Cleverly displayed figurines and humorous decals allow the personality of this collector to shine. ELIZA HAMIZAH finds out more about the fun interiors.
SETTING THE SCENE
Carmen of interior design firm Wolf Woof chose a white and grey palette to provide a clean backdrop for homeowner Aaron’s colourful toys, as well as the customised decals. The entire TV feature wall is made out of white, black and red Lego blocks, which Carmen’s team painstakingly put together to achieve the look of a handheld game console.
QUIRKY DETAILS
As the couple did not want to reconfigure the layout, Carmen and her team focused on customising humorous decal designs – inspired by Aaron’s love for Japanese pop culture and Star Wars. Step into the home, and Star Wars’ CP30 will greet you with “How are you?” in Japanese, while Yoda bids you to enjoy your meal with a cheeky pun: “May the fork be with you.”
The love for toys, streetwear and pop culture is strong in Aaron Hai. Together with his wife, Wah Miin, the IT professionals share their four room apartment with over a hundred toys and pairs of shoes. (He has a crisp pair of Alexander Wang x Adidas Original BBall Sneakers and a vintage pair of Nike Jordan 4 Retro that other sneaker collectors are bound to want.) Don’t expect rows and rows of ordinary glass cabinets, though. The couple engaged Carmen Tang of Wolf Woof to design unique yet functional ways of incorporating Aaron’s many interests – these include a Lego feature wall and a striking A Bathing Ape camouflage wardrobe decal. See what went into the $30,000 renovation (excluding furnishings).
WHO LIVES HERE
A couple in their 30s and 40s, and their parents HOME Four-bedroom condominium apartment in Pasir Ris SIZE 1,280sqf
FIGURINE IT OUT
Aaron points out the green ABC Bearbrick (No. 5) and Mika Ninagawa Sakura (No. 8) as among his favourites, as they are collaborations with his favourite Japanese brand, A Bathing Ape, and photographer Mika Ninagawa. “Sakura is a representation of Mika’s signature work, which revolves around flowers and landscapes. I have the bigger, 1,000 per cent version of this, too,” gushes Aaron.
FORM AND FUNCTION
Despite the cheerful nature of the toys and bold prints, functionality still remains a priority. A full panel of the signature A Bathing Ape camouflage print would have been too busy, so Carmen introduced a pegboard element to the wardrobe door. The white pegboard not only provides a visual break, it also allows for a more versatile display. Pictured are the Andy Warhol, Yayoi Kusama and Kaws BFF figurines (all purchased at the Museum of Modern Art in New York).
DEDICATED COLLECTOR
“I have been collecting the toys since I was a teenager, but it was only when I started working that I pursued more limited-edition items from both overseas and online,” says Aaron. As his collection is far greater than the amount of space given to his toy display, he has to occasionally rotate the collectibles.
BEDROOM BANTER
Though Wah Miin does not mind her husband’s toy obsession, Aaron still wanted to make it up to her for “taking over the entire house”. Carmen gave this sincere apology a humorous take with the customised hisand-hers decal. “Giving Wah Miin the bigger portion of the bed is a playful twist, which complements the rest of the home’s mood and design,” says the designer.
photography TAN WEI TE art direction NONIE CHEN
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