HAUS OF CURIOSITIES
KIM KEAT RIPPLES
THE BRIEF
The clients, both avid travellers and curious about cultures, sought to create a retreat where they could rejuvenate between seasons of travel. It needed to be built around how they lived — quiet afternoons spent recharging and private social evenings with a circle of close friends — with sufficient room for the artefacts of their travels.
THE SPACE
Mid-century warmth sets the canvas of the home, as wood drapes surfaces from the floor to walls. Wood suggests life while marble evokes character, and the unique veining of each surface mirrors the lushness of the world experienced by the clients on their extensive journeys. In the open plan, congregation and conversations happen regularly. The kitchen, dining area and the living lounge are social spaces where presence is easily enjoyed.
From the entrance, the wall is a mirror that leads one into the living room, making the home visually expansive. Every piece of tapestry and furniture is individually collected over time; like how an eventful life unfolds slowly. Each object on display is not merely decoration; it holds a story of where it was made and hands it passed through – and hence keeps conversations lively and curious. The home is an experience where more depth is discovered the longer it is observed. From stories told visually, to the way life presents itself through movement in surfaces; it evolves with time, as the journey continues.