The transformation of an old 4-room flat is by all means not an easy task. The preconceived notions of space management and layout often confound the new homeowner and the design elements of the old flat tend to persist into the new one. Luckily for Mr and Mrs. Holmes, David and Melissa from Crescendo Interior and Lifestyle Pte Ltd are on hand to help them meet their needs and develop a home that they can truly call home. One of the first things that the Holmes requested was to allow for the not-cluttered placement of their grand piano while maintaining a separate foyer area near the entrance to the house. A design feature that niftily meets this requirement comes in the form of a swivel partition that acts as a divider, neatly partitioning the foyer area from the rest of the living room. This divider also contributes to the aesthetic appeal of the simple and elegant foyer.

WHAT WE LOVE. DETAILS Swivel partition that acts as a divider, neatly partitioning the foyer area from the rest of the living room The Spartan yet carefully managed foyer area coupled with the mirrors and deftly placed shoe cabinets make a great impression as one enters the flat.

The kitchen is designed strictly with function in mind. The sink is close to the fridge for easy transfer of food and almost everything is within an arm’s reach. A special pull out drawer is placed below the oven to place the piping hot cakes and cookies to cool. The Blum anti-slam system is used to provide a smooth sliding closure to the kitchen fixtures and a neat dish drying area is placed above the sink for easy storage. The washing area is separated from the kitchen with an open-styled divider to keep the kitchen airy while the specially made sliding door keeps the smells out of the hall when cooking.

WHAT WE LOVE. Attention to Function The design is owner-centric, specifically tailored to the owner’s needs and functional requirements. BELOW: A special pull out drawer is placed below the oven to place the piping hot cakes and cookies to cool.

The highlight of the house has got to be the bedroom with its Japanese accents and wonderful play of diffuse lights. The wall cornices are brought down to form an arch over the bed frame to give room for storage of items while a specially made console behind the bed frame adds a unique touch to the room, with a warm white light radiating upwards. Direct glare is very much reduced with the abundance of carefully placed lamps and lights to give the room a cheery disposition without the harshness associated with excessive lighting.

IDEAS WE LOVE. Light TThe wonderful play of lightings allows the owner to change the mood setting in the room.

The study room which doubles up as a guest room is kept in the same colour tone as the rest of the house, but with a twist. The European-chic influence is evident by the choice of furniture and the neat bookshelf, functional workstation topped off with a quirky lamp to add a dash of life to the room.

Recent articles and designs of late have focused a lot on the modern, contemporary styles which have become part of the standard repertoire of any self respecting interior designer. What differentiates David from Crescendo Interior and Lifestyle Pte Ltd and the co-designer, Melissa is that they are both able to meet the demands of having a great aesthetic appeal yet meld in the function to serve the daily needs of the homeowner by working closely and truly getting to know and understanding the homeowner.