Houzz Tour: Vintage Dreaming in a Filmmaker’s Modern Home
With industrial style as a backdrop, every item in Singaporean director Royston Tan’s apartment tells a story
“I’ve known Roy for about seven to eight years now,” designer Raymond Seow says. He’s referring to award-winning Singaporean filmmaker Royston Tan, who has gained acclaim for his gritty movie 15 and his succeeding films 4:30, 881, 12 Lotus and 3688. Recently, Tan won the award for best Asian short film for Bunga Sayang at the 2016 Sapporo International Short Film Festival.
Just as making a film is a collaborative artistic effort, so too was designing Tan’s apartment. Seow, who also designed Tan’s previous home, describes the chemistry between the two artists: “He kind of knows what I can do, and I kind of know what he likes.”
Just as making a film is a collaborative artistic effort, so too was designing Tan’s apartment. Seow, who also designed Tan’s previous home, describes the chemistry between the two artists: “He kind of knows what I can do, and I kind of know what he likes.”
The entryway to the director’s home is a study in stark, clean lines, accentuated only by the vivid koi artwork that welcomes guests. “I removed the false ceiling to expose the roof structure beyond,” Seow says. The result is a greater sense of space in what could have been a cramped area.
What lay beneath also served its purpose in a home that takes inspiration from industrial design elements. “One can see the brickwork, concrete beams, cable trays and ducting — a very bold move for me and Royston,” Seow says.
What lay beneath also served its purpose in a home that takes inspiration from industrial design elements. “One can see the brickwork, concrete beams, cable trays and ducting — a very bold move for me and Royston,” Seow says.
The entry leads into the dining area. “The only built-in fixture installed in the whole house is the concrete bench for the dining area. It’s a practical design feature that makes the most of the space’s narrow width,” Seow says. Across from the bench are a couple of vintage chairs from Tan’s collection.
Lending character and texture to the space, a weathered door — originally from Shandong, China — was installed along sliding tracks to close off the kitchen.
Lending character and texture to the space, a weathered door — originally from Shandong, China — was installed along sliding tracks to close off the kitchen.
“The nature of Royston’s work involves working with lots of props, and he’s used to being able to move loose furniture around. So the look of the interior is always changing,” Seow says. “So I decided to go for a clean, industrial-Zen look, with concrete-screed finished wall[s] and floors and minimal built-in fixtures.”
Seow describes the space as an “uncluttered, bare structural canvas” that allows his client to “have free play in styling the place with his collection of vintage furniture and decor pieces — of which he has about two huge rental storage rooms’ worth.”
Seow describes the space as an “uncluttered, bare structural canvas” that allows his client to “have free play in styling the place with his collection of vintage furniture and decor pieces — of which he has about two huge rental storage rooms’ worth.”
Old and new sit cozily side by side in the living area. Above the Danish modern sofa hangs a signboard from a hair salon that has been around since the 1960s. “As a student, Royston used to walk by it every day,” Seow says. The signboard was a gift from the salon owner to Tan, who ended up filming his documentary Old Romances there a few years ago.
A pink rotary pay phone on the side table adds to the retro vibe.
A pink rotary pay phone on the side table adds to the retro vibe.
Picture windows let an abundance of light into the home. To the right of the living area, a poster of one of Tan’s movies takes pride of place alongside some favorites from his vintage collection: reupholstered original seats from Singapore’s historic movie theater, the Capitol Theatre.
An old TV console serves as a divider between the living area and study. The neutral monochromatic walls act as both canvas and backdrop for the many interesting and quirky decorative pieces.
Seow says they even had to replace the flooring to achieve the clean, industrial look that both he and his client wanted. “The existing compressed marble floor was demolished and replaced with huge concrete-look homogenous tiles,” he says.
Seow says they even had to replace the flooring to achieve the clean, industrial look that both he and his client wanted. “The existing compressed marble floor was demolished and replaced with huge concrete-look homogenous tiles,” he says.
In the study, an antique glass and wood cabinet stores various knickknacks, including some of the owner’s old toys. A vintage radio and electric fan round out the space’s nostalgic feel.
Retro floor tiles and an old mirror are pleasing contrasts to the otherwise contemporary bathroom.
On the upper story, the master bedroom is a room with a view. The outdoor pool’s bright blue tiles add a splash of color that’s echoed by the weathered window frame that hangs over the bed.
A movie poster and one of Tan’s vintage folding chairs adorn one side of the room. Wood flooring complements the cement-screed walls to create a cozy space.
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Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Royston Tan, award-winning Singaporean filmmaker
Location: Kovan, Singapore
Size: 1,335 square feet (124 square meters)
Designer: Raymond Seow, principal designer at Free Space Intent