Decked in rich prints and patterns, the home of Syazana, Izat and their daughter Inaya is reminiscent of a Moroccan café.
The 4-room HDB flat is located in Woodlands, where both Syazana and Izat grew up. “We first met in secondary school– in fact, some of our dating spots are a few minutes walk away from our current home,” the couple laughs while reminiscing. “We are very familiar with the area, and also wanted to remain close to our family and friends. So when we saw this flat being offered during a Sales of Balance exercise, we decided to go for it!”
Minimal Renovation Works
The couple engaged a contractor to only carry out basic works such as re-flooring, painting and tiling. Most of the flat’s carpentry works were also limited to the kitchen where only the cabinets and worktop are built-ins.
Instead of hacking and replacing the original backsplash tiles, Syazana used DIY tile stickers to give the kitchen a fresh look.
While the renovation works may be minimal, the results are anything but. For instance, when deciding on the paint colours, Izat shares how he wanted something unique. “I love pink and have always wanted to incorporate the colour in my home,” he grins. “What better way to do so than a centrepiece in the living room?”
Sustainable Home Styling
For Syazana and Izat, home styling is an ongoing process which explains why the look of their home only came together two years after moving in. Doing away with an interior theme also gave them the flexibility to include whatever caught their eye. The result is a synthesis of vibrant prints and textures, that complements the black, gold and wood accents.
While most home living centrepieces tend to be in the form of a sofa or TV console, Syazana and Izat’s home was designed around the dining table.
Starting from the dining table (left), the home owners began to incorporate more wood furnishings such as the sideboard, also a vintage piece (right)
“The dining table is from my childhood home,” Syazana shares. “We really like the texture and shade of the wood and decided to build the space around the table – the table also marked the beginning of our wood furnishing collection!”
Most of the furnishings and décor pieces are also sourced online. Not only are they more affordable, the couple says, purchasing items from different platforms provides them with greater choices. One of the home owners’ go-to platform is Carousell, an online marketplace for users to buy or sell new and pre-loved items. Some of the couple’s Carousell finds are the sofa and coffee table.
For home owners looking to purchase pre-loved items online, Syazana advises, “It’s important to ask questions – some of the mandatory ones include the existing condition and material of the item. For wood furniture, I’ll ask about the specific type of wood, to make sure I’m comfortable with the material.”
A Passion for Plants
As plant enthusiasts, it’s no surprise that Syazana and Izat’s home is decorated with a wide variety of plants. This includes the home owners first plant, the fiddle-leaf plant, snake plant and the more exotic venus flytrap.
“Plants are great for adding colour and brightening the space. Home owners who are first-time plant parents can consider the snake plant – a hardy, low-maintenance variety that is also aesthetic,” the couple advises.
“But once you introduce a plant into your home, it can be difficult to stop at just one,” they laugh.
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