Alfred Sim & Tay Kewei Bought This $903K Executive Flat To Give Their Son A Better Chance Of Getting Into Her Primary School
Like many young parents, when singers-songwriters Alfred Sim, 42, and Tay Kewei, 40, were looking to buy a new home in 2022, proximity to their preferred primary school, which they declined to reveal publicly, for their three sons was a huge consideration.
They only viewed HDB resale flats within walking distance of their desired school so their eldest son, whom the public knows affectionately as Shen Momo, six, would have a better chance of getting in. The couple have two other boys, nicknamed Xiao Pian Pian, three, and Qiu Qiu, one, and had outgrown their four-room Whampoa flat which they shared with their helper.
Their initial plan was to enrol Momo in St Andrew’s Junior School but could not find any suitable flats in Potong Pasir within their budget, so they decided to try Kewei’s alma mater, which is in the eastern part of Singapore.
Though Kewei is an alumnus, to be safe, they bought an executive apartment within 1km of the sought-after school. Situated on a high floor, the 1,540-sq ft apartment, dubbed Simchu 2.0 (Sim’s house 2.0), cost $903K.
“If Momo doesn’t get in the under the alumni phase, I can try the [home-school distance] category later. But we managed to secure a spot in the first round,” Kewei tells 8days.sg.
But it wasn’t all about the primary school. The spacious flat is also a stone’s throw from her parents’ condo – a huge boon for the Sims.
“After moving here, we realised how convenient it is to be near my in-laws. They can pop by when we need help and we can use their condo facilities too. They live really close by – I can see their master bathroom, and sometimes even their silhouette, from my home,” quips Alfred.
Despite moving house to get Momo into their preferred school, the couple don’t consider themselves kiasu parents.
“The main reason for the move is we needed a bigger space. And since we are moving, we might as well find a place near a good school,” explains Alfred. “We wouldn’t have moved if our previous flat was big enough.”
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The 40-year-old flat was given a complete overhaul. Almost all the walls were hacked, and the layout reconfigured to suit the family-of-five and their helper’s needs. The original kitchen, which was enclosed, was converted into an open-concept dry kitchen and dining area.
And the open, spacious dining area at the back was walled up to create a small wet kitchen and a room for their helper.
The couple wanted lots of marble-like accents, textures and a neutral palette for a modern luxe feel. Light wood-look vinyl was used for the flooring, and full-height cabinetry and wall laminate were added to much of the house for a clean, seamless aesthetic.
The renovation cost almost $180,000 (excluding furniture), about half of it spent on hacking and carpentry. The interior design of the flat is influenced by fengshui. To improve its fengshui, their main door was slightly slanted to “face east” and avoid directly facing the neighbour’s home.
Dry kitchen and dining area
When you enter the home, the first thing that draws the eye is the stunning sintered stone island in the dry kitchen. Kewei, who is a fan of marble, was inspired to have a statement island after seeing it on Pinterest. She handpicked this sintered stone slab as she liked the design of the grains as well as its rich hue and gold accents. It is also used for the countertop and backsplash, and niche at the entryway.
“I considered getting marble, but I didn’t see a design that I really like. Furthermore, it is a natural stone, which can get stained and requires more maintenance — not the best idea when you have kids,” shares Kewei, adding sintered stone is also a more affordable alternative. She reckons they spent around $25K on all the various sintered stone designs used around the house.
The island, which is the couple’s favourite spot, doubles up as Alfred’s “whiskey bar”. A generous space was carved out in the dry kitchen for his home bar, featuring bottom-lit shelves to showcase his photogenic bottles.
“We needed green for the wet kitchen portion of the wall – it’s a fengshui thing,” explains Kewei. “When we saw this green laminate, we thought it’s quite a nice idea and decided to have it for the entire stretch of the wall. So, one side of the house is green, and the other is beige.”
Kitchen
The wet kitchen set next to the dining area is separated by fluted glass door. The white hue and clean lines make the space look brighter and more spacious, and sintered stone countertop and backsplash add a touch of elegance.
To maximise space, Alfred requested for a U-shaped design, with cabinets and counters built on all the walls. “Now everything is within reach. In my previous home, I had to go in and out of the kitchen to prepare food and bring the dishes out when I finish cooking ‘cos there was not enough countertop space,” shares Alfred.
Living room
In the living room, a sintered stone TV accent wall creates a striking feature, complemented by beige limewash-like wall laminate, gold accents, and plush rug for added sophistication.
Floor-to-ceiling cabinets flanking the feature wall on either side offer much-needed storage for the kids’ toys and books and to corral clutter. Cabinets by the main entrance is a “mudroom” of sorts. Each member of the family is allocated their own cupboard to keep their stuff like bags when they enter the home, and there is also a dedicated space for their PR packages.
“Previously, when the kids came home after school, they would ‘anyhow’ throw their bags and our packages would accumulate at the door. The space was very cluttered, which is why we wanted to have this mudroom to keep the mess out of sight,” shares Kewei.
Music corner
At the end of the living room is the balcony, which has been turned into their music corner. As the couple is still doing up their study, they decided to place their instruments in the balcony temporarily, and it turned out to be a good idea.
“It’s very convenient when we shoot videos. We just place a light and can begin shooting. We have invited musician friends over to jam together and everyone can sit around in the living room and enjoy the music,” shares Alfred.
Isn’t it noisy for the neighbours? “We haven’t had any complaints yet. I think they enjoy the music,” he quips.
Kids’ study
One of the bedrooms is used for the boys’ study, which Momo calls his Lego room. Part of the room was carved out for a small storeroom accessed from the hallway, and a door was added just by the balcony for the study.
They chose to keep things minimalist, without built-ins so they can switch up the design as the boys grow older.
Boys’ bedroom
Down the hallway is the kids’ bedroom. It might not be obvious, but it has a space theme, a request by the boys. The dark blue limewash wall mimics the galaxy (spot the astronaut light at the corner) and the spotlights are the stars, shares Momo.
The bedroom has been extended slightly into the study to create a flushed-to-the-wall wardrobe, which is decked with dark wood-look laminate.
Master bedroom
The master bedroom’s design adheres to the darker colour scheme, with a grey accent wall forming the backdrop for the bed. Similarly, the master suite borrows space from the boys’ room for another row of cabinets, which hide the vanity. “I don’t like to have a vanity that is exposed. I also feel that it will get messier over time so designing it in the closet makes the room look neater,” says Kewei.
Master bathroom
The ensuite bathroom exudes hotel bathroom vibes, thanks to the sintered stone walls and counters, dark wood laminate shelves, and sleek bathroom fittings. The countertop and shower area are formed of large sintered stone slabs artfully pieced together.
“It’s so beautiful,” Kewei gushes. “I wanted large slabs so you see very few joints on the wall and it’s also easier to clean. We also chose wall-hung tap and toilet bowl for this reason.”
Alfred and Kewei’s study
Across from the master bedroom is the couple’s study. Originally a storeroom, it was converted into an office as it is a “wealth spot” of the home”. With its almost black walls, dark wood desk, subdued amber lighting, it exudes a more masculine vibe. Gentle curves in the ceiling and beam lend visual interest to the space.
The room is still work in progress and there are plans to decorate it with plants, photos and framed magazine covers.
Helper’s room
Beside the study is the helper’s room which, together with the wet kitchen, used to be a large dining area. To fully maximise the space, their ID designed this smart carpentry with a Murphy bed that can be pulled out and folded away as needed.
“We think this is such a smart use of space. To be honest, the room turned out smaller than we envisioned, but my helper doesn’t mind it. This room is mainly used for sleeping,” says Kewei.
Photos: 8days.sg
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