Chief operating officer Grace Yip's four-storey home at Upper Bukit Timah is nestled against nature and her idyllic retreat from the fast-paced banking world. She lives alone in the home, which is slightly under 5,000 square feet in size, and one of 32 units in this private development. 

Ms Yip picked a unit that comes with a private pool. "I do like to soak in the pool with a glass of wine. I usually get my best ideas sitting out here," she says.

As with her previous two homes, Ms Yip designed the space herself. "I'm passionate about interior design," she explains. She cleverly connects the indoors and outdoors seamlessly with her choice of colours for her living room. There are plenty of greens, browns and greys, with wood accents, such as the Butterfly Stool which stands on one side in the living room.

Wood accents such as the Butterfly Stool shows her love for modern things with some Asian influences.

Ms Yip lives alone, and while some may feel that the house is too big for her, she says she loves having the space. "Space is a luxury," she says. But she doesn't feel lonely here, as she often has friends over.

Ms Yip created a reading corner on the second storey. It is also on this floor where the guest rooms are. But what would make visitors do a double take is the wallpaper at the reading corner. It shows endless rows bookshelves filled with tomes, and at first glance, it looks so real. "I love wallpaper, as they can be fun around the home," she says. 

Ms Yip is a fan of sake glasses, which she has been collecting for the last six years. Her favourite is a set of four sake glasses that depicts Mount Fuji during the four seasons. She has a story for everything in her home. For example, she has an hourglass on display, as she says "life is told in how you spend your time".

Ms Yip has a story for everything in her home. 

Photos: The Business Times

Adapted from an article written by Tay Suan Chiang for The Business Times.