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Family's maximalist apartment is inspired by a past safari trip
The Straits Times
|September 13, 2025
While interior design platforms, websites and social media are awash with minimalist styles, home owners Sean Tan and Michelle Ngiam wanted the opposite for their Duchess Avenue apartment: something audacious, expressive and maximalist.
Their personalities shine through in the three-bedroom unit with an area of 1,582 sq ft. Mr Tan, 43, is the founder of a management consultancy firm and the director of a company that provides business resilience and crisis management solutions. Ms Ngiam, 38, is an executive senior financial consultant.
"It honours both our personalities: my love for warmth, character and storytelling, and Sean's vision for thoughtful, well-executed design," she says.
The couple, who have two daughters aged seven and two, chose local design firm Renostudio for its team's willingness to work with their idea: a renovation inspired by the family's safari trip to South Africa a few years ago.
Each room in the home features dramatic wallpaper that sets it apart from the rest, while also maintaining a common thread through their consistent safari and nature motifs.
This story is from the September 13, 2025 edition of The Straits Times.
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