Classics remixed

March 3, 2007

Classics remixed

This home owner couldn't decide which style suited him best, so he filled his HDB flat with an eclectic mix of antiques from all eras

By Shaan Seth


STEPPING into this HDB flat, heavy with chandeliers, flowing fabrics, ornate trim and antique ornaments, is like stepping into another world.

Mr Johann Fauzi, a business development manager in his late 30s, is the owner of this 690 sq ft three-room flat in Bedok.

His extensive collection of antiques and ornaments is a result of his fickle tastes - he gets bored with certain styles after some time. In his house, you'll find Peranakan, Victorian, Neo-classical, Renaissance, Chinoiserie, Art Deco and Art Nouveau looks.

The frequent traveller picks up his electic pieces anywhere from Pennsylvania to Perth. They include a red tribal rug from Iran, a Qing dynasty lacquered cupboard, and a 1920s reproduction of an American Chippendale camelback sofa.

His love of detail extends to restoring his pieces as well. A low Italian table with faded gilt-edging, from an antique store in Singapore, completes the ensemble in the living room. Mr Johann plans to restore the table, a passion he developed while working in New Jersey in 2002.

He says: 'I don't like things which come in good condition because I feel they don't have character.'

Most precious to him is his collection of vases and Meissen porcelain, which he displays proudly in the dining room. It includes a green Yuan dynasty vase worth about $4,600.

But the downside to it all? The cleaning.

'I'm like the Maid In Manhattan,' he laments, referring to the 2002 Hollywood film where Jennifer Lopez played a hotel chambermaid.

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