Out of the Box

ARCHITECTS CAN EASILY reel off the briefs of most clients building a new home: "Build a house as big and tall as possible so that the land can be fully maximised"; or "Pack it with as many bedrooms as you can."

Cheryl Chan, who works in the finance industry, is an exception. Her brief to architect Wu Yen Yen of Genome Architects for her two-storey plus attic semi-detached house at Bukit Timah was to create "a fun area for the kids, large bedrooms and interesting spaces" for her family with two school-going children.

"The age gap between my son and daughter isn't wide, and I would like them to still remain close even as they are growing up," says Ms Chan.

With that in mind, Ms Wu created two bedrooms with a connecting bathroom that is naturally ventilated. "It's quite an unusual request, as most parents prefer for each bedroom to have an ensuite bathroom," she says. The bathroom is spacious with two basins, so there's no need to fight over washing up in the mornings.

To create a fun space for the kids, Ms Wu built a spiral staircase that connects the second floor to the attic. The staircase can be seen through grilles in the bathroom, but it is only accessible through secret doors in each of the kids' bedrooms.

The staircase extends out of the house and is clearly visible from the outside. It gives you a sense of "being in a tree house, but the staircase is technically still part of the house," says Ms Wu.

Ms Chan likes the way that the spiral staircase by the side adds interest to the facade without making the house stick out like a sore thumb in the neighbourhood. Ms Wu added deep window sills to the bedrooms to help keep out the rain. From the outside, "the windows look like portals with a sense of depth, and the upper floors appear to float above the ground floor," says Ms Wu.

Another staircase inside the house connects all the floors. But when the kids' friends come over, the spiral staircase becomes their private access to the attic, where they have a bigger play area. The attic is the best spot to appreciate the spiral staircase, which looks like it's floating against a backdrop of trees. "From certain angles, it looks like a piece of art," says Ms Chan.

As she also wanted large bedrooms, it meant that there are just enough bedrooms for everyone in the family. "I like the bedrooms to be more than just a place to sleep." She also opted for a chic, feminine touch to her bedroom. "It has a more adult feel in here, compared to the kids' bedroom," she says. Complementing the bedroom is a Parisian style bathroom, with a skylight strategically placed over the standalone tub. "On clear nights, you can see the stars and the moon," says Ms Chan.

"I don't like entering a home and being able to see everything," she says of the kind of home she wanted. "I like surprises."

For example, a white sliding door in the living room opens to reveal an extra bedroom, meant for when the grandparents stay over. Ms Chan explains that the room can be used as the extended living room when needed.

Next to the bar counter in the dining area are two chairs, which look randomly placed but no.They look out onto a lap pool. "It's nice to be able to sit there in the morning and watch the kids when they are in the pool," says Ms Chan.

Up in the attic, a door opens up to the laundry area, so that it doesn't take up prime space on the ground floor. This particular spot catches the most sun, which is why the laundry area is located here.

Ms Chan says having previously lived in Hong Kong for 10 years, the family are now relishing the spaciousness of their current home. She also likes the spiral staircase as much as her kids.

"The design of a home should include creative and fun spaces for both kids and adults while being practical. The two should not be mutually exclusive, says Ms Wu.