Face to face

Good things come in small packages, or so the saying goes. And when it comes to interior design, there is no doubt that a small apartment can sharpen the most creative minds.

This show apartment was designed for the new Estilo Building in Singapore, now being developed by Sino Holdings (S) Pte Ltd. Interior designer Hilary Loh of 2nd Edition says the new apartments are just 57m², and designed to appeal to fashion-savvy young couples.

"The Estilo is located in an urban area that attracts a mix of trendsetting young professionals," she says. "Consequently, the show apartment features bold graphics that reflect the high-fashion, high-tech interests of the niche market."

Loh says the open-plan living area, which incorporates the kitchen, was designed to work as one large entertaining space. A suspended breakfast bar, which doubles as a serving bar and work table, is fixed to a clear glass base. As well as making the room look more spacious and allowing a direct view into the kitchen, the glass base makes the bar appear as if it is floating.

A large mirrored accent wall features graphics based on faces a theme that reappears in the furnishings. The custom floor rug, for example, features a direct reflection of the faces on the wall.

Face graphics also appear on a black-and-white laminated strip that runs from the bar top, up the wall and continues across the ceiling. Similarly, there is a circle theme that is repeated on rugs and walls.

"The mirrored circles on the wall address the entrance, and provide visual interest," says Loh. "They also reflect the lush greenery on the balcony opposite."

The kitchen cabinetry was designed to fulfil a similar visual role. Cantilevered from the wall, with a gap top and bottom, the cabinetry takes on a sculptural form.

"We wanted to create an interesting composition," says Loh. "Suspending the unit in this way makes it appear as though it is floating off the wall. The size of the cabinetry was another consideration. At 3.6m long, it could have been a very bulky unit. Raising it above the floor helps to minimise its size."

A white laminate with a subtle leather grain was chosen to provide a textural finish to the cabinets, which helps offset the reflective surfaces.

Not surprisingly, the cabinets provide many novel storage solutions designed to maximise the space. Loh says drawers within drawers were specified to avoid extra horizontal lines on the cabinetry.

"Maintaining a simple, single drawer front provides a very sleek, clean finish."

Story by: Colleen Hawkes