SPARE BEAUTY

In her open and uncluttered living space, Claire Wu celebrates the value of minimalism, bringing to fore an elegant and considered approach to designing her home.

- Renée Batchelor

Claire Wu lives her life by a simple philosophy. Less is more. The senior manager, with a sourcing and trading role in the vegetable oil industry, does not believe in hoarding possessions, be they clothes or even furniture. The only homeware piece that has followed her from her previous homes is a Tom Dixon Bash vessel that takes pride of place on her dining room table. Wu, who has lived in Singapore for 27 years, and hails from Harbin, China has a sharply-honed approach to her new home, wanting a spacious, calming space that could also be used to entertain guests on the weekends and even house family from overseas.

"I think the most important thing is to be comfortable inside. So that's why I like the open concept approach and simplicity. I also like a bit of zen style as well so that you feel relaxed when you come into the house. Because you can be under a lot of stress, but once you're in this home, it goes away." she says.

Her 5,000 square-foot, three storey detached home in the Holland area has been designed with this minimalist brief in mind by the interior architecture and design studio Elliot James Interiors. The company played up the art gallery-like aesthetic of the home to complement the house's architecture. Wu praises the professionalism of the design team, including in the sourcing and putting together of customised pieces and achieving the look and vibe that she had in mind for the home without looking artificial or over-designed.