The main living room offers an effortlessly comfortable and sophisticated look, with its fluted light wood paneling and feature wall. Other similar wooden accents and clean lines continue to make a recurring appearance throughout the rest of the home, creating a consistent look that feels restful and beautiful, while promoting the home’s connection to nature.

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Designed for a homeowner who uses the high-rise apartment as a pied-à-terre for social gatherings, Dwell Interior Design was appointed to create thoughtful and luxurious interiors that can maximise the space of the 1,700 sq ft unit. With a desire to open up the home and take advantage of the panoramic views, the original three-bedroom layout has been converted into a two-room format that is inclusive of a master suite and a guest bedroom.

The homegrown firm carefully incorporated the Japanese kimono and fabrics that the owner wished to showcase in the abode, within the modern design scheme that features an elegant mix of wood, marble and metallic details. A custom wooden display was created to display five patterned obi—fabric belts for Japanese kimono—by the corridors of the hallway, while the study features a panel decorated with a floral obi. 

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Dubbed The House of Light and Shadow, design firms Yume Architects collaborated with Lian Architects to design a home with comforting and timeless interiors—while resolving the homeowner’ previous issue with harsh sunlight and heat experienced within the family home.

For starters, the architects adopted a layered approach to modulate the intensity of sunlight with a mixed-use of aluminum and granite throughout the 6,673 sq ft abode and spatial programming of the house’s ground floor. The latter recalls a floor plan similar to that in 14th-century Japanese villas designed for the samurai and aristocratic classes.

Making full use of the natural sunlight, a light well was built close to the entrance of the west-facing property and is accompanied with a bonsai garden. Additionally, translucent glass sliding doors let in ample daylight into the interior. The screen dividers also feature etched-out patterns of ginkgo leaves, which create shadow play during different times of the day.

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Handmade objects and custom-made joinery come together beautifully in this elegant abode by multidisciplinary practice Millihaus. Situated in the Anguilla Park condominium in Singapore, the copious use of light wood contributes to the soothing ambience of the home. The owners' favourite landscape photographs are also beautifully showcased, adding to its calming appeal. 

Interior designers Billy Voon and Desy Kismantono took inspiration from the changing seasons in Japan. The junior bedroom for instance, is decorated with light accent hues and is a tribute to spring and the cherry blossoms associated with the season, while the master bedroom features warmer tones that allude to a summery setting. The family library, on the other hand, features red and earthy shades that hint at the vibrant autumn foliage. 

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This award-winning home certainly makes us dream of travelling to Japan; this 3,500 sq ft apartment is heavily influenced by the calming vibe of traditional Japanese inns, also known as ryokans. UPSTRS_ creative director Dennis Cheok sought to combine modern Scandinavian influences with traditional Japanese elements through the use of light wood as well as motifs that draw inspiration from the philosophy of wabi-sabi.

A large living area featuring sunken floorplates and elevated platforms evokes the layered spaces of a ryokan. Comfortable, oversized sofas create an inviting atmosphere for family bonding. “Furnishing-wise, we kept this space pristine and ceremonial—the emphasis is on the spatial quality that is a delightful pause point to behold. It is a nod to Japanese minimalism,” says Cheok.

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Situated in Wallich Residence, one of Singapore's most prestigious addresses, this 1,195 sq ft apartment by Super Assembly makes full use of its floor plan with a transformable living room. Sliding doors allow part of the living area to be enclosed as a guest room when needed while expanding the sense of space in this abode. 

The clients also admired the “simplicity of Japanese aesthetics”, and sought to incorporate these elements in the home design. “We decided to explore more on how one can achieve a state of calmness through a spatial experience, and our research on this subject led us to discover that repetition, rhythm, and variation is a common trait in activities that promoted calmness,” explains Iskandar Idris, the principal architect of local architecture firm Super Assembly. “We translated this into the visual-spatial realm by employing a consistent design language of using vertical strips that varies in rhythm and proportion throughout the various spaces in the house.”

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As one of the past winners of the Tatler Design Awards, this stunning house in Singapore has plenty of enviable qualities, including a resort-style pavilion and pool area. Within the house, the interiors are crafted to celebrate the beauty of the outdoors with ample use of wood, a Japanese-inspired koi pond at the entrance, as well as hinoki bathtubs in each of the ensuite bedrooms; the owner tasked Brenda Ang, director of Lab Architects, to create a cosy sanctuary with ample social spaces for the family.

Wood-panelled glass windows frame views of the outdoors beautifully; other details such as headboards inspired by shoji doors (traditional Japanese wood-framed doors with paper screens) continue the Japanese-influenced design of the abode.

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While most Japanese-inspired interiors may utitlise an earthy or off-white palette, this apartment designed by SS+D in Singapore puts a fresh spin on the interior scheme with bold accent walls that still stay true to its influences. The dining area notably features a red accent wall that instantly catches the eye, while a purple artwork creates a focal point in the hallway.

Besides the extensive use of light wood on the interior architecture and furnishings of the abode, other nods to the home's Japanese sensibilities include the fabric stone and granite look-alike tiles that form a path along the common corridor and master bedroom.

Additionally, the dining area is separated from the living space via an elevated platform; in the master bedroom, a raised platform incorporates pull-out drawers to help the owners maintain the neat and uncluttered look of the interior.

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This story was first published on November 18, 2021 and updated on March 1, 2023. 

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