Since first arriving in Singapore over a decade ago, Dutch designer Barbara Fritschy has been renting in the city-state. For the last six years, she’s been at her current home, a 1,500 sq ft bungalow. But it was only recently that the owner of interior design firm Make Room decided to really make the place her own.

Leveraging her contacts in the industry, Fritschy decided to “take the plunge and invest in [the] rental”. The idea, she tells Haven, was “to create a real home for [her] family”.

Exercising her design muscles in her own home allowed Fritschy to go bigger than she normally could with clients’ houses. “I allowed myself to take more creative risks,” she says, citing, for instance, the use of bold colours in unexpected places throughout the house. “For clients, I’m usually more focused on a neutral, timeless approach, but for my own home, I wanted it to feel uniquely ‘me’.”

The resulting home is playfully kaleidoscopic, with bright tones set against clean whites and natural hues. “I love so many different styles and colours, so I took inspiration from everywhere,” says Fritschy on her design process.

That eclectic energy is reflected in the different rooms of the house.

Among the punchier spaces is a burgundy-walled library with tonally matched shelves. This doubles up as Fritschy’s home office; she says the reddish hue “embraces” her while she works. “It’s functional, yet visually stunning with that beautiful burgundy colour and bright blue chairs for contrast.”

The kitchen has a more subdued, Japandi vibe. Here, Fritschy used laminates from homegrown brand Lamitak for the cabinetry. “Their wide range of colours and natural wood tones really appealed to us, especially in the kitchen, where durability was key,” she says. “I’ve used Lamitak before in client projects, and their quality and aesthetic options are always impressive.”

The outdoor area, where Fritschy and her family spend most of their time, continues the relaxed vibe. This is, naturally, one of her favourite spots in the house. The area is mostly black and white, with plants and decor used to break up the monotony.

An intentional mix of furniture adds to the visual interest, keeping things fun and buoyant while staying comfortable. “I sourced pieces from all over: some from vintage stores, others from local artisans, and a few from high-end brands I’ve always admired,” says Fritschy. The pieces vary in silhouette but are tied together by common colours — reds and oranges set up against a base of blacks, whites and wood tones.

This balance keeps the house looking cohesive, even with the lack of matched sets. “I love working with contrast,” Fritschy explains. “You can introduce lots of colours and textures, but it’s important to anchor each space with a neutral base, whether that’s white walls, natural wood or a solid-coloured rug.”

Fritschy also believes in having “a few quiet spaces” in each room, such as a plain wall or simple light fixture, to “give the eye somewhere to rest”. This is most evident in the master bedroom, where neutral tones — white and grey — dominate the space. This, Fritschy says, helps her “calm down after a busy day”.

For her children’s bedrooms, Fritschy opted for a more colourful approach to stimulate their creativity.

Her youngest daughter’s room, for instance, has a jungle theme. Because the room was split from half of the original master bedroom, Fritschy had to find ways to make full use of the limited space. She went with carpentry that serves as both a bedframe and storage. A green floral motif lines this area, while the walls are a punchy purple.

“I have a soft spot for my youngest daughter’s jungle bedroom,” says Fritschy. “It’s perfect for snuggling and reading to her in the evenings.”

The other half of the former master bedroom was turned into a bedroom for Fritschy’s son. The walls here were painted sky blue, while the carpentry was given a moss green laminate. Combined with the wood and rattan furniture, the room is masculine yet youthful and fun.

Fritschy’s eldest daughter has her bedroom on the first floor. The white walls in this larger space make for an airier, breezier feel. A statement wall, painted green, adds a pop of colour.

Most of the furniture in this room — including the bed, bedside table and lamp — were existing pieces the family already had. “I focused on sustainable materials,” says Fritschy, “as I wanted the home to reflect both style and environmental consciousness.”

In all, the renovation took about three months. “We did hit a few snags along the way, mainly with sourcing materials,” says Fritschy. “Some of the unique finishes we had picked were back-ordered, so we had to pivot and make substitutions.”

Ultimately, she notes, flexibility and trust in the process were key in making the project a success. “It worked out for the better, and I ended up loving the alternative materials we chose.”

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