akiHAUS Design Studio

Very glad to have had Lawrence and his team design our home. You can quickly tell that he is passionate, experienced, detailed, knowledgeable, and competent. It was an easy decision after our first meeting to go ahead with akiHAUS. Thereafter, the entire design process and construction went ahead without a hitch. He instantly got what we were looking for, and was happy to listen to our suggestions and preferences, not just accommodating most of them, but more importantly, gently explaining to us why he would not recommend certain design choices due to aesthetic or functional considerations. Now that we have moved in and have lived in the apartment for a few weeks, we are happy that we listened to his advice. We do believe that he has his clients' interests at heart, and that he designs spaces that are both beautiful and functional. With regards to the construction, we initially went into this phase with our guards up due to stories from friends and family of renovation projects not going to plan or being delayed. We were put at ease when Lawrence vouched for the construction company, PM Image Builders, and indeed he was true to his word and we did not have to worry about a thing. The contractors, William and Meng, were very pleasant and easy to work with, and the construction was completed even before the proposed deadline, and to a high standard. It was especially reassuring to see Lawrence inspect the workmanship and rectify issues that we would have otherwise accepted or not even noticed, not that there were many. It is a testament to Lawrence and the PMIB team that the final outcome looked exactly like the renders, and coming home to such a beautiful space is a treat. While Lawrence's fees are likely to be on the higher end, it is a very fair fee as rather than being a percentage of the construction cost, it is simply a flat fee, meaning that his design, choice of materials, contractors, and fittings are not influenced by what he takes home at the end of the day. We certainly feel that his expertise is worth the fee, and will not hesitate recommending akiHAUS.

Had a really great experience working with akiHAUS and honestly couldn’t have asked for a smoother renovation journey! I went into the process with no design background and no clear idea of what I wanted. But from the first meetup, Lawrence really broadened the perspectives to the possibilities for my home. What stood out most was how holistically the team approached the design. Instead of just giving the place a cosmetic facelift, they actually rethought the layout and solved inherent space and functionality issues through design. (I remember Lawrence opening the floor plan on day 1, and asked what I thought the problem with the unit was, and I said lack of storage; he said yes and proceeded to propose very novel changes to tackle this problem.) This was very different from other designers I met, where most proposals mostly retained the original layout and focused on aesthetics. akiHAUS really considered how the home would be lived in, and I appreciated that functionality was never compromised for the sake of design. I was also initially worried about budget because some of the proposed changes were quite major, but Lawrence helped in suggesting budget-conscious alternatives while still advising where it made sense to invest a little more for better long-term quality. Overall, I thought that the balance between practicality, quality, and budget was maintained, and my concerns felt heard/addressed. He also suggested the possibility that the design of the place will allow my unit to be well-positioned for sale in the future (as compared to units of similar sizes) because the inherent problem of lack-of storage has been addressed, and serves as a competitive edge over others'. Project management was also where akiHAUS shone. I’ve heard plenty of renovation horror stories from friends, so I was quite nervous going into it, but akiHAUS made the whole process feel very seamless and stress-free. I only visited the unit once during the renovation and trusted that everything was being taken care of properly. Really thankful for the entire experience - I absolutely love my home now, and all credit goes to akiHAUS and Lawrence!

Main highlights of our engagement with AkiHaus (Lawrence) as I know folks are always too busy to read a long essay. Scouted 7 IDs before landing on AkiHaus (Lawrence) for the following reasons: 1. Great personality, zero ego - no house is too big or too small for Lawrence 2. Charges a fixed design fee based on scale and complexity of work, and not a %tage of the construction, so you don't have to worry about construction cost escalation for profit 3. Ultimate construction cost was +/- 2% of initial discussed budget 4. Professional from start of the consultation to the end, and even better after sales service (still looking after us) 5. Detail oriented, creative and thinks of value (biggest bang for the buck) - He made our place out to be such a spacious and luxurious sanctuary without the need for A&A or breaking the bank 6. Very authentic: tells you what you should hear, not what you want to hear 7. Optionality: Flexible in approach, can cater to your budgeting needs as required because he has a vast network of contacts for you to leverage from (from kitchen tools to tiles to home network to alarm to cutleries to tiles, the list is endless) 8. His contacts are your contacts and for you to leverage ..... And he (instead of you) is the most demanding customer on the contractors 9. Folks he works with are top quality - you don't have to worry about finishing 10. Did I mention great after sales service? When the movers dirtied my place and punctured my wall as they were carrying the study desk upstairs, Lawrence had the contractor patch all these up without cost. Overall, an extremely great experience with AkiHaus and I will gladly recommend them to family and friends. Happy to discuss if you would like more details.

