Moving From New York to Singapore a Young Family Injects Big Apple Style Into Their Treasure-Filled Duplex

The route from New York City to Singapore is (at least for now) the longest nonstop commercial flight in the world: some 19 hours gate to gate. Bona Yoo and SangWook Lee were ready to make that journey when, in 2021, they relocated from Manhattan to be closer to his parents and their family business. What Yoo and Lee weren’t prepared to do, however, was abandon their Big Apple identity altogether. “We weren’t looking to re-create our life but to carry forward what we loved most about it,” she notes. And so the couple (both Korean, he born in Tokyo) set about creating a home for themselves and their young children that would reflect both their new locale and their old—a refined mash-up of craft traditions and cultural attitudes.Bona Yoo and SangWook Lee’s Son Connor takes a seat on their living area’s Giancarlo Valle sofa, beneath a 17th-century Belgian tapestry; candleholders by Josef Frank. 17th Century Flemish TapestryKevin Sofa by Giancarlo ValleVintage Patinated Bronze Low Bowl by Carl SorensenBrass 6-Branched Candle Holder by Josef FrankSangwook Lee and Bona Yoo gather with their kids in the family area; sofa by Vladimir Kagan, sconces by Giancarlo Valle, and artwork (on side table) by Alex Foxton. A vintage Märta Måås-Fjetterström rug anchors the library. ART: Michael Andersen & SonsCassina Capitol Complex Office ChairPorslinsmattan Rug by Märta Måås-FjetterströmMérida Mirror by Mithé Espelt"Studio Valle de Valle: Interiors" by Giancarlo Valle and Jane Keltner de ValleThe view from one end of the main level’s hallway affords a dynamic cross section of curves and planes. At the opposite end, Emilia perches on the entry’s built-in bench; wall-mounted ceramic mermaid by Elisabeth Vandeweghe. Art: Elizabeth VandewegheThat creative exchange began with their address. Rather than buy a single-family house (the ultimate goal by prevailing local standards), they chose an apartment on the top two levels of a centrally located building, with views over neighboring trees. Its expansive great room and mezzanine, both crowned by a curved ceiling, reminded them of their Tribeca loft, where they had been raising their two sons, Connor and Jude. “We were looking for ceiling height, character, and natural light,” says Lee, who studied architecture at Columbia University and later worked for the firm Rogers Partners. He knew that, with some tweaks, he could make the space work for their family, which would soon include daughter Emilia.For additional pairs of expert eyes, they called upon Giancarlo Valle and Jane Keltner de Valle of the AD100 firm Studio Valle de Valle, to whom they were introduced by a mutual friend. “What I like about their work is that it never feels derivative,” says Lee. “Everything is something they interpreted on their own.” Before the big move, the two couples bonded over long meetings and meals, including a kick-off lunch at Le Mercerie, not far from Studio Valle de Valle’s Canal Street headquarters. “Each meeting became an exchange of ideas, references, and possibilities,” notes Yoo. Adds Jane, “they have become our friends themselves.”The children gather in the boys’ room, where curtains of Décors Barbares fabric dress the bunk beds. ART: Joel MeslerMarble offsets the primary bath’s custom millwork; basins and fittings by Lefroy Brooks. ART: Alex Foxton / Galerie Derouillon, ParisThe view from the dining area into the kitchen Surface Mount by Giancarlo ValleDécors Barbares Natacha Cotton1920s Silver Coffee SetPierre Chapo S28 Dining Chairs (Set of 3)The kids’ tiled tub is an homage to George Nakashima. Mind you this was during the pandemic. The project would ultimately be, for Jane and Giancarlo, a remote job, with Lee collaborating closely on the ground with local project manager Iris Yeo, who shepherded construction. Those foundational brainstorms, however, allowed the two couples to meld minds even from afar, as Jane and Giancarlo shared mock-ups and 3D renderings with Yoo and Lee. “The process was great because we were speaking to a peer,” says Giancarlo. “He was already fluent in space-making.” Yoo, an art adviser who had risen through the gallery world, brought her own discerning references—not to mention a prized trove of vintage furnishings, now a shared passion with her husband, and contemporary artworks.A view of the Singapore skyline The couple with their children—Jude, Connor, and Emilia—at breakfast. ART: © Tracey Emin. All rights reserved, DACS, London / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York 2026A 1965 Paavo Tynell pendant hangs in the breakfast area, which doubles as a homework zone; 1932 chairs by Axel Einar Hjorth, 1960s wall lights by Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret, and mirror by Mithé Espelt. The mezzanine sits beneath the apartment’s curved ceiling. ART: © 2026 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, ParisThe four of them put their heads together to expand that mix, which foregrounds choice pieces by titans of the early 20th century, among them Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Jean Prouvé, Oscar Niemeyer, and Serge Mouille. Scandinavian marvels add their own layers, from the Märta Måås-Fjetterström rug in the library to the Paavo Tynell pendant in the breakfast room. Meanwhile, Giancarlo and Jane peppered the rooms with his own designs, including a mohair version of the hit Kevin sofa, a Paloma mirror, and a freestanding cedar cabinet to separate the dining and living areas. For the latter, Giancarlo devised a custom carpet with a graphic pattern reminiscent of the organically shaped tilework atop the cocktail table. Look closely and you’ll see the family members’ names (minus Emilia, at that time not yet in the picture). The boys’ names reappear in their bathroom, an homage to George Nakashima.A Giancarlo Valle mirror and sconces accent the powder room, which is outfitted with an onyx basin and zinc paneling; fittings by Lefroy Brooks. Pierre Chapo chairs surround A custom resin-top table in the dining area, which also features a vintage sideboard and sconces. In the den, a custom Giancarlo Valle sofa frames a Frank Lloyd Wright table; painting by Kenichi Hoshine. ART: Kenichi Hoshine“We love having objects that spark ideas,” says Yoo. “We wanted to embrace living with art and design and expose the kids to it.” For all that pedigree, the house remains playful at heart. “There are curious moments,” she notes, citing the portal from the dining area to the kitchen and the lookout to the living area from the new switchback staircase, which also affords a hypnotic view of the soaring entry. The arching ceiling all the while gave way to a whimsical language of curves—from the scalloped detail of the primary bath’s millwork to the sinews of the boys’ bunk beds. “You hardly come across any sharp corners,” says Lee, grateful for the kid-friendly edges.Jude jumps for joy in his bedroom. ART: Joel MeslerTranslating their NYC ethos to their new digs did, at times, pose challenges. Singaporean tendencies toward clean lines and pristine surfaces meant that the team had to convince artisans to embrace imperfection, rehearsing the plaster finish to avoid a uniformly flat sheen. Some materials proved hard to come by. When aged oak was unavailable, they had to acid-etch fresh planks. And the green marble originally specced for the powder room was swapped out for honey onyx. (Call it kismet: It looks great with the zinc walls.) Humidity too introduced a variable. “It’s not some immaculate white space,” says Yoo. “There’s a patina on many surfaces, which we love.”A little grit, some free spirit—you can leave New York but New York will never leave you. “Being in a home that feels comfortable, surrounded by what inspires us, helped that transition,” says Yoo. “We brought who we are with us.”This story appears in the October issue. Never miss a story when you subscribe to AD.