Artful Living

Full of fine design details and exquisite artwork, this poetic apartment is a haven of calm.

- SHERMIN NG

When Andre Wu,a director at a logistics company, decided to move out of his family home after the Covid-19 pandemic, he was drawn to something totally different: an airy, light-filled space. For the 37-year-old, the home is a sanctuary that provides comfort and feelings of peace in equal measure. His apartment in central Singapore— characterised by understated minimalism and a clean tonality—reflects his vision and personality. “It gives me room to recover and think clearly,” he says of the contemplative respite, a perfect backdrop for his collection of art acquired over the years.

Wu’s considered selection of colours, textures and materials extends from the entryway to the nooks, passageways and rooms in the abode. His exacting taste is exemplified by custom furniture and off-white walls; it took him multiple tries to get the right colour. “White can be quite clinical so I wanted something a little different. It’ll be hard to get the same colour if it needs a new coat of paint, so I don’t mind some marks here and there,” he says. While Wu leaned towards a more restrained colour palette of soothing neutrals to highlight an intriguing mix of art and fine details, he introduced muted pops of green—his favourite colour—in the form of a 1950s Pierre Jeanneret chair upholstered in green velvet, a mottled green Neolithic jade bi disc, and a patinated bronze Swedish Art Deco vase by SVM Handarbete from the 1930s.