Indholdsfortegnelse for August 2017 i Home & Decor

Home is more than just a sanctuary – it is also a place where we seek strength and inspiration, and find our purpose in life. This wonderful space where we surround ourselves with the things we love also becomes part of our identity, and a physical representation of what makes us a human being instead of just a human doing. Aside from the objects, furniture and accessories that reflect our personalities, home is also about the family members living in it. More often than not, the make-up of a modern family unit includes a pet or two. These furry, feathery or finned creatures now play a key role in our lives, providing unconditional companionship and support. Two months ago, I had to bid farewell to Cosmo, my pet beagle. At…

Established in 1992, Krislite is one of Singapore’s leading lighting specialists with a wide range of offerings, from industrial and architectural to decorative lightings for government, residential and commercial projects. A visit to its stand-alone showroom will provide a glimpse of the diverse variety of lighting options available, from chandeliers, pendants and spotlights to fibre optics used for illuminating facades and underwater features. At its 20,000sqf LED-centric lighting gallery, the brand partnered with other furnishing distributors to offer exclusive furniture collections alongside award-winning lighting designs from the likes of Studio Italia Design, Philips Lighting, QisDesign, and Krislite’s in-house lighting collection, Krisledz. In collaboration with H+A Holdings, a local partner of 60-year-old Italian artisanal forged iron furniture brand Barel, you can now find unique, elegant and customisable furniture at Krislite LED…

Taking advantage of Yangshuo’s landscape of karst mountains and rolling hills, the design of Alila Yangshuo incorporates breathtaking views of the natural scenery while preserving the history and legacy of the building that the resort sits in. The newly opened resort is housed within what was previously a sugar mill by the Li River, and the space has been transformed by Vector Architects and Horizontal Space Design to become a contemporary 117-room resort with design elements preserved from the original architecture. In a bid to ensure the heritage of the building was best preserved, the design process involved extensive research about the sugar mill business. Artwork and influences of Chinese culture also served as further inspiration. To better assimilate the architecture and design with the surrounding landscape, there was extensive…

Pets have come to be cherished family members in many households – and for good reason, because they provide us with plenty of joy and happiness. But sharing a roof with animals does come with its own set of rules, which is why some homeowners make special arrangements to ensure their pets feel right at home. Find out the ways you can go the extra mile for your pawed, winged and finned companions. Cats The Internet’s favourite animal is agile and versatile, giving its owners the most freedom to experiment with customised features at home. Cats feel just as comfortable on the ground as they are high up in trees, and they also love to hide and escape. Sam Chua, co-owner of Cat Cafe Neko no Niwa, tells us more…

Living with more than one pet can be tricky, so housing 14 animals and still maintaining a squeaky clean home is testament to designers Benjamin & Dilys Soh’s patience and devotion to animals. Ben shares with us how they do it. Name some of the animals you have at home. Our growing family includes four pairs of lovebirds, two red whiskered bulbul birds, one Siamese kitten, and a chinchilla! Our silky terrier lives with my parents and, unfortunately, our senior dwarf rabbit passed away some time ago. I’ve always liked animals and started by raising chicks and fighting fishes at a young age – you can say I’m quite the kampong boy! How do you integrate pet cages and play areas in your home stylishly? My wife and I are…

WHO A multigenerational family HOME A bungalow in Country Heights SIZE 13,000sqf In the Klang Valley, if you have the wherewithal and the right architect, it’s still possible to live in a home among lush greenery, with the convenience of the city at your doorstep. Country Heights Damansara is a neighbourhood offering the best of both worlds, and Melvyn Kanny, founder and principal of MJ Kanny Architect, was in the unique position to design not just one, but two homes in this desirable neighbourhood. Events unfolded rather serendipitously; after Melvyn finished work on a bungalow in the area, the result was so impressive that the neighbour of his previous client approached him to work on their new house. He happily agreed to take on the project, being well versed with…

WHO A couple in their 30s HOME Three-bedroom apartment in Bishan SIZE 1,163sqf Captivated by the charming English countryside she saw on her road trips throughout the UK, homeowner Alice Siah decided to recreate the airy and restful atmosphere in her Bishan apartment when it came to planning the look of her new home. This proved to be a tough yet fulfilling task, as Alice and her husband Wayne managed the renovation without an interior designer – a feat possible thanks to the couple’s good taste in design and the thorough research they put in. Wayne shares what went into the $100,000 renovation, which resulted in a modern, grey-hued home with natural elements. Why did you handle the renovation yourself? Alice and I had a specific look we wanted, and…

