At Home With
Justin Low, musician
A 3-Room HDB Bachelor pad in Potong Pasir with a Dark Industrial theme
Cost of Renovation $60,000, Project by Roy
When Justin Low (@bedhairguitarist), a musician and guitar teacher, was in search of a new place to call home, he never quite considered taking a look at a little estate called Potong Pasir. “Initially, I was only looking at the Kallang or Geylang Bahru area during my search but could not find anything suitable,” he shares. “It was actually my property agent’s idea to take a look at Potong Pasir!”
As luck would have it, Justin fell in love with the unit that he was shown, thus starting his journey to his dream home.
Making Music at Home
A big influence on the final design of Justin’s home was the need for an exclusive space where he could work and record covers, as well as hold lessons for his students. “To me, I saw this home as a means to an end,” he shared. “It was naturally the next step for me to have a home studio where I could film covers, work on my projects, and to basically have a dedicated space where I could do these.”
With a rough concept in mind, he presented these ideas to designer Roy and the rest was history. “As an artist myself, I understand the importance of having the freedom to let the creativity flow,” Justin explains. “I didn’t want to hinder Roy’s creativity and so I only shared some basic requirements and my budget, and told him to go crazy.”
What resulted from this unhindered artistry is a beautifully revamped 3-room HDB unit; the home is characterised by a combination of sleek modernity and old world charm. A feature brown stone wall in the home studio is just one of the many standout features of this home.
The home studio before
The home studio after
A Fun Tip
Another unique aspect of this home would be the standalone island in the kitchen, which doubles up as both a kitchen preparation area as well as a space to dine. “I took inspiration from an office pantry,” He said with a laugh. “I kind of wanted an area where you could have a quick meal and also somewhere for my students to chill if they are early for their lessons.”
A before and after view of the custom made island in the kitchen that was replicated after an office pantry for chilling and meals
A little reading alcove sits beside the tall glass cabinet that is situated in between the kitchen and living room. Initially meant as a bookshelf, Justin figured that there was ample space to fit in other display pieces as well. A little tip he shared? “If you display your collection of liquors, your guests will be more inclined to give them to you as gifts!”
Choosing the Right Designer
“Working with Roy was easily one of the best experiences I had,” Justin said. “He had hand drawn his ideas to show me in the beginning before doing up the 3D design, and I really loved how luxurious the whole design looked.”
The bathroom is one such example of Roy’s creativity. Justin had initially shared a brief description of what he wanted it to look like – a cross between a hotel and a modern industrial look. “Roy’s confidence was one of the reasons why I placed so much trust in him,” He shared. “Halfway during the renovation process, he changed the design of the bathroom tiles and it turned out better than I could ever imagine.”
When asked if he would recommend Roy to his friends and family, it was an absolute yes for Justin. “Roy is the kind of person you’d go to, to have your design brought to life with thought and care,” he explains. “He wants the best for his homeowners and really listens to what you want.”
Before
After
A Little Advice
“Don’t scrimp and save on your renovation journey, especially if you know you’re going to be living there in the long run,” Justin shared. “It’s important to get it right in the beginning so that everything else that you do after that is just minor works.”
