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SHAKKEI

Location: Tampines St 33
The effortless harmony between nature and urban living

Literally meaning “borrowed scenery” and more frequently employed in the design of gardens, the age-old East Asian principle, shakkei, refers to the art of creating an environment with said scenery as a backdrop. In the case of this 5-room resale flat, the panoramic view of a dense forest serves as both the background and the inspiration.

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The original layout was modified to accommodate an island counter that sits right by the front door, essentially reducing the sizes of the study and the kitchen.

Black frames surround the entrances of these two rooms as though they were photo frames capturing the still beauty of everyday life as the homeowners go about their day. These rooms are finished with sliding half-fluted glass doors that accompany their status as semi-private spaces.

As an extension of the picturesque scene that inspiration was drawn from, the home adopts a woody colour palette of dark brown, olive, and beige along with some mid-century influences. Elegant Spanish floor tiles can be spotted in the foyer and the kitchen, signalling the co-existence between nature and urban living.