MINIMALIST PURSUITS //
Light, Bright And Breezy
Meet the Homeowner:
Eunice Lee, 42
Occupation: Recruiter
Interests: Cycling along the park connectors
Here’s a look at her minimalist home:
Type of property: 2-room flat, 1 BR
Location: Punggol
Renovation budget: $20,000
Total space: 38 sqm
Years lived in: 1 year
Eunice’s home looks straight out of a dreamy Scandi-minimalist playbook. Light-wood pieces of Ikea and Muji furniture, bright walls, and delightful pastel accents. Eunice, who currently works as a recruiter, recalls: “I had spent hours poring over IKEA catalog since I was a kid and always wanted an IKEA house.”
Step inside this wonderful home designed by The Minimalist Society, where minimalism shines through and Eunice’s sunny personality is reflected in every corner.
Tell us more about yourself:
I’m a recruiter, so my job consists of calling up strangers every day and asking them to share their salary and pay package details with me. It’s quite interesting to find out about the different natures of their jobs, and what drives and motivates them to do what they do. It’s also incredibly satisfying whenever my candidates get a job offer and pay increment. I get a kick out of it even more than the commission I receive; the satisfaction that comes from knowing that you helped someone directly.
What do you think about minimalism, and its growing influence on many people as design and lifestyle? How do you think minimalism could help your career and your life?
I am not a minimalist by nature but because of the small size of my house, I had no choice but keep my stuff to a minimal. Everything must fit into the limited storage space in the house, but this helped me cut down on unnecessary buying and make more effective uses of space. It also made me more aware about the things I owned, so I stopped buying multiple different products, which serve the same purpose. One would be enough. Having a clean, uncluttered space helps me to focus more on my work or whatever I am doing at the moment.
How would you describe the style of your home?
A mishmash of Muji, Ikea, and Kikkiki.
What was your inspiration when you were setting up your home?
Muji and Ikea. I love the simple wooden feel of Muji, and Ikea was an influence since I was young. I had spent hours poring over Ikea catalog since I was a kid and always wanted an Ikea house.
What were some of the reasons you chose The Minimalist Society?
I was googling for a white color hob for my new house when a picture of an all-white, minimalist kitchen with wooden floor popped up. I was really captivated with the design, so I searched for the source of the picture. I had thought it was from another country, so I was quite surprised but happy to find out it was a house designed in Singapore. Upon checking out the ID firm’s website and portfolio, I was already convinced that this was exactly what I was looking for. After meeting up with The Minimalist Society, I decided to go with them although their quotation was not the cheapest, but I like their design the most amongst all the IDs I had met. Since a house is a long-term investment, I’d rather go with a design that I feel comfortable and happy with, instead of saving a few dollars yet putting up with a design that I did not want and feeling unsatisfied every time I see it.
Enumerate your favourite spaces and rooms at home, and kindly state what makes each of them special.
I really like how the kitchen turned out. Most kitchen here consisted of both top and bottom cabinets, but I didn’t want such an enclosed-looking kitchen. Because my flat was so tiny, I wanted it to be bright and airy so I did away with the typical top cabinet and opted for opening shelving instead—which I think it’s not so common in Singapore houses. It makes the kitchen look less crammed, plus I can show off some of my kitchenware, like cute-looking mugs and my mismatched bowls and plates.
I also like the bay window seat in the living room, where I can just chill and relax, looking out of the window or reading a book.
Were there any challenges you encountered when you were setting up your home?
Yes. To make the tiny space look spacious, I had to forgo the usual storage cabinets because they would take up a chunk of my precious wall space. Instead, I opted for a settee under the window, which serves as a seating space; I could also store my stuff underneath the seat cover. It was a good decision to make the settee.
Another challenge was where to put my wardrobe. I decided not to get a build-in wardrobe due to lack of space and decided to turn the bomb shelter into a wardrobe instead with shelving from IKEA. It worked quite well and it’s like having a walk-in wardrobe in a 2-room flat!
What is/are your favourite furniture pieces inside your home?
The customised bay window seat, which serves as storage. I could seat on it and relax.
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What is/are your favourite decorative pieces/accents inside your home?
My mismatched sofa. I bought two chairs and put them together to create a sofa because a normal sofa might be too big for my house. But because I couldn’t decide on the colors, I got both colors: one color for each seat. The two colors turned out to match well when put together and gave my house a unique look.
Where do you shop for furniture pieces and accessories within Singapore?
Scandi Supply and IKEA.
What are the DIY projects that we can find inside your home?
My bomb shelter turned wardrobe. I made multiple trips to IKEA to buy and carry back all the shelving units and drawers needed for the project. Did everything by myself including installing the shelving so it’s something I’m quite proud of.
What are your favourite things to do around your home?
Just chill, watch Youtube, or do some crafts while listening to music.
What makes your house special?
Although it’s such a hodgepodge of colours and styles in the house (mismatched sofas, mismatched kitchenware), somehow they gel well together, and the house exudes a calm and soothing vibe. Many friends and acquaintances have also commented that my house feels calm and soothing.
How did The Minimalist Society help make your dream home possible?
Since I was a first-time homeowner, their expertise and helpful pieces of advice helped me navigate my first house renovation effortlessly. They guided me step-by-step on what to do along the way and helped achieve the look and feel of what I wanted for my house.
How was the overall experience for the renovation process?
It was a positive experience for a first-time homeowner like me. The Minimalist Society team was very responsive with any queries I had during the whole process.
Any renovation tips for our readers?
Look through the portfolio of the IDs or Pinterest and note down the kind of style you like or don’t like, so you can convey what you want accurately, e.g., I know I didn’t like crammed and enclosed spaces. Instead of going for what is common or typical (i.e. top cabinets in the kitchen), feel free to propose something different that you like. There is no need to follow “the norm” or mainstream design you see everywhere.
Minimalist Pursuits is a lifestyle section that takes an intimate look at our homeowners who live their lives to the fullest by practicing a minimalist lifestyle and finding joy in their spaces.
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The Minimalist Society is a brand that focuses deeply on purpose and social good for our society at large. We do so by crafting experiences that makes people’s lives simple through interior design. We have been featured extensively by renowned online portals, in print and on screen, such as The Straits Times, Business Insider, Lianhe Zaobao, The Business Times, Singapore Home and Decor, Lookbox Living, Houzz, Cromly, Qanvast, Vulcan Post, Yahoo and MM2 Entertainment Singapore. At Team Minimalist, simplicity is a goal, a work style, and a measuring stick. By leading a life of purpose, our home owners can embrace only on the things that will add to the mission of significance and ultimately living their best story.
