Home tour: Krystina Lyon and Mark Budden’s inviting Singapore home filled with Southeast Asian art and mid-century furniture

The first of their prized furnishings can be found upon entering the abode—a petite console, designed by Kai Kristiansen in 1958. As Budden talks us through its teak construction, he also directs our eyes to the chairs flanking the console. Crafted by the same designer, these are characterised by the signature angle of the teak arms, as well as a pivoting backrest and tapered legs that often signify mid-century furniture. “All the furniture in here is older than us… and we’re old!” Budden lightheartedly points out.

Looking up, two of the home’s most striking artworks can be found in the foyer, deliberately placed by Lyon: a visceral piece by Balinese artist Citra Sasmita, and a large, enchanting artwork by Suzann Victor. “Her work is very powerful,” Lyon shares of the former. “I wouldn’t put it anywhere else in the home because it’s complex and difficult, and it really makes for quite the entrance.” The collector’s love for the artists is palpable as she talks us through these works, pointing out that many of them paint as a form of resistance against oppression, often rewriting history from a female point of view.

In the sunken living room, some of the home’s signature features can be spotted. These include a bookshelf built into the low wall separating the living space from the dining area, handcrafted by Budden himself using plywood shelving. Above this floats an installation of tall papier mache lotus leaves by Cambodian artist Eng Rithchandaneth, doubling as a dreamy partition. “When things were bad in recent history, many people in Cambodia were reduced to eating the roots of the lotus for sustenance. This part of history interests me, and that’s why I was struck by this piece,” Lyon shares.

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Two glass-encased works by Bangladeshi artist Tayeba Lipi can be found in the living room as well, drawing the eye with their razor-blade construction. “Tayeba Lipi’s art practice has a very sad and ambitious focus, which is the difficult life of women.” One glass case contains a pair of stiletto heels, the other a pair of children’s shoes. “I had my son when I was 41, and I was never able to wear heels after that. My husband likes me in heels, so I bought the stiletto heels and baby boots for him to enjoy with a little bit of humour,” Lyon reveals.

The furniture in the living room is equally imbued with the couple’s personal history. A set of Matthew Hilton armchairs followed the pair all the way from England, originally upholstered in nubuck leather. What they didn’t realise was that the relocation to Singapore would ruin the furniture. To their surprise, no reupholstery service was willing to work on their armchairs, until Lyon chanced upon somebody in the business of private-aircraft upholstery work.

“He came over and he said, ‘No problem, we can save everything!’” recounts Budden with a lingering sense of wonder. Vintage Robert Haussmann lounge chairs from 1957 keep these armchairs company, still handsomely clad in their original leather.

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If the heart of most homes is the kitchen, the heart of this apartment is Lyon’s study. This is where the collector displays many of her favourite artworks, each accompanied by a deeply personal history. Two pieces by Octora hang behind her desk, a duo she’s particularly fond of, marking her entry into collecting female artists after her move to Singapore. Other names she points out in her study include Indonesian artist I Gusti Ayu Kadek Murniasih, whose paintings depict surreal explorations of trauma, Thai artist Pinaree Sanpitak, and Filipina artists Pacita Abad, Eisa Jocson and Yeo Kaa.

A piece by Leonard Aguinaldo commands attention with its eye-catching composition, representing the tensions at a market in Baguio, nestled in the Cordillera Range in the Philippines. “This area is very contested,” Lyon explains. “You have the Chinese, the indigenous, the Spanish Filipinos, and the Americans. It’s a chessboard because it’s about power, to try and displace the indigenous people, who come to this market to this day to sell their fruits and vegetables, and who are gradually being displaced because the land is so expensive and valuable.”

Also noteworthy is a pair of sizeable works by Malaysian artist Nor Tijan Firdaus, one depicting a Samsui worker, crafted from recycled electronic waste on wooden panels.

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Next door, Budden’s study contains his own curated selection, including pieces by Sariochmin Salim, Sinta Tantra, and Albert Irvin. The latter was Budden’s first acquired artist, and he continues to be fond of his works to this day. “I remember I told him about my project, that I had converted a loft. He used to name his paintings after streets in London, and he said he wanted to name one after our street,” Budden recounts. “He only became famous in his late 60s, and I always remember that he would joke that he was the oldest up-and-coming artist.”

Budden’s lineup of Irvin’s works is joined by a small duo, signed by none other than the couple’s son when he was still a child. One a sketch and one the finished abstract painting on canvas, this set completes the couple’s collection with the same warmth and humour that is infused into every facet of their most enchanting abode.

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