Matthew Lai and Roxanne Low turned their 915 sqft four-room HDB resale flat at Eunos Crescent into a curated living space designed to age gracefully. The 37-year-old tailor and 32-year-old colour analyst wanted a home that felt warm and personal rather than overly polished.
A Rustic Palette Built on Peach
The design draws heavily on a single colour choice: Climbing Rose, a mellow peach pink from Bauwerk Colour. Roxanne, who runs Offshades, says the limewash texture was essential to the home’s foundation.
We chose to apply it across both the living and dining room walls, as well as the ceilings, allowing the limewash texture to create warmth and depth throughout the space.
From this starting point, they paired terracotta tones with warm wood flooring and cabinetry, using stainless steel and chrome accents for contrast. The result is a room that feels less like a showroom and more like a place to settle in.
Opening Up the Space
The unit was close to two decades old when the couple purchased it, requiring a major renovation. They focused on enhancing natural light and spatial flow by removing a bedroom wall to enlarge shared areas.
This new dining room is framed by an exposed beam that the couple adopted rather than concealing. Instead of fighting the architecture, they adopted it as part of the home’s character, Matthew notes.
An extended kitchen peninsula island allows the cooking area to flow toward the living and dining zones. The stainless steel countertop and wooden cabinetry address practical needs while tying in with the aesthetics. Chrome-and-wood Alessi stools sit perfectly at the peninsula, balancing form and function.
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Open shelving in the kitchen provides storage for everyday items like cups and cookware without creating clutter. This approach helps the kitchen maintain a lived-in look rather than appearing overly manicured.
Curated Furniture and Function
The living room centers around a steel modular storage system from Swiss manufacturer USM. This is paired with Ligne Roset and HAY sofas that feature lower profiles, allowing the space to feel open and not crowded.
A travertine coffee table and HAY paper pendant lamp complete the setup. The dining area features a Karimoku set and a Herman Miller Nelson Bubble Lamp that acts as a focal point above the table.
A wool Persian rug adds richness, while a Parcta floor lamp fabricated from aluminium, timber, and rice paper creates layered lighting. The couple prioritized flexible furniture that could be rearranged as their needs change.
They kept built-in carpentry to a minimum in common areas. In the master bedroom, the focus remained on preserving a calm atmosphere. The space includes a Design By Us sconce with a sculptural light-and-shadow pattern and a crushed velvet bedframe from Blafink.
Matthew uses the multi-purpose room as a home tailoring workspace, equipped with a cutting table and a gravity iron. Roxanne utilizes the same room as a dressing room and occasionally conducts colour analysis sessions.
Both bathrooms feature microcement walls, stainless steel basins, and wooden cabinetry. These materials were selected for their practicality and low maintenance, ensuring they age gracefully alongside the rest of the home.
The couple views their home as a work in progress that will evolve over the next ten years. They plan to continue collecting new furniture and artwork that carry personal meaning. The Arden condo renovation process shares similar goals of longevity and personalization. Family of five renovates Arden condo
