Entryway: Blending Retro Glass Bricks with Modern Contemporary Design

409

Contemporary
HDB (Maisonette)
≥1,500 sqft
3 br
Couple Living with Kids

Welcome to Haus of Jely, please come in! You can remove your shoes comfortably in this area and not outside of our home! We specifically designed a sizeable entryway to allow ourselves and guests to be able to remove or put on their shoes. We can even park our stroller at this area. Previously this area was a dining space, the intended purposed HDB proposed. We find a huge entryway fits our need much more and dining near the entrance wouldn't be ideal for us. We are pleased that we managed to relocate the dining table to another spot and leave this space for a entryway we wished for!
Upon entering, guests are greeted by a striking partition wall made of glass bricks. Though our home features a modern contemporary style, we intentionally chose this retro element to add character and a sense of heritage. It fits perfectly! We love glass bricks as are perfect for providing visual obscuration while still allowing light to filter through, ensuring privacy and subtly dividing the entryway to create a genkan, a traditional Japanese entry space. We placed a spotlight at this area to highlight this feature wall!
Since we could not construct a level drop like how a typical gankan would, we managed to visually segregate the space by using a different tile. This allows for easy distinction of the transition space between the outdoor environment and the indoor living areas. Our guests can put on and remove shoes at this spot before entering the main living areas of the house to maintain cleanliness. We call this the dust area.
- #genkan
- #terrazzo
- #tiles
As a growing family of 4, we knew we need lots of storage to accommodate all our shoes. A large L shaped custom-built shoe storage solution was seamlessly integrated into the area, offering ample organisation and easy access for footwear.
We crafted a nook on the far right to break visual fatigue from the full height cabinetry, we place some displays, reed diffuser and things like car keys at this area. Also, the cupboard below it does not have a base. This is specially designed to house robot vacuum cleaner and it’s dock, and even fits a small stroller. Without the base, our robot vacuum is able to travel in and out freely to help clean the house and to charge itself up after it’s done.
We chose a laminate that looks like travertine!
Continuing the travertine design across the counter top. Venetian blinds are a great option for us as it provides us privacy while still allowing air to flow through.
We requested a floating, half shoe cabinet to maintain a clean and airy aesthetic, preventing the area from looking too cluttered with numerous cabinets. This thoughtful design not only provides a convenient spot for our daily footwear but also accommodates our guests' shoes when they visit. Additionally, the kerb below the cabinet is purposefully designed to ensure our robot vacuum can clean the area efficiently without pushing the shoes around. This combination of functionality and design ensures a welcoming and organized entryway.
A large, full length mirror is really useful at this area. We can match shoes to our outfit and check ourselves out one last time before heading out. The arch design was chosen to match the arch in our balcony and the curves of our stairway! We're thrilled our entryway turned out exactly as we envisioned—modern, sleek, and welcoming!