From Balcony to Dining: A Transformation You Won’t Believe!
168
- Modern Organic
- HDB (Maisonette)
- ≥1,500 sqft
- 4 br
- Living with Family
Every home tells a story, and every corner of a home has a purpose. This week, we’re excited to share a space that brings people together—the dining area. But in our home, this space isn’t where you might expect it to be! Our dining space was originally a balcony, while the designated dining area in our floor plan was actually at the entrance of our home. However, we chose to do things a little differently. Instead of using the entryway as a dining space, we transformed our balcony into a cosy, open gathering area that flows seamlessly with our living room, because for us, connection matters! When we entertain, we love that guests in the living room and dining area can easily interact, rather than being separated by the stairs. In many EMs, homeowners typically extend their kitchens into the balcony to create a larger cooking space. This is also where many place their washing machines and dryers for laundry. We were fortunate to be able to create a laundry area upstairs, which meant we had the unique opportunity to convert our balcony into a spacious dining area. This layout just made sense for us, as it creates a functional flow—a natural triangle between the kitchen, dining, and living area, making movement effortless. Plus, we love that we can still see the TV from the dining table, which makes everyday meals and gatherings even more enjoyable! One of the greatest blessings of our dining space is the full-height windows that flood the area with natural sunlight and offer an unblocked view of lush greenery. There’s something so special about enjoying a meal with a scenic backdrop—it instantly makes every gathering feel more relaxing and connected to nature! We absolutely love how the windows frame the dining area, making it feel open and airy. Whether it’s a bright morning breakfast or a cosy dinner with friends, the changing light and view outside make every meal feel just a little more special. ❤️ The second thing we’re incredibly grateful for? Space—enough to finally fulfil our long-time dream of having an 8-seater dining table. We would have loved to go even larger, but after careful consideration, we decided that a 2m table was the perfect size. It provides ample seating without overwhelming the space, striking the right balance between function and flow. Our dining chairs have been with us for five years, carried over from our previous home. Instead of replacing them, we decided to reupholster them in a pet-friendly, stain-resistant premium velvet fabric to match our home's overall aesthetic. To complement the chairs and add a more dynamic seating arrangement, we opted for a curved boucle bench from Taobao on the opposite side. It fits seamlessly into the space, creating a cosy yet elegant feel. We’re still debating whether to reupholster the bench in the same fabric as the chairs—maybe sometime soon! And as we've mentioned earlier, aside from being connected to the living room, we also love how our dining space flows seamlessly into the kitchen, making it easy to transport food from stove to table while keeping conversations going. Guests can also easily access the kitchen for drink refills or quick bites, as well as the guest bathroom for freshening up or washing their hands—everything is within reach for a smooth and comfortable dining experience! The swing doors are usually left open for seamless movement, but for this photo, we closed them to highlight the arched details we’ve incorporated into the design! To make our dining space feel even more inviting, we’ve adorned it with touches of greenery and meaningful art. Sitting at the centre of our table is a vase of live olive trees, and in the corners, we’ve placed a faux monstera (not in picture) and small pots of mixed faux plants to add depth and vibrancy without the worry of maintenance. These little touches of green help soften the space, making it feel warm and lived-in. Here’s the view of our living room from the dining table! We removed the original sliding doors that once separated the living area from the balcony and instead kept the space open to create a seamless flow. This makes the two areas feel more connected and spacious, allowing conversations and interactions to flow naturally. Plus, as we’ve mentioned, we love that guests at the dining table can still enjoy the TV and stay engaged with those in the living room! In one corner of our dining space sits our coffee and tea station, perfect for starting the day with a warm cup or winding down with an evening brew. There’s something so comforting about having a dedicated nook for our daily rituals, making it easy to prepare and enjoy a moment of pause. We found the most perfect arched bookshelf, which we’ve converted into storage for our coffee machine and other essentials, like tea canisters, mugs, and brewing accessories. Not only does it keep everything neatly organised, but the curves also complement the arches and soft, rounded elements throughout our home, adding to the cohesive design. To tie everything together, we’re planning to stain the bookshelf in a walnut finish—a project we’re excited to start soon! This will match the rubbish chute cupboard door, dining table legs, and chairs, creating a cohesive and warm aesthetic. Above the carpentry that cleverly conceals our rubbish chute, we’ve placed a textured artwork of a cliff and the beach, reminding us of our favourite place on earth: Bali! Oh, and we’ve also added a custom laser engraving of our home logo on the cabinet door to add a personal touch and make the space feel even more uniquely ours! And then there’s the large artwork on our wall—a DIY fabric art piece. When we couldn’t find the perfect piece to fill the empty space, we decided to create our own using a sofa throw we found at Spotlight. This personal touch not only adds character to the dining area but also makes it uniquely ours.♡ Opposite our rubbish chute, we have a box-up that conceals our aircon pipes, but beyond its functional purpose, it has also become a useful countertop space. This is where we keep our dining essentials—toothpicks, coasters, a tissue box, and a wet wipes container—so everything is within reach without cluttering the dining table. We love maintaining a clean and minimalist dining setup, so the only item that stay on the table, aside from the vase, is an arched walnut box that discreetly stores our fan and aircon remote for easy access. This simple arrangement ensures that the dining area remains tidy while still feeling warm and inviting. Our dining table is fully customised, and it’s one of the most special pieces in our home. We spent a long time searching for the perfect table, but nothing felt quite right—so we decided to create our own! The arched table legs were a design we envisioned ourselves, and we shared the idea with our friends who own KayuSG, and they brought our dream to life with their craftsmanship. The table base and sintered stone top were supplied by our interior designer (ID), completing the look. We chose a sintered stone top to match our kitchen’s, creating a seamless and cohesive look throughout our home, and because it is a durable and low-maintenance material, we don’t have to worry about stains, scratches, or heat damage when dining or entertaining. Initially, we considered a curved tabletop, but we realised it would compromise the comfort of guests seated at the corners. So to ensure everyone has ample dining space, we went with a rectangular top with gently curved edges, striking the perfect balance between aesthetics and functionality. Here’s a close-up of our dining chairs after reupholstery! The fabric we chose has been fantastic—durable, stain-resistant, and holding up beautifully against everyday use (and all of Bucky’s antics). There are more curves in our dining space! In the flooring, we added a curved detail with a gold inlay strip to transition between the kitchen tiles and vinyl flooring, softening the divide between materials while enhancing the visual flow of the space. This subtle yet elegant detail ties in beautifully with the curved elements throughout our home, making the transition feel more organic and intentional. Now that you've seen what our dining space looks like, let us share some before pictures of the space that we took during our handover! Let's not ignore the fact that our sellers did not do a proper handover and left us some unexpected housewarming gifts—a HUGE tree, an old plant pot, and a collection of other “treasures” we had the pleasure of disposing of. 🙃 Yup, even a red pail, red umbrella, and bamboo poles.👏🏽😂 Looking back, it’s hard to believe how run-down and uninspiring this area once was. The balcony, which is now our dining space, was in a worn-out state, and felt disjointed from the rest of the home - more of a forgotten corner than a functional part of the house. Fast forward to today, and this transformation feels surreal! What was once a dilapidated balcony has become the heart of our home—a warm, inviting dining area where we gather, share meals, and entertain.♡ Thank you for taking the time to read about our dining space transformation! This corner of our home holds so many special memories, and we’re so happy to share it with you. We hope you enjoyed this little tour and maybe even found some inspiration for your own space. Stay tuned for next week’s feature—can’t wait to show you another part of our home!
- 16 February
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