Held from May 19 to 21 this year, the Home & Decor Fair was a resounding success. A fun-filled and exciting weekend of activities and showcases saw many homeowners snagging great deals and home renovation packages from exhibitors, which included Asus, Beltiston, Bona, Creative Labs, Econflo Systems, Ergoworks, Jung Asia, Maghrebi, Meter Square Consultancy, My Digital Lock, Onna, Silestone by Cosentino, and Starry Homestead. Homeowners looking to renovate their new or existing homes consulted interior design specialists from Meter Square Consultancy and Starry Homestead, which each had attractive promotions, gifts and goodie bags. Several material options and home automation systems were also available at the fair, including stylish and unconventional cork wallcoverings from Beltiston, quartz surfaces from Silestone by Cosentino, My Digital Lock’s range of security systems, gates and automated…

Standing out against the urban cityscape along Penang Road is the iconic House of Tan Yeok Nee. With its distinctive Chinese-style architecture built in 1882, it was originally the home of prominent Teochew Chinese businessman Tan Yeok Nee and his family. Now, it houses Ming Yi Guan, the Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine’s first treatment facility outside China, and in South-east Asia. Being the only courtyard house left in Singapore (there were initially three), the Chinese mansion was gazetted as a national monument in 1974. “We had to be very careful about what we did (when refurbishing it). Even when cleaning, we use only a soft cloth and water,” says Tan Boon Pheng, the head of design management at Perennial Real Estate Holdings Limited, the company in partnership with…

Your bathroom often serves more function than style, but it is possible to have the best of both worlds. By choosing the right bathroom fixtures, you can ensure convenience, comfort and hygiene, without compromising on design. WC Bacteria tend to get trapped under crevices along the rims of the WC, which are hard to reach and difficult to clean. Over time, this may result in harmful germs lingering in your bathroom, causing foul smells, stains and even the spread of illness. There are now rimless WC options to help solve this long-standing problem. Some rimless WCs come in both close-coupled floor-standing and wall-mounted designs, with antibacterial ceramic glazing that helps kill germs. You can choose to add a coating to smoothen the inner surfaces further so dirt does not stick…

SUPERMAMA Working closely with many Singapore designers and Japanese craft facilities, Supermama is a gallery shop that curates, collects and produces giftware representing contemporary Singapore culture. Souvenirs From Singapore (SS) is a label by Supermama designed for people who are living in or visiting Singapore. The collection from SS seeks to encapsulate one’s experience in Singapore, and its designs make it hard to resist bringing home a piece. This cup and saucer brings back memories of old HDB flats. While sipping coffee, spot the many things that Singaporeans place outside the apartment blocks’ long corridors! DAVID THAM David Tham is the founder and creative director of Studio Norm Design Consultants, a firm that creates authentic and refined designs inspired by everyday living. “As I contemplated the theme of ‘Creating the…

WHO A bachelor in his 40s and his mother HOME Three-bedroom HDB maisonette SIZE 1,590sqf “Almost everything in this home is bought or made in Japan,” says Melvyn Yap. His home might be located in a typical Singapore high-rise building, but step inside and you’re instantly transported to a traditional inn in Japan. Eric Chua of Sync Interior gave the cookie-cutter apartment a radical makeover, with a look inspired by traditional Japanese interiors that’s based on the homeowner’s love of Japanese culture and style. Besides making structural alterations to open up the home, the designer created customised built-in structures and furniture to bring out the theme. Light oak tones, platforms and shoji paper screens are some of the distinctive elements he included. Also, as the Japanese aesthetic is grounded on…

Aiden T #10-19 UB. One 81 Ubi Avenue 4 Tel: 6408-9691 www.aiden-t.com Aztech Showroom #01-05 31 Ubi Road 1 Tel: 6594-2288 www.aztech.com Books Actually 9 Yong Siak Street Tel: 6222-9195 www.booksactually.com Christofle #02-11/12 Hilton Shopping Gallery 581 Orchard Road Tel: 6733-7257 Design Intervention Tanglin Village 75E Loewen Road Tel: 6506-0920 www.designintervention.com.sg EDL 43 Sungei Kadut Street 1 Tel: 6369-0990 www.edleuro.com Eightytwo 685A East Coast Road Tel: 6698-7987 www.eightytwo.sg Green Chapter 565 MacPherson Rd Tel: 6775-7376 www.greenchapter.com Journey East #03-02 Tan Boon Liat Building Tel: 6473-1693 www.journeyeast.com Lorgan’s The Retro Store #01-03 Century Warehouse 100E Pasir Panjang Road Tel: 6272-4988 www.lorgans.com Lotto Carpets Gallery #01-04 26 Dempsey Road tel: 6476-8784 www.lottocarpets.com Naiise www.naiise.com Onlewo 129 Jalan Besar www.onlewo.com Pomelo Home #13-02 Tan Boon Liat Building 315 Outram Road Tel: 6226-4663 www.pomelo.com.sg…

