Foo's Home

The client is a private person who also wanted a gallery-like space for entertaining and housing her retro-modern furniture and her art work collection. The aim is to achieve an open space that can be modern, yet cozy, simple and elegant. Basic materials such as wood and stone are key themes. The floors are deliberately uneven, and cement-like, yet there are walls clad in creamy crocodile-look wallpaper. The appearance is neat, seamless, and effortless, belying the fact much consideration went into each detail, especially the extensive concealed storage spaces. Much thought also went into achieving a continuous space with no dead ends -- one room leads on to the next, the next, and the next...

In this apartment, there exist the serious, masculine elements, alongside the playful, humorous elements: one is surprised on entering the lift lobby, to encounter all black marble in a small dark space with low ceiling, that quickly leads on to a brighter area with light grey textures. It is almost like giving guests a "preview" of what is on the other side of the door, with the concrete-look leading indoors. The playfulness continues with her choice of sculptures and paintings.

The client's "private" areas of her bedroom, bathroom, and gym room can be one 800 square-foot space, or three distinct rooms -- separated by hidden doors and curtains. Blink and one could miss the walk-in wardrobes, camouflaged behind the metal-like "tunnel" (floor, wall, and ceiling clad in same metal-like material) , at the entrance to this private space. Large sliding doors once closed, conceal the owner's "private" space, and guests only left with the "public" area for their enjoyment. The teak wood in the balcony is a theme that extends from the living room, all through to the bedrooms, running along one side of the apartment.