Step into this pre-war apartment in Tiong Bahru that will have your eyes fixated on the art and posters lining the walls...
We’ve hit the vintage abode of our video producer and checked out the modern style of a massive black and white house. Now, feast your eyes for the marriage of both vintage and contemporary styles as we take a peek into entrepreneur James Ellis’ Tiong Bahru apartment.
Inside a modern Tiong Bahru apartment filled with memorabilia and antiques
We're back with another Interiors Addict video! Step into this pre-war apartment in Tiong Bahru that will have your eyes fixated on the art and posters lining the walls…Get the lowdown on the crib: https://goo.gl/oCH9b6
Posted by Honeycombers on Thursday, 1 March 2018
In this episode of Interiors Addict, we snooped around James’ pre-war pad to find our eyes trailing on every framed artwork and posters hung on the walls, bright travel souvenirs and even precious family heirlooms. Check it out for yourself here…
Hi! Tell us a bit about yourself…
My name is James and I’ve been in Singapore for the last three years. I moved over here from the UK with my partner. I work for myself — starting up a sales agency selling advertising across mobile game apps. I’ve always wanted to set up my own business and be flexible in terms of working from home, achieving work-life balance.
Now that’s a dream job! What makes Singapore the place to do so?
Asia has always been one of the places we aim for, and Singapore’s great for setting up a business in your 30s. Also, you can easily travel to anywhere in the region, and there are many nice restaurants and bars to check out too!
So, how does your lifestyle affect your living space?
Since I work from home, I think it’s important to have a space that I am happy to live and work in because I spend most of my time in here. But I do have a lot of meetings around Singapore, so I tend to leave a couple of times during the day. I like the idea of being in an open space, and in Tiong Bahru, all of the buildings are different and unique (as compared to high-rise flats and condos) with spaces that seem a lot more homey.
You mention working from home. Do have your very own workspace?
I’ve got a little desk around the corner — that’s meant to be my workspace. But the reality is I just much prefer to sit here (in the living area). I’m usually quite messy — I’ve got two computers and a lot of paperwork as well, so it’s just easier to spread out a bit. Then come evening, I’ll have to clear everything away for it to become more of a living space [laughs].
How would you describe your home style?
When we moved in, we really liked the textures of it, like the wooden walls, and the untreated concrete floor. These stood out at the time as something unique in modern Singapore. I love the natural look and textures. [The interiors] match our style anyway, with our stuff fitting in nicely in here.
Take us through your home. Where are your furniture from and why did you choose them?
Throughout the entire apartment, there’s the wood slatted panel which I like. It matches the furniture we got. We shop some of our vibrant furniture at Tan Boon Liat Building. We usually won’t get those in the UK, but it fits well in Singapore where it’s sunnier and brighter.
The piano stool is a family heirloom that belonged to my partner’s grandmother. It’s a beautiful old piece. We didn’t know how to fit it in due to its height which is great for a piano but awkward for the dining table, but we’ve made do.
Most of the things here are from Bali because I love the modern Balinese style, and even got some of them from a shop in Tiong Bahru. Some bits are also from our travels.
Interesting… What do you usually look out for when you shop for your home?
I look for are interesting antique pieces that sit well within a modern environment. For example, this table we bought from the Expat Auctions. I love this piece because this is one of the first pieces we bought and I like that’s it got heritage. I think it’s quite new but has been distressed to appear older. I really like the antique feel to it.
We also go for textural art pieces now, because a lot of our previous artworks are architectural. There are some pieces here that hold sentimental value and we had to ship them from the UK.
So, which is piece is the most significant in the house?
The dining table is the most important piece in the whole entire apartment. We often have friends over for dinner, and we tend to gather around here (the table). A big table has always been central ever since we walked into the apartment. This is the thing that made us imagine living in it.