Thinking of taking the plunge and getting an interior designer into your home for a makeover or a renovation? We speak with some readers who have done just that and are thrilled with the end result.
Eriko (Japanese) and Shawn (Singaporean)
Recommended interior design by WTP Furniture
Although our apartment boasts high ceilings, which lend an impressiveness to the surroundings, it was a little lifeless and needed an expert interior design eye to ensure the best use of space and to give it a feeling of elegance.
We found out about WTP Furniture through a company relocation programme, and we enlisted their help to create a space that had the element of simplicity while also being homey.
The whole team at WTP, from our design consultant Naazli to the logistics people and carpenters, are great to work with – they’re polite, friendly and professional. And they’re very good at what they do! They are very responsive to every question and every detail. They met our expectations and beyond.
WTP Furniture 3 Kung Chong Road
6235 2760 | wtpstyle.com
De Gracias and son Skyler (Japanese/Singaporean)
Carla De Peuter, Belgian
Recommended interior design by Mara Miri
A friend who knew we were moving to Singapore thought Mara Miri would be the right interior design company to help us with our new home. And we were really happy with the result – the company transformed an unappealing space into something lovely, and in record time to enable us to move in quickly.
The efficiency, speed and design sense they instilled were fantastic. We subsequently relocated to Mallorca, and after having some initial problems when we were building a house here, we turned to Mara Miri again because of their ability to solve issues, and because we trusted them with the style and design we liked.
The house is a new build of five bedrooms, five bathrooms and a study, plus living spaces, a large garden and pool. The brief was to take it from a building site to a habitable home, to help pick up the ball that had been dropped at points during the original build, and to design and install carpentry, curtains, tracks, furniture and accessories. Also, to help design landscaping and build a jungly space for our outdoor shower area.
When Mara Miri stepped in to take over the build, we saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Our thoughts were aligned and at times they appeared to be reading our minds. A good designer can help clients avoid some classic mistakes while furnishing a house. Expectations were definitely met this case, and the results are impeccable. Our building site has become a home!
Given their access to global work and contacts, the Mara Miri team were able to help us find lovely pieces. I would recommend them to anyone thinking of relocating or who needs interior design work in Singapore.
Mara Miri Interior Design
info@maramiri.com | maramiri.com
Kaushal and Vinita Chandrashekar and son Daksh, Indian
Recommended renovation in Singapore by HiVAR Studio
A friend of ours hired HiVAR Studio to upgrade the interiors of their home and we liked the results. This led to us having a chat with Suchi, who runs the Studio; we liked her approach and design philosophy, and it led to us working with her on our home.
Our apartment is 1,535 square feet in size – it has four bedrooms, four bathrooms and lots of sunlight. When we bought it in 2021, the previous owner hadn’t done much upgrading, and some rooms, especially the kitchen, looked like they needed a rebuild.
We’re fans of minimalist interior design and our brief for HiVAR Studio was to maintain the light and airy nature of the apartment. We also wanted our three rooms themed a bit differently; I wanted an English library theme in the study, Vinita focused on grey fabric and wood for the living room, and Daksh wanted bright colours and space in his room.
Suchi is very driven and enthusiastic. She spent a lot of time working with us to explain the plans and renderings of the rooms and was open to innumerable refinements. She went above and beyond her brief, too, helping us select furnishings and patiently dealing with our changes of mind. We originally wanted to hack the entire kitchen, but Suchi helped us save thousands of dollars by just revamping the exterior look.
In addition, the renovation project was done during COVID, which led to restrictions in the availability of craftsmen and the number of people allowed to work simultaneously; and delays and problems meant we had to move into the apartment while it was being completed. Suchi’s ability to coordinate and manage this situation was commendable. At the end, she was able to deliver us our dream house: beautiful and high quality. It’s a source of pride and joy to us and will be for years to come.
Suchi has become a friend in the process and we often ping her just to ask what she thinks of some furniture or furnishings we plan to pick up, and she is nice enough to provide her opinion. We hope to see her interior design company grow.
HiVAR Studio 33 Ubi Avenue 3, Tower B, Vertex Building, #05-26
9818 1534 | hivarstudio.com
This article on interior design companies and renovation in Singapore first appeared in the November 2023 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase the latest issue or subscribe, so you never miss a copy!
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