Ting-Ying Ho · CLIENT: Zhu-Mi Interior Design
Cat Waltz is a residential interior design for a 99.1 square meter apartment shared by a couple and their cat. The original two plus one bedroom layout was reworked into two bedrooms, freeing one room as an open cat playroom linked to the master bedroom by an arched passage with a safety hatch. Curves shape the home, and a large structural beam is absorbed into a folded television wall. A butter yellow entry uses patterned tiles made from laminate flooring to meet building codes. Non-toxic coatings and low-formaldehyde carpentry support a healthy interior.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The home's highlight is a 'secret cat passage,' where a removed room makes way for feline activity, with an arched doorway leading to the master bedroom and an extra hatch for safety. Curves define the design: a structural beam is softened into a fondant-like TV wall, while a butter-yellow entry with patterned tiles and playful art creates instant cheer. A circular skylight anchors family meals, and nightstands double as Bluetooth speakers with wireless charging. A transparent cabinet for Feng Shui adds balance. Flowing like a waltz, the residence is shaped by curves and circles.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The home measures 99.1 square meters. Originally configured as a 2 plus 1 bedroom, the layout was reworked into two bedrooms. One small room was removed to create an open cat playroom, which is linked to the master bedroom via a secret passage. The social area employs arcs to soften beams, while the open-plan living and dining areas share unobstructed views, establishing the communal zone as the core of family life. Bedrooms were enhanced with a daybed and sliding mirrored cabinets, combining Feng Shui considerations with additional storage.
- Tags
- Pet-Friendly Home, Curved Design, Light Tone, Non-Toxic Paints, Creamy Playful Style, Integrated Storage
- Production Technology
- The palette centers on soft cream, accented by butter yellow and bright dining chairs reflecting the wife's playful taste. PP board veneers the TV wall, concealed doors, and cat tunnel wall, chosen for its non-toxic, easy-to-clean quality. Wood-grain cabinetry in matching tones adds harmony, while specialty coatings and low-formaldehyde carpentry ensure a healthy environment. The entry's lively patterned tiles, though crafted from laminate flooring to meet accessibility codes, balance practicality with charm.
- Design Challenge
- The greatest challenge came from the large structural beam. Traditional rectangular cabinetry would have emphasized its bulk and awkwardness. Instead, the designer dissolved the beam into the flowing television wall with curved folds, allowing light to cascade naturally along its arcs and easing its visual impact. A further challenge arose from the community's building code, which prohibited removing the entryway threshold tile. The solution was to substitute patterned tiles crafted from laminate flooring, overcoming construction restrictions while achieving refined aesthetics.
- Project Duration
- The project finished in February 2024 in Taiwan.
- Operation Flow
- After moving in, the couple often hosted friends, and the home was praised as a 'dream-like influencer residence.' Guests immediately sensed the freshness of non-toxic coatings and the luminous play of light and color. The vivid yet balanced palette left a strong impression, while the cat's passage and playroom gave it free rein as the star of the space. The owners' greatest joy came from friends' praise: 'This home is so comfortable, and it tells a story.' The project unites aesthetics with safe, joyful, pet-friendly living.
- Research
- Located in Guishan, Taoyuan, this project takes inspiration from the flowing rhythm of a waltz, using curves to integrate structure, circulation, and atmosphere. Life unfolds like music: the cat slipping through its arched passage, the couple sharing meals at a round table. The 2 plus 1 layout was reconfigured into two bedrooms, freeing one as a cat play area with a hidden link to the master bedroom. A large beam became a soft focal point in the curved TV wall, while playful butter-yellow walls, patterned tiles, a circular skylight, and tech-integrated nightstands enrich daily living.
- Inspiration
- The 99.1 square meters apartment in Guishan, Taoyuan, is home to a couple and their cat. The wife favors creamy hues and a touch of playful whimsy, while the husband gravitates toward gaming-inspired, clean-lined atmospheres. The designer interwove these preferences into a soft, rounded, and flowing domestic melody. The project's name derives from its imagery: like a waltz, curvilinear design allows people and pets to move fluidly throughout the home, where daily rhythms shift with the interactions between humans and animals.
- Image Credits
- Zhu-Mi Interior Design
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