The home of celebrity, sportsman and fitness icon Vincent Ng embraces his values, beliefs and the people he holds dear. LYNN TAN finds out where the multi-hyphenate spends his time, when away from the public eye.
A wushu master, his wife and mother HOME A landed home in the north-east SIZE 2,160sqf (land area), 3,850sqf (built-up area)
For World Wushu Champion and three-time SEA Games gold medallist Vincent Ng, wushu is an expression of body movement through coordination and balance. “There is an emphasis on lines, flexibility, physical and mental strength, and it is rooted in values and tradition,” he says. Perhaps stemming from his martial arts background, Vincent’s approach towards design is a balance between tradition and the avant-garde to achieve something modern and homely.
The founder of wushu school Wufang Singapore is well-known not just in the sports arena. He is also a familiar face on local television, playing Sun Wukong in The Legend of the Eight Immortals and police officer Ricky Soh in Heartlanders. In 2017, he gave up his bachelor pad located in The Residences at W Singapore Sentosa Cove and purchased this landed home, in order to live with his parents, be near his two sisters, and spend more time with the extended family. That same year, Vincent found his soul mate and they tied the knot.
He is particular about alignment, order and organisation, both in wushu, as well as his home, and he found an interior designer who is equally, if not more, scrupulous about such details. OSC By Norman Yeo came highly recommended by Vincent’s close friend, veteran Singaporean model Celia Teh. Norman’s star-studded clientele includes high net worth individuals, and international and local celebrities such as Fann Wong, David Gan and Ann Kok, who appreciate his bespoke and personalised service. “OSC is a one-stop design and build concept, which is a niche market that not many are able to provide in Singapore,” Norman points out.
Every one of his projects is designed and tailor made according to the client’s preference and lifestyle. Vincent’s home is no exception and their shared meticulousness is what fuels the client designer chemistry. Here, design is used to showcase craftsmanship and detailing, and not the other way round.
A central axis runs the length of the house, beginning from the porch, continuing through the living room and into the dry kitchen. Elements such as the main door, television console and kitchen island, right down to the tile line, are all aligned along this datum. And this is just the tip of the iceberg, with regard to the painstaking thoroughness that has gone into the design and construction of the interior.
Even the minutest of details are not spared Norman’s precision. The exposed edges of tiles are carefully chamfered to create a seamless finish. Laminates are applied with a machine press to eliminate any waviness, and the edges where two pieces of laminates meet are so well-bonded that you do not see or feel the joints. All the screws and fixings in the carpentry are concealed, and the weight of cabinet doors are assessed against hinge sizes to prevent sagging.
Blackout curtains have hidden stitching, and they drape 30mm over the floor so that there is no chance of the faintest trace of light penetrating through stitching holes or from under hems . The width of the curtains are precisely measured so that they fall in regular pleats, regardless of whether they are drawn.
Even washbasin drainage holes and shower floor traps are discreetly hidden from view. End walls are deftly terminated with a special stainless steel piece at the bottom junction.
The devil is in the detail but the statement pieces are what anchor each space and give it a spatial and visual focus. The television console feature wall in the living room, for example, is a real showstopper. It is suspended from the ceiling to create a floating effect, and this is heightened by extending the floor, with its honed porcelain tiles, towards the porch on the same level.
“It was a challenge that I posed to Norman and we had fun working it out,” recalls Vincent. The juxtaposition of materials such as the highgloss ebony laminates against a black marble base provides an interesting contrast between smooth and textured, glossy and matte, while the purple accent lighting adds to the drama.
The centrepiece in the dry kitchen is the island-cumdining table. The interlockin configuration of the black granite kitchen island and the engineered-wood dining table is a visual spectacle in itself.
On closer inspection, the way the dining table has been cantilevered from the kitchen island could have been achieved only through mastery of both design and construction. Apart from this significant design feature, the dining area also holds a symbolic meaning for Vincent, who cherishes dinner time with his family. “As a bachelor, I hardly dined in. Since moving to our new home, we have been having dinner at home almost every evening, and the dining table is where we chat and share about our day as a family,” he says.
Evidently, what sets Norman’s works apart is the marriage of craftsmanship and detail, which Norman firmly believes must go hand in hand. “It is not just about experience, but more importantly, experimentation. It takes years to master a detail through repeated trials and refinement,” he emphasises. He admits that it does take longer to properly resolve the detailing but the results speak for themselves.
For Vincent, who is used to life in the public eye, home is a place where he can feel settled emotionally, physically and mentally. “It is where I can be myself, without any restraint or inhibition,” he confesses. Over the past few years, the self-professed workaholic has slowed down to spend more time with his family.
“My family is what motivates me and makes me feel more focused,” he shares.
And, now, he has the perfect home to share with the people that he loves.
WHERE TO GO OSC by Norman Yeo,
The leather travertine feature wall behind the headboard has an interesting texture that is a contrast of smooth and rough. It has an iridescent, quartz-like effect against the light that creates a mesmerising visual spectacle.
Norman sealed off the void at the top of the stairwell to create a master suite for Vincent, with a foyer and lounge area.
The master bath has a soothing spa-like ambience. The lighting feature around the rain shower creates a halo effect.
A meditative rock garden along the boundary wall gives the exterior a calming quality.
Beneath Vincent’s masculine appearance is a loving husband and filial son.
