Royston Tan – known for his art cinema feature and short films, such as Sons, Mother, 881 and 15 – is one of Singapore’s most celebrated and renowned film-makers.
2-Storey Condo in Serangoon
Royston envisioned his apartment – a 2-storey two-plus one-bedroom condominium unit in Serangoon – as a blank canvas that allows him to change his environment whenever he likes — very much like living on a film set!
Clean, Industrial, Zen
Interior designer Raymond Seow of Free Space Intent gave the apartment a “clean, industrial-zen look”, with concrete screed-finished walls and floors, and minimal built-in fixtures.
Retro Hair Salon Signboard
The beauty parlour signboard was given to Royston by the owner of Xin Cai Hong Hair Salon, which had been around since the 1960s.
Zhonghua Secondary School Alumni
As a student at Zhonghua Secondary School, Royston used to walk by every day, and ended up filming his documentary, Old Romances, there.
C-Shape Home Layout
The loft-like home has a unique C-shape layout that hugs the kitchen. Raymond maximised the natural lighting in the living area by demolishing the wall of one bedroom, in favour of a larger living room with a full stretch of windows.
A commissioned painting by local artist Elton Goh (pictured above) adds contrasting colour to the hallway. It is an artwork that has been painted over numerous times, at different milestones of Royston’s life.
Vintage Door
A weather-beaten door, originally from Shandong, China, was installed along sliding tracks to close off the kitchen. Royston first spotted this statement piece at a boutique in Orchard Central. When the shop closed down, he tracked the owner down to acquire the door!
Master Bedroom
Located on the mezzanine, the master bedroom is furnished with just the essentials –abedwithan upholstered headboard and wooden nightstands from Commune.
This article was first published on Home and Decor in March 2016.