Quiet Design for Introverts, a Tapestry of Cultural Influences, and Life in Singapore
When an audience of almost 200,000 tunes into Adriano Tawin’s content everyday, they find an interior that is calming, atmospheric and reminiscent of his diverse South Asian heritage. From Indonesian jati wood and bamboo blinds, to thrifted modernism and eye-catching twists, this space tells stories at every turn and is a nuanced reflection of its owner’s personality.
Adriano (a.k.a. @madspatial), is the founder of The Stacked Store – Singapore’s popular destination for curated design items. He is actively immersed in the world of interiors, new brands and social media trends, and is here to share his findings.
We chat with the tastemaker about his favorite pieces, the inspiration behind his home decor, quiet furniture and, perhaps most importantly – The Chair.
Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Adriano, I’m based in Singapore. I run a real estate and interior design media company called Stacked, as well as The Stacked Store. I’m also the person behind @madspatial, which is a home and interior lifestyle Instagram account.
Could you explain what a real estate and interior design media company does?
When we started Stacked, we were first focused on real estate editorial. We would write real estate content online and that grew a decent amount of following. Eventually, we moved into having a YouTube channel and that was right around when Covid started. It was a blessing in disguise because everyone was at home consuming content. Because people were stuck inside, it was also a time when they started thinking more about their spaces.
Our channel became a source of inspiration and we realized that there seems to be a growing demand for a curated collection of home and decor items in Singapore. We asked ourselves, “how can we guide our audience along in their home journey?” That’s when we decided to launch a store. Now, we collaborate with a good mix of both local and global design brands.
How would you describe your interior design style?
I always find it very difficult to answer that. I’m half-Indonesian, half-Thai. I was born in Jakarta, my ethnicity is Thai, but I’m Singaporean. As such, I think that diversity is what influenced my approach to interiors. If you take a look around at the materials and textures that I choose, they are really influenced by my mixed heritage. For example, my dining table is made of Indonesian jati wood and it’s one of my favorite pieces of furniture because it reminds me a lot of where I come from. I also have bamboo blinds (which is a material heavily used in this region), jute rugs and lots of other organic materials in general.
Having so many different influences, does it ever get difficult to settle on one aesthetic approach?
For me, the primary base of style would always be consistent – organic elements such as wood, rattan, leather, bamboo, and fabrics. These elements would be used for the visually-heavier or ‘anchoring’ items in the home, such as the dining table, sofa, chairs, rugs and even the window blinds. Beyond that, anything else that I add is there to provide further depth and character to the space. That’s also where I can be a little bit more playful with the prints, sculptures and other decorative pieces.
Since you’re always on the lookout for new design brands and trends, you must get constantly inspired to try new twists.
Constantly! I do watch a lot of home tours on Youtube and spend a lot of time scrolling on Instagram, checking out other amazing home accounts… I love how when you see something different and inspiring online, you end up forming new perspectives about your own space as well.
Do you have any items in your house that you are absolutely obsessed with right now?
That would be the Antony Chair. This is a chair that I’ve been hunting for about two years. In Singapore, a chair like this doesn’t come around very often. When I first saw it in a local second-hand market, I was really excited and contacted the seller immediately. At first, they decided not to sell it and the whole back-and-forth lasted six months.
There’s just something about this chair… It reminded me a lot of myself. I’m an introvert and I never want to be the loudest person in the room. But I also enjoy being around people and listening to conversations, and I feel like that’s what this chair is all about. It appears so much in my content but no one really talks about it. People talk about things that catch their attention at a glance, like the colorful prints or the irregularly shaped rug… things that are loud. But this chair is quiet. It just sits there in the center of the home yet it means the most to me.
A love story with a chair! It’s so great that you found each other.
A love story indeed! It was designed by Jean Prouvé, someone I really look up to. I don’t commonly see it around for sale anymore. It was reissued in 2002 by Vitra and has now been discontinued. Very hard to come by in general, let alone in Singapore. It’s still very surreal to me that I have it as part of my home.
It must be an amazing feeling to find those connections with your furniture.
The interesting thing is that most of my furniture was thrifted. Every single item – except, of course, for the Antony chair which I pursued – I came across by chance. It’s an amazing feeling when everything aligns and just works out. For example, my rug is made of jute – a popular material from Indonesia. I found it on a local secondhand marketplace. Someone was trying to get rid of it and they sold it to me for $20. When I placed it on my floor, it just fit so well. I don’t even know how to explain it, because this rug is not just a rectangular rug. Certain sections are sticking out a bit longer than the rest, and those longer sections fit really nicely with my lounge chairs. It’s like it was designed specifically for my living room.
As someone who puts a lot of importance on sourcing the perfect items, what would be your advice for people who are maybe a little bit intimidated by the process and unsure of where to start?
Take your time, don’t rush into things. Wanting to fill the space up with all this furniture is one thing, but understanding your home as a whole is another thing altogether. It could start with the basics like – how do you feel about the floor of your home? Or, should your dining table be on this side or the other? You start with the macro and then you move to the micro level of thinking. But you can only achieve that, if you spend enough time in your space and experience different scenarios within it. Working or eating, napping or hosting your friends… You want to see how you (or others) interact with the space in each of those scenarios, but this is something that takes time. It took me about a year to get a better understanding of what works for my home.
What is it like to live in Singapore? How does it inspire your style?
Singapore is a very multicultural country. We are made up of mostly Chinese, Indians, Malays, and many other ethnicities. It’s quite the melting pot. You encounter diversity in the day-to-day through human interactions, the food that you eat, and the languages that you hear around you. I think there’s something beautiful about that and I never really realized how much it influenced my design approach. It taught me to see beauty in differences and how combining small differences could form a cohesive outcome as a whole.
Your home is rich in a large variety of artworks. What is the vision behind your collection?
In my home, there are prints, original works and various decorative pieces. For prints, I curate those that show a different side of my personality – they tend to be playful and colorful. I find this contrast gives another dimension to the space. As for the original works, I usually curate works by artists I personally resonate with. There has to be a story behind the work that I could relate with. Whenever I look at the artworks in my home, it brings back memories.
You’re a fan of Gregor HILDEBRANDT and his art edition from THE SKATEROOM is the newest addition to your home. What drew you to this piece?
I came to know of Gregor HILDEBRANDT about a year ago. I love how he incorporates cassette tapes and vinyls to create meaningful artworks. When I saw his art edition from THE SKATEROOM, I was immediately drawn to the Barta Board. The work is a strong representation of HILDEBRANDT’s artistic practice. Its minimalistic yet impactful visuals complements my home really well.
