Shawn, Hui Qing and baby Hannah have the pleasure of living in a house that feels like a beach resort, 365 days of the year. Hear how inspiration struck – in the unlikeliest of places, and how their ID came on board (pun intended) to ensure that the journey was all plain sailing!
Project Snapshot
Name(s) of Homeowner(s): Shawn Tang and Hui Qing
House Type: 4-room BTO HDB flat
Size of Home: 92 sq ft
Duration of Renovation: 2 months
Cost of Renovation: $28,000
Interior Design Firm: ID Gallery Interiors
Name(s) of Designer(s): Rachel Chew
Shawn, Hui Qing and baby Hannah in their ‘holiday home’
HomeRenoGuru: How and why did you choose your interior design firm and designer?
Shawn: Actually I engaged Rachel from ID Gallery because she was my friend and therefore the trust had been established.
Hui Qing: I found her to be very friendly, so I supported Shawn’s choice in ID Gallery.
Cool blues and neutrals evoke a day at the beach – every day!
Submarine-inspired windows adorn the built-in robes
HomeRenoGuru: Did you have a clear design brief from the beginning?
Shawn: Not at all! We had tried for a long time to decide on the theme of our house, but we really struggled. We considered a modern feel, or Scandinavian, but it didn’t really gel with us. Until one day, Hui Qing actually went to shower then after that she came out and said – why not we come up with something like a beach feel and theme. From that moment on, we are crazy about this theme!
We researched online, and then we talked to Rachel about this. She was very happy with our choice of theme and really helped us a lot to enhance its expression.
The wooden feature wall, boat-shaped cupboard and fish-shaped wall art all contribute to the seaside theme
HomeRenoGuru: What do you particularly love about your home?
Shawn: My favourite detail of the house, and something that Rachel helped us a lot with, is the feature wall. The wood of the feature wall has a very beach feel, and it matches really well with my wooden boat cupboard, and also the fishes on the wall, which are very soothing and relaxing.
Hui Qing: My favourite part of the house is actually the dining area leading to the kitchen. So actually what I felt was really good about this place is that while I’m cooking I can actually watch TV and interact with Shawn and Hannah at the same time, so it’s really good for me.
Hui Qing loves looking out into the living area from the glass-fronted kitchen
HomeRenoGuru: How did you find the renovation process?
Shawn: I really want to thank Rachel for the smoothness of the renovation process. Because we received the house in November 2016, we really wanted all the renovation done before the new year. Rachel she made it happen.
Hui Qing: I am really very impressed by her service, and even the after-service I felt was perfect.
A floor-to-ceiling digitally printed wallpaper transports Shawn and Hui Qing to a tropical beach resort
HomeRenoGuru: Would you recommend the services of ID Gallery Interiors and Rachel Chew to other homeowners?
Shawn: I would definitely recommend Rachel because she has really helped me come up with a beautiful home with a beach feel, and I really love it. And the scary part is that it’s really nice so sometimes I really don’t feel like going out.
Hui Qing: I totally agree. It’s like having a holiday 365 days of the year. It’s the reason why we can have a smile on our face every day when we reach home!
