Indholdsfortegnelse for May 2019 i Home & Decor

XTRA #02-48 A premium design store in Singapore founded in 1989, Xtra stocks a host of designer furniture and accessories that homeowners lust for. Look out for brands including Herman Miller, Moroso, Louis Poulsen, Tom Dixon and Dedon. ZEDERE #02-274/274A Zedere’s range of quality products are designed with love and passion to make the home a stylish, cosy and comfortable space. GAIN CITY #03-223 TO 232 Gain City is a leading household brand in Singapore. A retail chain in consumer electronics and IT products, you might find yourself picking up the latest tech gadget, or a new coffee machine, when browsing its broad array of products. TEMPUR #02-06 Imported from Denmark are Tempur’s wide range of mattresses, pillows and accessories to suit various needs and preferences. A pioneer in Sleep…

As someone who grew up in various African countries – namely Liberia, South Sudan and Kenya – Kurt Wagner yearned for a taste of authentic Africa in Singapore, where he now resides. Kurt Wagner is the owner of Kafe Utu, a three-storey cafe near Keong Siak. Together with his brother, Jon, Kurt conceptualised a menu and cafe design that is true to the diverse and vibrant cultures of Africa. Kurt says: “We believe that Kafe Utu is the only place in Singapore serving authentic African cuisine. “Our African dishes are true to their origins, using the freshest ingredients, and prepared lovingly to give you a true taste of Africa. Our dishes come from Monrovia, Marrakech, Lamu, Malindi, Bhanga and beyond.” Try their signature “Mama African” dishes, which include a Swahili…

The annual Design Intervention Young Designer Award 2018 concluded with Ryan Tan of Ngee Ann Polytechnic – who has a diploma in Sustainable Urban Design and Engineering (architecture specialisation) – emerging as the winner, bagging a cash prize of $2,000 and the opportunity to join award-winning interior design firm Design Intervention as an employee. The competition brief was to design a multigenerational home for a couple, two children and an elderly person. His work set itself apart with the conceptualisation of a modern, plant-filled space, based on a white-and-wood palette. WHAT GOT YOU INTERESTED IN INTERIOR DESIGN? Since I was young, I’ve always been adventurous and intrigued by all forms of art. This inspired me to explore my creativity as a design student at Ngee Ann Polytechnic. My passion for…

Choo Chin Nian lives and breathes design. The creative head of National Gallery Singapore believes strongly in the Japanese design philosophy, particularly that of Muji creative director Kenya Hara. It is not so much about minimalism, but rather about starting each design process on a blank slate and finding a strong core that informs the rest of the design. This was how Chin Nian approached his home renovation, which cost $40,000. “For the basics of the home, I looked to Muji for inspiration and used Adobe Illustrator to draw everything to scale. After stripping away all non-structural walls, I worked on (a core element): a second-hand turntable set on a pastel blue steel-and-plywood shelf. This pastel hue, as well as inspiration from one of my favourite brands, Hay, influenced the…

Lifted 29 storeys above ground, Tammi Lin and Mykel Yee’s home takes on a tree house concept inspired by its lofty perch. Anchored by the lush treetop wallpaper in their living room, the look is brought to life through soothing shades of green and wood accents throughout the house. Helping the couple achieve their tropical-themed abode was their friend and interior designer, Adrien Ritzal of Adrien Kent Creative Studio. Though based in Malaysia, the designer was able to provide creative direction remotely to the couple. Communicating via e-mail and Whatsapp, Tammi and Mykel referenced the mood board, interior layout and 3-D renderings by Adrien and executed the renovation all on their own. Take a look at what they achieved with their $40,000 renovation (excluding furnishings). “WE INITIALLY WANTED TERRAZZO FLOORING…

As soon as you enter Chateau La Coste, it’s obvious that the estate is not just about the organic wine produced by master winemaker Raymond Gimenez, who has been working at the domain for the past 40 years. The estate is also a marvel of contemporary art and architecture. There’s a pair of 10m-tall, half-cylindrical and hangar-like winemaking chais in shiny aluminium, designed by Jean Nouvel, a minimalist; an angular V-shaped art centre in raw concrete and glass with reflecting pools imagined by Tadao Ando; and Frank Gehry’s abstract and chaotic pavilion of wooden beams, glass and steel, in the shape of a deconstructed barn with piped in music. Wander farther afield and you’ll spy oversized reflective metal plates planted vertically into the ground, designed by Richard Serra, to encourage…

Last December, the Dada flagship store opened in the Minami Aoyama district, located in the heart of Tokyo. Spread over 400 sq m, the store is the Italian brand’s first in Japan, and is located next to the Molteni&C flagship and the gardens of the Nezu Museum, designed by renowned architect Kengo Kuma. Both the Dada (part of the Molteni Group) and Molteni&C stores are set in a spacious 700-sq-m compound. Shaped by Belgian designer Vincent Van Duysen, the Dada space is home to a range of six kitchens: Hi-Line 6 Frame Door comprises pieces in Titan aluminium, pewter, steel and oak; Prime features recessed openings, a snack bar and Woody stools by Francesco Meda; Trim was designed by Dante Bonuccelli for fast-paced contemporary life; Vela, also by Bonuccelli, uses…