Lawrence has an incredible sense for design, with an impeccable ability to transform our ideas from our imagination into reality, often polishing it to make it exceed our expectations using his suggestions. This is most prominent in how he utilizes the space, and maintains a consistent theme throughout the house. He first shows us the schematics for each level, then incorporating our design choices and visualizing them via 3D edited photos, which gave us the chance to change things if we wanted edits. He is an excellent designer not only because of his eye for aesthetic, but his background in architecture. This expertise has been critical in the process of deciding which sections of the house can be demolished, and what new additions are possible, which minimizes time spent on liaising with and getting approval from authorities. Since our house was originally a two-storey semi-detached house with an attic and we wanted large scale changes, this architectural insight was especially valuable. He did so by studying the blueprints and accommodating our requests for modification to the best of the structural constraints of the original house. Indeed, he is very amenable to our requests and even offered us two different design plans based on the contrasting themes that we liked, and managed to incorporate both into the final design cohesively. Moreover, his detail-oriented nature made the whole process very smooth, as all the necessary minutiae of how the electric wires should be run, how to position Wi-Fi routers to maximize coverage throughout the home, contacting contractors for the renovations etc. was planned by him and his team. The contractors were all very capable and we had a great experience working with them, especially William and Ming.

Lawrence has a keen eye for detail, a deep understanding of color, texture, and light, and a passion for creating spaces that are both beautiful and functional. The attention to detail and level of care Lawrence brought to the project was impressive, and it shows in every aspect of the design. What I appreciated most about working with akiHAUS was their ability to balance my desires with their expertise, ensuring that the final result was both reflective of my personal style and expertly crafted. Sincere thanks to akiHAUS for giving me peace of mind in the whole duration of the project amidst my busy schedule.

Lawrence’s portfolio caught our eyes, and his reviews provided the impetus for us to embark on our renovation journey. Although we were initially only looking to find additional storage solutions, we completed a gut-renovation after consulting Lawrence. Such a drastic change in plans was motivated by Lawrence’s working style. Lawrence always took the time to explain his design choices; his attention to detail meant that every aspect was well-considered. We are not simply referring to the layout of the apartment or build-ups that contribute to the ambiance - every single choice he made for us (e.g., the tiles, the lighting, the sliding vs folding doors, the towel rack) took into consideration both form and function. Throughout the entire renovation process (from 3D renderings, to selecting materials, to the actual renovation), Lawrence provided options (of varying budgets), and he was indescribably patient with our questions. We took a while to write the review because we wanted to reflect on our experience from *living* in our new space. The atmosphere we wished to create in our home was the desire for a sanctuary for respite at the end of the workday, with ample space for our children to play, learn, and grow and through his design, Lawrence helped make this a reality for us. One of Lawrence's skills that we most appreciate is his ability to balance style and substance. Our home is not only gorgeous, it is immensely practical. To use just one example to highlight Lawrence's acumen in design: We had some doubts about the depth/height of some of the cabinets and drawers. Lawrence patiently explained how his designs were most appropriate for the specific items that he envisioned us storing in these places. Daily, we are reminded of these thoughtful considerations. Last but certainly not least, to create our space, Lawrence and his team worked closely with Rob and his team throughout the renovation process. Rob's team displayed outstanding carpentry skills to realize Lawrence's vision, and the attention to detail was pervasive in all the execution work as well. Rob and his team were extremely responsive throughout the renovation and provided outstanding "after sales" assistance. We could not ask for a better contractor. We always hear stories of renovation nightmare, and we smile because our experience was a dream. Thank you to Lawrence and his team at akiHAUS, and Rob and his team for creating a wonderful home for our family.

