Overstimulating or cute? A couple's colourful, toy-filled BTO flat divides views on TikTok

A couple is living in their dream home with a toy-store theme, but when their colourful four-room Build-to-Order (BTO) flat made the rounds on social media, the design and toy collections that filled the home were panned as being too much for the senses and likened to "overconsumption".

One user on TikTok remarked: "Go work stress, come home more stressful."

The flat has its mix of fans as well, with some online users praising it for being cute and bringing cheer.

The homeowners, Ms Jean Kuah and Mr Aiden Liow, are creators of intellectual property (IP) brand Mochi Buddies, which sells merchandise such as keychains, stickers and bags based on characters designed by Ms Kuah.

Just like what she doodles, the couple's home is an eclectic mix of colours, featuring bright furniture, brightly painted walls and fixtures, as well as displays of popular IP characters. These include those from their own brand, as well as Ms Kuah's favourite IPs such as Hello Kitty and Toy Story.

Ms Kuah, 31, told CNA on Monday (Jan 12) that her interest in collecting such toys began in childhood and they gradually grew into a sizeable collection over the years.

That passion later inspired her to create her own IP line, Mochi Buddies.

She added that she has long been drawn to "cute, colourful, rainbow-filled things”, an inclination that naturally shows up in both her artwork and the way she lives.

"We wanted our home to be more than just a place to live. It's a space where we can freely explore ideas and fully express our personalities," she said.

"When it came to designing the house, my husband encouraged me to really 'go for it'. We decided to go all out and turn it into a playful, immersive world that truly feels like us."

A "JOYFUL, FEEL-GOOD" HOME

The couple, who collected the keys to their flat in January last year, said they knew from the start that they wanted to create a "joyful, feel-good" home.

The four-room flat has been zoned for specific purposes, with the living room serving as a toy showcase, one bedroom for rest, another converted into a home office, and the third set aside as a dedicated "creation room", since Ms Kuah works from home most of the time.

Describing the creation room – her personal favourite – as a space where ideas "begin and take shape", she said that it is a multifunctional area used for painting, drawing and creating digital artworks, as well as for storing product samples and other works in progress.

In contrast, the home office is designed for "structure and focus" and is where the couple handles administrative and operational tasks, such as packing orders, that support their creative work.

The couple worked within a tight budget to furnish their home, spending about S$10,000 (around US$7,700) on renovation and around S$15,000 on furniture and appliances.

Although they engaged an interior designer for the kitchen, Ms Kuah said that they took "full creative control" over the rest of the home, planning and designing the space themselves.

She added that her husband played a key role in shaping the home's look, sourcing many of the quirky, colourful furniture pieces and customising wall colours after testing multiple paint swatches.

The couple also took on several do-it-yourself projects, including laminating and painting their front door and main gate, as well as creating wall murals within the home.

"It was a labour of love, but it made the space feel truly personal and uniquely ours," she said.

REACTIONS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

The couple documents their home on video-sharing platform TikTok under the handle JeanKuah, where reactions have been mixed. 

Some viewers have praised the design as cute, joyful and "full of character", but others have described it as overstimulating, questioned whether the belongings and furnishings attract dust, or labelled the homeowners as hoarders.

Responding to concerns about dust, Ms Kuah said that she cleans the place regularly and finds dusting calming. 

As she enjoys spending much of her time at home, she added that maintenance is more manageable than some people might expect.

She also noted that regularly rearranging and interacting with the toys allowed her to clean them and keep them dust-free.

"In reality, dust accumulates in any home, even minimalist ones, if you don’t clean regularly."

Not too bothered by the reactions online, the couple said of their love nest: "It's absolutely worth it because we get to live in a home that reflects our dream aesthetics, which makes us happy every day."