A variety of different textures and surfacing materials meet to create eye-catching details, while accentuating the beauty of the home’s high ceilings.
A geometric theme,
seen in the choice
of soft furnishings
and materials in the
living area, gives the
home a trendy and
fun look.
When doing up his own home, Stan Tham saw it as an “experimental space”, for certain design concepts and ideas to materialise. As an interior designer, he appreciates different styles and has varied tastes, so it isn’t surprising that the home he shares with his wife, Selene Wee, has an eclectic look: “Everything within is a bit different,” he says, yet it all comes together effortlessly.
The idea was simply to be surrounded by the things the couple like, from contemporary furniture and interesting textured materials to street art-style framed prints and statement decor pieces. “The things in the house are not necessarily expensive – the key is to pick out things and mix and match them,” he says.
The renovation cost them around $30,000, with a clean design that is played up by the furnishings and accent features. But the main thing Stan did was to creatively incorporate surfacing materials into the built-in carpentry, as well as existing structures.
Also, as the apartment features a high ceiling of 3.35m, he made the most of it by “building everything up, as high as possible”, to draw the eye upwards. Here’s what he used:
In front of the
attention-grabbing
rusted metal wall
that greets you
as you enter the
home, a decorative
fixture comprising
a lamp from John
Erdos, as well as
a bird and branch
figurine bought
online, shows the
designer’s creativity
and unique style.
Stan Tham and his
wife Selene Wee.
A dark-hued,
textured acoustic
foam wallcovering
from Arte was
chosen for the
living room feature
wall to serve as a
simple yet stylish
backdrop for the TV.
The footprint of
the kitchen was
extended a little,
and it now features
an open concept
with a cantilevered
peninsula counter
that’s topped with
geometric tiles
(below a piece
of glass).
As an interior
designer, Stan
often works from
home and has a
dedicated study
and “man cave”,
with separate
zones defined by
the mezzanine.
A wallcovering with
a weathered brick
design, as well as
collectible figurines
and framed prints,
give the designer’s
home office
much character.
The bedroom is
kept simple and
restful, with just the
essential furniture
pieces and a
neutral colour
scheme.
As seen in the
reading room,
Stan is a fan of
bold, graphical
contemporary art.
He has decorated
his home with
many colourful
prints, such as
those by Dutch
artist Parra and
German stencil
artist Kunstrasen.
Paint
To achieve an industrial-inspired touch in the entrance foyer, Stan used a special effects paint from Porter’s Paint to create a rusted metal wall. He applied a clear rust coating on a base coat of black iron paint. This was a trial-and-error job, the designer explains, as he had no idea how the final result would look, and it would varyaccording to individual application.
The walls and ceiling of the second bedroom, now used as a reading room, was painted a bold, deep shade of blue. For a small room, this seems counterintuitive, but the outcome is a cosy and intimate space.
Wallcoverings
In Stan’s home office and “man cave”, whichhas a mezzanine, white weathered brick wallpaper adds dimension and character. The designer’s love for art is also seen here;hung up on the wall all the way to the ceilingare framed prints from the likes of Germanstencil artist Kunstrasen. He also chose textured wallcoverings – an acoustic foam textured one from Arte for the living room TV feature wall, and a paintable one from Kelly Hoppen for the bedroom.
Patterned tiles
The kitchen was extended and has an openconcept, with a cantilevered peninsula counter zoning the area. Stan got tiles with a geometric optical illusion design installed,as a countertop, finished with clear glass.
Glossy surfaces
The homeowner used mirror panels to clad certain walls – in the entrance foyer and in the living room – to visually enlarge space. This treatment is especially effectivewhen done on the entire vertical surface, tobalance the high ceilings of the apartment. He also mounted on each mirrored wall an attractive art print, for added interest.
Text Louisa Clare Lim Photography Darren Chang Portrait Jasper Yu Art Direction Kaffy Tan
