Defying Norms in Our Living Room: Breaking Free from the Typical!

317

Modern Organic
HDB (Maisonette)
≥1,500 sqft
4 br
Living with Family

Hello, again! We’re finally catching up on our living room post! During the assigned week, our space wasn’t quite ready, so we held off—but now that everything has come together, we’re beyond excited to finally share our living room with you! Our home follows a modern organic theme, and in this space, we’ve really embraced its essence by incorporating natural materials, soft textures, and an earthy, neutral palette...to create a space that feels warm, inviting, and effortlessly balanced. But beyond aesthetics, we hope that by defying the norms of a typical living room setup and making intentional design choices to break free from convention, we’ve created a space that not only reflects our style but also feels uniquely ours—thoughtfully designed to suit our lifestyle and what we truly value in a home. Let us show you how we reimagined this space—ditching the usual built-ins, TV feature walls, and false ceilings—for a fresh take on modern living.
This is the view of our living room from the dining area. Our curved sofa was chosen to create a sense of flow and intimacy, making conversations feel natural and connected, whether you're lounging or hosting guests. Our living and dining areas are seamlessly connected, making gatherings feel effortless and inviting!
And this is the view of our living room as you walk towards it from the entryway. The curved sofa immediately draws you in, creating a cosy and inviting space that encourages conversation and connection. The large windows flood the room with natural light, making the space feel bright and airy—exactly the vibe we envisioned for our living room!
Our Roman blinds are from Everyday Curtains, and we chose them in a soft, neutral shade that seamlessly blends with the rest of our living room. The colour complements the warm, earthy tones of our space, enhancing the modern organic aesthetic we envisioned. We love how the textured fabric gently filters in natural light, creating a soft, diffused glow that keeps the room bright yet cosy.
This is the view of our living room from the windows. The woven ottoman is one of our favourite pieces—we actually have four of them! Two downstairs, and two upstairs in our master bedroom. Downstairs, they not only serve as extra seating when we have guests over but also double as footrests when we’re lounging during movie nights. Their soft, neutral colour blends effortlessly with the rest of the room, complementing the earthy tones of our sofa, rug, and coffee table. We love how they introduce a tactile element that contrasts with the smooth curves of our sofa and the organic lines of the marble coffee table, adding depth and visual interest to the space. Now, let’s dive into the unconventional choices we’ve made and the norms we’ve intentionally broken!
𝟭. 𝗡𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁-𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗩 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗲, 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲, 𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘁 Instead of going with the traditional built-ins, we opted for loose furniture and a stand-alone customised TV console. We feel built-ins create a sense of permanence and visual heaviness, so this choice keeps the room light and adaptable, allowing us to reconfigure the space easily if we decide to refresh our living room in the future. Our 2m TV console if customised by our friends who own KayuSG. We wanted a fluted design to introduce texture and add a subtle visual interest that complements the organic elements in our home. We chose a dark natural oak finish as it brings warmth to the space and contrasts beautifully with the lighter tones in our living area. Most importantly, we requested a backless design so the console could sit flush against the wall, concealing all power sockets inside. This allows our devices to be plugged in and connected directly without any visible wires, keeping the surface clean and clutter-free.
Our TV console isn’t just a statement piece—it also provides ample storage to keep our living room clutter-free. Everything on the console is an absolute necessity, yet thoughtfully concealed in decorative pieces that blend seamlessly with our aesthetic. All our remotes—for the TV, soundbar, fan, and air conditioning—are neatly tucked away in a resin decorative box designed to look like a stack of books, perfectly matching our space. Meanwhile, a box of tissues is stored in a beautiful travertine arched tissue holder that not only serves its function but also adds a sculptural, organic touch to the console. To create a visually balanced display, we applied the Rule of Three in interior styling. The decorative book box, arched tissue holder, and low stone tic-tac-toe slab form a trio with varying heights, guiding the eye naturally across the arrangement. This contrast in height, paired with the mix of textures—from the smooth resin books to the porous travertine and raw stone—keeps the display dynamic and intentional, rather than static or cluttered. Oh! The stone tic-tac-toe game is a purchase from Bali many years ago, and it holds such a special meaning to us! ♡
𝟮. 𝗡𝗼 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗹 Rather than a bold feature wall, we kept things understated with a TV mounted directly on the wall. The only addition is a false wall to hide wires and sockets, keeping the look clean and uncluttered. By keeping the wall simple, we maintained a sleek, distraction-free backdrop that allows other elements to take centre stage and shifts the focus to the open, airy atmosphere of the space.
