Sandy Tan's Chalked broadens reach from showflats to private homes and the region

Sandy Tan, founder of interior design firm Chalked, believes smaller spaces can still feel luxurious if the focus is on the quality of the finishes and on furniture proportioned to the space.

“It's about creating a sense of refinement and balance, where every detail feels intentional without overwhelming the home,” she says.

Her showflat for Thomson Reserve, the 1,268-unit project at Bright Hill Drive, is a study in that balance. Tan imagined the owners of the 732 sq ft two-bedroom premium-plus-study unit as a young, active couple who love pickleball and music.

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One bedroom became an audiophile's music room, the outline of a pickleball court runs across the ceiling, and pickleball paddles adorn the balcony. This year marks Tan’s third consecutive year as a judge of the EdgeProp Singapore Excellence Awards (EPEA), where her experience designing both showflats and private homes informs how she assesses projects.

From showflats to private homes

When Tan founded Chalked in 2017, 80% to 90% of its work involved designing showflats and sales galleries for developers, with only a handful of private homeowners as clients.

Today, about 60% of its residential projects are for private homeowners. “We have been getting a lot more of this work in the past two years,” says Tan.

She has since realised that private commissions make Chalked’s showflats better. “Engaging with homeowners gives us first-hand insights into how people actually live, what they value and how they use their spaces,” she says.

The firm is also winning over a growing number of high-net-worth homeowners. The key, says Tan, is understanding their lifestyles and respecting their privacy. “In this space, trust is everything.” Most new private clients come through word of mouth.

To Tan, luxury today lies less in extravagance than in craftsmanship and detail. “It’s the graceful curve of a handcrafted piece of furniture, the precision of a perfectly sewn stitch on a headboard, or heirlooms and collections that carry meaning,” she says.

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Homeowners increasingly want spaces that reflect their lifestyle while expressing “a distinctly individual sense of self,” Tan notes.

What clients want

Even with most people back in the office, post-pandemic, clients still want a dedicated workspace at home.

Larger homes can accommodate a study, but in smaller ones, designers have to be creative, carving out a work area and concealing it within built-in cabinetry.

Chalked has applied the same thinking to developer projects, turning a flexible space of about 45 to 55 sq ft into a study in a compact showflat.

More are also asking for home automation. Smart home technology is now almost the norm, says Tan, with easy-to-use apps that work across a wide range of appliances.

“What was once a luxury has evolved into an affordable convenience for every home,” she adds.

She welcomes clients who arrive with Pinterest boards and AI-generated images of what they have in mind. “They make my job easier, not harder,” she says. They give the Chalked team a clear sense of a client’s taste, which the designers can then refine and test for feasibility.

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Beyond homes

In recent years, Chalked has taken its approach to luxury into offices, shops and even a rehabilitation centre.

It designed Jung Asia’s Singapore headquarters, which officially opened earlier this month.

The German company specialises in high-end electrical switches, sockets and building automation systems for luxury homes, hotels and commercial spaces. It celebrated its 30th anniversary in Singapore at its new premises.

The headquarters is as much an experience centre as an office, and Jung Asia wanted it to showcase its heritage and quality, says Tan.

Besides the usual furniture and fittings, Chalked had to fabricate larger-than-life artistic sculptures for the space. “A lot of hard work went into the project,” she says.

Last year, Chalked designed Golden Seed Tea Café and Store at Millenia Walk, which bills itself as “a premium tea atelier” for Chinese tea.

The café recently won a regional design award for retail space.

The firm also designed The Winslow, a newly opened private residential addiction treatment centre licensed by the Ministry of Health.

Set in a heritage building at Hendon Road, in the Changi area, it is designed to feel like an upscale private residence.

“It was a unique opportunity to design within a regulated healthcare framework, balancing medical requirements with the safety, comfort and well-being of patients undergoing rehabilitation,” says Tan.

Following developers overseas

Chalked’s regional expansion has largely been driven by Singapore developers. The firm has worked on projects in Chengdu with Hong Leong Holdings and in Chongqing with GuocoLand. It is currently designing two show suites in Hai Phong, Vietnam, for CapitaLand.

Private clients are following the same path. Chalked recently completed a home in Discovery Bay, Hong Kong, for friends Tan first met in Singapore.

Additionally, some of its regular Singapore clients have asked the firm to design their homes in China.

In Singapore, Chalked continues to design showflats, and its work will be showcased in some of the upcoming launches.

Tan has kept her team lean: six people in Singapore, three in the Philippines and one in Malaysia. “We also have a strong collaboration with a firm in China that helps us with drafting,” she says. “I outsource more so we can keep our local costs as low as possible.”

She adds: “As our network of trusted and reliable vendors in the region continues to grow, we’re gaining greater confidence in taking on more projects across the region.”

Sandy Tan is a judge in the Interior Design specialisation at the EdgeProp Singapore Excellence Awards (EPEA) 2026.

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