C
hoo Chin Nian lives and
breathes design. The
creative head of National
Gallery Singapore believes
strongly in the Japanese design
philosophy, particularly that of
Muji creative director Kenya
Hara. It is not so much about
minimalism, but rather about
starting each design process
on a blank slate and finding a
strong core that informs the
rest of the design. This was
how Chin Nian approached
his home renovation, which
cost RM120,000 (SGD40,000).
“For the basics of the
home, I looked to Muji for
inspiration and used Adobe
Illustrator to draw everything
to scale. After stripping away
all non-structural walls, I
worked on (a core element):
a second-hand turntable set
on a pastel blue steel-and-
plywood shelf. This pastel
hue, as well as inspiration
from one of my favourite
brands, Hay, influenced the
colour scheme of my kitchen
and accessories,” he says.
Another major element
of his home design is a
voluminous two-sided
plywood wardrobe that is
connected to the platform
living room, as well as master
bedroom. This configuration
was planned so that the living
room can easily be converted
into another bedroom.
The renovation took three
months, with “lots of trial
and error, down to the colour
temperature of the lights”.
His advice to homeowners
who want to undertake their
own renovation? Firstly,
know what you want, down
to the very last detail;
secondly, have a hands-on
approach (he visited the
site every day!); and thirdly,
to find a contractor that
not only does good work,
but can communicate
clearly with you.
