An 808 sq ft bachelor pad that comes with a cosy gentleman's loft bar
12 June, 2021
Why go out when you're able to enjoy your favourite tipples at your own home bar? That’s exactly what homeowner Alan Tan had in mind when he engaged interior designer Carmen Tang of Wolf Woof Interior to renovate his 808 sq ft two-bedroom loft apartment in Hillview.
“I’m rather ambivert, so I enjoy a lot of ‘me’ time, but as well, I like to socialise,” explained Alan. As such, he wanted a dark, moody home that reflected the former but also had a bar area to entertain friends if they drop by.
For inspiration, he considered his favourite bar in Singapore - Manhattan at Regent Singapore.
The bar recently placed 14th in World’s 50 Best Bars and 6th in Asia’s 50 Best Bars lists. Inspired by the Golden Age of cocktails and fine drinking, it exudes masculine sophistication through the liberal usage of deep brown tufted leather Chesterfield sofas, dark wood furnishings, black marble, brass accents and low light.
The double volume ceilings of Alan’s home meant the bar could be built above the open-concept kitchen without eating in to the apartment’s footprint.
Having said that, this required the kitchen’s ceiling to be lowered, and its own top-hung cabinets to be resized.
To create up for the resulting lost space for storage, an extra kitchen counter was built, and the layout transformed from L-shaped to C-shaped. The island, which is moveable, also contains a nifty pull-out ledge which serves as a two-seater table, which can be saved when not in use, to save space.
To attain a debonair gentlemen’s club-style appearance and feel, with its brooding sense of mystery, a colour palette consisting mainly of black and darkish was used on all of the walls, cabinetry and even the ceilings through the entire apartment. Providing contrast and visibility were the white marble floor and white kitchen countertops.
The living room is anchored by a gilt framed artwork having a stylised gold-toned stag’s head mounted on dark wood panels arranged in a herringbone pattern. Two industrial-chic wall sconces mounted on either side of the artwork, and a cascade of globe-shaped glass lamps fitted with Edison bulbs, cast a muted glow.
A Chesterfield sofa in tufted deep brown leather, a faux fur throw and cowhide rug in black and white tones create a cosy-yet-luxurious British hunting lodge feel.
Opposite, a bronze panel-clad feature wall, which extends completely to attain the double-height ceiling, serves as a backdrop for the flat screen TV, calling to mind a contemporary fireplace.
What’s more, it really is accented with a bespoke insignia having a stylised Chinese character for the number eight. Pronounced as “ba”, it sounds like the term “bar”, and creates the impression to be within an upmarket private club.
An imposing suit of armour, clutching a battle-axe in a single hand and a shield in the other, stands guard silently between your living room and a tiny black metal spiral staircase.
“It’s something unexpected, and I didn’t know it could gel so well with this place, but it’s turn into a very nice centrepiece,” Alan noted.
The spiral staircase leads up to the bar, which overlooks the living room and the balcony. A “Yes, we are open” sign in black and gold welcomes guests to enter the intimate, cosy space, which is low-ceilinged and clad entirely in dark wood panels.
Brushed gold accents, in the form of lion-head cabinet-pulls, the edge of the curved bar counter, overhead spotlights and a pair of metal-framed stools with tufted leather seats, put in a touch of lustre and luxe. A backlit built-in alcove showcases Alan’s whisky collection, while a wine fridge stores an array of wine.
“This is among my favourite places in the apartment,” said Alan. “In addition, it includes a great view of the complete space. It’s an extremely nice place where my friends and I can drink and talk.”
The bed room is another of his favourite spots.
A framed relief of a pewter-toned lion’s head takes pride of place in the black-walled, black-ceilinged space above the master bed, using its imposing tufted brown leather headboard.
“The designer knows I’m a Leo so actually she made an attempt to source for the lion head and make it appear to be a centrepiece,” Alan said.
Overhead, a faux stag-horn chandelier extends that “British luxury hunting lodge” theme, while a couple of matching steel-clad steamer trunk-inspired bedside tables, accented with leather straps and brass hobnails, gleam subtly within the cosy, dimly-lit space.
The wood-toned laminate floor, which resembles wooden floorboards, adds some warmth.
An industrial-looking barn door slides open to reveal the en-suite bathroom, which, causes a walk-in wardrobe.
To be able to maximise storage within the walk-in wardrobe, cabinets were built right up fully extent of the double height space. A library-style ladder on a sliding rail allows Alan to climb up to be able to access items out of arm’s reach.
There’s room within this dark, brooding space for a sense of whimsy too - the custom-made floor-to-ceiling shoe cabinet within the walk-in wardrobe is also a secret door that opens in to the kitchen and living area.
The next, smaller bedroom was converted into a study. Just like the other spaces in the apartment, it features dark wood panels all around.
“I don’t feel dark and gloomy. It just fits my lifestyle right now. Quite often, I would say, I spend within my study room,” said Alan, adding that he sometimes works from the loft bar aswell.
“It offers another perspective view which I also like,” he says, concluding: “I really love everything. By the end of your day, we as home owners want to come to a place where we can really relax and relax. Recently, due to COVID, people have a tendency to stay home much more, so it makes me think the investment I made was actually worthwhile.”
And should Alan have to emerge from the dark, he can always leave to the balcony right beside his living room.
The rectangular wood-decked space features a lush green wall using one end, and is furnished simply with two comfy modern rattan-and-steel outdoor armchairs upholstered in brown, a small round coffee table in glossy taupe, and two rustic-chic rattan lanterns in black.
From there, he gets to enjoy a bird’s eye view of the greenery in his neighbourhood - a good visual counterpoint to his individual bar-themed home.
Source: cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com
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