Roy Teo
Founder of The Mill Group, a collection of interior design firms including The I.D. Department and Kri:eit Associates, Roy is a design maverick whose niche lies in high-end bespoke residential services. A firm believer in the power of great design, the Patron of the Arts recipient unravels different facets of his family through his home’s design. Influenced by Old World Europe, the property reflects Roy’s early years in London and the personalities of each family member, all melded together. He says, “Increasingly, people are going past merely adopting world trends and looking within themselves to piece together a brief that represents who they really are. As we embrace a world sans frontières, the style has also become more inclusive of different global and cultural influences, integrating them into one seamless conversational space.”

For how long have you lived in your current home, and what attracted you to this property?
We have lived here for about 10 years. The prime location of the land in the heart of town clinched it for us right from the beginning, I then took it upon myself to fulfill a lifelong dream of designing and building my own house from ground up.

What was your vision and inspiration when it came to designing your home interior?
I was inspired to design a home that exemplified me and my family’s past and present—all the things that matter to each of us, as well as all our interests, taking presence in our home as an amalgamation of the personalities of the people living in it.

My family and I have vast interests that we wished to express using our home as a canvas. Instead of compromising on a singular style, I went on a pursuit to draw from each of their personalities, their passions, way of life, and created individualistic spaces that were later weaved together using a certain common denominator—be it colour or similar architectural elements like window frames—and by creating a smooth flow of the various spaces. 

This resulted in a number of various schemes that were married perfectly under an overarching style reminiscent of Old World Europe—it’s an almost New World take on Old World luxury icons—where the ubiquity of modern-day technology is combined thoughtfully with furnishings and collectibles evocative of an era past. 

Traditional designs and craftsmanship sit alongside state of the art technology for convenience, and it is really about embracing the world past and present. My home is about celebrating the best of what history has given us in terms of design, it’s also about incorporating mindfully the epitome of creature comforts within that design, and together it epitomises my definition of luxury—the best of everything—where different personalities in the home are celebrated. A home is ultimately a visual DNA of ourselves.

Which area of the home makes you proudest or is most stylish?
The library cum gentlemen’s alcove—which is a rather masculine space with deep mahogany tones, rich russet hues of leather, and upholstery in a charcoal grey mohair —is an amalgamation of all my interests and passions. This is where I indulge unabashedly in my love affair with all things automotive, such as airplane propellers from World War 1 and 2 which I’ve now used as sculptural art displays, actual nautical gauges from old ships, framed pictures of body-beautiful auto legends and even a circa 1930 Rolls-Royce headlight from an antique dealer in England that I had transformed into a standing lamp. The literature on the bookshelves covers a myriad of subjects that I enjoy from all things design-related to art, cars, watches and fashion. These shelves also house some of my personal collectibles—from trophies to memorabilia like artwork of planes and racing yachts. Functionality-wise, the unusually long Ralph Lauren table doubles as an oversized study desk for myself and a conference table should I choose to hold meetings at home. I’ve even had card games with friends over whiskey at the table, and during parties it’s a carving table for our marvellous leg of iberico.

How has the design of the space evolved over the years? And what changes do you have in mind as part of its continuous evolution?
There has been an evolution in how we are using the home now, for example, the idea of the “bar” has come back into play. It used to be something to be hidden/tucked away in the cellar. But with the rise of cocktail culture and the elevation of this medium as a form of social discourse, it's become a focal point in the home, where it can be placed in the foyer or living room, for example, as a centrepiece.

With the movement of home cooking and hobby chefs, the kitchen has also become the new living room. The question is, how do we open up an all-new living space around this area? The kitchen is now about food, drink, conversation, laughter and the creation of memories, and we want to create a space that is conducive for this as we ourselves evolve along with it.

Is your approach to designing your own personal space the same as your approach to designing a client’s space?
Be it for my own or a client’s space, my underlying approach is always the same, it is the brief itself that differs from person to person. Understanding oneself is critical start to designing how one lives—the more you know about yourself, the better you are able to map out what you need in your life, how you entertain, what your family needs fitted and stored, and so on. It then becomes easier to design a brief around your lifestyle, and the result is a space that caters to your intrinsic needs and desires.

For myself, the journey towards uncovering the inner language of my clients' personalities begins with getting to know them better not just through what they tell me, but also through unspoken cues and the occasional Freudian “slips”. You have to be a bit of a psychologist—observing how they dress, how they carry themselves, what excites them. It wouldn’t be fitting to create something as personal as someone’s home or workspace without truly knowing who they are alongside their little idiosyncrasies. I have always believed that a client’s space should exude his/her persona, even when they are not always around to personify it.

