Inside Socialite Bahareh Badiei's Crystalline Singapore Home
No White Walls
Baccarat My Fire Candlestick Red Crystal. (Source: Harper's Bazaar Singapore)
In the rarefied world of Singapore's high society, few homes command attention quite like the newly completed residence of socialite and designer Bahareh Badiei. Located in the prestigious Holland district, a leafy enclave synonymous with exclusivity, Badiei's new home is far more than a dwelling; it is an 1,890-square-meter manifesto of her life, heritage, and unapologetic taste.
Baccarat Rogue 540 Candle and Eye Votives Clear Crystal. (Source: Harper's Bazaar Singapore)
Moved into in mid-2023 after nearly three years of construction, the Good Class Bungalow stands as a rebuke to the "quiet luxury" trend of beige minimalism. Instead, Badiei has created a space that vibrates with colour, texture, and drama. Drawing inspiration from her Iranian heritage and her experiences living in Dubai and Hong Kong, Badiei designed the interiors herself, eschewing the services of a traditional interior decorator to ensure the vision was undiluted. Her guiding principle was simple yet ambitious: no plain white walls.
Baccarat Mille Nuits Floor/Reading Lamp. (Source: Grazia Singapore)
"In the Middle East, design tends to be bolder and louder. I wanted to bring that richness here," Badiei has noted in recent features. The result is a sensory symphony where vinyl, glass, wood, and rare stones intermingle. Every surface is treated, from the sweeping staircase backed by a marble feature wall in rich ambers and reds, to the living spaces clad in warm browns and textured wallpapers. The house is also decorated with exotic MB&F timepieces which her husband has collected over the years.
Creative Clarity
Lalique Bacchantes Vase Amber Crystal Numbered Edition and Bacchantes Bowl Clear Crystal. Baccarat Mille Nuits Small Pastry Stand. (Source: Harper's Bazaar Singapore)
It is not difficult to notice something after spending just a short time in Bahareh's new home: the abundance of daylight and clear crystal pieces. The hallways and rooms of the ground floor feature large glass panels that provide unobstructed views of the surrounding flora and luxurious crystal homeware to capitalise on clear daylight. The kitchen is completed with a bespoke Barovier and Toso glass installation of 320 champagne, off-white, and latte-toned crystals that took ten days to install.
Baccarat Eye Vase Red Crystal Large Size and Small Size, Three Lights Clear Crystal Candelabra, Mille Nuits Table Lamp. (Source: Harper's Bazaar Singapore Youtube)
While the architecture is grand, the home remains deeply personal. It houses Badiei's extensive closet, a treasure trove of couture and jewellery that rivals high-end boutiques. The art collection is equally distinct, featuring pieces sourced globally, including a hyper-realistic sculpture of a security guard by Marc Sijan that sits in the living room she affectionately named "Peter", often startling first-time guests. Her homeware collection is also very telling, with exquisite collections of iconic Lalique and Baccarat crystal, and other luxury furnishings.
Amongst Bahareh's homeware recommendations include the Baccarat Tuile de Cristal Chandelier Piccadilly S, Eye Oval Vase M Clear Crystal, and Lalique Bacchantes Champagne Cooler. (Source: Harper's Bazaar Arabia)
For Badiei, who has called Singapore home for over two decades, this new residence in the Holland area is the ultimate culmination of her journey, a sanctuary that balances the grandeur of entertaining with the intimacy of family life. She and her family maintain a private life, but this peek into her design ethos is sure to inspire many.
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