Living large in a small space

FOR apartment hunters most of the time, the higher you go, the more desirable it is.You get an unobstructed view of the surroundings, with the chance of even catching the odd fireworks display if you're facing the right direction. And, unlike the ground floor, no pesky neighbour can peep into your living room. Hence the higher price tag that property developers often put on such units.

But there are those who much prefer to have their feet on the ground, literally. Such as the owner of this ground floor two-bedroom apartment in Central Singapore. The 30-something lawyer was initially attracted to the area and its amenities, but didn't think that a ground-floor unit could be converted into something extraordinary.

She had hired architect Lim Shing Hui to do what she thought would be a conventional renovation, but she was in for a surprise.