How designers engineered flow in a young family’s home

It is possible to see every corner of this multi-room Discovery Bay apartment if you stand by the dining table. That the flat feels so well connected, however, is even more remarkable when you consider that the building itself is unusually angular.

“Everything inside was weirdly oblique, with narrow corridors and walls protruding at 45 degrees,” says Jay Jordan, co-founder, with Christina Standaloft, of design studio Craft of Both. Equally perplexing were the windows framing the rolling hills that were obstructed in some rooms by retrofitted furniture.

For the two designers, partners in work and life, resolving the challenges while maximising views and light presented a creative opportunity.

Originally two separate units joined in a previous renovation, the now 1,800 sq ft apartment is home to Michael Carlisle, a Cathay Pacific captain, Gemma Lau, a business development professional, and their three-year-old daughter, Alina. Engaging Craft of Both on a friend’s recommendation, the family wanted “a lovely, comfortable, light and airy home with space to just be”, says Lau.

Prerequisites were four bedrooms (one doubling as a home gym, one a guest room), a study (later carved out of the living area), two family bathrooms, plus a helper’s quarters and storage, storage, storage.

The design solution centred on unifying the two disparate wings through organic forms. Gentle curves now replace straight lines, creating a natural flow. A study is cocooned within the formerly cavernous rectangular living area, while undulating walls conceal abundant storage. The contrasting tones of deep walnut and light oak on veneer panelling and floor tiles create “a sense of being enveloped”, says Standaloft. Light-and-dark contrasts can also be found in the kitchen, window seats, bathrooms and the entrance.

Since Lau works from home, her glass-panelled study allows her to watch over Alina in her designated play area in the living space. Keeping the space clutter-free, cabinetry housing the preschooler’s toys, games and books includes a pull-out desk with charging points ready to meet her future study needs.