a lot more items they wanted to add into the home, but held back only after they considered the maintenance needed to keep everything clean.
If you’re drawn to tranquil, well-lit spaces but seek an alternative to the common Japandi and Scandi styles, their home offers a unique inspiration worth exploring.
Read more articles here:
- Inside the HDB maisonette of a Singapore doll maker
- Spending $3.2K to give our HDB flat curves & arches
- Transforming my HDB toilet into a dreamy bathroom
Cover image adapted from: Ascend Design
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