Minimalism takes a back seat in the home of Singapore-based interior designer Nikki Hunt, who loves to fill her living spaces with bold colours and prints

If you’re not familiar with Nikki Hunt, it’s not too late to get acquainted. She’s the founder of an award-winning interior design firm, Design Intervention, and one-half of the design duo that hosted HGTV’s home improvement series Come On In, along with former model and fellow designer, Andrea Savage.

Unlike most local designers who gravitate towards Scandinavian, Industrial or Minimalism styles, Nikki is all about a maximalist way of life, a design philosophy she wholeheartedly applied to her own home. “Maximalism is all about celebrating life, celebrating love. Celebrating everything that you like and that makes you feel good,” she attested.

Tatler Asia
Above The bar area in the verandah features the husband’s sports memorabilla and is his favourite spot in the house
Tatler Asia

She’s quick to remind us that maximalism doesn’t mean you can just throw everything in the pot and hope for the best. It must be done with taste, combining elements that work together well, even though they may seem contradictory. “Maximalism definitely isn’t chaos. It’s a finely calibrated balance between competing elements that ooze fun. That’s really what I try to do,” she affirmed.

(Related: Hunt's Eclectic Apartment Tour in London)

Tatler Asia
Above The Pierre Frey wallpaper in the TV room adds an artistic flourish to the space
Tatler Asia
Above Nikki Hunt with Kissa Castaneda (Image: Freestate Productions)

Like all great work, the maximalist style must be driven by a concept. For Nikki's recently refurbished home, tropical flora became the central theme of her house because of the lush vegetation that surrounds it.

“One of the concepts I’ve embraced in the design of this house is ‘biophilia’. I love that word—it literally means ‘love of life’!”

(Related: 10 Beautiful Homes You'll Be Inspired By)

Tatler Asia
Above The painting echoes the colour palette of the furnishings in the living room

This was Nikki's third renovation since moving into the house 15 years ago—a project that she embarked on after her son and daughter left the nest to study overseas. The aim of this latest remodel was to update the look of the communal rooms, but keep areas like the entrance foyer, children’s rooms and study room intact, so her kids can maintain a sense of familiarity when they return for the holidays.

“Because the house was so quiet after the children left, I really wanted to fill it with an energy and a life, and just a sense of vitality.”

 

Tatler Asia
Above The green drapes have the effect of bringing verdant hues from the garden into the interior
Tatler Asia
Above Playful elements, such as the Moooi Perch floor lamps, add a dash of whimsy to the room

Venturing into the black-and-white mansion, your senses are sent into overdrive with a barrage of vibrant prints, bold colours and contrasting textures. Each room looks different, yet there is a purposeful cohesiveness thanks to the over-arching tropical theme.

(Related: Home Tour: A Peranakan-Inspired House With Art Deco Details)

The wallpaper in each room is the main differentiating factor. Her living room, for example, is adorned with Pierre Frey wallpaper that features a kaleidoscope of random brushstrokes as if a mad painter was let out of an asylum. “I really like to take a multi-sensory approach, stimulating all our senses to different degrees,” said Nikki.

Tatler Asia
Above The vases in the entrance foyer offer a nod to the blue tones in the TV room and the rug in the billiard room
Tatler Asia
Above The leaf motif wallpaper on the ceiling of the reception room creates the sensation of being under a forest canopy

Her reception room—filled with sofas of various textures and prints, and juxtaposed against lime green drapes—is a whimsical masterpiece of excess that most certainly spark joy. “When you have a room like this, where the proportions are so grand, I think the challenge is to make your guests feel relaxed. And one of the ways I do that brings a bit of humour, bring in a bit of mismatch. Things that aren’t so perfect, so that it just calms everything down,” she explained.

(Related: 16 Glamorous Pieces For The Maximalist)

Next to it is a verandah where you’ll find her husband’s private sanctuary that features a bar, informal dining and sitting area. It’s dressed in floral-printed wallpaper to complement the view outside and decked with his favourite sports memorabilia.

(Related: How To Buy Memorabilia And Profit From It)

Tatler Asia
Above The enclosed terrace features botanical motifs and Punkah fans that reinforce its tropical context
Tatler Asia
Above Visual connections between this dining area and the billard room represents Nikki’s knack for combining colours and patterns

Nikki's favourite place to enjoy her morning paper and breakfast is the air-conditioned verandah next to the swimming pool, that features floor-to-ceiling glass doors. While the chairs and walls are emblazoned with leafy motifs, the ceiling is given some texture with a stretch of hanging satay fans. “I tried to put in local flavour and celebrate the best of Singapore life,” enthused the British national, who has lived here for 26 years.

(Related: This Dream Kitchen Is Made For Pool Parties)

Tatler Asia
Above Yellow accents liven up the pastel palette of the study and bed area in the master suite
Tatler Asia

As you move upstairs, the colour palette quietens down with calming pastel hues. The master bedroom is awash in pastel yellow and pink and softly accented with fluffy chairs and flowing linens. “I want this feeling of relaxation so we sleep better, and also a little bit of romance. Pink is such a delightful colour, and it makes everybody look better!” she quipped.

Tatler Asia
Above Palm motifs on the bathroom window complement the existing wallpaper

Her piece de resistance is her bathroom, where a bathtub sits in a little oasis surrounded by a tropical mural backdrop. It overlooks the outdoors through tall glass windows which she discreetly concealed with decals of palm trees. “It gives me the privacy I need and yet I still have that real feeling of bathing in the forest.”

(Related: 5 of the Most Luxurious Bathrooms)


Access is a collaboration between Singapore Tatler and CNA Luxury.

Watch all the episodes of “Remarkable Living” season one and two.

Episode 2 | Episode 3 | Episode 4 | Episode 5 | Episode 6 | Episode 7 | Episode 8 | Episode 9 | Episode 10

Credits

Art Direction  

Khairul Ali

Photography  

Jasper Yu and Jo Ann Gamelo-Bernabe

Photographer's Assistant  

Tan Ming Yuan

Topics