Airy Ambiance: Alpex Design

An array of 20th century icons takes centre stage, in an expansive and monochromatic glass box wrapped with tropical greenery.

Decorated by Alpex Design, the entryway of this home opens out to a spacious three-part seating lounge – with floors decked in a variety of stone bearing the wispy grey veins of Carrara marble, separated by walkways marked by the edges of grey carpeting. A literary subdivision of the seating lounge is created at the foyer, defined by black walls hosting darkly-lacquered wood shelves and cabinets. A Herman Miller variation of the iconic Eames 670 Lounge and 671 Ottoman occupies the bulk of the space in this reading corner, its curves standing boldly against a background of modern architecture alongside Knoll’s Bercelona daybed, a highly prevalent piece of furniture designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe in 1929.

Showcase Corners: Wide swathes of space are devoted to putting this home’s most iconic designs of furniture on prominent display.

More iconic pieces of 20th century designs appear across the walkway, where the counterpart to the reading corner is rendered pale with a lighter shade of grey in the carpeting and upholstery. In direct contrast to the black bookshelves in the reading lounge, sunlight is allowed to stream in through the generous windows of the double-height space.

The darker elements in this section of the open layout are given emphasis with sunlight: the dark upholstery of the Carl Hansen Shell Chair and the Barcelona stool from Knoll stand in stark contrast against the pale background, while a 48-inch diameter Ryan half-sphere from Thomas Bina adds a distinctly rustic feature into the space. Constructed from reclaimed acacia and peroba wood, the coffee table complements the tropical elements – the similarly composed console table and the sprinkling of potted greenery, while bridging the thematic gap between the mid-century and tropical influences.

Brass Notes: Tom Dixon’s geodesic Etch pendants hang from the extra-high ceiling of the seating lounge, with the colour of brass echoed in the acrylic depiction of a medieval Chinese walled city on the wall.

The third subdivision of the seating lounge lies sequestered behind a see-through projection of dark bookshelves in the reading corner, where a pair of armchairs inspired by Reza Feiz’s Bride’s Veil design stands in front of the folding patio doors and a robust sofa with pale upholstery is positioned by the bookshelves so as not to detract from the view of the pool and side yard.

Scenic Views: Views of the greenery enveloping the exterior are preserved with the deliberate placement of the sofa against a wall projection and the selection of wire-framed chairs.

The generous windows invite a scenic walk along the white corridor, weaving around an oasis of greenery before leading into a conjoined kitchen and dining space that is rendered monochromatic with tinted reflective panels lining the walls and black marble of the Nero Marquina variety set against the white stone on the floor. The monochromatic rendition is repeated across the rest of the home – in the secluded lounge of the upper floor and in the bedrooms, where white walls, wood floors, and black frames converge to serve as simplistic backgrounds for furnishings of iconic designs.

Monochromatic Dining: The dining space presents a foreground of dark elements against a background of white, exemplified with the sleek black dining surface supported by matte white legs.

Living Accents: In addition to wood, the largely monochromatic interior is given a tropical personality with the distribution of potted greenery.

Iconic Displays: Throughout the home, highly recognisable pieces of furniture – such as Isamu Noguchi’s coffee table, are centrally placed against relatively subdued backgrounds for emphasis.

Warming Tones: While used in more limited measures in the rest of the home, the organic grains of wood are more overtly expressed in floors of the bedrooms to provide visual warmth.

Luxurious Simplicity: The monochromatic palette is expressed at the height of luxury in the master bathroom, with near-seamless stretches of Carrara marble on walls, Nero Marquina on floors, and glass curtain walls providing subtle division.

Dauntless Designers

From inception through to completion, clients of Alpex Design know that their project has principal involvement, personalized service, and the kind of attention to detail that their project deserves. Members of the Alpex Design team have well-rounded backgrounds in the construction industry – with first-class academic training and extensive experience in on-site project management. Specialising in the design and building of whole properties, and capable of providing accurate and efficient customer service, Alpex Design has the capabilities to perform and carry out projects regardless of size or complexity.

Mr. Mun HW
Venue: GoldenHome Kitchen @ Glenmarie
Kitchen Appliances: Teka Kuchentechnik Malaysia
Photographer: Gavin Yam