The Quinn Review

Propshort: If the 3BR penthouse is anything to go by, units at The Quinn are beautifully designed in a retro, colonial look with subtle post-modern sensibilities that exudes homeliness and comfort while suffused with its luxury offerings. It’s a top tier product with a small number of units to be considered rare. And with affordable prices, it’s certainly a must-have for property lookers with an eye toward truly unique homes. That it is freehold is icing on an already delicious cake.

For all its posh and class, The Quinn never comes off as pretentious. Low-rise, the four block, 5-storey development is influenced by French Indochine architecture which is so ubiquitous and yet subtle, that this classical atmosphere is felt almost immediately.

The Quinn exterior

The display unit is a 3BR Deluxe penthouse (1841 sqft) that while isn’t quite sprawling and dripping in abundance as some of its ilk, is still spacious with every bit of the home having a purpose that fits perfectly into a greater whole. The pull back on offering wide swathes of space – typically seen in the form of massive balconies and large bedrooms which are then hamstrung by elaborate bathrooms and bay windows – makes The Quinn an extremely attractive and classy development that delivers on where it counts.

The colonial design aside, the display unit comes across as a traditional sort of home, where the living and dining rooms are separated so parents can raise their kids away from the television.

Living and dining

It is also an easy thing to miss but upon entering the apartment, it is the living room that greets you, instead of the kitchen. While this might be a result of this unit’s particular layout, it does hearken back to the layouts of older type of developments where the living room is an extension of the welcome area. It is infinitely a better look and one that is sorely missed.

The dining area is just behind the living area and not all that far from the television. It is however in its own space so neither aspects of the greater living room feel sacrificed so one or the other could exist. The high ceiling certainly helps in adding depth, alleviating much of the constraints one might feel in a unit with a regular ceiling height.

High ceiling in the living and dining area

The balcony is accessible from a door behind the dining table. It is more long than wide though the fact that it runs behind the unit- is connected and therefore enterable through sections in the main area- and the two bedrooms on the ground floor, adds more synchronicity to a tastefully designed home.

Balcony that connects dining area with the two bedrooms .

The balcony on this level gives a commanding view of the adjacent Bartley Road and Underpass while the Bidadari Memorial Park reclines just opposite. There are very few buildings in the immediate vicinity so it’s an excellent view to take in any time of the day. The verdant greenery and expansive open sky are all fantastic additions to a gorgeous property.

The length of the balcony makes it suitable to host a party, provided it’s all done on a clear day. The balcony however, is exposed to the elements so leaving furniture out here might not be the best idea.

View of Bidadari from balcony

The bedrooms that are connected to the balcony is a common bedroom and one that can serve as a master bedroom. The rooms all come with an in-built wardrobe and enough vertical space to have a furniture or study deck built in to take advantage of that fact.

1st Common bedroom

The other room can take a queen size bed though that or a king size bed would be limiting other furniture you might want to include that are not floating shelves. However, there’s plenty of walk space especially at the foot of the bed to where the exit/entrance to the balcony is.

2nd Common bedroom

The room is quaint but never cramped or starved for space and part of this is thanks to the developer’s sensibilities when it comes to where the bathroom is located. Used as a common bathroom for the ground floor, the absence of an en-suite bathroom might not appeal to some buyers, but ultimately, most units in many developments do not have the extra space to spare for the design to be split in this manner.

Common bathroom

In The Quinn, the bathroom is shared and as a result, large, pristine and accessible, with a wet area protected by glass panels and boxed off with a swing door. It is a shared design that makes the best use of its space.

Just before the bathroom is the kitchen and what you see here, is largely what you get.

Kitchen

In particular, the bright red and retro Smeg fridge. Every unit comes with a fridge like this which only serves to drive home the point that The Quinn isn’t just unique for its façade and layout, it is unique down to its little details (at least, where those details make sense). The other appliances are also included, including washer/dryer from Electrolux.

Even the see-through panel (marked by the blinds to the right of the sofa) separating the kitchen from the living room is part of the design. The blinds are part of the ID but not the panel; that comes with the units.

Living and dining areas

This is fantastic for parents as the extra visibility allows them to keep an eye on their children playing in the living room while they prepare meals in the kitchen.

It is all impressive. The Quinn’s quaint and modern sensibilities creates a fantastic dichotomy in the architecture. As a result, the living spaces have the added feeling of something extra, rather than coming across as generic homes built off a template.

And here’s the kicker; this is just the ground floor. There’s still the second storey.

The second storey of this unit comes attached with a terrace. This terrace is also linked to its own corridor so in many ways, the second floor can serve in a dual-key function where the tenants above can ingress and egress without disturbing the people below.

Top level terrace

The extra room shown in the picture above is part of the ID treatment with blinds to serve as a privacy screen as a closed off room isn’t allowed. Take away the room and the full scale of the terrace will be laid bare. However, with the construction of the room, residents can turn it into a dining area or even an entertainment room that is connected with the main area on the second floor. Break down some walls and throw up walls elsewhere and the layout changes according to whatever construction designs the resident may have.

Furthermore, all second storey units have its own bathroom to compliment the single bedroom. It also comes complete with its own pantry with a working sink and cabinets. The island is part of the ID treatment and is therefore not included in the actual unit (unless you purchase this particular unit).

Top floor pantry

But with or without it, the pantry area is impressive and unique as far as second storey penthouses go. The extra space allows for plenty of ideas to take hold and manifest with a good designer. As it is without the additions, the space is large and inviting for weekly BBQs or occasional dinner parties.

The bedroom is large for a queen, even a king size bed and is therefore sufficient for a married couple. This unit is ideal for a multi-generation family or even just two generations.

Top floor layout with bedroom, pantry and bathroom

The bathroom here has a different layout than the one on the second floor but it’s just as large and perhaps more inclusive since it’s used by the people living upstairs.

Top floor pantry area comes with cabinets and sink

The top floor continues the quaint but modern motif began by the first floor and it all fits together so nicely that even though you’re acutely aware of the luxury surrounding you, it still feels homely and welcoming instead of fake or trying too hard. It’s a great look and a fantastic unit.