This is no ordinary dwelling; It’s a home that dares to be different and where the art of intention boldly takes center stage. Time seems to slow down sleepily in Evangeline and her partner Adriel’s home, where handmade linen curtains sway gently with the generous breeze against a beautiful expansive view of Joo Chiat. Weathered surfaces are welcomed here, where they are embraced as a sign that things are well-used and loved. It truly is a textured sanctuary made to inspire an imagined way of living.
“Outside of my day job as a software engineer, I juggle a lot of random hobbies. I'm currently getting back into sketching after years of neglect and trying out botanical design. I'm not attracted to a particular ‘theme’ or ‘aesthetic’ but I enjoy homes that embody their owners' personalities. There are a couple of series that I follow religiously: In Residence by NOWNESS and Yitiao.”
“When it came to designing our home, we randomly decided to email our brief to a couple of architects. It was sheer luck that the stars aligned and our architect Linghao got back to us.”
“Our brief was really simple: natural materials, minimum built-ins, and bringing the outside in as much as possible since we have a magnificent view! We pretty much gave our architect full creative freedom."
“While it's important to design our home according to our habits, it's just as necessary to consider how we aspire to live and to build a space that's conducive for that imagined way of living.”
“Hosting is really important to us, so we did away with any bedrooms to maximise space. Our home is a massive studio and we sleep on tatami mats that we set up every night. We also didn't install a fume hood, which has pushed us to cook healthier meals. We created a space truly customised to our lifestyles. For example, I usually make filter coffee in a rush before work starts at 6am, and it's a great feeling knowing that you don't have to clean up any spills immediately with a stainless steel countertop.”
“We try to put our lives on display, which is why you see lots of open shelving with everything in easy reach. Every object we bring into our home goes through what we jokingly call a rigorous two-step approval process. It has to be something we both love and would want to use for a long time. We think a lot about how things age. It's easy to get caught up with trying to keep things looking as new as possible, especially when you are just finished with a fresh renovation. But the reality is things get worn over time.”
“We like picking materials that develop a patina, and in a way that gives them an ageless appearance. Our bathroom doors and platform are made of solid ironwood timber that has darkened with time, and our hand-hammered copper sinks have oxidised beautifully. The stainless steel kitchen island wears its numerous scratches with pride. It's a sign that these objects have been well loved.”
“Every object in our home has to be beautiful to our eyes but also serve a function. In general, we don't buy any decorative items; there can be beauty in the everyday, mundane things.”
“Our donabe pots that we use to cook rice with also happen to be the centrepiece on our rosewood cabinet. They have lots of marks from the flames, but in a way that enhances them. A well-used object is always in its prime. And yes, we take triple the time to make rice but the result is glorious.”
“You will find us browsing regularly at Noden as we are fans of Danish vintage furniture. We also hand-carried our Noguchi lamps home from our travels. We love supporting artists and makers, so you will find numerous things in our home that have been painstakingly made by various craftspeople. For example, all our fabrics and lampshades have been made by soma folk.”
“While our process helps us build a curated home, it can take forever to buy a particular item. For example, after we moved in, we sat on the floor for two months during meals because we were waiting for the right dining chairs. We would rather do without, than buy something ‘just for now’, only to throw it away later. Until now, we still haven't decided on the bathroom mirrors, and my partner has learnt to shave without a mirror (laugh).”
“Now that we've gotten most of the essential pieces, we’re looking forward to enjoying our home without having to sit on the floor. It's nice to just slow down and enjoy everything.”
