Indholdsfortegnelse for April 2018 i Home & Decor

Picturesque byoubu folding screens were first created in the eighth century, to block cold drafts from entering open-concept Japanese homes. Made of paper panels, they were also canvases for artists who painted idyllic views of nature – some of which were commissioned by the warrior elite. Inspired by the work of Japan’s finest decorative artists of the 16th to 19th centuries, antique furniture dealer and interior studio Altfield has produced a series of intricate screens that a samurai would be proud of. Trivia The Rinpa school, a historical group of Japanese painters, was influential in defining the style and tradition of Japanese art in the 17th and 18th centuries. It prefers themes of nature as well as vibrant colours and elegant patterns. Visit Altfield’s collection of Japanese screens at…

No one was able to uncover the science behind bending marble, until Indonesian furniture maker MM Galleri met Singapore stone specialist Sharikat Stone to launch the world’s first “bended marble” technology. Once you step into the showroom of MM Galleri by Sharikat Stone, the fluid design of the interior space gives you a glimpse of what this new technology brings. With marble cladding the curved walls and the undulating design of the ceiling, it is as if one has walked into a natural stone cave. To further showcase the effectiveness of this technology, marble-cladded furniture pieces with fluid silhouettes and curved structures dot the showroom, including a bar counter, spiral-shaped table, curved magazine stands, benches and even an oblong-shaped bathtub. The secret behind the making of this revolutionary material is…

Just minutes away from familiar Little India establishments, such as the Bib-Gourmand eatery Bismillah Biryani and Wanderlust Hotel, is an unexpected sight: The open-air Cuban-esque reception of The Great Madras Hotel. The conservation Art Deco building once belonged to a no-frills budget hotel, but a refurbishment by creative agency Farm – commissioned by now-owner Mini Environment Service (MES) Group – has transformed it into a hip hangout for both hotel guests and walk-ins. “I wanted the communal area to be completely open and inviting, so anyone can check it out without feeling apprehensive. I’ve always wanted an opportunity to work with Farm, too, and told the team to be as creative and expressive as possible,” says Shaik Mohamed from MES, who also manages The Daulat boutique hotel down the street.…

Joey Yap is a leading authority in fengshui and Chinese metaphysics, with over 20 years of experience and having published more than 172 books on the subjects. We catch up with the renowned expert to find out more about the fengshui outlook for homeowners in 2018. Fengshui may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but when it comes to fengshui-auditing a new home, Joey feels that current homeowners are more receptive to the idea because they want to know that they are making a wise investment on their property purchase. “Compared to years ago, people are definitely more open to fengshui due to exposure through books and the Internet. They are more well-informed about the subject and it’s become the norm for them to know their individual good directions,” he…

WHO LIVES HERE A local family HOME A Good Class Bungalow in Jervois Hill SIZE 30,192sqf (land area); 27,404sqf (gross floor area) Designed by foreign firm Mercurio Design Lab S.r.l. (MDL), with project architect A.M. Architects, Villa Otto is the latest in a series of award-winning bungalows that the Italian studio has designed for the same client. As such, the client had complete trust in the team’s ability in coming up with yet another unique design. “The owner’s brief focused on the number and size of rooms that he and his family needed. He left the style, massing and organisation to us,” says Massimo Mercurio, managing director of MDL. “OTTO” MEANS EIGHT IN ITALIAN, A NUMBER THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH PROSPERITY IN CHINESE CULTURE. The homeowner is particular about fengshui…

WHO LIVES HERE A family of four HOME Four-bedroom resale condominium apartment at Saint Patrick’s Road SIZE 1,916sqf Homeowners James Teo and Patricia Huang were immediately drawn to the stately look and grand style of the colonial-inspired dwellings surrounding their new home – this fascination prompted them to consider channeling some of that old-world flair into their modern condominium. However, they were concerned that a totally classical look would result in their home looking cramped and stuffy. So, they decided to seek professional help from established design studio Fuse Concept. After meeting the couple, designer Tan Jian Da proposed a design solution that embodies features from two styles – classical and contemporary. “I wanted a modern take on the classical design, so that the home would not look too conventional…

It is the sort of news that puts fearin every kiasu parent’s heart. In January 2018, a couple was fined $9,000 for lying about their residential address while registering their child in a popular school in the Bishan area. Although they lived in a bungalow in Serangoon Gardens, they changed their registered address to one in Bishan at a Police Post. The mother then successfully enrolled her child in an undisclosed school in Bishan under Phase 2C of the registration exercise, which gives priority to children living within 1km of the school. But when the child started school in January 2016, the vice-principal somehow found out, made a police report, and the parents were slapped with the fine. Although the Ministry of Education rules that in such cases, the child…

