Walking through the gates, one’s eyes are immediately captured by the patio which sits nicely surrounded by greenery and water. The patio was decked out nicely in Chengai wood and sheltered with glass panes allowing for natural illumination of the patio. The tree stump of a coffee table, the Christmas tree plus the miniature bonsai added a nicely peculiar feel of conviviality to the lush green atmosphere of that cozy space. The sound of running water provided a therapeutic masking of the distant sound of traffic and a sense of closeness with nature.

The porch had been retiled to match the cabinets which had been added for extra storage space. Beside the porch was a small space for Eric’s carpentry workshop where he pursues his hobby of woodworking.

Stepping through the front door, one is greeted by a lightheaded spaciousness with surfaces decorated with memorabilia, Eric’s woodwork and Catherine’s homemade dolls. Spaciousness and easy maintenance had been a priority for the couple.
The white walls and shiny beige tiled floors conveyed a sense of showroom cleanliness. An elegant chandelier provided lighting and the furniture was a quaint assortment with an emphasis on utility and sensibility. 

The staircase leading upstairs had a cleverly camouflaged hidden storage space. The stairs were made of solid single pieces of timber which were strong and cost effective.

     


   Where was once the foot of the staircase now sat an open air study
   corner with a good view of the living room and the patio. Eric and
   Catherine had decided to move the stairs to the side of the wall for a
   greater sense of spaciousness.

   Behind the study corner was a modern contemporary open concept dry    kitchen with a chic island table. The clean straight lines of the kitchen    surfaces  were matched nicely with the glass mosaic wall.

Moving to the wet kitchen where the cooking gets done, the original wall
had been built up to join the ceiling to provide greater privacy for the family. Beside it was the small breezy backyard where the laundry is hung out to dry and the corner space was nicely filled with a pair of ornately decorated chairs with some herbs growing in a pot placed on the side table. 
    

Dinah’s bedroom was simple  and elegant. The white and pink  walls provided a feminine touch while the flora print window curtains combined with the  white sheets and French styled  bed and side table gave rise to  an authentic French country  look. The window frames in her  room and throughout the  house  were constructed with  unplasticised PVC, a low  maintenance material, providing  an effect of finished wood.

  
Her toilet had a high false ceiling with natural lighting. That together with the spaciousness and the glass partition showers added a grandiose elegant aura of a hotel resort to the toilet.

After living in their 2 story semi-detached house for over 20 years, Eric and Catherine already knew what they wanted. The years of living together have created a comfortable routine of habitual activities which they took note of and designed their home to accommodate their lifestyle.

A lair for relaxation is indeed the cozy and comfortable abode the Aw family have always wanted.