Permanent staycation at home

HAVING lived in rented apartments for the past few years, Celine Tan and Alexander Mordvincev had a checklist in mind when they were looking to purchase their first home.

It had to be near Tan’s mum, big enough for their young son Nikolai to grow up in, and “most importantly, the space had to have potential”, says Tan. She is a partner at The Ate Group, a communications firm, and he is a coach with Singapore’s national swimming team.

Their search led them to a 1,646 sq ft home in Bedok that was completed in 1994. The original apartment had 4 bedrooms, a long corridor at the entrance, and looked its age. But the couple were confident that interior designer Stacey Leong would be able to weave her magic and transform the home.