A Singapore Home that Rethinks the Quotidian

In this Singapore home, L Architects injects bursts of delight into everyday functions with nature-filled corners and nostalgic references

In this Singapore home by local firm L Architects, quotidian elements such as steps, windows and tables have been deliberately elevated into art pieces. It begins with a miniature loose-pebble garden at the entrance of the corner terrace house, which belongs to a couple and their two young children. ‘The intent was to bring nature closer into the interiors,’ says L Architects founder Lim Shing Hui. ‘There was already a lot of natural light in this area, so we incorporated a bench in the threshold, with loose pebbles and a Cyperus plant.’

The living and dining areas are on different levels and the transition between them is marked with pronounced travertine steps and a timber bench embedded into the raised section. Such features blur the lines between furniture and interior design, says Lim, who worked with project assistant Tse Lee Shing on the project.

There are many other subtle details that question both the function and emotive quality of furniture and joinery. For example, a bespoke brushed limestone dining table has a curved cut-out on one corner and a lithe plant peeps out to literally bring a touch of nature to meal times. ‘Nature has a seat in this composition,’ Lim muses. The client wanted a kitchen island, but since space was limited, Lim designed an equally impressive, curved kitchen counter, its form emphasised with a round sink.

Following the artistic spirit, the first-storey flooring has a crafted quality. ‘We cut the large-format ceramic tile into different organic shapes and laid them with different grout spacing to give the floor a tactile feel,’ Lim explains. The treatment was inspired by a personal memory of the architect’s childhood home. ‘We had crinkled dark-brown ceramic floor tiles with a lot of grout lines. I wanted something unique and memorable for this family. I think having a strong memory of your first home is very comforting and precious.’

A gridded timber window softens the light coming into the living room; a large rock and carpet of loose pebbles add a sense of ceremony to the shower in the main bathroom; the miniature zinc roof on the custom desk lamp in the study is a nod to Southeast Asian traditional houses. These are but some of the other soulful, thoughtful and elemental components that bring joy to the quotidian domestic environment.

Text by Luo Jingmei
Images by Jovian Lim