We’re always inspired by the homeowners we visit to see how NINE.N has become part of your lives at home. As part of our homeowner visits, we get to see many different homes and how they’re styled to each homeowner’s liking. So we got to thinking – what if we can know more about how these homes have been put together?
Last month, we visited B’s home, situated in a condominium in the East. B also shares his renovation and design journey on Instagram at @atypicalpad. You can check out more about his home there.
We chat with B of @atypicalpad about his Japandi style home - how and why he came to this style, and what a home means to him.
How would you describe the design concept of your home?
Japandi.
What made you decide on Japandi then?
I like the simple, uncomplicated look, and also the wood and white elements.
Did you do-it-yourself or enlist the help of an Interior Designer (ID)?
After meeting with 7-8 IDs and hearing their proposals, I finally decided on engaging Chelsea from LemonFridge Studio.
How did your ID work with you to express the vision you have for your home?
I shared with Chelsea the general vibe and a wish list of what I am looking to include for the house… Japandi theme, wet/dry kitchen, more storage, no arcs/fluted panels, minimal visible handles, ecetera.
I had some reference photos of what I wanted. She suggested reconfiguring the layout to best fit my lifestyle and her first layout design and the moodboard proposal caught my heart.
Later on, I realised it’s basically a lot wood, a lot of neutral colours, a lot of neutral tones, and white. So, that’s where it all started lah. But then obviously, even at that stage I already had the ideas that I want to try to be as grounded as possible.
So, at that time we did have in mind a very low sofa, and also a very low platform bed, and that’s where the Nine.N Beddo came into play.
What’s the reason for the groundedness that you want in your home?
I’ve always preferred to sit on the floor. But of course back then, when we were in Australia, we were on carpet, sitting on the floor. As a group of friends, obviously your sofa is not going to contain 12 people. So, you know, you have three or five of them on the sofa, while the rest of us are all gathered around a coffee table, playing games, chatting, what not. So yeah, ever since then [I’ve] gotten very comfortable with being very close to the ground, and being grounded.
Does it make you feel a certain way?
A sense of comfort... safety, I guess.
What’s your favourite spot in the house?
A favourite spot in the house would be the living area because, to be honest, the bedroom, as you can see, there's no TV or anything. It's really just to come in, shower, sleep, and that's it.
All the activities are in the living area where I have the TV, the dry kitchen, my work desk, and also exercise equipment. Everything is there. So whenever I'm at home, 90% of the time I'm there lah. Other than sleeping, then I'm here.
What do you usually do there?
A good mixture, but mostly, I'm in front of the TV, chilling out. If not, then I'm working at the computer, but from that point I'm still able to catch up on the news or whatever on the TV.
Same with exercising, be it yoga or strength training, I'm still able to watch whatever’s on the TV. For yoga, it's good to follow along having the TV right in front of you.
You have quite a few of NINE.N furniture in your home. Do you have a favourite one?
It would be the Beddo.
Simply because to me, there's not many low sofa options around in Singapore and also as far as possible, I try to have things where they can double up.
So the good thing about the Beddo is, let's say friends come along, they want to stay overnight, at least that's going to be able to convert to a sofa bed.
Likewise, with the two recliners. If I really want, I can put them all flat and have my friends gather around.
Your favourite way of using the Beddo would be:
For now, it’s really just as a sofa, so resting back on it. As you realise just now, it’s really fully inclined, right to the back, just nice for the viewing angle. Because when you have a floor sofa, you cannot have it too upright, if not the angle is very weird. So basically it’s tilted on the back.
On most nights, I’ll be watching the K-drama or sports on the telly while relaxing on the Beddo. And the two Kaiteki are the perfect companion to the Beddo in the living room when friends drop by. Really glad they started offering the grey colour in linen fabric ‘cause that paired up nicely with the wood furniture in the space.
How do you think you make your house your home?
I think this is a question that someone will only be able to answer a bit later after they move in. Unless they are second and third homeowners, then they really have an idea.
But for me, I think it's really after you live in, and you get used to the place, and you start to figure out what are your habits. Because at the end of the day when you move, with each house, your habits will change.
So even right now, I'm not getting everything at one shot. I bought things from Taobao for probably like eight different times and I'll still continue to do so as I figure out my own habits, and what I need around the house, be it furniture or furnishings and whatnot.
Because only after you've lived in awhile, then you can figure your own lifestyle and habits in that new place.
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*This interview has been edited for length and clarity.