Tan is one of six industry experts on the judging panel of the EdgeProp Excellence Awards 2025. (Picture: Samuel Isaac Chua/The Edge Singapore)
An eclectic mix of limited edition Bearbrick toys, striking art pieces and personal mementoes lines the wall behind Sandy Tan’s desk at her design studio, Chalked. More than half the shelves are dedicated to selected pieces from her Bearbrick collection, a Japanese designer toy known for its minimalist, bear shaped form. Four of her prized figures are from a series by American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, which Tan treasures as a fan of both the artist and his distinctive style.
Other objects in her office showcase include treasured items such as mementoes collected over her 18-year career as an interior designer, photos of her with friends, as well as intricately designed 3D-printed art, a technology she believes will shape future interior design trends.
The design of her office represents Tan’s approach towards curating spaces, where personal collections are an important element that ties together the design of a room. “It should be a place that feels per sonal, welcoming and restful. These spaces should also have an intuitive layout to foster conversation and movement, which are complemented by warm, layered lighting and comfortable materials,” she says.
In addition to private homes, Chalked has also designed public spaces, such as the lounge at The Residences at W Sentosa Cove. (Picture: Chalked)
As the founder of Chalked, Tan has built a reputation for herself and her design studio by handling a wide range of projects for nearly two decades, from private homes of ultra-wealthy clients to show suites and galleries for residential and commercial developments. This year, she brought her expertise to the EdgeProp Excellence Awards 2025 as a judge. It marks the second year she has joined the panel of six industry experts.
In Singapore, Chalked has been the designer of choice for many developers who engaged her team to design the sales galleries of new projects. Its list of clients includes City Developments (CDL), GuocoLand and UOL Group.
Recently, the design studio worked with CapitaLand to conceptualise the sales gallery and show suites for its latest project, LyndenWoods, a 343-unit residential development in Singapore Science Park. The challenge was to design the two-bedroom plus study showflat and the four-bedroom unit showflat to highlight how each space could address the lifestyle needs of potential buyers.
The two-bedroom plus study showflat at LyndenWoods, designed by Chalked. (Picture: Samuel Isaac Chua/The Edge Singapore)
“When we design such show flats, the key to a successful design is to put the buyer’s needs first. Developers carefully craft each design brief to make sure those needs are clearly demonstrated and the design team’s approach adjusts the level of creativity accordingly,” says Tan. She adds that this results in spaces that feel special and appealing to a wide range of buyers.
She was particularly satisfied with the design of the two-bedroom plus study unit that Chalked designed at LyndenWoods. The interior design for that unit explored how different materials like acrylics could be used in new and interesting finishes, such as an acrylic bar and stool, as well as certain light decorations.
In recent years, Tan says that more developers and owners have engaged her design studio to design and fit out vacant units in completed projects to help sell or lease such units. These tend to be units in ultra-luxury projects such as Nouvel 18, Gramercy Park, New Futura and South Beach Residences.
When this process involves unsold developer units, the buyers are more likely to buy the unit with its furnishings. As such, she has to ensure that the materials and furnishings selected are durable and easy to maintain, she says.
A unit on the 32nd floor of Marina One Residences that Chalked designed for a private client. (Picture: Chalked)
Lately, Tan observes that home owners’ design tastes have shifted towards a pared-down, minimalist luxury in furniture and finishes. “This has been a gradual trend which strikes a balance between elegance and understated sophistication, which I think will continue to gain in popularity over the next few years,” she says.
Despite the growing number of private home clients and developer projects Chalked has taken on in recent years, Tan has largely kept her Singapore-based team to around six. However, the studio has expanded its back-end operations with two-person teams based in Johor, Malaysia and Manila in the Philippines.
Although Chalked has taken on a handful of residential projects in China and India in recent years, Tan says her focus for the firm remains on maintaining a boutique, personalised approach in its home market. “While international opportunities are valuable, we believe Singapore’s high-net-worth segment continues to offer one of the most meaningful avenues for the studio’s growth,” she adds.
An apartment unit at The Residences at W Sentosa Cove designed by Chalked.