 It would certainly not surprise anyone if a beehived chick in a Claude Montana outfit complete with a go go boots were to step out of this public apartment in Whampoa. One definitely does not associated one of Singapore’s old and quaint housing estates with cutting edge design. However, believe it or not, this interior is located in that very vicinity.
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 This interior is indeed a perfect setting for Jetsons: The Movie. The use of simple geometrics along with steel and aluminum seem to hurl the whole apartment into a future state. To crystallise the approach, classic designer chairs like the white Tom Vac chairs and the Panton chairs were peppered throughout the home. “The owners and their teenage son love the modern stuff,” according to Carpenter’s Workshop’s business development manager, Victor Ting, who saw the project through for more than two months. After the makeover, the former public housing stamp was completely eradicated and the resulting feel is cool and almost akin to a space capsule.
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 That particular perception is perhaps the result of the circular perforations found on the feature wall of the living room and the sliding kitchen door. These cut-outs remind one of portholes commonly found in transitional abodes. In fact, the bedroom doors feature dark stained maple doors with frosted trapezoidal glass insets. This design feature can either be functional or aesthetic.
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 A curious architectural space planning of having the entrance open into the dining area has become a cultural feature of Singaporean homes. Is this a subtle reflection of our lifestyle? The layout of this hi-tech home is no exception. Upon entr, one walks right into the dining room and is immediately greeted by a pair of huge ‘light bulb’ lamps from Absolutely Fabulous. A cluster of sensuous chairs designed by Verner Panton forms the welcoming party. As the interior concept adheres to the clean minimalism so favoured at the moment, Carpenter’s Workshop has ingeniously disguised the shoe cabinet as a generic sideboard.
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 For the convenience of footwear removal a vinyl settee with a separate backrest looking innocently like a piece of modern art was specially made. The facing wall features a propeller shaped CD rack which doubles in as a wall sculpture. On the adjacent wall a series of unsightly gas pipes threatened the design. A wall with recessed shelves was created to craftily hide them. On that wall is a stained maple sliding kitchen door with nine portholes, three of which were covered with frosted glass. As the owners are busy business people and hardly have the time to cook, there was no need to block out food smells with any covering. This design curiosity provides guests with a conversation topic during parties.
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 This porthole feature is continued in the living room. Just behind the big screen television is a striking feature in aluminum punctuated with circular holes enhanced by a dark wood background. This implementation lends a futuristic appeal and is the thematic material used here. The aluminum cladding wraps around a column and is worked into an entertainment cabinet. White Tom Vac chairs with chromed legs support the ultra-modern look. The cold austerity in the two linked spaces is broken with beige marble, a brown and cream sofa set from Marquis and a dark maple sliding kitchen door.
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 From stark white, the designer decided to swing to the other extreme of the colour continuum - black. Stark black and steel similarly imparts a progressive aura for the cooking area. The kitchen is small and thankfully the busy couple seldom cook to complain about the space constraints. Black certainly hides stains and any food spills well, but has the potential of optically reducing the room size. To parry that possibility, stainless steel was generously used here from the refrigerator to the back splash to the cabinets. Frosted glass was used to soften any coldness or hardness that steel imparts.
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 Moving into the couple’s private area, Carpenter’s Workshop opts for medium wood tones to lend a little warmth and comfort. The master bedroom features mainly whitewashed maple that seems to mimic pine. To conceal light and wiring a proscenium arch was constructed over the bed. Lacquered maple is used for the queen-size bed and the floating night tables. Serving as a reminder of the futuristic theme, frosted glass was used as aesthetic accents. Two rooms were joined to make one spacious sleeping area for the couple and the dividing wall was partially torn down and the remaining parts used as screens. Down lights were used to set the mood and to keep the room warm. The other room was transformed into a walk-in closet cum study area in matching maple and frosted glass.
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 For a touch of space age machismo, the teenage son’s room adopts a strong masculine line of squares and rectangles. Here stark contrast is the order of the day with the generous use of white accented by shades of grey and midnight. Frosted glass employed sparingly here provides opaque privacy for personal belongings. A strange blob on the wall looks suspiciously like an alien form, but on closer acquaintance turns out to be a CD rack. Above it, a sleek Nakamichi music system in chic silver keeps it company. For better music enjoyment a vinyl backrest was attached to the wall above the bed for lounging.
The design of this once nondescript apartment certainly harks back into the future with touches of ‘60s modern. Ultramod, back in the Beatle’s era, was a prophetic look into the future. However, it never really took off, and now, decades later it is enjoying the acceptance that it deserves. •
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