This condo has been kept surprisingly well: Find out why our clients went the extra mile with a full reno

Project 301 - Designed by Joven

You found a well-maintained apartment - is it necessary to do a full renovation?

Not really, especially for the family of 4, who had bought a 3-bedder condo mainly for ease of commute during schooling years. With an intent to keep part of the original space, the new occupants explored ways to improve on the existing apartment. However, it soon became clear that they were designing their home around the previous owner's lifestyle and not theirs. In this article, we learn from our designer, Joven, the importance of spatial planning, as well as things to look out for when demolishing old fixtures in a resale home.

To renovate the kitchen or not

While the original half-height cabinets were still in good condition, there was insufficient storage in the kitchen, and no countertop space for a dry pantry, which the clients desired. To cater for that, the dry pantry would have to be situated in the living room, resulting in extensive built-in carpentry along the TV feature wall.

Before & after floor plan of living area/kitchen

After some deliberation, they decided to remodel the kitchen entirely so they could re-configure the space for themselves.

By removing the wall that separated the laundry area, the kitchen now has a continuous workflow with ample space for a dishwasher and an oven. In place of the original half-height cabinets, there are now top and bottom cabinets, and a dry pantry on the other side.

Customised cabinets for appliances & storage

Dry pantry; wine chiller compartment below

Quiet and refined

With a well-designed kitchen, the living room required minimal carpentry. A slim TV console built along the feature wall tucks away media devices and cables. The clients had wanted a concealed entrance into the bedrooms for a seamless appearance, but later decided on a double-leaf door with fluted glass for the simple elegance it brings.

Walk-in wardrobe creates more room

An L shaped wardrobe actually offers more usable space in this bedroom compared to a long wardrobe positioned against the wall. By acting as a buffer between the bed and the bathroom, it provides privacy while allowing convenient access from the shower.

Before & after floor plan of master bedroom

Items like luggages and other less used belongings can be stored in the upper compartment of the wardrobe. A bi-fold door is necessary in a tight space such as this, as a regular door will be hindered by the ceiling light when opening.

Beneath the surface

The old bathtub was taken out and a shower is installed in its place. As with all resale apartments, taking out old fixtures might necessitate replacing the existing tiles, and the full scope of work often becomes clear only after inspecting what lies beneath.

In this case, new tiles are overlaid in the entire wet area, whereas in the kitchen and bedroom, only some areas required patching up after removing the cabinets. Prior to that, matching tiles were procured, should there be a need for reworks - being a 20-year-old unit, the existing tiles were no longer in production, so they were glad to have found identical ones.

Project 301

As one decision led to another, what started as a renovation for short-term housing eventually opened doors to new possibilities. With each passing day, the family soon came to realise that this... could be their permanent home.

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