For some, a vacation on a cruise ship is one of the most relaxing things you can treat yourself to, journeying into the sea with limited connection to your troubles on land.
The homeowner, a 34-year-old auditor, of this 2,786 sq ft loft in Timor Laut loves that feeling so much that he approached Penang-based design firm Wolfgang Interior Design to transform his bare home into a place that evokes a sense of exploration, fit for an adventurer. Being a family oriented person himself, he also requested a round family dining table and more separation for the guest bedrooms so that his parents and relatives can have their privacy when they come to stay over.
The spacious layout and high ceiling provide lots of possibilities to play around with, but they also come with another set of challenges.
“All the master bedrooms we’ve designed have been quite small in size, and suddenly we have so much space for this (460 sq ft),” say interior designers Shijie (SJ) and K. “We applied suitable zoning for different areas, such as the walk-in closet, sleeping area, a vanity which also serves as a private working desk, and another working space.”
The highlight of this room is the artificial rock feature wall, inspired by the experience of cave exploration, which Wolfgang Interior Design points out as an unusual approach in local designs. To make it kids-friendly, the lower part of the wall is replaced with smoothened wood so that there are no rough, jagged edges. Wooden flooring balance the look and introduce a soft touch to the space.
A grey brick wall takes over on the other side, the perfect backdrop for a wall-mounted TV.
The guest bedrooms adopt a brighter palette to make the space appear larger. Taking cues from a cruise ship cabin room, curves are introduced in this bedroom to create a streamlined look, instantly transporting one into holiday mode.
To create variation within the same colour scheme, the walls of the smaller guest bedroom are painted grey, paired with a wooden half wall that blends seamlessly with matching cabinets. With the grey walls taking two-thirds of the walls, it creates an illusion of higher visual space.
The artificial rock wall is also used in the living room for harmony in the overall design. It also makes for the perfect place to house the entertainment system space is being set right in front of the wall. On the other side, a cement screed wall extends all around the common area, flanked by vertical wood panelling that works in favour with the high ceiling.
One significant change to the house is switching the original location of the staircase. “The parents have serious concerns of how the original staircase was placed and wished to have more elegant structure,” say SJ and K.
The staircase was torn down and rebuilt using metal in matte black finishing. The design team also incorporated long cable lines and pendant lights that serve to elongate the space. Compared to a traditional railing, this arrangement also makes the space more open.
Just like the owner requested, a round dining table for family dinners is placed in the dining room, but in a trendy matte black that matches the stairs. Nyatoh wood is chosen for the wall design for its unique tropical hardwood grain.
The matte finishing continues to permeate in the kitchen cabinets and appliances. The kitchen is kept simple and functional so that the more public areas of the house can shine.
