Bijou Review

The Bijou showflat is located in the West Coast, opposite Far East Organisation’s other upcoming project; SeaHill. As a mixed development, it will have shops, including a grocery store. The management of the shops will be handled by Far East, as is often the case with other developments from them.

Bijou 3D model grocery store

As for the showunits, two are available for viewing, one is a 53 sqm 1-bedroom SOHO and the other is the 71 sqm 2-bedroom with attic. Before delving into the units proper, here are a few things that are consistent with all units:

• all units come with marble and wood flooring and buyers can choose the type from a list
• all appliances are by Bosch and everything, including washing machine and fridge are provided
• Fridges are not built-in to make it easier for owners to change/maintain when necessary

1-bedroom SOHO (52 sqm): For a studio apartment, a 52 sqm (570 sqft) unit can often times look small and cramped, but not so for Bijou’s 1-bedroom unit. With a ceiling height of 3.3m for the living room, and a ‘study platform’ built above the kitchen, the unit is as spacious as it looks.

1BR SoHo living room

The ID (interior design) full length mirror next to the couch accentuates the space by adding some perceived depth. When done right, like it was here, harmless mirror trickery enhances the look of a unit.

It’s a decent addition and serves as a suggestion for owners wanting to add a little bit more to an already move-in ready unit. As a single bedroom unit, the SOHO (Small Office Home Office), layout with the ‘study platform’ is unobtrusive at best.

Most developments tend to allocate a yard space for the study room but Bijou separates both without cutting corners but making the most of all the space provided, especially horizontally.

1-bedroom SOHO Kitchen and study platform

There is a study room, which given its generous size, could double up as a second, smaller bedroom instead. Or it could even be converted into a large walk-in wardrobe. This room is on the left after entering from the main door.

The kitchen is on the right upon entering with the staircase to the platform just view of the door.

The platform is sturdy and quite wide. A small work table can fit comfortably including a chair. You could even throw some bean bags and turn this into a cosy relaxation corner. Regardless, it’s spacious enough and has its own plug points so it can be used as a full study deck or anything for that matter.

The actual study room and master bedroom are connected by a common bathroom.

1-bedroom SOHO master bedroom and shared bathroom

The bathroom is rectangular shaped with the counter and sink on one side of the wall with a full length mirror – hidden by the pillar when viewed from either rooms – and the shower area and toilet on the opposite side.

This layout keeps everything streamlined and accessible. The ample walk through space is a nice inclusion, as it is an excellent use of the unit’s layout.

Bathrooms like these are ideal and serve as a standard to be met. The layout is neat and as a result, makes the bathroom commodious. A good looking bathroom is crucial to the overall aesthetics of a unit in this unit, it’s well executed.

1-bedroom SOHO common bathroom

The master bedroom is what you’d expect of a master bedroom. It is large certainly, and can accommodate a king size bed with ample walk space.

However, this leaves a small space for the built-in wardrobe, which feels a bit lacking. Given that the room is big enough for two side tables to take up space at either ends of the bed, the small wardrobe sticks out.

An argument can be made that this is after all a 1-bedroom apartment and fortunately the room does come bare so the owner can extend the wardrobe. For the purpose of the showunit however, it is likely this has to do with the layout of this showunit as a large pillar where the window is, takes up big amount of space.

1-bedroom SOHO master bedroom

However, if this unit type is occupied by a single or a couple, then the study room is large enough to be converted into a walk-in closet. Its connection to the shared bathroom furthers this possibility.

Add that there’s already a built-in study platform, you won’t be compromising on space should you choose to convert the study room into a closet.

The master bedroom has a door leading straight to the living room so however the owner wishes to renovate, the connectivity is already present. It is after all, more costly to break down walls than it is to put them up.

Thus the space available that allows you to customise according to your preferences nicely negates the slight negatives that are a consequences of this particular layout.

2-bedroom with attic (71 sqm): Dual Key (DK) units are quite common in mid to high density projects and typically follow a simple style. DK units tend to look like studio apartments of varying sizes and while usable, they normally look tacked on then part of the overall look. Some appear almost like afterthoughts.

The DK units in Bijou however are rather grand. All DK units in Bijou are duplex apartments, with a quaint addition that gives it what Far East Organization calls its attic.

2-bedroom DK

The showunit separated both floors with the first floor as the main living area and the second as the master bedroom and attached kitchen. From the main entrance, a right turn brings you to the bathroom (which is beautifully done) and a left leads you up the stairs to the second level.

2-bedroom DK first floor bathroom

The living and dining area is after the front door and bathroom. The kitchen is well spaced out, with the fridge and oven flushed with the wall on one end and the preparation area with sink against the opposite wall.

A small dining table that sits four takes up residence in the middle but does not intrude into the living area. It does make moving around the kitchen a little harder however, given the tighter width but overall, it’s a minor issue.

2-bedroom DK kitchen

With a compact kitchen like this, the ‘living area’ can fit a king size bed with a small TV console against the far wall to house various devices and the television if it isn’t mounted on the wall.

This entire first floor is already usable as a single apartment replete with all necessary elements. When added to the second storey it opens up quite a few uses for the entire duplex unlike other traditional DK units.

For one, owners can eschew the DK nature of the unit and simply use this a two storey studio apartment.

Far East Organisation offers buyers of this unit type the option to replace the kitchen on the second storey with another bedroom, turning the unit into a true 2-bedroom apartment with the living and cooking area on the first floor.

2-bedroom DK upstairs

Or they could keep it as it is, with the second studio apartment sitting above, with its own access to the roof terrace/garden.

The master bedroom on the second storey is more impressive. It is large enough to hold a king size bed with plenty of room to go around.  It’s big enough to be its own living room.

2-bedroom DK master bedroom

The built-in wardrobe is different by industry standards, with see-through sliding doors that emphasize the space. It looks good and the see-through doors make the space look bigger than if everything were covered up.

Furthermore, in a move to minimise wasted space, Far East has built a furniture deck above the closet dubbed the attic. While it is completely unlike attics in other countries and can be seen as a furniture deck, there are some marked differences here that sets it apart.

Unlike other decks that disallow you from standing up, there’s enough space – provided you’re not exceptionally tall – to stand and walk about.

2-bedroom DK furniture deck

Throw a few small couches up there and you’ve got a nice getaway spot to recline at or to do some work in. It’s also big enough to house a television and a console. Or a computer desk to work on. The possibilities are entirely up to the owner. The attic is a smart use of horizontal space and the fact that it is sturdy enough for the owner to actually use it is great.

Since the DK units occupy the highest floors the master bedroom has a sliding door that when opened, allows the owner to walk out onto the roof terrace and/or use the swimming pool.

Bijou roof terrace with swimming pool

This roof terrace is available for everyone in the building but DK owners have the added benefit of direct access.

The units are planned in such a way that owners won’t have to worry about their privacy being intruded upon. Though installing curtains or some form of screen to keep potential lurkers out is still a necessity.

The DK units at Bijou are impressive. Based on the design and the offered customisation, it is good for families or newlyweds. It’s also perfect for a single resident who can use the smaller room as an office or for friends sharing the cost to save on ABSD with both ending up with decent sized living spaces to call their own.

Bijou 3D model

To compliment all of this, Bijou is freehold. It’s yours until you decide to sell and not just because the lease is up.

As such, the price appreciation for DK units is expected to be high, especially since Bijou is directly across the road from Pasir Panjang MRT station and will be connected to it.