Conversations: Gentle Days with Ying
Hello! I am a marketer by day and a clumsy homemaker by night.
Sometimes I feel like I am an old soul trapped in a 28 year old's body. I love the smell of old books, the loud shutter click of my film SLR, and the warmth that envelopes my entire body after my first sip of coffee on weekday mornings. I am obsessed with trawling through thrift markets and secondhand stores to find vintage tableware and home decor gems. 
My favourite time of the day is when I get to wind down in my living room and watch the sun set, with a beer in hand.
We wanted a cosy and inviting space to come home to after a long day at work. Nothing too clean or minimalist because that is just not us; we are not neat by nature. After much research on Pinterest, and taking inspiration from the beautiful Airbnbs that we stayed in, we eventually ended up with lots of warm wood tones, white walls and bright natural light. We added soft furnishings with pops of colours and textures, plus lots of plants to soften the overall vibes. 
We didn't hire an ID, and my husband left the design of our home entirely to me. I knew from the beginning that I would love to refresh the aesthetics of our home every few months, so I took extra care to reduce the built-in carpentry in our home. This gave me plenty of creative space to play around with, which I really enjoy!
The mood of our home changes with the seasons; bright and inviting for the first half of the year, muted and cosy in the second half.
Our home was also designed to cater to our living habits and routines. For example, we are both introverts who need our own space and alone time. So we decided not to knock down any rooms in our 4-room flat, and dedicated a room each for both of us. My husband converted his to a man-cave, where he spends his alone time gaming. Mine on the other hand, is a simple walk-in wardrobe space that can be converted to a guest room, or a home office. When work from home became the new norm and we had to spend most of our time at home, this arrangement really allowed us to have ample space to ourselves.
Take it slow. Personally, I feel that there is never an end to home decorating and furnishing. It is ok not to have everything in place when you first move in. Part of the fun is the process of sourcing for furniture and decor, and making mistakes along the way. To maximise your dollars, I would suggest exploring Carousell and Hock Siong for beautiful, second hand furnishings. I scored a good deal for our rattan armchair and collection of vintage cups from Carousel!. There is a treasure trove of good stuff out there on the second hand market if you search hard enough.
I went through a dark period of self-doubt and it took me a long while to be fully comfortable with who I am, and what makes me, me.
Nowadays, whenever I feel myself panicking or stressing out, I will treat myself to something that makes me feel good. On some days, it could be an extra five minutes in the living room with my coffee before I head back into my room to work. On days with beautiful sunsets, it could be taking the time to compose one shot on my film SLR and soaking in the moment instead of hastily snapping away tons of pictures on my phone.
@ourslowhouse was started to remind myself to slow down and to be grateful for the little moments in life that I've taken for granted.
Do you have a favourite quote or song you want to share? I've been binge watching Grey's Anatomy recently and this really resonated with me.
"Don't let what he wants eclipse what you need. He's very dreamy, but he's not the sun. You are.” - Cristina Yang, Grey's Anatomy.
And here's one that has accompanied me since my childhood days, from the Harry Potter series.
"Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light." - Dumbledore
Find Ying here @ourslowhouse