By Wong Siow Yuen

One chair set the design of this flat in motion. Not just any chair, but New York-based designer Karim Rashid's Poly chair, an angular space-age wonder that positively glows in the home.

The homeowner, an engineer by training, had his heart set on having it in his apartment - so much that he and his wife purchased six of the green chairs and the glass dining table without figuring out a decor direction.

Only later did they sit down with Design Rebirth to discuss how the home could work to showcase the treasured seats.

'I'm inclined to modern design and wanted a colourful Italian look for all the spaces except the bedroom, where I went for something radically different - contemporary Danish,' says the engineer. This explains the pair of orange Kartell Spoon office chairs, as well as the low modular sofa in vivid orange and green suspension lights by Italian designers Piero Lissoni and Ferruccio Laviani respectively.

Setting The Stage

For this kaleidoscope of colours to work within a few centimetres of one another, the background had to recede. Designer Victor Loh proposed a black, white and grey palette that allows the vibrantly-hued furnishings to be the stars. The floor of the living area is finished in gunmetal grey, while the cabinetry throughout the home is covered in glossy white and matte grey laminate and black veneer. Lines add interest to the otherwise flat surfaces. The windows are not spared the austere, monochromatic look ' the white timber venetian blinds are trimmed with black cording.

Victor also planned the space to better serve the couple's lifestyle. The walled-up kitchen was opened up and a narrow galley kitchen created as they don't do heavy cooking. He sectioned off the back end of the space into a laundry area that is neatly screened from view. One bedroom was turned into an open study, and part of the living space was merged into the master bedroom to make a small foyer

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Keeping On Track

With his discerning eye and clear vision, the homeowner snapped up several Danish designer pieces while on a trip to Denmark. His bounty included Poul Henningsen's artichoke-shaped light in the bedroom, and telephones by Jacob Jensen, the man famous for his designs for Bang & Olufsen. He also hauled back posters from Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum, four of which sit in the dining room. These nature scenes offer an antithesis to the ultra-modern dining set.

While the walls in the rest of the home were painted white, effort was made to give the bedroom a cosier feel. The surprising shade of choice was cool grey, which the engineer's wife initially had reservations about. The wall facing the bed, which is also visible through a glass wall from the dining area, was painted sky blue. 'He wanted to give us the feeling of waking up to a bright blue sky,' says the finance operations manager. The palette is warmed up by a dressing table and sideboard in a modern Danish style, plus a gold Kartell Bourgie lamp. In one corner sits French designer Christophe Pillet's Sunset easy chair in azure, and in another, fellow Frenchman Philippe Starck's clear Louis Ghost chair, totally devoid of colour. This last piece is the perfect foil to the whirlwind of hues in the flat.

So what's the secret to pulling off the loud and proud hues in the confined space of a five-room flat?

'The true colour scheme is actually grey, white and black,' says Victor. 'I used them to separate the brights so they don't clash.'

Where to go: Design Rebirth, tel: 9068-2468.

Get a copy of the October 2009 issue of Home & Decor and read about the latest local and international trends in home design. Home & Décor, published by SPH Magazines, is available at all newsstands now.

Check out more stories at Home & Décor online, www.homeanddecor.com.sg.

Also, check out the October 2009 issue for these stories:

a) Tinted Love
The vivid hues of this homeowner's treasured furniture ups the apartment's fun factor.

b) Free Play
When it comes to the design and furnishings, this home follows no house rules.