Cover Dark-stained wood, overstuffed cushions and indoor palms imbue the living room of this apartment by Urban Delineation with a soothing, tropical feel
Dark-stained wood, overstuffed cushions and indoor palms imbue the living room of this apartment by Urban Delineation with a soothing, tropical feel
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Tatler+
Lunaire House by Urban Delineation is a tranquil sanctuary perfectly suited to lazy evenings for its busy owners
Given their demanding careers, it was essential that the home of a surgeon and his wife, who works in the finance industry, should be a peaceful refuge they could return to after their frenzied workdays. Lunaire House, with its beautifully diffused lighting, gently curved forms and tangible sense of calm, is an undeniably snug haven that sets the scene for quiet, intimate family evenings sequestered from the outside world.
“Because much of the family’s time together occurs after work and into the evening, we explored the idea of creating a home that feels most alive during these quieter hours,” says Bryan Chng, founder and design principal of Urban Delineation, who conceptualised the abode with interior manager Karina Yulianti. “The home responds to this rhythm of life, becoming a place that embraces the family when they return, allowing them to slow down, dine together, and reconnect.”
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Moonlight sonata
Above The splash of red in this artwork marks a rare foray into colour amid the otherwise neutral scheme
The splash of red in this artwork marks a rare foray into colour amid the otherwise neutral scheme
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Urban Delineation turned to a whimsical source of inspiration when determining the look and feel of the 2,400 sq ft apartment, which houses the owner-couple, their child, and a domestic helper. “The imagery of dusk,” explains Chng. “The last warmth of sunset giving way to the rising moon and a constellation of stars. The moniker ‘Lunaire House’ emerged naturally from this concept.”
The designers drew upon their years of expertise in translating something as intangible as the transition from dusk to night into a real-life home. Illumination, materiality and form communicate this idea, resulting in a harmonious composition that uses an interplay of light and carefully considered shadow to create an intimate, layered and cosy abode.
Inner glow
Above Backlights create glowing focal points along this corridor
Backlights create glowing focal points along this corridor
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Indeed, illumination is the key driver of the inviting apartment’s atmospheric nature. The home’s 3000K lighting temperature is complemented by recessed lights and concealed illumination. Crescent-like forms and illumination channel the moon in the living area, which features walls finished in Vasari Italian mineral paint that take on added tactility under the warm lighting. A sculptural Haiku ceiling fan lends a contemporary edge with its clean-lined form.
Above The bar area features a mirrored ceiling that creates another play on reflected evening light
The bar area features a mirrored ceiling that creates another play on reflected evening light
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The bar area features a rose-gold mirrored ceiling, which is also reminiscent of moonlight as its reflective surface catches and redistributes the ambient light. The dining space is furnished with moon-inspired pendant lights from Sol Luminaire, with recessed points of light shining down from above like stars.
Above A mix of concealed illumination and recessed lights produces a pleasant radiance throughout the home
A mix of concealed illumination and recessed lights produces a pleasant radiance throughout the home
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“Rather than allow the lighting to function merely as illumination, we treated it almost as another material within the architecture,” says Chng.
Incidentally, the apartment also features various inherited furnishings, including the dining chairs and other Victorian-inspired pieces. “They introduce memory and personality into an otherwise contemporary architectural language,” says Chng. “In the living room especially, they become conversational pieces within a space that was intentionally designed to facilitate conversation.”
A house, a home
Above White bedclothes add a crisp coolness to the master bedroom
White bedclothes add a crisp coolness to the master bedroom
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“At its heart, the brief was about family,” reiterates Chng, so it was necessary to carve out zones for banter, entertaining, and just being together. A bold choice was omitting a television set from the living area, with the furniture arranged for people to face one another and engage in meaningful dialogue.
Above A peek at the dining area from the kitchen, with the liberal application of glass allowing light to flow freely between both areas
A peek at the dining area from the kitchen, with the liberal application of glass allowing light to flow freely between both areas
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Ultimately, Lunaire House is not so much about good-looking tableaux—although such arrangements are present throughout the interior—than it is about the home’s overall ambience. “Warm light at the end of a long day, familiar furniture carrying family memories, a dining table that brings everyone together, and a living room deliberately designed for people to speak to one another,” elaborates Chng.
“It was rewarding to create a home that encourages the family to slow down after demanding days—a residence designed not simply to be looked at, but to be lived in and experienced,” he smiles.
Urban Delineation
Above Bryan Chng, design principal of Urban Delineation
Bryan Chng, design principal of Urban Delineation
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Urban Delineation is an architectural and interiors practice with staff from Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia. Led by design principal Bryan Chng, the firm approaches each project with natural luxury, curiosity and a philosophy of “Design that Breathes” in mind.
Urban Delineation, 730 North Bridge Road, Level 2, Curbside Crafters Shophouse, Tel: 8877 1649, urbandelineation.com
