This Singapore penthouse at Ardmore Park is a rental, but an expat family from New Delhi were happy to spend and upgrade the unit so that they could get it just the way they wanted. They called Arete Culture for a makeover to this pad near Orchard Road.
The family had been renting in Ardmore Park for over seven years, but they wanted a bigger unit for a few reasons. The eldest daughter was moving back from the US, and they wanted enough space for entertaining at home, especially with COVID restrictions limiting the chance to dine out. So they moved into one of the condo’s six penthouses.
ABOUT THE HOME
Who lives here: A couple, their two daughters and the family dog
Style and size: 8,740-square-foot penthouse apartment at Ardmore Park
Style brief: “Timeless and elegant”
Makeover time: Two and a half weeks, with the work being carried out just before Christmas 2021
OVERVIEW
The team from Arete Culture talk us through the project at Ardmore Park:
We had several rounds of discussions and meetings before signing off on the design direction and vision. We conceptualised, designed, styled and planned for the entire home, including the outdoor spaces. Design and styling included wall treatments, floor recommendations, landscaping the patio and choosing the colour palette of each space.
We designed and built the beautiful bar and island in the open-plan living/dining area, designed and built the display cabinets and mirrored storage units in the tasting room, the media unit in the formal living room, the media wall with adjoining work desk in the master bedroom, and the murphy bed in the guest bedroom.
We used about 85 percent of the clients’ existing furniture from their previous home, supplementing it with the purchase of quite a lot of new furniture pieces since they were moving into a much larger unit (literally three times the size of their previous space!).
The home also features a lot of bespoke furniture from Arete Culture, from bookshelves and display cabinets to sideboards, nightstands, headboards, sofas and chaise longues.”
SPECIFICS
Nine ways Arete styled and renovated this Singapore penthouse:
#1 Colour palette
To achieve a timeless but comfortable feel, we used a neutral colour palette with tonal textures for visual interest. Accents of colour often came from the clients’ own art pieces or sentimental décor pieces.
#2 Different zones
The layout of the home proved somewhat tricky as it’s a long, rectangular open-concept space. We zoned the spaces by using a low media unit to visually separate the living and dining areas – the unit is very low to allow for an in-built projector screen! This layout also doesn’t take away from the star of the space: the panoramic views of the city skyline.
#3 Bar space
In order to give the clients more functional counter space to hold food and drinks in the open-plan living/ dining area, we also designed and built an exquisite bar/island counter that acts as an interesting feature demarcating the living and dining spaces.
#4 Tasting room
Because our clients love to entertain, we proposed turning an awkward corner into a luxurious tasting room for pre-dinner drinks. We departed from the home’s light and bright aesthetic and went dark, moody and mysterious for this space because we wanted it to have a speakeasy vibe.
#5 Master bedroom
The clients wanted each bedroom to feel light and bright, but still reflective of the people in the space. The master bedroom is extraordinarily large, so we created three distinct zones for work, play and rest. The work and play areas feature a seating area and a custom media wall with a built-in desk. The area of rest is accented with statement mirrors from Arete Culture, which draw the eye upwards and help to achieve a sense of balance while still highlighting the immense space of the room.
#6 Kids’ bedrooms
The children’s rooms were designed with a similar white and neutral base. The teenage daughter wanted an all-white room, so we kept the palette very light and white, with some pops of blue. In the eldest daughter’s room, we emulated the feel of a boutique hotel bedroom – bolder but still restful, with different zones for work and rest.
#7 Home office
Movable bookshelves in the home office create clever separation between the rest and work areas. This allows more privacy in each section, which is useful if two people need to use different areas of the room at the same time. Wood tones keep things inviting and comfortable, but ornate details layered with lots of plush fabrics keep things rich and polished.
#8 Guest bedroom
The hobby room is also where the grandparents stay when they visit, so we designed a murphy bed to tuck away and clear needed floorspace. The murphy bed is designed with a beautiful sunburst detail for a subtle and still statement wall.
#9 Outside
The many outdoor spaces of this Singapore penthouse are grounded in greenery, whether it’s artificial turf, potted plants or even urban vegetable beds. We created different entertaining areas for the clients, from private dining nooks and intimate armchair seating to large lounging spaces.
A final word from the Arete makeover team on this Ardmore Park project
We had such fun doing this project. Even though the turnaround time was really short, the client gave us carte blanche to do what we deemed fit for the space and their lifestyle. They were also so kind to us and everyone working on their home, constantly feeding us while we worked!
Atelier by Arete
20 Depot Lane, #01-01/02 | 9640 3829
areteculture.com
This article first appeared in the March 2022 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase the latest issue or subscribe, so you never miss a copy!
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