A Fashionable Life: Inside Singapore Instagram Queen Jamie Chua's Lavish Sentosa Home

Jamie Chua is no stranger to the spotlight. Not one to blend into the crowd, she is one of the most recognisable figures in Singapore. Hailed by The Straits Times as “Singapore’s Instagram Queen” and often celebrated as one of the most influential lifestyle personalities in the region, her digital footprint is prominent.

Her Instagram follower count, an impressive 1.3 million, speaks volume of her influence. Similarly, her TikTok and YouTube platforms boast a quarter-million and half a million followers respectively, placing her firmly among Singapore’s most illustrious content creators.

Her vibrant lifestyle extends beyond the digital world and into her daily life. In March this year, the mother of two moved to a new home in a cul-de-sac along Sentosa Cove. This was not originally on Chua’s list of desired locations, despite having previously lived on the island before. “That was about 15 years ago,” she recollects. “I did not enjoy living in Sentosa as it was not very accessible then.”

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As life often surprises with twists and turns, Chua’s preferences gradually shifted. “I feel that as I grow older, I appreciate a more relaxed lifestyle,” she reflects. “I lived in Bukit Timah, and the traffic—among other things—was horrendous.”

The final nudge came from her children, who were already comfortably nestled in their nooks on the island. They convinced her to give it a second thought, as the area had become more developed and offered a peaceful charm.

Chua also muses that the Covid-19 pandemic was a catalyst for her change of heart. During the lockdown, she spent most of her time indoors at her old house. “It made me realise how important having a peaceful and comfortable lifestyle at home is,” she explains. “When we were stuck at home, we needed a space that felt comfortable, offered activities, and had a good view—all of which I did not have back then.”

Today, her life is an intriguing duality—on social media, her personality is larger-than-life, but at home, she relishes her privacy.

Stepping into her home is akin to entering a grand French salon. The almost entirely white three-storied residence takes up approximately 740 square metres of space. Upon entering, one’s eyes are instantly drawn to the distinctive arches lining the ceiling, their contours playing with light and shadow. In the distance, wall-to-wall glass-panelled doors offer a tantalising glimpse of the waters beyond, filling the entranceway with a serene light that accentuates the chiaroscuro effect throughout the space.

When it came to the interior design of her home, Chua knew exactly what she wants. “My brief was clear—I wanted the decor to resemble the Dior boutique at Avenue Montaigne in Paris. I did my research and studied their design.”

Like her personality, her home embodies attention to detail and a relentless pursuit of individuality. “My travels have always been my inspiration, and Paris is one of my favourite cities,” she declares. Her home, with its Parisian chic and elegance, is a testament to her love for the city.

“The beauty of Paris always leaves me mesmerised,” she states. “The city’s fashion, the food, the art—everything adds to my creative process. I’ve always sought to capture that essence in my home, and I think I’ve achieved that.”

The walls, for instance, are adorned with wooden wainscotting panels that hide clever storage spaces. Chua shares that these panels were not pre- bought but were personally chosen and arranged to achieve the desired effect. The resulting design is unique, with some elements protruding while others are recessed, providing a visual and tactile experience.

Working with the principal architect and co-founder of Type0 Architecture, Chua recalls it was a hands-on, creative exploration process. “They would bring me all these strips of wood, and there I would be, putting it all together,” she says, reminiscing about the satisfying process of seeing her vision come to life.

Given her eye for perfection and the many details that needed attending to, the extensive renovation process took considerable time—a year and a half, in fact.

In Chua’s home, every room is a distinct entity, carefully designed and compartmentalised to serve its purpose. She appreciates this clear delineation of spaces. “This layout offers a sense of structure and organisation, yet each room is a part of the whole.”

“I designed this house with content creation in mind because every part of the house can be a backdrop,” she declares with a proud smile.

She recalls when content creation was not as seamless, “I used to rent a studio each time I needed to create content for my clients.”

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But that’s in the past. Today, having a space serving multiple purposes was more than just creating a beautiful home. For Chua, it was also an intelligent business decision. “For example, if a client offers a supplement, I don’t have to rent a studio because I can do it right here,” she adds.

The dining area and open-plan kitchen elegantly coalesce within a shared space, subtly divided by a versatile movable island. The thoughtful design encapsulates Chua’s practical sense, especially critical when it comes to hosting—a favourite pastime she shares with her partner, lawyer Terence Koh.

