Being a big fan of literature, such as the works of F. Scott Fitzgerald, who wrote The Great Gatsby, 36-year-old law practitioner Viola has always loved black and white themes as well as the vintage aesthetic.

This was why she and her partner, Ray (39), knew that they had found their home when they first saw the 635-square-foot resale apartment at 1919, Sophia Road, four years ago.

The apartment, which originally came with two bedrooms, had one bedroom converted into a walk-in wardrobe/study. It includes an open kitchen, bathroom and a patio.

The freehold condo, which is within a 5-minute walk to Dhoby Ghaut MRT station, was completed in 2015, and the couple spent a significant S$80k on renovations. The images they’ve shared with us explain why.

“Breathing dreams like air”

“I fell in love with the conservation style, black and white concept of 1919,” Viola said. “Being a fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald, I modelled our home in an Art Deco lounge style. Even our patio is modelled after the Greenhouse Scene in the Great Gatsby movie, which starred Leonardo DiCaprio.”

Having worked for more than 17 years in the law industry, Viola and Ray wanted a home close to the city, so both of them could get to work easily.

According to Viola, the property has brought them a lot of fortune and success at work and business. Having amassed enough savings, they are looking to upgrade now by putting their apartment up for sale and looking for a bigger place.

“Our new home will act as a blank canvas to build our next thematic home.”

To help them with the sale of their home, Viola and Ray have engaged a competent exclusive agent. They are confident that the photos of their home, complete with Art Deco themes, will find a buyer soon.

“While most of our home accessories and fixtures are in black and gold, to communicate the opulence of the 1920s elite, I have a large domed lamp on the patio, a Maison Dada side table and an art moderne-style lamp from Grafunkt in the walk-in wardrobe. The common area has a large modular Nordic String shelving system with a fold-out study table, and the fully customised dinner table flattens to a height of four inches, which makes it easy to stow under our couch,” Viola added.

She said that the contrast of the colour scheme is softened with an abundance of deep, dark greenery and pastel maintenance-free flowers.

Besides living closer to their workplaces, Viola and Ray enjoy doing a lot of grocery shopping themselves. “We frequent supermarkets, as opposed to ordering online. It’s a couple’s activity we enjoy as we like to plan dinners and recipes together. Having the option of great dining venues nearby is also ideal, as we often entertain clients or organise events.”

Insights and advice

“A great agent is as important as a good property,” Viola said when asked about her experience when buying and putting up her property for sale.

“Secondly, never overlook electrical work, especially in an increasingly automated world.”

For her next home-buying journey, she hopes their next home will be a forever home so that they can create a cosy and welcoming space to live and work in with their two cats – Fugu and Percy.

“Location is also paramount – down to the unit in the estate. We have the unit closest to the entrance of the estate and have saved so much time and money collecting deliveries and being able to see our rideshare outside our window that it can’t be understated.

“Plants, real or fake, can radically change the look of a home. When picking our homeware, discipline and restraint can unify the design of every room in the home, even if they have different colour schemes. Pick one piece of furniture or homeware to be the “heart” of the home, based on how much time you’ll be spending around it.”

99.co wishes Viola and Ray all the best in their home-buying journey and thank them for sharing some of their insights and photos with us.

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