Houzz Tour: This Designer Let His Creativity Loose in His Home
With no clients to answer to, this interior designer defied boundaries when renovating his own home
We probably don’t have to tell you, but renovating and designing a home is no easy feat. So imagine doing it for a living while balancing client briefs and budgets. So when it was time for design director Raymond Seow of Free Space Intent to design his own home, he relished the opportunity to unleash his creativity. “Designing my own home means that I’m not answerable to any client. It has to make me happy; not somebody else. So everything you see here is a combination of things that I love and enjoy at that particular moment. From the potted greenery to the shelf of collectible toys to the pastel colours around the house.” The challenge, he says, was to find the right balance between these different design elements.
One of his biggest accomplishments is the feature wall in the living room. Aquamarine mosaic tiles form an irregular pattern that seems to blossom on the wall behind the television set. Raymond describes it as installation art. “The tiles are laid in an organic pattern. I allowed it speak to me and form itself naturally, instead of over-planning its eventual shape. It looks disarmingly simple, but it took an entire day to finish. All I had was an idea that the wall would be irregular. So I spent the entire day working on it. I could have finished tiling two bathrooms in that time! But I think the end result is definitely worth the time and effort.”
On the back wall of the living room is another organic design. This time, a polygon formed by geometric shapes take centre stage as an expression of Raymond’s creativity. With just paint, a calculated eye and steady hands, the designer created a design that’s simple yet striking. He also realised that bold, primary colours would drown out the design so he chose quiet pastel colours instead.
Another burst of colour defines the dining area. Here, a wall is covered in colourful hexagonal panels once again forming an irregular shape. “It looks simple, but I underwent several rounds of selection just to figure out the right combination of colours to use,” Raymond says, explaining his design.
“How many blue panels should I have? How many pink ones? Do the colours go together? It was a learning process to find the right balance. But that’s why I love this design. It’s not symmetrical, but it looks balanced to my eyes.”
“How many blue panels should I have? How many pink ones? Do the colours go together? It was a learning process to find the right balance. But that’s why I love this design. It’s not symmetrical, but it looks balanced to my eyes.”
The balcony in this apartment is put to good use, with a weather-friendly dining set providing an al fresco experience for Raymond and his wife. He wanted to complement the outdoor space with potted plants and wood furniture.
With no one’s whims and needs to cater for by his own, Raymond could express himself in unconventional ways using different wall treatments. The master bedroom is a successful experiment with geometric shapes in striking colours. Padded panels were meticulously placed together to form another polygonal shape that acts as the bed’s headboard. It’s an innovative alternative to the typical headboard, and one that’s appropriate in a home as eccentric as this one.
While the rest of the home bears a sense of eclecticism and a tinge of the Scandinavian, the guest bedroom has an Oriental vibe to it. Raymond picked out a wallpaper that depicts a spring scene, introducing an air of tranquility to this space. However, he once again brought balance to the design with pastel colours that visually link this room to the others.
“I’m happy to have designed a place that I enjoy looking at,” Raymond says. He admits that not everyone will understand the direction of the design, but it’s something that he enjoys coming home to each day. “It’s not a showroom; it’s a collection of things that I enjoy. That’s what a home should be. And this home is a collection of colours and materials that I like. It’s my personal museum.”
TELL US
What is your favourite feature in this home? Share in the Comments below.
TELL US
What is your favourite feature in this home? Share in the Comments below.
Who lives here: Interior designer Raymond Seow and his wife
Location: Condominium at Upper Thomson Road
Size: 998 square feet (93 square metres)
Project duration: 2 months
One of the most noticeable things about this home is the consistent use of colours. It’s defining, but never overwhelming. “I’ve always liked using colours in the home,” explains Raymond. “I’m not one who enjoys clean lines or sleek designs. I prefer homes that have a lot of life and personality. That’s the direction I headed towards with the design of my own home.” With that in mind, the seasoned designer decided to incorporate everything he likes, from pastel colours to geometric shapes to Scandinavian-influenced furniture.