Fantastic Woman

June Goh-Rin’s home is a harmony of ideals, where comfort meets chic and beauty coexists with utility.

- Jeffrey Yan.

A fixture on the philanthropy and society scenes known for her sartorial sense of adventure—which in itself belies her very serious job as Senior Consultant and Director of Neuroanaesthesia and Neurocritical Care at Singapore General Hospital—June Goh-Rin, who is in her 50s, isn’t one whose abode you might assume to be so subdued. The sprawling but restrained two-storey structure a stone’s throw from the Botanic Gardens sports a mostly white facade; inside, muted shades of greys and whites dominate. It is neither stark nor severe though—soft, oversize furnishings, vibrant art, and antique Chinese objects showing the rich patina of age have made it a warm, cosy home for four.

Though each room is closed off and contained, lending a sense of privacy to its occupants, floor to-ceiling glass doors and windows keep the spaces interconnected while bathing the house in natural light. Those same expansive windows also bring the outdoors in—specifically, the central courtyard and pool around which the house has been constructed.

While the overall effect is effortless, every detail— no matter how seemingly minor—had been thoroughly considered. “When we moved in here, it was with a baby and a six-year-old, so it had to be child-friendly. We wanted space for them to run around, muck about, get messy in. We also compartmentalised these separate areas so they could have their piano lessons and tuition classes, or so my husband could have his friends over for wine, while everyone else goes about their day,” says Goh-Rin.