For Pearl Ning, a social service professional in her 30s, helping others handle instability and crisis became a personal reality in 2024. She was displaced from her home during a challenging transition and found herself in a predicament similar to the clients she assists. A friend living in the Potong Pasir neighbourhood offered her a place to stay and care for two cats, sparking a change in direction. Pearl decided to stay after viewing only three properties, drawn by the quiet neighbourhood and the welcoming neighbours.
A space that brings peace
“I wanted it immediately because I could hear nothing but the bird songs and feel the gentle breeze, and the neighbours were welcoming,” Pearl recalls. She engaged TALA Design + LLP to renovate the 797 sq ft HDB flat, focusing on minimalist and mid-century modern aesthetics. Designer Ian Lai proposed a scheme based on her neat habits, incorporating period-correct colours, materials, and furniture.
Privacy and light were the main concerns when designing the entrance foyer, which faces the main door and a window along the corridor. A screen would have blocked the light, so Ian introduced a glass block wall. This screens off the rest of the home while allowing diffused light to enter. As a semi-enclosed space, the foyer has a unique character. Ian added retro blue patterned floor tiles to complement the old school glass blocks and painted the walls burgundy.
“It wasn’t quite a colour I would ever imagine choosing, but it feels like a warm hug every now and then when I see it, and it brings a nice contrast to the space,” Pearl says. This space is mood defining and gives a glimpse of what is to be expected in the rest of the home.
Since Pearl lives alone, she converted one of the bedrooms into her living room. This room benefits from the light streaming in through the window and opening up the former bedroom allows this light to brighten up the rest of the home. It is a space that brings together her collection of books, music, ceramic pieces, trinkets and fabrics from Singapore and around the world.
“I spend most of my time here and it brings me great peace. This is also where most of my guests end up falling asleep,” she shares. On the other side of the entrance foyer glass block wall lies the dining room. Ian deliberately arranged the dining table, pendant lamp and even the artwork to align with the living area. The two spaces are in dialogue with one another.
The renovation cost came up to about $110,000 excluding furnishings. The design took about three months, and the renovation took another three months to complete. Since moving into her new home in November 2025, Pearl has often hosted family and friends and they have described her home as a “restful sanctuary”, especially for those with hectic schedules. The new powder room was formerly the shower area in the original bathroom.
Living and working areas
The two spaces are in dialogue with one another. Pearl uses the dining table when she works from home, accompanied by music being played from the living room or news from the television.
A beverage station bridges the space between the dining room and the kitchen. It is built into carpentry that houses the refrigerator and which continues all the way to the opposite end of the kitchen. This nook is where Pearl starts and ends her day with either coffee or a snack.
A set of pocket sliding glass doors separates the beverage nook and the kitchen proper. With the existing kitchen wall demolished and the yard combined with the kitchen, it is spacious and open and enjoys plenty of natural light from the windows at the end. Ian designed the kitchen configuration and storage organisation based on Pearl’s cooking style and sequence.
The built-ins extend across both walls and conceal the rubbish chute, laundry storage and washing machine for a clean look. The large format 1200 mm x 600 mm floor tiles reinforce the sleek lines and minimalist aesthetics.
“During tile shopping, the owner felt strongly towards a rustic grey tile when she spotted it, which inspired us to bring in some Wabi-sabi touch to enhance the minimalist aesthetic,” Ian points out. The rustic grey tile turned out to be the perfect material for the kitchen backsplash.
Rest and reflection
Unlike the rest of the home that incorporates colour accents be it in the wall paint colour, tile finishes or the furniture, the master bedroom adopts a more neutral colour palette comprising grey and bluish-grey tones. The room is simply furnished to minimise clutter- just a bed, a walnut drawer chest, and a bedside table.
The new layout integrates a full length floating vanity counter for a little wow factor when guests enter. The vanity wall has been cladded with burgundy tiles to match the entrance foyer wall colour. The wavy tile surfaces add depth and conjure the impression of visual movement.
A circular mirror, a pair of globe lamps and a concave basin add a soft and feminine touch with their curved profiles.
