After studying decluttering and organising techniques in Japan, designers from Smart Interior Limited applied Japanese tidying methods to this residential project. Their outstanding work earned them the Designer Grand Award (Small Space Design Scheme) at the 2022 Home Journal Awards.
The homeowner of this four-bedroom flat, consisting of a family of three and their domestic helper, has a few specific desires for their living space. Firstly, they would like to relocate the washing machine from the kitchen to the guest toilet in order to create more room in the kitchen area. Furthermore, the homeowner wants to solve storage issues throughout the home by adding extra storage space to both the daughter's bedroom and the study, resulting in a cosy and comfortable environment for studying.
"When we began the design process, our first priority was finding a way to incorporate the homeowner’s three large screens for both work and daily activities into the living room, while ensuring the TV area was properly positioned,” said Smart Interior Limited's design team. “Incorporating such large screens could create visual clutter, making it challenging to differentiate between the workspace and the living room. To address this issue, we decided to combine the two areas. We didn't want them to blend together too much, so we carefully used colour and design elements to subtly separate the TV wall from the desk. Additionally, we made sure to include a movable desk to maintain a distinct functional workspace. This layout makes the living room feel a lot bigger.”
Next, the designers began tackling the kitchen and dining room spaces. They cleverly positioned a worktable at the perfect height for food preparation, resembling a bar table, right in between the two areas. This ingenious addition not only offers practicality but also serves to clearly demarcate the distinct zones. In the kitchen, they efficiently utilised the space by installing both freestanding and wall-mounted cabinets, offering ample storage capacity.
In addition, they cleverly utilised the window sills in areas like the living room, daughter's room, and study room to create storage space without blocking natural light. The design team at Smart Interior Limited stated, "We strive to strike a balance between storage and lighting. Additionally, we have added a loft bed and storage cabinets in the daughter's room, providing ample space for clothes storage, while the work desk is also considerably spacious."
A loft bed and bookshelf were added in the study room resulting in more space to store books. The desk boasts an L-shaped surface, offering both style and practicality.
Thanks to the amazing planning of the design squad at Smart Interior Limited, the whole place is not just super organised, practical and low-maintenance, but also warm and harmonious.
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