A BASE FOR BEAUTY

Barbara Fritschy transformed her Black and White bungalow into a cosy, stylish and practical home for six people and three pets. LYNN TAN finds inspiration in her eclectic style

- LYNN TAN

Dutch interior designer, Barbara Fritschy, has called Singapore home for the past 13 years and she owns Make Room, an interior design company that she founded 12 years ago. Having lived in this Black and White bungalow with her husband Joost, their three children, helper, two cats and a dog for a few years, they decided that it was time for a renovation.

The works included hacking and redoing the kitchen, reconfiguring the existing master bedroom into two children’s bedrooms, creating an outdoor living and dining space, as well as new cabinetry. “We wanted a new and more practical kitchen. We carved out another bedroom so that all three kids can have their own room. The original living room was a space that we never used, so we turned it into a library,” shares Barbara.

Barbara’s love for vintage and eclectic pieces, as well as colour is apparent everywhere you look, punctuated by personal artefacts and trinkets collected from her travels. Every space within the home has its own theme and each bedroom reflects their individual personalities and hobbies. The myriad themes and design influences coupled with her open-minded approach results in a style that is uniquely Barbara.

Art is also something that she feels passionately about and she recently started her own art gallery, Curated by Make Room. Incorporating art into her home was very important to her: “I love how art shows your personality, evokes emotion and ties spaces together.”