KOOL KONG Part lamp, part art sculpture, this Qeeboo Kong lamp by Italian designer Stefano Giovannoni will surely turn heads and frighten off your enemies. The lamp is located in its movable left arm; shine it straight ahead or at the ceiling, it’s kong-pletely up to you. The Qeeboo Kong lamp is 140cm tall, 20kg, and is made of polyethylene. Find the Qeeboo Kong lamp at Journey East, #03-02 Tan Boon Liat Building, www.journeyeast.com . It retails for $2,500. New Online Store CHIC CLICK Looking for the perfect rug, pendant lamp or lounge chair? Add Primero, a new online furniture store in Singapore, to your shopping list. This young brand features in-house designs made of solid Malaysian and American oak, as well as pieces from Thailand, New…

Most clubbers will be familiar with the concept of admission fees, but Bang Bang has done away with that. With the unveiling of its new look in January, the 3.5-year-old nightclub at Pan Pacific Hotel has decided to drop cover charges. Accompanying this bold move is a vibrant, spruced-up space that is the perfect backdrop for all the Instagram moments revellers desire to capture. The interiors are a real doozy, bathed in groovy shades of magenta and wine, with mirrored ceilings and cool fittings like the UV-coated diamond dance cages and raised dancefloor. Asked about the revamp, the co-founders of SJS Group – who also brought us bars Lulu’s Lounge and Employees Only – Joshua and Sarissa Schwartz said: “We believe strongly in reinvesting the business and that, after three…

With the right ambience, any home can be turned into an intimate retreat filled with peace and serenity. Here are some cool ideas to furnish and style your home into a luxuriously welcoming domain. Create a calm atmosphere in your living room by having plenty of seats which you and guests can lounge on, as well as sufficient space for people to mingle. Keep the pieces flexible and easy to move around so you can change up the look whenever you like, or have more floor space when required. For example, Muji’s high-back reclining chair is great in the living room and study, as it can be adjusted to seven angles, making it versatile when you’re working or resting. Complement this piece with the ultra-comfortable beads cushion. As it moulds…

Moscow School of Management, Skolkovo, 2010 This teaching and research institution in the outskirts of Moscow is composed of four buildings with herringbone-patterned glass exteriors balancing on top of a 150m-wide disc. It is David’s largest project with regards to area, and he pushed the limits of his creativity to achieve a new typology of a vertical rather than horizontal campus. Dirty House, London, 2002 A converted warehouse in Shoreditch, housing two art studios and a top floor living space for artists Tim Noble and Sue Webster. It caused quite a stir with its dark walls, tinted reflective glass windows, brightly hued interiors, unusual natural light sources and floating plane of the roof. Knoll Washington Furniture Collection, 2013 The range incorporates the plastic and metal Skin and Skeleton cantilevered chairs,…

Teresa Sapey, an Italian architect and designer based in Madrid, has had a career designing for luxury clients spanning over 25 years. Chief among them are brands such as Bulgari, Citroen and Disney, and she has been conferred awards by Architectural Digest, Wallpaper and Elle, to name a few. The Spanish city she calls home is also where the majority of Teresa’s works are sited, including her very own home, Casa Teresa Sapey. Located in Los Jeronimos, one of the most exclusive neighbourhoods in the capital, Teresa’s abode is a microcosm of her world. The walls, floors and spaces are conceived as a white canvas upon which she can create her masterpiece. “ What I wanted to do was to bring everything I love together inside a white container.” “I…

WHO LIVES HERE A bachelorette HOME One-and-a-half-bedroom condominium apartment SIZE 600sqf It’s true what they say: Limitation breeds creativity. Faced with a small space, the bachelorette homeowner of this apartment realised she had to utilise every nook and cranny innovatively, so she brought in Kelvin Teo of Space Sense Studio to help reconfigure the space. With a total renovation cost of $40,000, the result is a personality-filled home that’s comfortable and stylish. “The homeowner needed a large wardrobe space and, at the same time, for the home to look more spacious. To achieve this, we converted the existing study room into a walk-in-wardrobe and cladded the door panels with mirrors,” says Kelvin. This not only saved space – a clunky store-bought mirror would have taken up more room than necessary…

PDM Brand Indoor Outdoor Mat - Diamond (Mini Round), worth $159, from For The Common Goods The PDM Brand mats’ collection combines modern aesthetics with traditional weaving methods to create mats that are fit for both indoors and outdoors. The pattern and shading on Diamond are inspired by the shadows and reflections of a skilfully cut precious stone. PDM Brand mats retail at Pick Junction. Sawyer Bench (Black Walnut), worth $799, by Grey and Sanders Functional and visually stunning, a black walnut bench is a choice piece to complete your dining set. Made from solid wood, this timeless piece is built to last and never goes out of style. The dimensions are specifically designed to achieve comfortable seating while being space-efficient. Grey and Sanders products can be found at Pick…

