This article first appeared in Harper’s Bazaar Singapore, the leading fashion glossy on the best of style, beauty, design, travel and the arts. Go to harpersbazaar.com.sg and follow @harpersbazaarsg on Instagram; harpersbazaarsingapore on Facebook. The November 2023 issue is out on newsstands now.

SINGAPORE – Sophie Mong knows that her 1,291 sq ft apartment in Marine Parade is quite the find.

Located on a high floor, the open-concept living and dining rooms look out to a calming vista of the neighbouring East Coast Park. It is a view that far surpasses that from many other units which the artist and her husband saw in the search for their new home.

The picturesque surroundings are almost like a gently moving tableau. Mong opted for long windows that run across the length of the living and dining areas, with the slim window panes framing the scene almost like a painting.

The apartment also boasts beautiful artworks by Mong herself. She made the transition to doing art full-time just three months ago after quitting her job in market research.

With its laid-back vibe, the flat – a chic and restorative family home – also functions as an inspiring studio space for her to do her abstract paintings. She is now in a green and yellow phase.

The location near the beach means that her two-year-old son Liam can enjoy frequent play sessions by the sea while she basks in the balmy weather and soft winds.

Says Mong of her design philosophy: “I really wanted somewhere where I could display my colourful paintings. You can imagine if there were a lot of colours in the home itself, it would look rather chaotic and perhaps overwhelming. After a long day, you want to come back home to rest, and I don’t want too much clutter. I just want to have a neutral environment to calm my mind while I’m creating my art.”

Mong, who studied fine arts in high school in Malaysia and arts management in Singapore, is now focusing on doing commissioned artworks based on specific moments in time.

While she works from home, with the inspiring view as a bonus, she still hopes to find a studio space soon, as painting can be a messy undertaking.

Drawing on her experience with her previous home in Telok Blangah, Mong adopted a minimalist philosophy when designing the apartment with interior design firm INTR Studio.

She streamlined and cut down on her belongings, as there was no space for a dedicated storeroom in the new flat.

“We don’t have storage, so we can’t keep a lot of things. After having lived in your first home, you will notice that storage space always tends to pile up with stuff,” says Mong.

Her son’s old toys get recycled, while her clothing and other belongings are pared down or neatly tucked away in hidden storage spaces in the home.

But it is not just the lack of clutter that makes the place comfortable and inviting. The use of calming tones, such as white and beige, as well as unvarnished wood furniture make the space understated and chic.

Pops of colour from her vibrant paintings and leafy house plants – including a dwarf umbrella tree in the living room – add warmth to the neutral shades. The overall effect is further softened by curved arch motifs and other unintrusive decorative elements in the home.

The living room’s spare and clean look is enhanced by a tiled area near the window that functions almost like a balcony but segues seamlessly into the rest of the room.

Living with a toddler means that Mong has to be practical.

Though much of the furniture in the living room, including her custom Blafink sofa, is white, it is also washable.

The windows do not have grilles to allow for an uninterrupted view. However, an ingenious folding mechanism lets them shut easily as a safety precaution for her young son, or when the couple want to switch on the air-conditioning, turning the space from airy to cosy in a flash.

Mong loves cooking and baking, so the kitchen does not just look good but is also functional.

The floor’s stone tiles were inspired by rustic Italian kitchens, but are also easy to clean. The use of darker cherry wood laminate, which covers the dishwasher, and travertine countertops give it a sophisticated touch.

There is also a small breakfast nook next to the kitchen for more informal meals, while the dining table serves as a focal point when friends come over.

Her large, unvarnished teak dining table is from Journey East, but Mong chose teak and banana leaf chairs that were not an exact match to continue the unstudied vibe.

“I like it when you can see texture and scratches on the wood,” she says.

The same sleek minimalism is carried through in her bedroom.

Mong uses luxurious Heveya bedding – the company was the first that she worked with to display and sell her paintings. A simple but beautiful chest of wooden drawers, created by Gamar (formerly known as Second Charm), sits beside her customised fabric bed from Blafink.

Characterised by gentle curves, lush fabrics and soft hues, the bedroom is an oasis of calm as well as the perfect neutral backdrop for the online content that Mong often creates.

The same minimalist approach is displayed in her clothing choices: colours such as black, white and grey, and classic pieces are extensions of her design philosophy, just like everything else in her home.