Bukit Timah

This thoughtfully executed interior remodel for a family of five in Singapore celebrates refined minimalism and spatial efficiency. Balancing living, dining, and kitchen programs in one open space, abundant integrated storage creates a gracious, uncluttered environment for day to day life as well as for entertaining. Solid, durable materials were carefully selected and detailed to provide a sense of warmth and grounded comfort.

In the middle of the apartment’s floorplate, the dining room is the literal and metaphorical heart of the home. Visible from the apartment’s entrance, it’s also responsible for first impressions when guests arrive. Umé Studio designed a custom circular, solid wood dining table as the quiet centerpiece. Each board of California walnut was hand selected. The underside of the tabletop, which sits on a pedestal base, features a soft, inviting curve. Bowtie inlays are scattered like constellations across the table’s surface, as well as purposefully placed around its edge—enhancing place settings with this subtle detail. A light fixture with etched glass pendants by Apparatus hangs above. In the rest of the space, custom limewashed cabinets recede into the architecture, allowing the dining table to remain the star of the show.

Continuing the established rhythm of the limewashed cabinets, the kitchen cabinetry was strategically designed for the clients’ storage requirements—including expansive drawers to showcase a collection of ceramic dishware. A warm, enveloping color palette, which contrasts beautifully with the greenery beyond the apartment, features two main materials: bold, red-veined marble countertops and walnut cabinetry. Refined details, such as solid brass hardware imported from the United States, add a delicate counterweight to the primary materials.

The result is a space that enhances the apartment’s sense of light and openness. With an atmosphere that feels both serene and intelligent, the apartment is tailored for modern living in the dense urban context.