The Straits Times : His and hers sides

The Straits Times
Life Section
24 September 2011
By huang huifen

Mr Vinnie Quek's side of the home that he shares with partner Erica Wong has his toys and books displayed on a long shelf. -- ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM

An invisible line divides the living room of the apartment shared by Mr Vinnie Quek, 37, head of marketing and entertainment at Avalon nightclub in Marina Bay Sands, and his partner Erica Wong, 32.

That line in the second-floor apartment in Tiong Poh Road translates into a 'his and hers' divider.

The left side is where Ms Wong, a brand manager, proudly displays her collection of contemporary art pieces.

Ms Wong's side is adorned with contemporary art pieces by Hong Kong artist Angela Su on the wall (above) and a dinosaur sculpture by Chinese artist Sui Jianguo. --
ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM

These include works by Hong Kong artist Angela Su and a striking red fibreglass dinosaur sculpture by Chinese artist Sui Jianguo, which is mounted on a recycled wood piece from an old table left by the previous owner.

The other side is where Mr Quek has his quirky contemporary street-art pieces such as toy collectibles of Godzilla and works by American street artist Kaws, and books displayed in an artistically 'haphazard' way.

A striking cuckoo clock artpiece by German artist Stefan Strumbel sits on the dividing line, and is an allusion to his motive of using the clocks to question cliched notions of home.

Indeed, Mr Quek and Ms Wong's new 1,003 sq ft home, which cost about $800,000 plus another $100,000 to renovate, is anything but cliched.

The gates of the house are painted coral pink, while the door is in a contrasting emerald green. The doorknob is a leg of the same table used for the red dinosaur.

But the striking hues stop at the door.

Ms Wong wanted the place to have a modern Scandinavian theme, so the colour palette of the living room is mostly white. However, in a corner of the living room, a Victorian antique chair from Canada and a small Moroccan coffee table are juxtaposed against contemporary artworks.

Similarily, in the kitchen, 48 Peranakan floor tiles break the European focus.

The walls of the house were also reconfigured. They have been either removed, added or moved to create the desired spaces for the living room and bedrooms.

The remains of a wall that separated two bedrooms in the living room is now a statement piece in the middle of the living room. The cuckoo clock is mounted on this chipped pillar.

This juxtaposition of his and hers, old versus new, and colour contrast gives the home an electrifying personality, which acts as a mirror to the colourful characters of its two owners.

'We had a lot of fun designing, and I think it really comes out through the kooky yet inviting character of our home. It is still an ongoing project. I am excited to see how it will evolve over the years,' says Ms Wong.

hfhuang@sph.com.sg