Poh Ling Yeow's style secrets
Poh generously opened the door of her home to show us around her colourful world.
“This huge bowl has all my utensils in it and sits next to my stove. It’s like a bouquet of cooking utensils. It has everything in it I need to create in the kitchen. Without it, I would be dead! I’m very excessive when I’m deep in recipe testing and don’t want to stop and wash things. It’s a bowl of chaos, and totally represents my brain.”
“Jono [Poh’s husband] built this glasshouse for me as a present. Originally, I asked him to buy some sort of kit one, but he said, ‘No! What are you thinking? You’re constantly banging on about making things with your hands; we can do better than that.’’ So he built this using reclaimed windows. It’s really special to me, because he crafted it himself. I’ll sprout seedlings in it but at the moment it’s more like an adult cubbyhouse. The table and chairs in there have been used quite a few times for little dinners on date night.”
“We have two Scotty dogs, Rhino [above left] and Tim. Rhino’s three and Tim’s two and there’s never a bad day with them around. A little pat and cuddle, then everything’s better – they’re both an absolute necessity. They look like wombats cruising around my house since they’re pretty round. Rhino is freakishly big for his breed and Tim is extra small, so they’re an odd couple.”
“This beautiful bench is basically my cookbook shelf. It’s my go-to for inspiration and ideas. It’s also surrounded by things that I love. There’s a beautiful Aboriginal painting above it [Untitled by Betty Kuntiwa Pumani], which is
one of my favourite artworks at home.”
“My easel symbolises so many things: being able to make a living out of something I love, and it also represents possibility. So many major decisions were made at that easel. As I get older, I realise painting has been a form of meditation throughout my life. So not only does it serve as a way for me to vent creative energy but it’s also been a source of therapy.”
“Because I have a design background, I really appreciate good clothes and nice things, but most of what I spend money on goes into the home. One thing I treasure is a beautiful antique Moroccan handbag I bought in New York. I love old things that have had a previous life. I’m very inspired by letting my imagination run wild about whose hands it’s passed through and what adventures it’s had. It smells musty and my friends say, ‘Your handbag stinks!’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, well, I love it!’ ”
