Sophisticated Simplicity: A Seamless Living Room with All Built-In

1081

Contemporary
HDB (Maisonette)
≥1,500 sqft
3 br
Couple Living with Kids

A seamless living room with all built-in features can create a sleek, modern, and clutter-free space. As a family of 6 who doesn’t live a minimalist lifestyle, but loves a minimalist look, the only way is to create lots of storages. Because this is our second home, we already know our needs and wants very clearly. Here are some criteria we’ve listed down designing this space: 1. Lots of storage space for the kids’ toys and cats’ stuff 2. House miscellaneous entertainment items: Playstation and Nintendo console and games, microphones, projector, google nest hub etc. 3. House and hide internet modem router 4. Closed cabinet display area 5. House a 65” TV, sound bar & subwoofer 6. No sight of cables 7. Low maintenance design 8. Stone TV console 9. House a “fireplace” 10. Cat area 11. Ceiling fan 12. Seamless light design 13. Timeless design Yes, there is a lot of requirements, but we were really thrilled we managed to fit everything into the space without looking cluttered or squeezy at all! Let’s dive into the details.
We went for a full, built-in, floor-to-ceiling TV feature wall this time. This built-in shelves, cabinets, and media units create plenty of storage space that help kept everything tidy and organised. This storage solutions are ingeniously integrated to keep everyday items out of sight, maintaining a serene and uncluttered ambiance. To maintain a seamless look, there were no door handles, not even the 45° profile handle commonly used for cabinet doors because there will be gaps. The solutions were to install push to open mechanism for majority of the cabinet doors, upwards flipper door for the two bottom cabinet, and flush handle for the tinted glass display cabinet. Our goal is to have TV looking like it’s embedded into the wall. We sticked to a consistent light colour palette and use the same laminate throughout to create a cohesive feel.
All the cabinets now house our children’s toys and cats items. On the bottom two cabinets house our entertainment consoles and internet modem We installed a 2m long nexen in one of the bottom cabinet to eliminate using extension cord awhile accommodating to all the appliances. In the middle, sits our 65” TV and sound bar, two open shelves on the right where we place our google nest hub and subwoofer.
We designed a low stone console, a striking piece of furniture perfect for any modern contemporary home! Combining functionality with a sleek, minimalist aesthetic, the stone console is undeniably the focal point of the living room. Given its low profile, we chose a high- quality material to ensure durability. Laminate was not an option due to its tendency to chip easily. Instead, we opted for quartz, a material known for its natural veining and patterns that add visual interest. Quartz's hard, non-porous surface is resistant to scratching, staining, and heat, making it low maintenance and easy to clean with mild soap and water. Our children sit on it daily, we can step on it to reach the top cabinets, and even our guests use it as extra seating during gatherings.
We always wanted a built-in “fireplace” in our home. The quotation marks are because it is actually a humidifier! While Singapore is known for its humidity, frequent use of air conditioning can dry out the indoor air, leading to dry skin and discomfort. This built-in humidifier addresses that issue, adding necessary moisture back into the air. It’s not only highly functional but also adds a pleasing aesthetic touch to our home.
We self-crafted a space out of the living room for our cats, this is where we place their barang barang. This space provides them a peaceful retreat without worrying about being disturbed by their little human siblings. At the back of the sofa leads to the balcony. We installed a synchronised sliding glass door to keep the aircon in should we on it.
We knocked down half a wall and rebuilt it with glass bricks to introduce light into the living room without exposing the mess in our laundry room. The patterns on the glass bricks add visual interest to the space. If you’ve seen our house tour post from earlier, you'll notice a similar glass brick wall partition at our entrance. We incorporated this design here to create a cohesive look throughout our home, ensuring that the aesthetic flows seamlessly from one area to another.
It's incredible how much thought has gone into designing this space, even though it might appear minimalistic at first glance. Behind the clean lines and uncluttered surfaces, there's a hidden complexity. It's a testament to the idea that sometimes, the simplest designs require the most ingenuity and effort. A minimal style to us isn't just about having an empty room with exposed items (cable trunkings, wires etc); it's about creating a seamless, concealed environment where every detail is meticulously planned and executed. We love out everything turned out. Do follow us for more tour around other spots of our home!