The renovation of a loft-style apartment has allowed a couple of globetrotters to display their eclectic collection of travel souvenirs without creating clutter.
Clutter is an unwelcome guest in the homes of inveterate travellers who like to bring home more than memories. So, too, is the disharmony that can result from pairing keepsakes from different countries and eras.
Not so the South Bay home of globetrotters Anne and John Wong. Their light-filled 2,800-sq-ft apartment is a blissful marriage of disparate cultures and old and new: modern and contemporary photography faces classic oil paintings bought at auction and antique Italian furniture sits beside hi-tech Bang & Olufsen audio equipment. Then there are the fung shui elements that complement the New York-style loft look, such as the wide, open living room that features jugs of water for harmony.
'It just happened through years of travel and living in different places,' says Anne Wong. 'That little chandelier came from France, the chairs are from Portugal, the crystal lamps are Russian.'
The passing years have also added to the couple's art and book collection. Abstract art in striking colours provides visual interest, accentuated by Asian works in more subdued hues. And where the walls are not hung with artwork, they are covered with shelves that do more than hold books (see Tried and Tested).
'Things fell into place,' says Wong, adding that she and her husband gave each other veto options should one detest something the other had selected. 'But the opportunity never arose; we both have similar tastes. This home is an amalgam of our purchases.'
