Actor Lawrence Wong's Minimalistic Abode

In his home tour for City Living, actor Lawrence Wong opens up about his home’s aesthetic and design philosophy, and shares his creative and entrepreneurial endeavours.

Local actor Lawrence Wong truly embodies “less is more” in the purest of senses. His home brims with a charming sense of vastness that is both ironically profound and simplistic, almost like an empty canvas decked with artistic accompaniments to accentuate its raw beauty. With an organic design scheme that seeks to expound on the relationship between the abode and its owner, Lawrence’s interpretative masterpiece of a home achieves an impeccable austerity which is especially befitting of a minimalistic and timeless architectural living space – an apt personification of his creative aspirations.

As you can tell from our reactions, we’re quite wowed by your home. Could you share some of the design philosophies that have inspired your minimalistic abode?

Minimalism is a philosophy that I embody with pride! My skincare line, GRAIL,
embraces beauty in simplicity, and so does my own abode. Life in general can be really hectic, and I believe that a home should be a serene sanctuary away from all of the hustle, be clutter free and a space representative of the owner. Every ornament, adornment and fixture I have here is meticulously picked as I want to carefully curate the most fitting living space forbme.

Some of my embellishments carry immeasurable amounts of sentimental value despite their plain appearances. This branch art piece on my dining table, for example, is a relic of my first attempt at gardening – I had grown my first tree, only
to have this one branch fall off at some point. Some of the ceramics on my coffee
table are also hand-made by my friends.

Three words to describe your home.

Minimalistic, calm and peaceful.d your text

The entirety of your place is strikingly white. What is it about this colour that appeals to you?

Back when I was still renting an apartment, I had always leaned towards an interior painted in lighter colours, white being the exemplar of them all. Fun fact – when I was designing this place, I had actually intended to have a darker shade as I wanted to try a design scheme that differed from my past living spaces. Somehow, it turned out brighter than what I had originally intended! Still, it’s a silver lining! Many assume that an interior painted in white is hard to maintain. My
personal experience is quite contrary; it’s fuss-free and it feels authentic.

Which room or space in your home do you most enjoy being around?

The living room for sure! I fall asleep easily in my living room, especially when the lights are dimmed! I do have trouble sleeping at times so my living room helps alleviate some of the struggles of my sleeping woes!

What were you most excited about when you secured this property?

I had always stayed in small residential apartments. Upon my first encounter with this home, I was just blown away by the generous amount of space I could work with! In fact, this was actually the first property that I came across as I was searching for a new home. There was just something about this space that resonated with me; so much so that I could not stop thinking about this place
even as I was viewing other alternatives.

Given your current schedule, how do you keep the house well-maintained while you’re away?

I do have a helper, as well as the occasional assistance from my family, who live nearby! On the topic of maintenance, I think it helps that my home’s design strayed away from being automated. I can appreciate the convenience and novelty of smart homes, but I do think many neglect the amount of maintenance this design approach requires in the long run. With my work and travel schedules, I cannot afford to invest time fixing malfunctions or technological disruptions at
home.

Has your career inspired the design of your living space?

My schedule is typically fully packed, with very few breaks in between my pursuits. I want my living space to be a deviation from the perpetual hustle that is my everyday life. Empty spaces are more than just vacant rooms – they symbolise a vastness for
new emotions, inspirations, and ideas, where my vision is unoccupied and unencumbered by the heaviness of everyday responsibilities. The feeling is almost akin to a physical catharsis; I feel cleansed of my stress when I see these empty spaces, almost like being in my own personal pocket realm.

What do you think you would have been if you weren’t an actor?

I find animals to be incredibly endearing (as you can tell, I love animals) soI would have loved to be a veterinarian! To be given the important responsibility of providing unconditional care for animals, where I can make a difference no matter how big or small, will truly be a blessing.

Which attribute(s) of yours do you think greatly contributed to your current
success?

Determination and painstaking perseverance. I am not one to give up amidst overwhelming odds; in fact, giving up isn’t even an option for me given how much is at stake. There is always this tenacious drive in me to keep pushing through, to work past the string of hurdles in pursuit of a bigger agenda. Stamina is crucial in this push, as it’s all about the long game. Of course, it definitely helps to be passionate about the venture as well.

Tell us about your skincare line, GRAIL.

Given my own personal foray into skincare, the eventual launch of GRAIL was a pretty natural one for me. When I first started my acting career in Singapore, I often got
made fun of for my fair complexion. Strangely enough, what was once a sore point of mine turned into a personal distinction as I began embracing this unique feature of mine. Essentially, the brand is a personification of my own experiences with skincare – entailing the lessons I have learnt inmy own beauty regimens, and how they have
complemented my life’s pursuits.

What has it been like, having to balance your creative, personal, and entrepreneurial aspirations?

The journey so far has been unbelievably amazing! People are especially complicated
and multi-faceted beings, with an array of sides often left unexpressed and unnoticed. I’m not just an actor, and it is so fulfilling and therapeutic to indulge in my other aspirations and interests (such as my skincare line), some of which may seem unrelated to my main pursuit. In the grand scheme of things, however, my aspirations are all interlinked, spurring one another on by providing me with novel experiences beyond acting! This empowers me to refine my craft with unique twists,
perspectives, and nuances from my other ventures!

Back to your gorgeous home. In terms of creative direction, what are your future plans for it? Any redecorating in the near future?

Not at this current moment! The home, however, is inherently adaptable as it has very minimal builtin furniture. Most of the spaces are interchangeable, apart from its fixtures, resulting in a home that is largely accommodating and flexible.

Having your own place is an absolutely exciting endeavour, and it is very easy to overembellish.

For future homeowners intending to create a space like yours, what advice would you give them?

Restrain yourself! Having your own place is an absolutely exciting endeavour, and it is very easy to overembellish your home’s interior design due to impulse. Always
consciously remind yourself to restrain yourself and keep to your original artistic
vision.

Lawrence’s thoughts on...• Unique chills

My fridge would be the most unique appliance in my home! It was always a dream of mine to have this Rolls-Royce of all fridges. Practicality wise, it would likely be my water dispenser. Unlike most water dispensers, it takes up a minimal amount of space and it comes with varying temperature choices.

• Music to his ears…

On my wish list would probably be a music stereo system that is connected to the entire house! I love music (as well as candles) as it accentuates the home’s ambience.