Is it true that designers are at their most expressive when designing their own home or workspace?
Yes, sometimes. Not because they are more passionate about their own personal projects than that of others, but for the simple fact they are undeniably more in tune with themselves than anyone else would ever be, and therefore are the best judges of their own personalities, needs and desires to create their ideal living space. Because of this, the endeavour to understand another person’s preferential tastes constantly is completely bypassed, and the most creative of ideas are able to flow directly from conception to expression easily.

What’s a really simple way to instantly take a home’s style factor up a few notches?
Few things have the atmospheric power to transform a home as instantly as candlelight does, the soft glow of flickering candlelight makes everything (and everyone) look terrific, especially with the addition of sophisticated tall hurricane candle holders that lend a touch of glamour.

What’s the next big trend in home design that you are really excited about?
Eclecticism is still very much prevalent now. With the whole sustainable living movement has come a rise in people buying vintage furniture, and it has led them to become more curatorial about their homes. At the same time, I think we live in a time when people have become very individualistic in articulating their instincts. There was a period when a person would walk into a designer showroom and just buy the entire collection of furniture for his/her home, in the same way he would buy a whole ensemble in the boutique. Today, it is much more about picking and choosing and finding those pieces one identifies with. People are also much braver about crossing genres or periods—and I am keen to see this as a way of expression moving forward as it inevitably leads to the rise of new, distinctively emblematic styles never before manifested.

Patty Mak
Understated elegance best describes Patty Mak’s design aesthetic, but less doesn’t mean effortless, the founding partner of Suying Metropolitan Studio attests. Rather, it all boils down to achieving a seamless fit between form and function to attain a cohesive space. Her impressive portfolio includes commercial and residential projects in no less than 11 countries, including Hong Kong, Beijing and Mumbai, but it’s perhaps within the walls of her home that her fondness for minimalism speaks loudest.

What is your idea of stylish living?
“Simple but significant”. It’s about paying careful attention to detail and how form relates to the function of every space. It’s not so much about the furniture, furnishings or the accessories but it’s a cohesive and holistic approach where the lines between architecture and interior design are blurred. We also give great emphasis to indoor-outdoor integration, taking advantage of the immediate surroundings in our tropical region.

How does your home reflect your personal style?
I am very simple by nature. My home holds my personal collections accumulated over the years. There’s well curated art and furniture from my travels and day-to-day pursuits. My home is like a white canvas where these pieces take precedence over the washed architecture. The architecture features no more than five materials which are directly used, and the space is open and clutter-free; very minimalist with just the bare essentials.

What was your vision and inspiration when it came to designing your home interior?
I am always on the lookout for new and exciting things. I am intrigued by new technology in design and use it in my work. My home uses a good mix of old and new pieces of art and furniture. The result is both witty and somewhat unpredictable. However, I take caution and try to design within a controlled set of parameters in my design process. I am extremely specific about details, tonality, colour and how I put things together. I see beauty in simplicity where the direct use of materials devoid of complexities in principle is what I’ve always tried to achieve. Simple is not necessarily easy. This is always the design challenge I take upon myself: ”less is always more”. These are all very evident in my home.

How has the design of the space evolved over the years?
And what changes do you have in mind as part of the continuous evolution of the space? The need to evolve is only applicable to satisfy one’s need in the quest for comfort. So far, my home design has stayed intact since it was built but I continue to add pieces to my collection over time.

Which area of the home makes you proudest or is most stylish?
My living lounge which is like an art gallery.

What are your top tips for designing a stylish home?
Keep it simple but make it significant.

What’s a really simple way to instantly take a home’s style factor up a few notches?
Home interiors must be treated like canvases where the personal collection amplifies and completes the entire design ensemble.

What’s the next big trend in home design that you are really excited about?
There is a great following in sophistication and luxury in home design. I am a great advocate of sophistication through simplicity. Luxury in design need not be expensive but it should be described as an experience. The sophistication lies in the little thoughtful details. It is modern, quiet and charismatic. New technology in design excites me. It has helped to shape and provide designers with tools to execute and articulate their design effortlessly. It also stimulates our creativity and opens a new chapter of innovation with our work and how we deliver concepts and realise them. The influx of new materials, ideas and a great sense of taste collectively add to the pleasure I get from designing and being part of the edifying design process.