Having spent a decade studying paint trends around the world, what colours do Singaporean homeowners go for? Most Singaporeans lean towards pastels and lighter hues – not an unusual choice, as they go well with our light-filled environment. These colours are easy to match with furnishings and accessories as well. But more people are experimenting with darker and vibrant colours, particularly with feature walls. They are also trying out textures and metallic paints. Is that why Akzonobel chose Heart Wood – a dark, brown-pink tone – as the Colour of the Year? We picked Heartwood 18 months ago, when our colour specialists started going out into the marketplace to look at the colours people were beginning to use. We noticed people used warm-toned colours such as pink, grey and brown.…

COLLECT AND CURATE “My art collection is consistent — the pieces are all about faces,” shares Terence, about the paintings and sculptures that dot his studio. On the third floor, material samples, architectural drawings and models are displayed alongside iconic furniture and fixtures, including the Louis Poulsen PH Artichoke. HOUSE IN A HOUSE This “house” structure was used as an exhibition set-up when Terre participated in Maison & Objet Asia 2016. Now, it is a cosy corner that accommodates more intimate discussions away from the work desk, as well as a display area for accessories and books. “I like artworks with reflective surfaces, as they play with the idea of duality.” HEART OF THE HOME In place of a traditional long table, Terence decided on a kitchen counter instead, and…

WHO LIVES HERE A bachelor in his 30s HOME Three-room HDB resale apartment in Bukit Ho Swee SIZE 580sqf When it comes to expanding the collection for your hobby, where do you draw the line between indulgence and obsession? For Singapore-based Canadian designer Tyco Tat, gardening has always been something he loves. Since moving to Singapore five years ago, he has collected over 100 pots in his rented Bukit Ho Swee apartment. The three-bedroom HDB resale flat, which he rents from landscape architect Koh Jiann Bin, epitomises the idea of a “greenhouse”. “There are many different types of plats in tropical regions, which l've never encountered before. fascinate me, so i love collecting them.” Thanks to Jiann Bin’s expertise, he offers Tyco free reign over the selection and often provides…

SIT PRETTY Designer Daniele Della Porta created the Duca, a timeless piece of furniture with double cushion backs and clean-cut lines. It comes in four seat sizes – 100, 90, 80, and 70cm – that can be paired to make a chaise longue. Made with pinewood and beechwood frames, the sofa is available in removable fabric covers or leather. Calia Italia’s Duca sofa is available at XZQT, price upon request.Visit www.xzqt.com.sg . ABSOLUTE CLEAN Pyrolytic ovens are essential in a modern kitchen, as they help to reduce the amount of time and work that goes into keeping your oven clean. The latest range from Brandt self-cleans by heating the chamber, causing grease and food residue to turn into ash for easy cleaning. What’s more, Brandt’s madein-France pyrolytic…

ALTFIELD HONG KONG 249 Prince’s Building 10 Chater Road Central, Hong Kong Tel: +852 2537-6370 www.altfield.com.hk BIBLIOTEK www.bibliotek.co ETHNICRAFT #02-01 Tan Boon Liat Building 315 Outram Road www.ethnicraftonline.com.sg HANSGROHE 69 Mohamed Sultan Road Tel: 6884-5060 www.hansgrohe.com.sg IKEA 60 Tampines North Drive 2 Tel: 6786-6868 www.ikea.com.sg ISETAN SCOTTS Shaw House 350 Orchard Road Tel: 6722-1111 MARQUIS Q SQUARE Level 1 16 Tai Seng Street Tel: 6383-0119 www.marquis.com.sg MINOTTI 30 Hill Street Tel: 6338-2822 www.minotti.com MOBLER 10C Jalan Ampas Tel: 9882-5320 NAIISE #B1-08 The Cathay 2 Handy Road Tel: 6266-8418 www.naiise.com REDMART www.redmart.com ROBINSONS THE HEEREN 260 Orchard Road Tel: 6735-8838 www.robinsons.com.sg ROYAL SELANGOR B2-92 Marina Bay Sands The Shoppes Tel: 6688-7167 SCANTEAK 60 Sungei Kadut Drive Tel: 6368-2802 www.scanteak.com.sg STYLODECO www.stylodeco.com TANGS AT TANG PLAZA 310 Orchard Road Tel: 6737-5500 www.tangs.com…