I have an obsession with house tours. As circuit breaker came into effect, there were multiple media reports suggesting virtual tours at popular overseas destinations. I tried watching some of them, but none kept my interest. I guess nothing beats visiting the destination in person. What kept me occupied during lull time this CB were house tour videos and stories.
Now I’ve always loved house tour videos, beginning from my teenage days watching MTV Cribs. The most luxurious home I remember watching was fellow Hoosier, Kenny Edmond’s (aka Babyface) California home. That home was palatial and it inspired dreams of my own fantasy home.
Nearly 20 years later and I am a home owner myself. Life couldn’t be better in my 92sqm HDB. It is perfect for my wife and I. Of course, I still dream of owning a landed property, like those on BBC’s Extraordinary Homes. When we eventually have children, my 92sqm will not be enough. I also foresee that I will one day need to take my aged parents in and care for them. That’s when space really matters.
Anyway, here are my favourite house tour videos from all over the world; homes big, small and beautiful:
10. Tiny house in Australia
This series ‘Living Big In A Tiny House’ features also standalone homes in remote areas of New Zealand and Australia. I like this house a lot because the husband (or boyfriend) is a builder and he literally built this place himself, and he has this deadpan humour (“She wouldn’t shut up about living in a tiny house”). The house, obviously, is awesome – the two-storey house is beautifully furnished:
9. NOC’s Ryan and Sylvia’s SGD$2 million condo
Listing this here because I wanted to talk about our very own local influencers. I was shocked when I saw the news of their recent divorce, especially since they had released their house tour video a year ago in 2019. Turns out they had separated even before that. Not sure if it’s just me, but on second viewing of the video tour, it feels kinda obvious that the couple can’t stand each other. Anyway, this condo itself is pretty typical, but I like that everything is taobao’ed and Sylvia is, as always, ever so charismatic (hope they get back together):
8. Minimalist Singapore HDB home
Another Singapore couple: the pair run a YouTube channel called ThoughtWorthy, where they share tidbits of wholesome lifestyle. Their content presents quite a refreshing tone – a stark contrast to many of the loud and pompous Singaporean influencers. Check out the couple’s miniminalist home embedded below. My wife and I aspire to be minimalists too, and these guys certainly are a model to emulate:
7. Resale home makeover
I love this video because of all the nifty gadgetry – the automated screen covering the master bedroom window, the pull-away kitchen island, and their futuristic hood and hob etc. The property was originally a decrepit-looking, cockroach-infested resale flat, but the couple’s makeover made it such a chic and cosy:
6. Singapore’s The Interlace
Melvin Lim is an awesome sales man and his property videos are one of the better ones, among the many local property agents pushing out videos to showcase their client’s homes. Of course, what makes the video great is the property and The Interlace is one of the best condominiums in Singapore – Capitaland’s award-winning 99-year leasehold residential masterpiece. I love this townhouse. It would be very ideal one day if ever my parents should move in with me:
5. Onto the Philippines… starting with the SKYPOD
Something about this video and the next (Kramer House Tour) seems to scream massive wealth inequality in the Philippines. Then again, who is to judge? I, certainly, do not know how these folks got the resources to build such wonderful homes.
Anyway, the next two videos feature homes of Filipino celebrities – reality TV star Slater Young and his influencer wife, Kryz Uy… hence, the name SKYPOD (Slater KrYz’s POD); and then basketball star Doug Kramer and his actress wife. Both homes are palatial and beautifully designed.
4. Basketball star Doug Kramer’s ginomous mansion
3. Dream Bali holiday villa
This video is unique because this beautiful property is owned by foreigners – an Australian influencer couple, who built it from ‘scratch’. They did a second Q&A video and I learned that this home cost them around USD$850K, for a 31-year lease on the land and house. I’m not sure if it is a sound investment. Then again, this property is in the uber popular Bali – it should be very rentable:
2. Big Bang Taeyang’s home featured in ‘I Live Alone’
Taeyang’s ground floor condo home video is responsible for getting me hooked on ‘I Live Alone’, the popular MBC Korean variety show. I cannot tell you how much I love, love, love this programme. My wife and I are addicted. We love the comedians, Park Na Rae and Kian84. We love watching celebrity homes featured and seeing how they live – their morning routine, the cooking, and what they do for recreation etc. ‘I Live Alone’ has korean-nise our lives (well, actually just my life; wife has long been Koreanise by K dramas) .
- Futuristic Andrew Road house
Since this magazine is called VoidDeck Media, I had to end off on a Singapore property. Singapore is a rich country and home to many beautiful homes, such as the Good Class Bungalows and mega penthouses. Again, yup, I guess wealth inequality is on display here. While most Singaporeans live in HDB homes, there are a handful of the wealthy living in lavish palaces. This house I want to feature is somewhere up there. When I used to work at Caldecott Hill, I’ll pass by this house on the way to my office. It has always fascinated me everytime I pass by it. Now Andrew Road is home to many huge mansions. This home is certainly far from being among the bigger ones, but it is definitely unique in that it sits on a sunken plot of land.
The land gives the house its unique underground design – it peeks out on eye-level from the homes main entrance. But when you go closer, you will marvel at the ‘hidden’ depth of the home; the buried courtyard and the breathtaking space. I’d vote this home to be on BBC’s Extraordinary Homes. You can read more about this property on designboom magazine.
Do you know of other awesome homes? Comment on this story or send them me. Stay safe!
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