From the first time we met Lawrence and team, we knew we were in good hands. Firstly, Lawrence took care to understand our family’s needs, respected our preferences and gave us options. The outcome has been nothing short of magical – our living spaces are as functional as they are aesthetically pleasing! Lawrence works with an incredible team from PM Image Builders. William and his team are trustworthy, exceedingly competent and delivered what they said they would. The quality of work and attention to detail, as well as the level of communication and professionalism is simply outstanding. We were updated at every stage, and we felt assured even through the month that we were out of the country and in a different time zone. If you are looking for an ID who is exceptionally skilled and passionate about creating spaces that are both functional and beautiful, I wholeheartedly recommend Lawrence and team.

Getting renovation for your new home done is no easy feat to say the least and it can become quite stressful at times. We consider ourselves lucky for having Lawrence and akiHAUS for our home. We saw some of his works from magazines before and paid his studio a visit. The deco of the studio itself is pretty convincing already, considering it was renovated more than 10 years ago, the structure, material and layout made it work in a tasteful and timeless way. The most impressive part has been the focus on understanding our needs. The print and 3D has incorporated our preference and rationalise things professionally in terms of spacing, lighting, aesthetics and functionality. We accepted like 80% of the ideas instantly, for the remaining 20% the differences are narrowed through some patient rounds and we are happy to say that 10% of the final plan went our way like we were able to convince Lawrence. There is definitely some feel good effect and in hindsight the result was perfect. The execution part was relatively no stress as Lawrence is extremely resourceful with contractors and suppliers for various things. We spotted some pedant light designs from some magazines in Europe and were surprised with the final products sourced by Lawrence, with the designer look without burning a hole in the pocket. And this is just one example. As for the rest, we got either hand held on site help or timely consultative views for picking out furniture, paintings, wall mirrors, carpets, plants or even size of TV from Lawrence. All and all, it was a pretty enjoyable experience working with Lawrence for our home, a big contrast to how daunting it seemed five months ago. Hope to work with him again before too long.

Very good and unique designs that cater to the our needs. Very helpful in managing the reno project as a whole as well. The whole experience was relatively seamless and their professionalism showed as well.

We are glad to have chosen akiHAUS to lead us on our renovation journey which ended off with a beautiful dream home for our family. From the first meeting, we can clearly felt the professionalism and enthusiasm displayed by Lawrence, Ash and his team, which lasted throughout the project. Every discussion with them was insightful and filled with detailed explanations, so as to ensure that every decision made by us was a informed one. At times, meetings became lengthy due to overwhelming questions from first-timer, like us, but Lawrence has never failed to go the extra-mile to bring his ideas and reasons across the table for us, and we really appreciate these efforts. Especially when faced with difficult decisions in building materials and design vs functionality aspects, Lawrence always balance the cost, time, and needs, and clearly present them to us so as to steer us towards a clear direction. In addition, the vendors and contractors recommended by Lawrence were good in their respective trades and delivered quality products. Of note, the main contractor, CS21, who has managed to complete the project in a tight timeline with almost perfect workmanship in accordance to Lawrence's drawings. Special thanks to Danny, who always address to our concerns and issues in a timely and responsible manner. Overall, we had no regrets entrusting our home to akiHAUS. Although they might be slightly costly compared to mass market IDs, but if budget allows they definitely worth every penny, if not more. If we are ever going to move house again, will definitely go back to Lawrence and his team once more. Well done and thank you akiHAUS!

Lawrence and his team did an amazing job designing and project managing our house renovation to completion. They are detailed and take great pride in their work. Also, the vendors they recommend (eg: curtains, contractor) are all very reliable. Pleasant experience overall.

It was a great pleasure to work with Lawrence and his team at akiHAUS. They were able to help me with the renovation of my new home. Lawrence and his team did not just come out with a cookie cutter solution. Instead, they are meticulous and mindful of my needs as a home owner. In fact, the first few session with him was all about my needs as a home, my habits, how I would use the home etc and not about the design aspects. akiHAUS constantly challenged me to step out of a fixed mindset and comfort zone and look at the designs from a fresh perspective. Lawrence has a keen eye for design and details. He and his team had opened up options that I had never thought about before. The renovation went smoothly as Lawrence team had introduced a trustworthy renovation firm who had many in-house expertise. They were able to ensure the renovation was done on time and the quality of work was good. I thank Lawrence and his team for their hard work and wish them every future success.