Adjacent to the 8-seater Giorgetti dining table set that is anchored by a Baccarat crystal chandelier hanging above, a handsome wine chiller flaunts an impressive selection of vintages, including the revered labels of Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Petrus and Chateau Margaux. The six-door chiller also serves as a refined backdrop, lending an air of sophistication to the area. Yet, despite her splendid wine collection, Chua reveals her preference for champers. “Actually, I am more of a champagne person,” she dilvuges, expressing a fondness for the crisp and vibrant notes of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs. This disclosure not only underlines her distinctive preferences but also adds a whimsical dimension to the overall narrative.

“It is important that everyone can see what is happening. Of course, we have a separate ‘wet’ kitchen for the heavier cooking at the back,” she shares. “Then we have the bar area and this little island, providing plenty of room for people to move around and mingle.”

However, this vivacious personality that glows in the social limelight savours her moments of solitude when at home. It is in this space, carefully decorated with influences from her travels that Chua truly unwinds. “Quite honestly, I enjoy my solitude. It gives me time to research on how to better my life,” she says.

Venturing into the back garden, and beyond the lap pool, we meet an unexpected sight: a chicken coop. Crafted from timber repurposed from her previous home, this charming, pink-hued sanctuary is a cosy haven— reminiscent of a real-life Barbie dollhouse—for her brood of fluffy Silkie chickens.

Beneath this idyllic facade lies a recent heartache. In a voice tinged with a mix of sorrow and humour, Chua reveals the loss of some chicks to the local wildlife. “The rodents of Sentosa finally realised there’s a chicken farm on the island,” she shares. “One morning, I woke up to find the baby chicks dead.”

Despite this, life in the coop thrives. Chua discloses that her household only uses the freshest eggs from her flock, collected every morning. “This is as fresh as it gets,” she proudly states.

Chua’s affinity for nature extends beyond the coop. Amidst the lush greenery, a rich array of vegetables and herbs flourishes. Her garden teems with diverse produce, from the heady scent of rosemary to the fiery zest of green chillies, the unique taste of bitter gourd to the tangy freshness of her beloved lemon trees. Her need for respite and solitude manifests in this serene sanctuary, creating a surprising symbiosis between the spheres of luxury and nature.

The pièce de résistance of Chua’s home is her lavish walk-in wardrobe, located on the second floor. This opulent woman cave not only houses her stunning collection of designer clothing and footwear, but, most notably, her coveted handbag collection, with brands like Chanel, Dior and Hermès.

“While it might not be my home’s emotional heart, it’s crucial to my public persona. People anticipate seeing it, and I’ve got to deliver. So, a great deal of thought went into making this space,” she confesses.

While building the wardrobe, Chua firmly demonstrated her design ambitions. She painstakingly considered every detail to provide a perfect stage for her cherished items. The result she meticulously achieved resembles a private boutique with towering glass-protected displays and a vanity room.

At the centre of the wardrobe is a smaller chamber ingeniously designed to display Chua’s famed collection of Hermès bags. The harmonious fusion of glass and brass within the enclosure ingeniously illuminates her collection, reputedly the largest of its kind. “This was a labour-intensive task,” she discloses, recounting the laborious process of crafting the distinctive curved glass piece. “Its unique shape, created from a single continuous piece, was incredibly challenging and demanded a great deal of time and repeated attempts to perfect.”

She further reveals that there were numerous setbacks along the way. “The glass broke several times before a piece could finally make it out of the workshop,” she says.

Indeed, even amidst the opulence, there are tranquil corners where Chua seeks solitude. The third-floor spa room, for instance, is an embodiment of her affinity for wellness and solitude, a private retreat where she can bask in restorative treatments, undisturbed and at her own leisure. Similarly, the meticulously curated cabinet of curiosities in her formal living room suggests a deeper narrative, an exhibition of her personal world. It’s not merely a display, it’s an intimate collection that underscores her individuality and her preference for a world that she has carefully constructed.

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Through it all, this is more than just a home, it is a personalised sanctuary away from the bustle of her public life. It is a world within a world, and a home that is a unique representation of her persona.

In the midst of all this grandeur, Chua cherishes something far more humble—tranquillity. When asked what she loves most about her home, she takes a moment before revealing the quiet calm her residence offers. “Amid the chaos of my public life, this home is my quiet retreat,” she confides. 

Photographed by Gan
Styled by Windy Aulia
Makeup and Hair: Manisa Tan
Stylist’s assistants: Zoe Tauro

ERRATUM: This story originally appeared in the August 2023 print issue. The original article incorrectly captioned Chua’s chairs as “Dior-inspired chairs, upholstered in Joie de Vivre print.” The chairs are, in fact, the Dior Medallion Blue Toile de Jouy chairs.