Inside...An Interior Designer's Home

We take a look around the eclectic home of ISABELLE MIAJA and find out why she chose this house in Clementi, and what she loves about Singapore and her work.

- Dee Khanduja

I was interested to see how Isabelle had designed her own home, as I’d heard that she’d had experience in designing interiors for all types of residential homes, five-star hotels, superyachts, private aircrafts and villas for royalty, amongst other projects.

I wasn’t disappointed! There’s an array of art, a blend of colours and textures, and some one-of-a-kind furniture and décor here, all of it seeming to tell stories from afar. Isabelle’s three-bedroom (“plus a den”) house certainly has lots of talking points, as you might expect from an interior designer. She told me more about herself – and her home – over a delicious coffee and some buttery croissants.

Isabelle, where are you from, when did you move to Singapore, and what do you do here?

I’m half French and half Spanish, and I’ve lived in Singapore since 1995. I’ve been running my business, Miaja Group, for almost 26 years. I’ve lived in my current home for the past 16 years, and raised my three children here.

Do you identify with your French or Spanish roots more?

I have aspects of French in some areas, and Spanish influence in others. My French accent is much stronger than my Spanish, but when it comes to my cooking, I like a lot of Spanish flavour. I guess my personality has also been influenced by the US, as I lived in New York and Los Angeles for around ten years.