The simple but brilliant idea of using cardboard to create creative and functional structures came to Adrian Chua while he was under pressure to find a solution to a project. Realising that this idea had greater potential, he and wife Irene Ng have since grown a business turning everyday paper-based materials such as cardboard into attention-grabbing 3-D installations, decor, structures, scenography and more. Why the specialisation in paper? As a kid, I was fascinated by pop-up books and how a flat sheet of paper is able to become a 3-D work of art. Whenever I’m at a bookstore, I still browse the kids’ section for pop-up books that I can buy for my four- and seven-year-old daughters. My interest in paper pop-ups has reached the level of obsession… How did…

Aptly named Jubilee Coffeehouse & Bar, this vintage 1960s’ home-inspired restaurant was established in 2015 when Singapore celebrated its golden jubilee. Helmed by veteran restaurateur and founder Lee Choon Khim – who concurrently runs F&B establishments such as The Coastal Settlement, Symmetry, Unplugged, Xiao Ya Tou, and more – the design and decor pay tribute to the old world charm found in homes during the olden days. Once a chalet and residential development, the almost defunct double-storey space was turned into an enclave, which older generations can relate and reminisce in, while younger customers get a glimpse at what some Singapore homes used to look like. “Growing up, Changi was a place I would frequent. Jubilee is relevant because it is within a historical location, and while I still have…

Haikal is father to two adorable dogs: The introverted poodle Noodle and extroverted French bulldog Milky. The 42-year-old creative director shares with us interesting tips on creating a safe and stylish dog-centric home. When did you get your first dog? I was 20 and had no money to buy this beautiful Maltese I saw, so I got it delivered to my home without telling my dad. He was angry that he had to pay for it, but learned to love the dog! (laughs) Milky and Noodle are my third and fourth dogs. I’ve learnt that every dog is different, and while you can train them to behave better, they will still retain their temperaments and personalities. How do you keep your home dog-friendly? I already had Noodle when we bought…

Watch how we set up these stylish accessories in our video.…

WHO A 37-year-old bachelor HOME Upper-floor townhouse unit in Serangoon SIZE 1,050sqf From the unassuming facade of the townhouse homeowner Jian Yang lives in, you wouldn’t expect to find a home with such unconventional interiors. It is only after ascending the staircase to get to his second-floor apartment that you are immersed in a world of dolls. There are several floor-to-ceiling displays, with customised shelving specially designed to be doll-height, and a 12m run of wardrobes that are “six dolls-deep”. But stripped of the dolls – all 10,000 of them – the space is actually a blank canvas with a contemporary look, little ornamentation and a pared-down structure. It was what architect and designer Vincent Lim of Visual Text Architects (VTxT) knew was required, to allow the huge collection of…

WHO A fengshui practitioner in his 40s HOME A dual key condo at Flora Drive SIZE 1,581sqf A former banker, Wilfred Leu found his calling as a fengshui practitioner after a debilitating financial crisis in 2008. What started out as a means to overcome his predicament became a second career. Since then, Wilfred has gained recognition through word-of-mouth from clients ranging from homeowners, to bankers and multinational corporations. He recently had the opportunity to apply his expertise of the Chinese philosophical system to his own home. At the beginning of the project, Wilfred provided Miki Shi, design consultant at Copper Design Associates, with a detailed catalogue containing photographs and dimensions of all the precious stones, antique vases, paintings, wooden furniture and other auspicious artefacts in his extensive collection, which he…

Miele Avoid the frustration of burning or overcooking food with the Tempcontrol induction hobs by Miele. As its name suggests, the cooktop features smart sensors that will regulate power automatically to ensure a constant temperature, to make cooking easier. Simply select one of three heat levels, according to the type of food you’re cooking. Sporting a graphite black ceramic screen, the cooktop is a gorgeous fit for the modern kitchen. The Tempcontrol KM 6839 induction cooktop is priced at $6,000 and can be found at the Miele Experience Centre, #B1-01 Winsland House II, 167 Penang Road. Franke Fitted with champagne or black ceramic glass, and complemented by a stainless steel frame, this induction cooker maintains a clean and linear look that integrates well into minimalist and modern kitchens. As functional…

This HDB five-room flat in Hougang was transformed into an intimate, classical abode, thanks to the mastery of interior design firm Three-D Conceptwerke. The homeowners, a couple in their 50s, are fond of Victorian-esque interiors – from ornate cornices to dramatic furnishings – and had requested a similarly luxurious, yet modern look. The layout of the 1,400sqf flat allowed for a foyer, with an arch door frame and a customised vintage-look console that sets the scene. As the Victorian era was known for its elaborate gardens, the couple wanted their own, too; a water feature clad in artificial plants and roses was a vibrant addition to the pristine white-gold interiors. Plush velvet furnishings frame the living room, while a glass chandelier and classical painting in the dining room – which…