How to create a casual home with a hybrid look and cool vibe.

When Yee Shee and her husband CS first started discussing their renovation plans almost a year ago, they were in agreement about creating a space which they "could feel comfortable and at ease in". However, the same could not be said for the look of their future nest.

"I wanted a Scandinavian-style home, while CS preferred an industrial look," shares Yee Shee. Fortunately, thanks to help from Mr Shopper Studio, the couple eventually settled on a hybrid theme that features elements from both styles for their 5-room HDB flat at Bukit Batok.

Read on to find out how the cohesive look of their Scandustrial home and its chic blue-green colour scheme came to be!

ABOUT THEMSELVES

Yee Shee (YS): My husband and I live alone here. We're both in our thirties and we work as researchers. This is our first home together and it looks just the way we wanted it.

ABOUT THE HOME'S NEW LOOK

YS: Both of us live a busy lifestyle where the only times that we spend at home are during the weekends and after work. And because of that, we wanted our home to be a comfortable space that was designed based on our needs and preferences.

Mr Shopper Studio helped us with that by finding ways to bridge our love for industrial and Scandinavian decor, for instance, by bringing in black metallic accents into a rustic space and picking dark wood laminates for the floors.

ON CHANGES MADE TO THE HOUSE

YS: Even though it would make the living room smaller, we asked for a small study to be built at the back of the living room.

We really needed one because both CS and I are graduate students and we felt a conducive space at home where we can focus on our studies would be useful. There's also a bay window with a single bed installed, which lets us use the study as a guest room and a cosy nook for rest.

For the entryway, we needed plenty of storage because we own quite a few shoes. The colours that Mr Shopper chose for this area were originally pink and grey, but because we didn't like the proposed shade of pink, we swapped it for a blue-green one that would fit the Scandustrial theme better.

The kitchen was closed-off at first, so we had the walls hacked to provide enough space for the island and the dining table; both of these fixtures are quite useful because they make food preparation and having meals easier.

CS asked for a pull-out storage cabinet with shelving solutions because he does the cooking at home. He uses it to keep all the different sauce and condiment bottles organised and hidden away, which makes our kitchen look neater.

In the bedroom, there's a platform bed, which is actually an idea that came from my parents.

As a child, I slept by their side on a mattress that was placed next to theirs; and I plan to have the same arrangement for my future kid. So, in a way, having this platform bed isn't just a stylistic choice, it's a future-proofing solution as well.

Then there's the walk-in wardrobe, which shares the same space as the bedroom. CS and I chose to 'sacrifice' a bedroom to create it, because like our shoes, we have plenty of clothes between us.

We got the idea to create an open-concept walk-in closet from a home from Mr Shopper's portfolio.

At first, the plan was to have the entire area in full view, but we decided to leave a small section of space for privacy. The space is also equipped with a dresser/desk where I do my reading most of the time.

The common and master bathrooms were both overlaid with new tiles, and the existing fittings were swapped out industrial-style ones. I especially like the blue hexagon tiles in the master bathroom's shower area because they look very different from the usual subway tiles that you see in other homes.

ON WORKING WITH MR SHOPPER STUDIO

YS: I think the overall experience went very well and we are grateful for Mr Shopper Studio for building our first home.

Plus, we really appreciate that they met up with us to discuss our initial ideas, even though we had approached them really early - about one year before collecting the keys to our flat. That gesture allowed CS and I to focus on our studies, without worrying about our renovation.

TO SUM UP

YS: So far, I feel quite good about living in our new home. The study room suits my husband's needs perfectly because it's quiet and comfortable; and for me, I really like how the walk-in wardrobe is nice and spacious, but also has a cosy corner where I can have some private time.

This article was first published in Qanvast.