For international couple Philip and Maria, home is a wonderful collection of memories. The brick-lined walls remind them of previous residences in the United Kingdom, while their grassy, tree-lined garden triggers fond memories of time spent in Australia. After their designers from Meter Square delivered every item on their wish list, they are happily making new memories with their gorgeous little boy Gabriel.
Project Snapshot
Name(s) of Homeowner(s): Philip and Maria Sudbury
House Type: 3-bedroom Private Condominium
Size of Home: 2,500 sq ft
Cost of Renovation: $180,000
Duration of Renovation: 10 weeks
Interior Design Firm: Meter Square Pte Ltd
Name(s) of Designer: May Chang and Lvin Cheok
The split-level, brick-walled living area
Maria, son Gabriel and Philip
HomeRenoGuru: What was the state of your home prior to the renovation?
Philip: While we loved the size of it, and the outdoor space, it did need a lot of work doing to it.
The original living area
Based on the condition of the existing apartment, it was immediately apparent that a major renovation was required
HomeRenoGuru: How did you come to engage Meter Square to renovate your home?
Maria: We did some online research and found a few interior designers. Out of all of them, we felt that Meter Square was the best. They showed us some designs and photos and talked to us about their visions, and we actually loved them.
HomeRenoGuru: What was your design brief to your designers May and Lvin of Meter Square?
The open concept kitchen and living area still allows for a dedicated dining area, defined by a trio o pendant lights
Stairs down to the basement are turned into a feature with an industrial-inspired light fitting
Philip: What we were looking for was a little bit industrial, a little bit retro. We love the brick walls, which remind us of our time in the UK and some of the old properties that we’ve stayed in.
HomeRenoGuru: What was the scope of the structural work undertaken?
Bathrooms are kept minimal and functional, with frameless mirrors and a neutral palette accentuated by black trim
Philip: All the ceilings, flooring and bathrooms were replaced, and the original kitchen wall was hacked to create an open concept feel.
HomeRenoGuru: What do you love most about your renovated home?
Philip: My favourite piece is the kitchen. I really, really like the kitchen. I wouldn’t change anything there.
The kitchen is a cook’s dream, with ample storage and work space, and a large illuminated liquor cabinet
Thoughtful space planning puts everything at arm’s reach, with the fridge and oven at left and the sink at right
Philip: My second favourite place is probably the living area, opening up through the garden. It’s just a great place to chill out on the weekend.
Maria: It’s the same with me, I love the kitchen the most, and the next is the living room because I love the brick walls. So when we open the door, it feels like we’re back in our house in Australia.
The full wall of floor-to-ceiling glass doors allows sunlight to bathe the living area and provides a garden view
Philip: It’s also really breezy. That’s the thing, we’ve been really surprised. We were used to living in places where you have the air-con on all the time. Here, we don’t have the air-con on at all now. You get a really nice breeze through the house – and it’s great.
The master bedroom was original two rooms
The second room became a walk-in wardrobe and study area
Smoked glass sliding doors lead into the master bathroom
Maria: One of my requirements for the master bedroom was to have a walk-in wardrobe. I had a vision in mind when I spoke to May, and she showed me some designs which I loved. One of the things we wanted was to have a full-height glass door in the walk-in wardrobe, which was technically challenging to make. At the end of the day, May managed to customise the sliding door to the height we wanted.
HomeRenoGuru: Do you have any advice you would like to share with homeowners contemplating a renovation?
The spare room is relatively simple, with track lighting and built-in wardrobes
Philip: My recommendations for other homeowners would be take some time upfront, go through magazines, cut out the articles and pictures that you like, put it all together, listen to your interior designer and trust your interior designer.
Brightly coloured artwork and a floor rug add pops of colour to Gabriel’s room, which features a striking dark blue feature wall
HomeRenoGuru: Would you recommend Meter Square and your designers May and Lvin to other homeowners?
Maria: We highly recommend Meter Square. It was great working with them and they were very open to our ideas and to our vision. We faced some issues but they were able to solve the problems really well, and they went way beyond our requests. It was great working with them.
Designers Lvin and May from Meter Square with the happy homeowners
