A Home Seasoned by Memory and Meals

From terracotta tiles and stainless steel accents to a dining table built for long gatherings, @home.abovethegrove reflects the lives of two chefs who designed their home around warmth, hosting, and memory.

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Tell us about yourself.

We're Ian and Nicolette, both 29 years old and professional chefs. We first met while interning at Stellar at 1-Altitude, and have since worked at establishments including VUE, Cloudstreet, Meta, and Seroja.

At home, we naturally gravitate towards Asian cuisines, so the meals we cook often revolve around Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Thai flavours. Of course, we also cook other cuisines depending on the mood, or whatever Nicolette happens to be craving that week.

What initially inspired your home’s design and style?

From the start, we knew we wanted a home filled with natural sunlight and warm walnut tones. Ian grew up in a home surrounded by teak furniture, from the dining table to the TV console and lounge chairs, which always felt grounding and comforting. Nicolette, on the other hand, grew up in a bright, sunlit home filled with Peranakan antiques collected by her mother. Naturally, we wanted these familiar elements to come together in a space we could call our own.

Another source of inspiration was the park located directly in front of our home. We wanted the greenery outside to feel like part of the interiors themselves, creating a sense of calm and offering respite from the intensity and fast pace of working in kitchens.

Could you walk us through your process of choosing the decor for your home?

We once asked our interior designer, Kai of Resistance, what the “theme” of our home was. His response was simply: “No theme, just whatever the both of you like.” Haha.