These days, the modern minimalist aesthetic is all the rage with Singaporean homeowners looking for a trendy and easy-to-upkeep home. However, with its philosophy of less is more, and emphasis on a monochromatic palette and “cold” modern materials, the common misconception is that such homes end up too sterile and lifeless – not exactly what one envisions as a comfortable living space.
If you find yourself looking for a middle ground between the sleek modern aesthetic and a welcoming and warm ambiance, here are not one but 4 perfectly balanced home interiors you can seek inspiration from.
In this Pinnacle at Duxton project, it is clear that designer Wilson skews towards the Japanese-inspired minimalist aesthetic. His choice of natural wood materials, a simple dark colour palette with a few neutral tones injected with some warm hues, and linear motifs (in the fluted panels, tiling, and even blinds) – all reminiscent of a cosy traditional Japanese-styled inn.
Even with an overall minimalist guiding principle in mind, designer Wilson subtly incorporates plenty of tactile and visual interest into the space, creating a balanced interior that is not only clean and uncluttered aesthetically but also warm and welcoming. For instance, simple touches like knit pillows, a comfortable wool throw, natural stone or ceramic decorations, and warm woodgrain flooring work perfectly with this neutral-palette space while adding to the charm of the home.
To complete the look at night, the choice of interior lighting is LED with warm hues for that gentle and cosy ambiance for relaxation.
This Bidadari project by designer Ebenezer is the ultimate example of how one can achieve the best of both worlds within one home.
In this project, the demarcation is more obvious than most, where the shared social spaces like the living room, kitchen, and dining area give off warm and inviting vibes, while personal spaces like the bedroom are kept deliberately cool and sleek as a personal preference by the homeowner.
Despite the overall modern theme that runs consistently throughout the household, what with the largely monochromatic palette of blacks and whites and cool marble and metal textures, the ambience of the shared social spaces is instantly warmed up with the simple addition of a rich and bright wooden feature wall, colourful textured throw pillows and warm spotlight illumination.
In contrast, the personal bedroom space is completely devoid of colours, defaulting back to a simple palette of black and whites and greys, and without any excess tactile nor visual interest, keeping the space clean, and uncluttered as can be.
At first glance, this Oleander Towers project by designer Jimmy looks just like a typical modern luxe interior – but the devil is in the details when it comes to the creation of this unexpectedly warm and inviting living space.
From the choice of a slightly warm-hued flooring to the textured wall panels, nothing is left to chance, with designer Jimmy consciously incorporating an unsuspecting tactile and texture contrast to warm up the space while blending innocuously into the background.
To counterbalance the sterile look of an all-white kitchen, splashes of marble accents (a continued motif throughout the home) and warm brass fixtures are used to break the monotony, while the latter helps to also introduce a sense of warmth.
Similarly in the bathroom, a playful terrazzo backsplash is paired in conjunction with the all-familiar marble and brass combination to kick things up a notch.
The homeowners of this Ridgewood Close project were so enamoured by the rosewood flooring left behind by the previous owner that they came up with the entire design with it as a centrepiece.
The result? A modern home with a homely and warm ambiance – in large part due to the heavy incorporation of natural wood in the design that offset the equally heavy use of cold modern materials like metal and glass.
Natural wood features heavily in the design of this interior, from wooden panelling for storage compartments, bed headboards, study and dining tables, kitchen space, and more, wood is utilized in a wide variety of forms and function.