𝟯. 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗩 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗩 This is one design decision we’re especially proud of! Living rooms usually centre the console perfectly below the TV for a conventional, balanced look, but since the modern organic style encourages breaking away from rigid, conventional layouts and to embrace fluidity and imperfection, we intentionally pushed our console to the left, for an unbalanced effect and a sense of visual asymmetry that promotes a harmonious visual flow. It’s our attempt to break away from the traditional symmetry we often see in interiors with a more organic and unexpected layout, and to show how breaking the 'rules' can make a statement! We feel that this asymmetry adds character, making the space feel more natural and curated rather than rigidly designed. The shift also subtly guides the eye toward the rest of the room, allowing surrounding elements—like our textured console, layered decor, and greenery—to stand out.
𝟰. 𝗡𝗼 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 We skipped the usual false ceiling and cove lighting for a clean, minimalistic light strip instead. The clean and functional design of the light strip complements the uncluttered look of the space, ensuring that the focus remains on the natural textures, neutral tones, and organic shapes in the room. By not overcomplicating the ceiling design, the room feels more grounded and in harmony with the rest of the home. Now, let’s dive into other elements and thoughtful details in our living room that bring our modern organic theme to life!
At the heart of our living room sits our 90cm travertine coffee table, a statement piece that perfectly balances function and aesthetics. Its size is proportionate to our curved couch, ensuring seamless movement around the space while maintaining visual harmony. The natural beige tones and unique veining of the travertine enhance the modern organic theme, adding warmth and texture without overwhelming the room. The solid, sculptural form grounds the space, while the organic patterns in the stone bring a sense of fluidity and movement, making it feel effortlessly connected to the rest of our design choices.
This vignette on our travertine coffee table follows the Rule of Three, creating a balanced and visually appealing arrangement. The mix of elements—two stacked coffee table books, a sculptural vase with faux pine leaves, and decorative accents—keeps the display feeling intentional yet effortless. The mix of decor items at different heights—the tall organic vase, medium-sized wavy bowl, and lower candle and tea light holders—adds dimension and movement. Textural contrast plays a key role, from the smooth stone surfaces to the delicate foliage and the wavy, organic finish of the vase and bowl. Every piece serves both function and form, with the bowl discreetly housing coasters for our drinks and the candle adding a cosy ambiance, ensuring our space remains both beautiful and practical. Now, let’s talk about the cornerstone of the modern organic theme: greenery! One of the key characteristics of modern organic homes is incorporating greenery—everywhere! And that’s exactly what we’ve done. While having a pet means we can’t keep live plants, that hasn’t stopped us. The lifelike faux plants we’ve carefully chosen seamlessly blend into our space, bringing the same freshness, texture, and vibrancy as the real thing—without the upkeep!
You’ve already seen the greenery behind our sofa (a tall potted yucca) and the one on our coffee table, but this trio of plants in the corner by the windows deserves a moment of appreciation! Layered at varying heights, they add depth, texture, and a lush, organic feel to the space. The Traveller’s Palm stands tall, providing height and presence, while the Sago Palm is lower, adding a sense of grounding and fullness. The Boston Fern, placed atop the concrete round table, is positioned in between the two in height, adding a layer of visual balance and depth. Its lush, trailing form contrasts nicely with the upright structures of the other two plants, adding movement and organic flow to the space.
This towering 2.5m eucalyptus tree deserves a spotlight of its own, too! Its height adds a striking vertical element, drawing the eye upward and making the space feel more expansive. The delicate, silvery-green leaves introduce an airy softness that balances the clean lines of our furniture, reinforcing the modern organic theme with a seamless blend of nature and design. Nestled beside it are two essential home gadgets—our robot vacuum and air purifier. While many homeowners choose to conceal their robot vacuum within built-in carpentry, we intentionally left it as a standalone. Hiding it would mean disrupting the openness and flow of the space, whereas keeping it visible aligns with the modern organic philosophy: functional, intentional, and beautifully uncluttered. To fill the negative space and add visual interest, we placed two 3D textured art pieces on the floor. Their curved shapes and arched patterns echo the organic, flowing forms found throughout our home. By leaning them casually against the wall, we soften the structured elements of the space while adding depth and dimension—further reinforcing the modern organic aesthetic we love. And finally, the foundation of our living room—the rug! This was the very first item we purchased for the space: a 2.5m x 3m handwoven, low-pile rug that we felt would perfectly ground the area without overwhelming it.
Featuring curved patterns in a mix of textures, it combines the soft feel of cotton, the durability of wool, and the natural integrity of jute. The cream, beige, and light brown tones blend seamlessly with our living room’s colour palette, reinforcing the warm and earthy aesthetic. Its intricate arches echo the curved details found throughout our home, making it a natural extension of our modern organic theme. With its rich textures and striking design, the rug is a statement piece on its own, so we deliberately kept the rest of our living room elements minimal and understated, allowing it to take center stage while still maintaining a cohesive, serene atmosphere. And that’s a wrap on our living room! We’ve had so much fun sharing this space with you—our little take on modern organic living, with all its curves, textures, and cosy vibes. It’s not the most conventional living room, but it’s one that feels like us, and that’s what matters most! Thank you for sticking around and reading through our ramblings—we appreciate you! Let us know what you think, and we’ll see you in our next post! ♡