What to Know about Condos with High Ceilings
Usually seen in condominiums, high ceilings are prized in Singapore and tend to be associated with luxury and prestige.
How do you know if the condo unit you are buying has a high ceiling? Check the floor plans. A ‘cross’ marked out on the floor plan usually indicates there is one. See below for example:
Floor plan: The Hyde / 1-bedroom
Heads up for prospective condo buyers: You may be paying for that extra air space!
Apartments with a double volume ceiling feel grand, which can almost make you forget that you may be paying for that air space.
When a condo unit is sold with a strata void area, it will mean the extra headspace is chargeable under the total floor area of the unit. Units sold with a strata void area will usually indicate a lower cost per square foot (psf) than a unit without, seeing as the air space is generally priced at a lower cost psf.
It is not always the case that condo units with high ceilings mean a void area is included. Some units with elevated ceilings just take into account the gross floor area, without accounting for the extra air space. Whether the high ceiling is charged or not depends on the condo project.
Always do your due diligence, triple check your floor plans, sales documents and with your sales representative before making your purchase.
But whether that high ceiling is charged or not, we cannot overlook the practicality of having one. From lending extra ambience to giving you the extra headroom to create an entire loft for relaxing, we look to 3 condo show flats (Piermont Grand, The Hyde and one north Eden) to see the design possibilities of having high ceilings:
Storage
Bibliophiles, you will love the idea of having an extra tall bookshelf that reaches all the way to the top. What better way to feel like you’re always in a library?
Image: Piermont Grand / 4-bedroom premium
Even if you are not much of a reader, having shelves built all the way to the top will mean you have more room for displaying your trophies or favourite home décor pieces.
Image: one north Eden / 4-bedroom premium
Design tip: Highlight your favourite tomes or ornaments by incorporating hidden LED lights. This helps to prevent the shelves from feeling dull and uninteresting, while also ensuring that this tall storage piece can stand out and serve as a focal point.
Make a visual statement
If you are really looking to bring up the vastness of your double volume space, consider making use of mirrors to double up the illusion. Mirrors because of their reflective properties also add a sense of opulence.
These copper-tinted ones work with the timeless and neutral colour scheme seen in the rest of the space, while the embedded lights placed so that they appear like thin vertical strips further enhance the sense of height.
Image: one north Eden / 4-bedroom premium
You can also consider pairing mirror panels with textured fluted details, for additional dimension and interest. The wooden elements also lend warmth to the space
Image: Piermont Grand / 4-bedroom premium
Similarly in this bedroom with a high ceiling, a mirror is paired together with a wooden textured backdrop to serve as a grand extension of the headboard.
Image: The Hyde
Speaking of textures, going for a tufted wall like in this kid’s bedroom can prevent a room with a high ceiling from feeling overly empty or too bare. The top half of the rest of the wall is made to look like the night sky, stressing the height of the space while helping to fuel a kid’s imagination.
Image: The Hyde
Loft ideas
For those who are looking to double up your floor estate with a high ceiling, going for a loft is the obvious choice. Note that if you are planning to construct a loft within your condo, you will need to seek approval from URA. See more information here.
In this condo show flat, the constructed loft was turned into a cosy lounging area but you could always go with a home office or even a guest room.
Image: The Hyde / 1-bedroom
The stairs up to the loft space is somewhat hidden behind tinted mirror panels that conceal plenty of under-stairs storage. This area under the stairs was also carved into a little cosy dining nook, complete with a recessed bench.
Image: The Hyde / 1-bedroom
Kids edition: Rock-climbing wall
If you have young children at home or are looking to add a bit of an adventurous vibe to your space, a rock-climbing wall makes things extra fun. Even if you don’t use the wall for climbing, they make wonderful storage hooks for accessories like bags and sports equipment.
Image: one north Eden / 4-bedroom premium
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