Five years ago, Patrick Tekely had never set foot outside his country. “I was your classic American who didn’t have a passport and had never left the country,” says the 35-year-old Vice President of foreign exchange products for the Asia Pacific markets at Bank of New York Mellon.
When the opportunity to be posted to Singapore came up, he grabbed it.
His first apartment in Singapore was at Dorsett Residences in 2013, where he lived for three years: “I was the first tenant in my apartment. Since it was a new development, everyone there was new too, and I ran into a lot of people who were interested in making friends and going out. There were 10 of us that connected well and became good friends,” says Patrick.
The Dorsett Residences, Patrick's first abode
Patrick then engaged the same property agent to search for his next pad: a 650 sq ft one-bedroom at The Luxe at Handy Road, on the fringe of Orchard Road.
“My old place was also a one-bedroom but it was more like a studio with just a sliding door to separate the living area and the bedroom,” he notes. “I wanted a bigger place and this unit at The Luxe was a little more than I was prepared to pay at $4,500 a month, but I just fell in love with it. The living area is really big and lets in a lot of light. And there’s a long, big balcony that looks out over the greenery of Mount Sophia while affording some privacy so I can sit and read here comfortably,” he explains.
Patrick's new home at The Luxe, a 99-year leasehold condominium in District 9.
The fact that there are only 20 units in the building was a bonus for Patrick, who prefers quiet environs. But it was the proximity to his workplace that sealed the deal: “I’ve been in foreign exchange my whole life and I’ve always been someone who’s always on-call. So the convenience of living near my place of work is important.”
He opted for a fully-furnished apartment with a minimalist, modern sophisticated vibe, with white tiled floors and cool grey furniture accented by ornaments he’s collected on some of his early travels. These include a ceramic painting from Capri, a handmade stone painting from Ireland, a Van Gogh print from Amsterdam, and other trinkets from London, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and China.
A Van Gogh print from Amsterdam
L-R: Trinkets from Indonesia, Thailand, Shanghai and a Money Tree from Kuala Lumpur
Since moving to Singapore five years ago, he’s been on 48 trips to 16 countries around the world. “I’m now making up for lost time,” Patrick jokes.
The functional, utilitarian design of the space serves the busy bachelor well. He especially loves the white island in the middle of the kitchen, which is perfect for friends to gather around when they come over. It also doubles as his work station when he has to take night calls with overseas colleagues.
The adjacent living room also serves as an exercise space as there isn’t a gym on the property. Patrick keeps free weights in a corner and occasionally moves the couch when he does his plyometrics exercises, which entail a lot of squatting and jumping movements.
In the bedroom is where you’ll find more personal items, like the paintings of meaningful places in Patrick’s hometown and college in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, hanging on the wall behind his bed. They were painted by a local artist and given to him by his mother to remind him of home when he moved to Singapore.
On a typical weekend here, you could find Patrick trying out new restaurants and the local fare around town. “I always try to find something a little different to do. But if there aren’t any exciting events happening that weekend, it’ll be drinks with friends at a rooftop bar somewhere, or group events like golfing or go-karting,” he shares.
“A lot of people say Singapore is boring and many tell me, ‘you should be single in Hong Kong and married in Singapore’. “But there’s so much you can do in Singapore; there’s paintball, yacht parties, casinos, great museums and gardens, and it’s such an easy hub from which to travel. Now, this is home,” he concludes.