Here at Uchify, we’ve explored numerous ways to optimise space in Singapore flats, from numerous built-in storage ideas to creative kitchen storage solutions. However, this single bedroom condo reno by Metre Architects sets a new standard for maximising small spaces, with the ingenious addition of a loft home office to its living room.
Making full use of the condo’s high ceiling
Image provided by homeowners.
The homeowners’ concern for the home reno was relatively straightforward: to make use of the 4.7m-high living space in the flat. To achieve this, the architects over at Metre elevated the abundant vertical space to new heights with the addition of a custom-design Japandi loft.
The loft’s light wood finish, inspired by traditional Japanese carpentry, seamlessly blends in with the rest of the home’s decor, enhancing the Japandi aesthetic while keeping a majority of the home’s existing fixtures.
Left to right: before and after
Image adapted from: NEVER TOO SMALL
Maximising space in a single bedroom apartment
Image credit: Kevin Siyuan
Space is a precious commodity in this single-bedroom condo, so every inch of it was carefully considered and maximised. For example, the hollowed out steps of the staircase double as a built-in cabinet, minimising the overall footprint of the loft on the rest of the home.
Image credit: Metre Architects
The staircase itself utilises an alternating half-step design. The steeper configuration of the steps, while slightly more difficult to navigate, allows for a more spacious and functional loft without compromising on head space.
Eye-catching futuristic rib joinery & ambient soffit lighting
Image adapted from: NEVER TOO SMALL
Visible from every corner including the entrance, the loft has become the centrepiece and standout feature of the apartment’s decor. Visitors to the home are greeted with the loft’s protruding rib-like soffit, immediately creating visual intrigue and delineating the home’s layout.
Image credit: Kevin Siyuan
The ribbed design also adds texture to the decor, adding a layer of complexity to the home. When night comes, the home is enveloped in dramatic warm light from strip lighting in the loft’s joinery, creating an inviting, cosy ambience.
A serene loft home office tucked away from the rest of the home
Image credit: Kevin Siyuan
Ascending the stairs to the loft itself reveals a peaceful home office nook, dubbed a “suspended vessel” by the architects at Metre. The disconnected nature of the loft removes the homeowners from the distractions of the rest of the home, allowing them greater focus when they’re working.
Image credit: Kevin Siyuan
This condo has a custom Japandi-style loft home office
Image credit: Kevin Siyuan
Even in limited spaces, thoughtful design goes a long way. Instead of stretching the floor space of the home too thin, Metre Architects effectively utilised the vertical space of the home, which is oft-overlooked, to give the couple extra space—especially relevant in the increasingly small flats of Singapore today.
For more small space inspiration:
- $85K 3-room condo renovation with a moon ceiling
- A vibrant, eclectic & colourful $23K condo reno
- A 2-room HDB bachelor pad with a Lego gallery
Cover image adapted from: Metre Architects
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