Wealth, for this bachelor, is enjoying the luxury of space to be surrounded by verdant greenery and the things he loves. DOMENICA TAN uncovers how he styles his abode.
"Tenant Tyco Tat continues to fill the apartment with some of his favourite collections – plants and pottery – lending the space inimitable character and style."
When it comes to expanding the collection for your hobby, where do you draw the line between indulgence and obsession?
For Singapore-based Canadian designer Tyco Tat, gardening has always been something he loves. Since moving to Singapore five years ago, he has collected over 100 pots in his rented Bukit Ho Swee apartment. The three-bedroom HDB resale flat, which he rents from landscape architect Koh Jiann Bin, epitomises the idea of a “greenhouse”. Thanks to Jiann Bin’s expertise, he offers Tyco free reign over the selection and often provides care tips for the plant species.
“There are many different types of plants in tropical regions, which I’ve never encountered before. Many fascinate me, so I love collecting them,” Tyco shares. From a range of Philodendron species like the Monstera Deliciosa, to ferns, succulents and cacti, greenery fills the interiors of the flat, especially in the kitchen that sits strategically next to the windows — the perfect setting for his indoor garden.
When Jiann Bin purchased this resale unit, he kept the interiors pared down, with white homogenous tiles on the floor, a full-height display cabinet, as well as flexible storage units in the living room. Over time, Tyco decorated the space not just with his myriad plants, but also his unique, handcrafted range of ceramics and pottery that he designed.
Tyco doesn’t just purchase plants – he actively propagates them to expand his collection.
"There are many different types of plants in tropical regions, which I've never encountered before. Many fascinate me, so I love collecting them."
The variety of plants bring colour into the white-and-grey apartment.
The living room is where Tyco displays some of his favourite knick-knacks, including handmade pottery.
Smaller pots of succulents and cactuses have a dedicated shelf beside the kitchen sink.
