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When Carrie Wong, 31, posted snaps of herself rolling a pineapple across the floor of her new home on Instagram last August, it wasn’t just for good luck — it also rolled its way into the headlines. The Mediacorp actress had just snagged her very first property, and thanks to its high ceiling and mezzanine floor, some media assumed she’d snagged a penthouse.

“Pent your head!” Carrie quips when giving 8days.sg a tour of her new crib. “I wish! How to afford?”

What she did buy is a two-storey, 850 sq ft loft condo in central Singapore — chic, cosy, and very much the perfect bachelorette pad… except she doesn’t actually live in it.

Not yet, anyway.

For now, the apartment is more like her “vacation home”.

She pops by a few times a week to use the facilities, host friends and family, film content, or simply spend some me-time.

During our visit, she serves us water in wine glasses gifted by her A Quest To Heal co-star Qi Yuwu. There’s no proper tableware here yet, unless you count paper plates.

Her wardrobe? Empty, save for a bunch of lonely hangers. Her bed? Still untouched. Wifi? Nope.

All of this is by choice.

Though renovations were completed two months ago, Carrie is taking her time settling in — partly because she just wrapped four months of back-to-back shoots for a film and drama in Malaysia.

But mostly, it’s because of her 13-year-old toy poodle, Gege.

“I sleep with her every night,” Carrie says. “She’s old already, and I didn’t want to stress her out with a new environment.”

For now, Carrie’s splitting her time between her parents’ place and the new apartment and fully embracing her role as a devoted dog mum.

Also, she confesses that she’s not ready to tackle the household chores. “That’s why I’m using paper plates,” she laughs sheepishly.

She targets to move in by Christmas.

“I got a really good deal”

So why buy a place when she’s not ready to move in?

“For investment. Properties in this area won’t lose value,” she explains matter-of-factly.

She adds that she got a “really good deal” on the seven-year-old apartment (she declines to reveal the price), and since it was below her budget, she snapped it up “straight away”.

Carrie had been house-hunting since 2020, and this unit ticked all her boxes: floor-to-ceiling windows, an unblocked view, a balcony, and — of course — a loft layout.

Minimalist resort vibes

The interiors are just as dreamy — a calming blend of off-white, neutral tones and wood textures that give the space a warm, resort-like vibe. It’s minimalist but inviting.

Renovations for the one-bedroom, one-study apartment took eight months and cost more than $100K, though Carrie candidly admits her reno was sponsored.

Since she was overseas for much of the process, she left most of the design decisions to her interior designer.

“I rarely came down, I was most active in the WhatsApp group chat,” she laughs.

“I trust my ID and am quite an easy-going person. I brought my friends to see the place before reno was complete and they kept pointing out things that needed to be touched up. I didn’t even notice them — they didn’t really bother me.”

Open concept living

The home features an open concept look, combining the kitchen, dining and living areas.  

Thanks to the five-metre-high ceiling and wall of windows, the space feels bright, airy and expansive — a perfect little escape in the city.

Carrie spends most of her time in the dining area. It’s where she works, watches TV, hosts friends, and just chill watching the sunset.

The kitchen may be small, but it’s all Carrie needs — especially since she doesn’t cook.

The typical glass stair railings were swapped out for fence-style wooden beams, giving the space a rustic, textural edge.

From the top of the stairs, Carrie has what she calls her “favourite view” of the neighbourhood and beyond.

Loft-style master suite

The master bedroom, bathroom and vanity area take up the loft.

To create a more open and spacious feel, the two rooms were combined to form a master suite

Glass panels enclosing the loft and the study door were removed to give the space a breezier feel.

Another favourite spot? Her vanity corner. It’s where Carrie winds down and, more often than not, ends up just chilling.

Photos: Dillon Tan

No part of this story or photos can be reproduced without permission from 8days.sg.