Home Tour: A moody Wong Kar Wai-inspired walk-up apartment in Tiong Bahru

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The moment you cross the threshold into this Wong Kar Wai inspired Tiong Bahru walk-up apartment, you’re immersed in the atmospheric world of classic Hong Kong cinema. The space perfectly channels the moody aesthetics and vintage charm of In The Mood For Love (featuring Maggie Cheung and Tony Chiu-Wai Leung).

For those who haven’t experienced Wong’s masterpiece of Asian cinema, the meticulously curated interiors of this heritage apartment serve as a compelling invitation to explore his filmography. The careful attention to period details and thoughtful lighting choices create an ambience that captures the essence of 1960s Hong Kong, while remaining firmly rooted in contemporary Singapore living.

Singapore interior designer

Courtesy of Farm/ Photos Little Nomad Pictures

The journey to transform this Tiong Bahru walk-up apartment began when its discerning homeowner approached Farm, a interior design studio known for their sensitive approach to heritage spaces.

The interior design team’s immediate connection with the colonial-era building’s character and its rich historical context made them the perfect choice for this unique project. The pre-war architecture, with its distinctive curved corners and generous windows, provided an ideal foundation for creating a space that bridges past and present.

Tiong Bahru neighbourhood

Courtesy of Farm/ Photos Little Nomad Pictures

Interior design team members Selwyn Low and Hong Weiming were particularly drawn to the apartment’s location in one of Singapore’s most culturally significant neighborhoods.

“At Tiong Bahru, the mix of conserved modernist architecture, back lanes and narrow streets set the perfect stage for a melancholic urban narrative,” they explain.

This Wong Kar Wai inspired aesthetic resonates deeply with the neighborhood’s own story, where Art Deco buildings and modernist influences create a unique architectural tapestry. The winding streets and hidden corners of Tiong Bahru became integral to their design narrative, influencing everything from spatial flow to material choices.

Wong Kar Wai inspired design

Courtesy of Farm/ Photos Little Nomad Pictures

This sentimental approach to design wasn’t merely an aesthetic choice but a deliberate strategy to honor the area’s rich heritage.

“We wanted this apartment interior to capture some of that filmic nostalgia and romanticism, which we felt was deeply embedded in this area.” The interior design design team drew inspiration from Wong Kar Wai’s distinctive use of color, texture, and light, incorporating these elements throughout the space while ensuring they complemented rather than overwhelmed the apartment’s original features. The result is a space that feels both timeless and deeply personal.

Designer furniture collection

Courtesy of Farm/ Photos Little Nomad Pictures

The homeowner’s brief presented an exciting challenge: creating a space that would not only serve as a comfortable home but also showcase their carefully curated collection of designer furniture.

The interior design team worked closely with the client to understand how each piece would contribute to the overall narrative of the space. This collaboration resulted in a layout that celebrates both the collection and the building’s architectural heritage, creating thoughtful moments of discovery throughout the apartment.

Reconfiguring apartment layout

Courtesy of Farm/ Photos Little Nomad Pictures

In approaching the renovation, the team adopted a philosophy of mindful intervention in the Tiong Bahru walk-up apartment.

“Spatial reconfiguration was kept minimal and subtle. To us, it was essential also to pay homage to the inherent aesthetics of the original apartment. A main wall was removed to create a larger and more defined living room.”

This careful balance between preservation and modernization allowed the team to enhance the functionality of the space while maintaining its historic character. Original features were carefully restored, while new elements were introduced with a light touch, ensuring they complemented rather than competed with the existing architecture.

Singaporean artwork

Courtesy of Farm/ Photos Little Nomad Pictures

The furniture and art selection process was crucial in achieving the desired Wong Kar Wai inspired atmosphere.

“As idiosyncratic as they are eclectic, the collected furniture ranges from Konstantin Grcic’s Chair One to Eero Saarinen’s Tulip Chair. Justin Lee’s Pop art inspired fiery-red Chinese motifs adorns a sliding partition in the living space that hides a study. Fellow local artist Tang Ling Nah’s haunting black and white charcoal drawing of the Singapore cityscape acts a balanced counterpoint in the dining room.”

Each piece was carefully chosen not only for its individual design merit but for its contribution to the overall narrative. The mix of international design classics with works by local artists creates a rich dialogue between global and local influences, much like Wong Kar Wai’s films themselves.

The sliding partition, in particular, serves both functional and aesthetic purposes, introducing an element of mystery and transformation that would feel at home in any of the director’s atmospheric sets.

Courtesy of Farm/ Photos Little Nomad Pictures

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