W.J Tan's minimalist and contemporary condominium apartment in the central business district of Singapore serves as a blank canvas for his collectible furniture and art pieces.
I live here with...
My fiancée Stephanie, and my 7-year-old lazy exotic shorthair cat Bozo Meatball. Fun story: I adopted Bozo off a breeder as he was deemed too lazy for breeding.
I would describe my home as...
Minimalist contemporary.
My home design was conceptualised...
By bouncing ideas off from my existing works (at my retail stores' designs) and speaking to friends. My business partner Danny, also played a part in helping to streamline the ideas. Instead of engaging an interior designer, I worked directly with a contractor – Richard Ng from I Design Pte Ltd, as I knew exactly what I wanted. The process was a breeze as I've previously worked with him on Supplies & Co. store renovations.
On designing the home....
Most people usually start with the overall design of a home, before working the furniture in. For me, it was the total opposite. I saw the house as a blank canvas to display the furniture and artwork that I've collected. To showcase those key pieces, I went for the 'less is more' approach and opted for a clean and minimal palette.
My favourite part of the home...
The living room is the favourite and I spent the most amount of time thinking about the design. The space features a stucco lime plaster coat – coats of plaster are painted over one another, then sand-blasted down to create a natural texture that is unlike the generic painted walls which could look flat. I also took time to select additional furniture and decor pieces to match and would say it's close to what I had envisioned for the home. In fact, more pieces will be added to my living room in the months to come.
On the importance of lighting design...
Working in the retail industry has taught me that lighting is one of the most important aspect in design. I can never understand it when people purchase an expensive property, splurge on renovation, yet choose not to consider lighting design. Having fluorescent lighting in the living room may be practical but aesthetically wise, it will not enhance the environment.
On challenges in lighting up the home...
Balancing the mood and illumination was a challenge for me. I had to consider the lights to use, the lighting points, and how the beam will be eventually directed to highlight the environment. If I were to give one piece of advice to homeowners, it would be to have as many lighting points as possible, then conceal it up if you don't need them.
I came across Sol Luminaire...
When I was setting up my first retail store at Raffles Hotel, I met Joseph (owner of Sol Luminaire) who advised us on spot lighting placement to enhance products in retail spaces. I checked out their online site when my business partner Danny reminded me about their new residential lighting category. It was then that I came across Thea, the concrete-encased down lights that embodies perfection in imperfection. Now, my entire home is fitted with lights by Sol Luminaire and I'm very happy with the end results.
"Lighting is one of the most important aspect in interior design," says W.J.
Photography Munster
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