The Chic Home: Indochine-inspired HDB bachelor pad

Straits Times

16-05-2025

This HDB flat, which is over 50 years old, is now a luxurious and spacious home to entertain in. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA
SINGAPORE – Mr Mark Wong, who is in his 50s, is a connoisseur of all things luxury- and design-related.
As a senior executive in the hotel industry, his numerous hospitality projects include a string of properties in Vietnam involving renowned American landscape architect and interior designer Bill Bensley . This may have provided the catalyst for his vision of an Indochine-inspired interior for his home in North Bridge Road.
He chose to work with Mr Arjan Nijen Twilhaar, principal designer of home-grown studio Aiden T. Their aim was to turn this five-room HDB flat, which is over 50 years old and spans 1,291 sq ft, into a spacious home where Mr Wong can entertain guests and keep his two cats comfortable.
An entrance foyer was something Mr Wong very much wanted. 'It gives a sense of arrival and the experience is akin to a 'tunnel' that you walk through before it opens up to the spectacular view,' he says. He bought the recessed corridor area outside the original main entrance, which gave Mr Twilhaar the opportunity to create 'a great transition space between the outside world and the home'.
The entrance foyer is designed as a dark space, from the black main door and geometric black-and-white floor tiles to the black ceiling and green-on-black palm-print wallpaper. Together, these design elements orchestrate the reveal and heighten the sense of openness upon entering the unit.
The entrance foyer has been designed as a dark space.
PHOTO: SPH MEDIA
Two of the three bedrooms have been opened up to expand the space and accommodate the new living, dining and media rooms, as well as the dry kitchen . Although conceived as open-concept areas, Mr Twilhaar wanted to define these spaces without partition walls.
'We embraced the pillars and low structural beams as integral parts of the design,' he says. Boxing up the column and beams allowed him to conceal unsightly air-conditioning trunking and electrical wiring, while cladding the transoms with mirrors helped to reflect light and the surrounding spaces.
By incorporating an arch between the beams and their supporting vertical members , this suggests a portal between spaces.
Another strategy is to use bordering floor tiles that provide focal points for each space while allowing them to flow seamlessly from one to the other. The ceiling has also been detailed to define each space.
Bordering floor tiles provide focal points for each space while allowing them to flow seamlessly from one to the other.
PHOTO: SPH MEDIA
A wood-framed arch in the living room wall is a recognisably Chinese form, while the recessed portion of the wall is lined with a bold yellow chinoiserie wallpaper with floral motifs. An eclectic mix of Mid-century Modern furniture and Chinese antiques is brought together by a rug from British designer Wendy Morrison , featuring peonies in a riot of colour .
'Mixing chinoiserie with contemporary pieces gives the place an heirloom quality, which suggests that it has been added on through different generations,' says Mr Twilhaar.
One of the former bedrooms has been converted into the dining room, which can now fit a dinner party for larger groups. The banquet bench below the window provides ample seating and incorporates storage underneath.
A banquet bench below the dining room window provides ample seating and incorporates hidden storage underneath.
PHOTO: SPH MEDIA
The cat-friendly Aqua Clean upholstery by Singapore furniture specialist Blafink echoes the copper hues of the cloud-like Bunga Kertas chandelier by Indonesian studio Ong Cen Kuang, purchased from Singapore store Craft Axis. The lighting fixture makes a statement with its lotus flowers fashioned from hand-twisted copper wires and presents a contemporary take on another Chinese motif.
The pairing of an Ikea dining table with authentic Wishbone chairs reflects what Mr Wong calls a 'high-low' approach, where not everything has to be branded as long as it is sturdy and of good quality.
Across from the dining room is the dry kitchen. Anchoring the space is an island designed to look like a dining table with oversized legs. Its top and sides, as well as the bar counter, are from the same slab from Sensa by Cosentino. Vintage mirrors behind the bar counter soften the dark palette and reflect the view outside.
Another striking feature is the row of storage cabinets built into the side wall. The doors are lined with Zoffany Sicilian Lion wallpaper, depicting gold lions on a black background. The wainscotting panels below pop out to reveal hidden drawers for additional storage.
The cabinetry in the wet kitchen was inspired by traditional Chinese medicinal halls.
PHOTO: SPH MEDIA
The cabinetry in the wet kitchen was inspired by traditional Chinese medicinal halls, complete with bamboo-like metal handles. The cabinets on top are Art Deco with Chinese half-moon handles. Where the L-shaped kitchen counter turns the corner, Mr Twilhaar detailed a mitre joint with a book-matched Dekton top. The scalloped backsplash tiles were from Mr Wong's previous home.
The powder room offers an element of surprise with its black interior. The walls are lined with Cole & Son wallpaper featuring a chinoiserie bamboo pattern. An antique cabinet from Just Anthony has been turned into a vanity, above which hangs a bespoke bamboo mirror that Mr Twilhaar designed.
An antique cabinet has been turned into a vanity in the powder room, above which hangs a bespoke bamboo mirror.
PHOTO: SPH MEDIA
Another former bedroom has been converted into a media area. A recessed wall arch feature with the same wallpaper strikes up a dialogue with the one in the living room , connecting the two spaces at opposite ends of the home . A comfortable sofa from Singapore brand Castlery sits on a rug from Rugs.sg to create a cosy space with laid-back vibes that is the perfect setting for enjoying a movie.
The master bedroom was originally meant to occupy the space where the media room is. However , it has been moved to its current location in front of the former balcony, adjoining the original master bedroom, which is now a dressing room.
One of the most striking features in the master bedroom is the Peranakan-style headboard.
PHOTO: SPH MEDIA
A hidden door from the media area leads to the master bedroom, which houses a stunning headboard comprising mirror-backed, stained-glass Peranakan doors. A sliver of the original balcony has been retained, enough to place a row of potted plants outside the floor-to-ceiling window.
The dressing room has off-the-rack Chinese wardrobes and a chest of drawers.
PHOTO: SPH MEDIA
Antique wooden doors connect the space to the attached dressing room. Instead of built-in wardrobes, Mr Twilhaar opted for off-the-rack Chinese wardrobes and a chest of drawers.
Like the powder room, the master bathroom features an antique cabinet as a vanity. The pipes are concealed, along with storage, behind matt white EDL panels that quieten the space with their clean finish .
Book-matched, marble-look wall tiles draw the eye towards the master bathroom's shower compartment.
PHOTO: SPH MEDIA
The planning and design took three to four months, followed by a five-month renovation, before Mr Wong moved into his new home in December 2023. The project came up to about $200,000, excluding furniture and furnishings.
His favourite spot in the home? 'The dining area. From here, I can enjoy a 360-degree view within the home, as well as an unblocked view of the surroundings outside.'
This article first appeared in Home & Decor Singapore. Go to homeanddecor.com.sg for more beautiful homes, space-saving ideas and interior inspiration.
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