Nina Beale of Bungalow 55 tells us how she can make budget-friendly, dramatic transformations to your home, with just a few key changes
Just moved house in Singapore or want to update the look of your current home, but not sure where to even start? Fret not! Nina Beale, interior style consultant and owner of Bungalow 55, can lend you a helping hand to nail that Pinterest-worthy home makeover you’ve been dreaming of. We chat with her to find out how to achieve that ‘wow factor’, get her top style tips, and take a look at one of her recent before-and-after interior projects.
So first things first, how do we go about booking a style consultation with you and what can we expect?
It’s very easy; you can just email [email protected] and we’ll arrange a time to meet. The one-to-one complimentary consultations are approximately one-and-a-half hours long, and can be at your home or in-store. The sessions aren’t about imposing our look onto your home, but just to provide some inspiration. Think of it as an hour filled with visual inspiration that ends with a styling plan, and keep in mind that no area is too big or too small.
There are so many different styles of property in this city, from the colonial black and whites like your own, to a city centre shop house and a luxe modern condo. When we’re searching for a new home in Singapore that needs some work, what should we be looking for?
Light and the flow from indoors to outdoors is very important in this tropical climate. I was recently approached for some advice on a rental property in Singapore. The house had beautiful natural light and good space but, like all rental properties, there were limitations on what could be changed. The key for any move into a rental property is to look at what can be done with interior space to make the biggest impact within a budget.
In this project (see all images), the mandate was to create a tropical lifestyle – to transition day-to-day living from indoors to outdoors. We decided to invest a significant portion of the budget on paint, bamboo blinds, carpentry and the garden.
And what do you believe is key to making a space work?
Understanding how you live day-to-day and making the interior function effortless, as well as attractive. I often find that I enter a room and there has been no thought or plan outside of the placement of the television, for example, and then it just ends up feeling cluttered and looks unappealing.
It’s also important to not be afraid of buying fewer objects, but larger in size. This gives the room a sense of scale.
What challenges have you faced when renovating and styling in Singapore?
One of the greatest challenges is flooring and lighting. The floors are usually marble or light parquet wood which make the home cold. We recommend using natural flooring to add a tropical feel to the home, whilst also being practical for family living and the humid climate. If the client prefers pattern and colour, then we recommend our indoor/outdoor ranges.
Lighting usually involves recessed LED lighting, which is unflattering and doesn’t provide any atmosphere. I strongly encourage clients to move to mood lighting by adding different tiers of light – wall, ceiling, floor, table lamps and flameless candles on timers in oversized hurricanes.
And finally, in terms of decorative accessories, what are your must – have items?
Flowers, coffee table books, pieces that reflect a person’s interests or mementos from travels, chinoiserie, trays and always a scented candle!
Don’t miss out on a 10% discount on post – consultation purchases over $250
Check out our visit to Nina’s swoon worthy home here.