Choo Chin Nian, the creative head of National Gallery Singapore, lives and breathes design. He approached his home renovation using the Japanese design philosophy commonly espoused by 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.
“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.
The platform living room was designed to provide additional storage space, and add height, too. Chin Nian designed it so he could have a good window view in the space.
On the turntable set, Chin Nian says: “I used to deejay at a bar. It has since closed down and I thought, ‘If you can’t go to the bar, why not bring the bar to you?’ My friends often come by to play at the turntables."
He chose pieces that sport a utilitarian yet fun design, such as the Trusco-brand stackable boxes and blue toolbox from D&Department, which are placed on a Muji steel shelving system.
As he does not cook often, Chin Nian only has an induction stove. “I don’t have a storeroom so every item, from appliances to kitchen hooks, must look good enough to be displayed,” 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. Only the most good-looking plywood sheets, and those with consistent grain, were chosen for the cabinetry.