Home for Joel Ang is a three-room HDB resale flat at Everton Park, a quiet estate that he describes as having a lot of warmth.
When asked about the aesthetic of his home, he referenced several key ideas. He loved the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, the art of finding beauty in imperfection. Among other things, he believed that less is more.
Old-Made New Feel
Overall, he wanted his apartment to have an old-made-new, child-like feel.
Opting to design it himself, he cross-pollinated these ideas into his first home masterfully. Joel, an engineer in the aviation industry, also brought his exacting eye for detail into crafting each space with care. The result is a space that showcases his creative spirit.
Travel-Inspired Interior Design
I travel a lot, and that gives me a lot of ideas. I was also already preparing to buy a home. So, while staying in hotels and going to restaurants overseas, I paid attention to ideas.
They are very avant-garde in how they use different textures. I also looked at interior design magazines and Instagram a lot.
More importantly, I love furniture. In designing my home, I looked at furniture first and then the space. I relate more to the furniture, and I want the space to fit them.
![84221-evertonpark4](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/84221-evertonpark4.png)
Bustling Yet Peaceful
Basically, I want to project in my living spaces the energy of a city yet the peace that individual beings so desperately seek.
Think Tokyo, bustling and always stimulating – yet with pockets of greenery, Zen gardens and minimalist interiors.
So, my choice of this apartment in a very old estate, hidden out of sight from the famous Pinnacle@Duxton, exemplifies city living while not being in the city centre. Think communal HDB living on a floor that has only four units. Very conflicting ideas, I know.
![84218-evertonpark1](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/84218-evertonpark1.png)
Self-Designed
As a creative person, I respect creative folks and prefer to let them use their ideas. When I go to a hairstylist, I would let them decide what’s best.
However, the interior designers I met had ideas that did not match the main concept I had in mind. I also couldn’t find good chemistry.
![84219-evertonpark2](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/84219-evertonpark2.png)
Small Space Living
My home is a small space. So, for example, many of them preferred to remove the walls to make it an open concept.
However, I prefer the Japanese style of interiors, where spaces are hidden and don’t really interact with the living area. I also wanted to create something different.
![84214-flim22081](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/84214-flim22081.jpg)
Challenges of Self-Design
I knew what I liked in terms of my personal style, aesthetics and taste, but I didn’t know how to design or put my thoughts and ideas into workable designs.
Having zero interior design experience didn’t help. Because I designed everything, I had to decide every single detail. I had to visualise everything very quickly.
There was also a lot of quick research and showroom or furniture shop visits for many on-the-spot decisions. I had to know all the specifications and be very nimble.
The worst was sourcing for materials myself. The tiles specially imported from Italy were a lot thinner than most tiles. Cutting into odd-sized tiles was difficult and I didn’t order that many spare pieces.
![84216-flim22105](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/84216-flim22105.jpg)
Bathroom
A simply designed bathroom counter is jazzed up with the use of fresh flowers.
![84217-flim22110](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/84217-flim22110.jpg)
Walk-In Wardrobe
The walk-in wardrobe is equipped with a sliding door, allowing the homeowner to stow his mess away when guests are around.
This story first appeared on Sona Decor in 2018.
![84215-flim22092](https://sonadecor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/84215-flim22092.jpg)