Home design for happy families
Two families get to live together while being apart in the same condominium, in two distinctively designed apartments
[SINGAPORE] In MeyerHouse – a condominium designed by Woha Architects – two families live apart, but together.
The parents live in a third-storey unit, while one of their sons stays in the unit directly above. The families engaged Leena Interior Design Studio (Lids) to create both homes, with each catering to different lifestyles and aesthetic preferences.
“They have been living in this kind of arrangement for a long time,” says Leena Goh, the director and founder of Lids. “Before moving to MeyerHouse, they lived across the road in another condominium and occupied three units, with the other son still living in one.”
An architecturally trained designer, Goh had worked at SCDA Architects and Kerry Hill Architects before starting her own firm in 2021.
The son who lives in the same building as his parents shares his unit with his wife and three children. He preferred a masculine character for his four-bedroom apartment, while his parents leaned towards a lighter scheme for theirs. His unit, therefore, employs plentiful dark wood laminate, and rainforest marble – caramel-toned stone with spindly streaks – and coloured stainless steel “to evoke a bold, yet sophisticated tone”.
The private lift doors open into a lobby that feels like a stylish hotel, with geometric wall sconces providing ambient illumination and highlighting artwork. The same dark wood from the foyer frames a calligraphic work in the dining room, and clads the television console extruding from the wall like a piece of furniture.
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The foyer layout was rejigged to suit the family’s needs. The original plan had the lift door opening to a long lobby that stretched the section of the living room, but Goh felt the space was better suited for young children. Thus, she made it smaller and used the extra space to create a larger dining area.
A new doorway was cut into the first room, which doubles as the son’s study and guest room. This enables direct access from the foyer to the study’s attached bathroom, so the family members can wash their feet and hands before entering the home proper. A built-in daybed is useful for the husband, who sometimes sleeps here when he returns late from travels to avoid disturbing anyone else.
This home was designed with care for a young family. “The use of stain-resistant faux leather panels adds a subtle touch of colour, while bull-nose detailing at the frame and base softens the edges – an intentional design decision for the children’s safety,” Goh says.
A smaller bar counter takes the place of the original one by Yabu Pushelberg, which designed all the development’s interiors. While dynamic, Goh deemed it too sophisticated for the simple and functional needs of a family with young children. The now-open space is ideal for young children to run around in.
In the master bedroom, functionality was built into the aesthetics. Goh designed a standalone television console that does not entirely block the view of the window behind it. She also curved the edges of the bed frame and side tables for a cocooning effect.
In the adjoining wardrobe area, a luggage stand was built on top of some cabinetry for frequent packing and unpacking, as the couple are business professionals who travel weekly for work.
For the parents’ unit downstairs, the original foyer layout was retained, as they did not need as much open space. The grandchildren come here to be looked after and have meals at times, but overall, the apartment is a sanctuary for the parents.
Goh added some nuances, such as a timber screen for some privacy at the foyer, and shelves to display religious artefacts.
Like the son’s unit, the original bar counter was replaced with a smaller one, but finished in serene oak laminate. In the first room, the mother practises her qi gong; an additional mattress on a low timber platform turns the space into a guest room when necessary.
This unit’s light palette, as well as forms that sit nearer to the ground, set the prevailing tone of serenity for the parents’ home. In the living area, the television console is a low block while the master bedroom’s bedhead rises just above the bed’s height, framed in light oak laminate.
“The intention was to create a relaxed, casual atmosphere,” says Goh, pointing out large wall surfaces in the master bedroom finished in textural Marmorino plaster.
Marmorino plaster is an age-old material comprising natural limestone, powdered marble and fine sand. Goh hoped the natural material would add to the sense of calm. In the same vein, a panel of abaca wall coverings made from fibre rises behind the bed.
Goh believes a successful project is one that the clients are happy living in; she shares that both sets of homeowners are proud of their homes, and have received compliments from visitors. “Ultimately,” she concludes, “each project aims to elevate the client’s lifestyle by integrating beauty with everyday function.”
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