Surely, we’ve all been there before: bundling home rare vintage paraphernalia from our year-end vacay or buying quirky ceramics and vases for our homes even before we have a place to call our own. But there’s a fine line between a cluttered, messy space and displaying your finds in an aesthetic, gallery-style manner.
With a renovation spearheaded by The Monocot Studio, Elgin and Sisi of Instagram account @one_treehouse have hit the bull’s eye of “organised chaos”, transforming their 1,184sqft 5-room flat in Queenstown into a fun and cosy space that speaks to their personalities and makes their entire range of collectibles their decorative visual assets.
A bright and cheery interior inspired by a piece of terrazzo
Image credit: Studio Periphery
When the couple first approached The Monocot Studios, they had two different ideas in mind: bright and colourful for Elgin, and all things white and woody for Sisi. The compromise came in the form of an earthy-coloured piece of Terrazzo they chanced upon on Pinterest.
Image credit: Studio Periphery
With white, forest green and mustard yellow as the primary palette, the couple set about creating their dream home.
Image credit: Studio Periphery
Their IDs had suggested keeping most of the home natural and muted with the use of plywood, reserving most of the colour to select sections of the home, namely the kitchen and bathrooms. Small colour details from the deep green of their main door to the cushions on the couch tie the theme together cohesively.
Image credit: @one_treehouse
Over in the kitchen, it’s minimal meets whimsy with full raw plywood kitchen cabinets – an element you’ll see a lot of in the home – against a matte mustard mosaic tile backdrop and a floor full of colourful terrazzo tiles.
When asked about the use of plywood, ID firm The Monocot Studio shared that they’re big fans of honest, no-frills designs; and that plywood, like natural timber, has that magical ability to imbue a space with character and texture.
“Plywood is essentially the main material for all carpentry, we just prefer to strip down additional layers of laminate or others to show the honesty of our design.”
And for those curious about how the material will fare when subjected to the rigours of daily living and humidity, plywood, in itself, is pretty water-resistant, fire-resistant and hardy. Even so, it’s still prone to scratches and the wear and tear that comes with a lived-in home.
Image credit: @one_treehouse
Sisi’s favourite space in the home is this cosy dining nook where a forest green dining bench adds a pop of colour, and a fluted dining table adds some dimension to the space. “I sit there either to watch him cook, bake with my mom when she comes over or for zoom meetings because it has a nice background!” shares Sisi candidly.
With the visual elements so pleasing to the eye, it almost looks a little Accidentally Wes Anderson.
The three blooms of the mural represent the two of them and their dog, Lucy.
Image credit: @one_treehouse
With not that much room to play around with in the bedroom, their ID decided to construct a wall-to-wall plywood headboard. They also used the same shiplap design near the ceiling to cleverly conceal the curtain tracks and make the room look the part of a boutique hotel.
The flower mural was a piece commissioned by Ochre Home and painted in warmer hues, making the space feel more open, while retaining its sense of intimacy.
Eclectic display of paraphernalia
It need not always be with small figurines, as Elgin and Sisi have managed to turn their everyday bicycles into a showpiece.
Image credit: @one_treehouse
Image credit: @one_treehouse
And finally, the plywood custom bookshelf that is the home’s definitive piece. These four extensive shelves display the couple’s collection of decorative pieces and paraphernalia, overlooking the living area.
A close-up look of the shelf shows pieces from books to aesthetic crockery.
Image credit: @one_treehouse
Of course, a collector can’t go without his or her fair share of vintage items.
Image credit: @one_treehouse
An indoor balcony
Image credit: @one_treehouse
HDB flats with balconies are hard to come by, but that didn’t stop these homeowners from fashioning their own “indoor balcony” within the home. The same bright terrazzo tiles of the entryway and the kitchen make an appearance to demarcate this room as Elgin’s little man cave.
Image credit: @one_treehouse
With a plywood partition sectioning the space off and the addition of lush greenery, the whole indoor balcony concept is both convincing and genius to give the couple a quiet place of respite.
Fun & quirky 5-room flat in Queenstown
HDB homes may get the least credit out of all the other housing options, but homes are what you make of them and this quirky, enchanting 5-room flat in Queenstown proves just that. If you’re one to hoard all sorts of trinkets and decorative items, you might want to take a leaf out of this home reno book for your own home.
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