Inside Terence Cao’s Boldly Reimagined Home
Project Diary Ep 06
What happens when functionality becomes the starting point for a home with plenty of character?
Step inside Terence Cao’s newly renovated home, reimagined together with Nigel from Saege as a space that feels distinctly his own.
The brief began simply: it had to be functional. But working with an almost 60-year-old flat meant navigating existing beams, piping and structural quirks along the way. Instead of fighting them, Saege allowed these constraints to inform the design, introducing curved false ceilings and partitions that create a softer flow between spaces.
A former bedroom was opened up to make way for a generous dining area and statement island, while raw textured walls, stainless steel finishes, dark tones and unexpected hits of colour give the home its industrial edge.
Look closer and the personality is in the details: a seamless granite island, wine-red subway tiles, retro ventilation blocks, terracotta in the bathroom, gunmetal fittings and a customised pedestal sink. Bold as some of these choices may be, the home was never designed as a beautiful shell. Storage, spatial planning and everyday flow came first, with the visual layers built around how Terence actually lives.
In this episode of Project Diary, Terence and Saege take us through a home where function doesn't temper personality. It gives it somewhere to live.
This is Project Diary - Terence Cao's home reveal!
Inside Terence Cao’s Boldly Reimagined Home
Project Diary Ep 06
What happens when functionality becomes the starting point for a home with plenty of character?
Step inside Terence Cao’s newly renovated home, reimagined together with Nigel from Saege as a space that feels distinctly his own.
The brief began simply: it had to be functional. But working with an almost 60-year-old flat meant navigating existing beams, piping and structural quirks along the way. Instead of fighting them, Saege allowed these constraints to inform the design, introducing curved false ceilings and partitions that create a softer flow between spaces.
A former bedroom was opened up to make way for a generous dining area and statement island, while raw textured walls, stainless steel finishes, dark tones and unexpected hits of colour give the home its industrial edge.
Look closer and the personality is in the details: a seamless granite island, wine-red subway tiles, retro ventilation blocks, terracotta in the bathroom, gunmetal fittings and a customised pedestal sink. Bold as some of these choices may be, the home was never designed as a beautiful shell. Storage, spatial planning and everyday flow came first, with the visual layers built around how Terence actually lives.
In this episode of Project Diary, Terence and Saege take us through a home where function doesn't temper personality. It gives it somewhere to live.
This is Project Diary - Terence Cao's home reveal!
