Houzz Tour: This Art Deco-Inspired Home Embraces Its Bay Windows
See how these homeowners made the best out of the many bay windows in their apartment
This penthouse apartment has an interesting feature: bay windows in every room of the house. On one hand, the home is well-illuminated, and the homeowners can enjoy the city views from the comfort of their home. On the other hand, the challenge would be to maximise and efficiently use the space by the bay window, without compromising on the look of the house.
Lawrence Puah and his fellow designers, Ash Ashiquin, and Jenny Phumphida, of Akihaus Design Studio, took up the challenge to redesign this apartment to best suit the homeowners.
Lawrence Puah and his fellow designers, Ash Ashiquin, and Jenny Phumphida, of Akihaus Design Studio, took up the challenge to redesign this apartment to best suit the homeowners.
When closed, the screens conceal the television set, transforming the room into an elegant sitting room that is perfect for relaxation and conversations.
The bay window by the entrance of the home is fitted with movable screens as well – a simple way to bring visual unity to the entire living area, and to provide more shade when it gets very sunny in the house.
As the homeowners love to entertain, the kitchen was reconfigured so that they could have an open-style kitchen. This ensures that both the kitchen and living room would be an entertaining-friendly space.
The look of elegance continues in the kitchen, with the use of a muted colour palette and marble-like homogeneous tiles.
Wanting a large area for washing up and food preparation, the homeowners agreed to the design team’s suggestion to have the sink by the bay window.
As there were limitations to the depth of the counter (500mm), the team decided to build two sinks with the mixer in-between them, so as to maximise the counter space.
Wanting a large area for washing up and food preparation, the homeowners agreed to the design team’s suggestion to have the sink by the bay window.
As there were limitations to the depth of the counter (500mm), the team decided to build two sinks with the mixer in-between them, so as to maximise the counter space.
Previously a bedroom, this room was converted into a spacious dining room.
Wanting to conceal the bottom part of the bay window, Puah designed a dining bench over it. The plush upholstery affirms the luxurious Art Deco vibe the homeowners were going for.
Wanting to conceal the bottom part of the bay window, Puah designed a dining bench over it. The plush upholstery affirms the luxurious Art Deco vibe the homeowners were going for.
“Due to the height of the concealed window, the built-in bench was quite high up from the ground. This means that one’s feet would be dangling from the bench when seated,” says Puah.
To solve this problem, Puah and his team decided to put the entire dining set on a platform, so that the homeowners and their guests would be able to sit comfortably while eating.
To solve this problem, Puah and his team decided to put the entire dining set on a platform, so that the homeowners and their guests would be able to sit comfortably while eating.
Endowed with a high-ceiling and large windows, the theme of the nursery and playroom is ‘modern treehouse’, with geometric lines on wood-look surfaces as stylised branches.
A mirror was added beneath the bench, visually enlarging the room and making the bench look less bulky.
A mirror was added beneath the bench, visually enlarging the room and making the bench look less bulky.
Also, the use of textured wallpaper and timbre bring out a sense of warmth to the room – a place of comfort and relaxation for the children.
The doorway was changed to a double panel sliding door so that the children will not feel so confined in the play area.
The doorway was changed to a double panel sliding door so that the children will not feel so confined in the play area.
With two sets of bay windows, Puah and his team sought ways to maximise the space in the master bedroom.
As such, the master bedroom was fitted with a sideboard and a custom-built headboard, complete with concealed shelving and a night light on both sides of the bed.
Cool grey tones give this bedroom a tranquil and cosy ambience. The heavy drapery and linen-textured laminate on the cabinets that flank the bed also add depth and texture to the space.
Puah and his team ensured that every inch of space was well-utilised. In this walkway that leads to the ensuite bathroom, a display shelf was erected to house the homeowners’ collection of bags.
In their guest room, the homeowners chose to have a Murphy bed, one that folds down when needed, and completely tucked away when not in use, for more flexibility in the use of this space.
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What do you like about this home? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, bookmark the story, and join in the conversation.
Who lives here: A married couple working in the finance industry, their two young children and helper
Location: Mandalay Road
Type of property: Penthouse with four bedrooms and four bathrooms
Size: 1850 square feet (approx. 172 square metres)
Luxurious, bold, but modern and functional, the home was designed with the Art Deco style in mind, but with a pared-down aesthetic.
In the living room, the use of geometric shapes, rich colours, and a touch of glamour pull the look together.
This feature wall doubles as a display shelf and television console. The sliding screens act as blinds and help block the glare of the sun when the homeowners are watching TV.