Does It Spark Joy?

The home of PR maven Sandra Cameron is an artful lesson in living the bright way.

- Jeffrey Yan

Perched atop an unassuming row of shophouses in Bukit Timah is one of the city’s most joyfully eclectic apartments. After one conquers the steep three-story climb up, the first thing one notices is the abundance of light, colour and space. That last quality, such a precious commodity in Singapore, was one reason Sandra Cameron fell in love with the place two years ago. “What we love is that it looks like a dump from the outside, but when you come up, it’s a feeling of ‘Oh, it’s really not bad!’” she says. “When we found the place, it wasn’t in the best shape, but we saw the potential. I love that the living room is a huge open space and obviously, the outdoors is priceless. Where else are you going to get a patio like that with an apartment?”

Cameron has filled that space with a glorious, riotous mix of objects, art and furniture—all brilliantly coloured and grouped together in charming themes or delightfully mismatched. On the far end of the living room, a wall is covered entirely with framed mirrors of all shapes and sizes. Another by the dining table is adorned with whimsical food-related art—two prints by Singaporean artist Jahan Loh, depicting luncheon meat and canned lychees, are instant eye-catchers. Stacks of art and coffee-table books sit atop the different tables, counters and shelves dotting the space. The space itself, flooded with light thanks to the huge glass windows running the length of the apartment, has been carved into little sections.

The seating area is demarcated by a huge sectional draped in white sheets and a couch covered by a graphic textile, with metal trunks painted in robin’s-egg and inky blues serving as whimsical coffee tables.