One of the spaces in the home you may find yourself spending a lot of your time in, is the kitchen. This is especially so if you enjoy whipping up home-cooked meals and a delicious spread for house parties. With an increasing number of homeowners embracing open-concept kitchen designs, the space has also become one that many proud homeowners flaunt, decking it out in stylish and functional designs, complete with appliances that work well and look good too. Samsung’s launch of their four SpaceMax series refrigerators with two colourways — black and silver — offers homeowners more choices of sleek and fashionable kitchen appliances. They are crafted to complement home designs, with flat doors and recessed handles ensuring that your refrigerator blends in seamlessly with the overall look of your…

The air-con is considered essential to most households. Here’s how to keep it in the pink of health. When you imagine a dream home, the air-conditioning unit is not necessarily among the things that come to mind. That is because the appliance’s duty is to be a silent hero; an excellent unit works silently and effortlessly to provide cool and clean indoor air. Hence, an unpleasant odour emitting from the air-con is a sign that your hero might be in poor health and in need of a check-up. Air-conditioners need regular maintenance in order to work well. Without it, the inner parts of the appliance will be a haven for mould and unwanted bacteria. Not clearing water from the drain pan will also result in mould and odour; once such…

An old resale HDB flat – dim, cluttered and rundown – undergoes an overhaul and the transformation is plain stunning. It’s not unlike most reno stories. Except the owner of this apartment in the heartland has gone all out to make a bold statement with strong colours and design touches. Renovated at an estimated cost of $55,000, the apartment is heavily influenced by bohemian and retro design elements – interpreted in fresh, contemporary ways by interior designer Jade Kwok of Fuse Concept. The flat’s charming eclecticism is a befitting style for the homeowner, who is a home-based artist and craftsperson. “We worked closely together to choose the shades and look, and it helped that she was very open to incorporating bold colours and elements,” says Jade. As the unit is…

What does the term “designing for the future” mean to you? This question was posed to a group of local designers who took part in International Furniture Fair Singapore (IFFS), which was held in April. Aside from considering a slew of new technologies that could be integrated into homes, the designers were challenged to consider solutions for evolving lifestyles. Their submissions were featured at the Nex Gen Urban Living Showcase booth at the IFFS 2019. Managed by the Singapore Furniture Industries Council and curated by Celine Ng of design studio Fraction, the booth was a collaboration among various respected local brands, ranging from product designers and architects to material providers. Four main concepts were presented, with the common thread being thoughtful design that cares for individuals and the society. WORK…

The storefront of Porcelain Origins resembles a cafe’s, unlike the conventional design you’d expect of facial spas. With the help of the team at local interior design firm Super Fat Designs, the owners of Porcelain Origins wanted a look befitting an innovative and cutting-edge facial spa service that also incorporates retail, and food and beverage offerings. With a palette of copper hues, complemented by shades of grey and emerald green, as well as marble finishes on the floor and tabletop, the space exudes a classy yet welcoming ambience that’ll draw passing shoppers. In a clever strategy to segregate the spaces, transitioning areas located between the cafe and private rooms serve as sound barriers and help lead customers into the intimate and luxurious treatment rooms. Lighting options, including pendant lamps from…

To reach this unparalleled property, fly to the southern end of the Maldives archipelago, near the equator. From there, a speedboat is the only way to reach the Raffles Maldives Meradhoo, located on the Gaafu Alifu Atoll – one of the world’s largest and most remote island atolls. Once there, the feeling is clear: This is paradise. A member of Raffles Hotels & Resorts – whose story started in 1887 with Raffles Singapore, the property that introduced private butlers – Raffles Maldives Meradhoo features an architectural style in line with its context. Offering views of the Indian Ocean, the 38 villas built on the sand and based across two separate islands (Main Island and Overwater Island) are the perfect place to relax and admire the fascinating panorama. Scheduled to open…

At the recent official opening of Roche Bobois in Singapore, the top French retailer of luxurious home furnishings, guests were given a sneak preview of its latest collections. That elicited admiration from the crowd, with each collection being given a fascinating introduction. And we can see why. No matter the age of the series, each exudes audacious beauty and form, as well as a sense of timelessness (designs that date back to the ’70s amaze with how they still look at home in any contemporary space and setting). Taking pride of place in the swanky 5,300 sq ft road-facing showroom along Bukit Timah Road is the latest piece de resistance, Globe Trotter, a bold travel-themed collection by Dutch designer Marcel Wanders. “Globe Trotter tells a story; it’s about travelling and…

Always willing to accept creative challenges of any scope, Madrid-based Italian architect and designer Teresa Sapey embraced the task of transforming a former garage into a living space. Located in the heart of Madrid, the loft is home to a couple and their daughter. Endearingly called Loft Bordeaux, the name is a romantic gesture by the homeowner, whose wife wanted it to be named after the French city where they first met. As with a typical garage, the original space was dreary and cold. “In order to convert it into a living space, the most important task was to bring light into every inch of the house,” says Teresa. One of the solutions that she came up with was to introduce skylights. “As the garage is surrounded by apartment blocks,…

Despite the concrete screed floor and concrete-look finish of the carpentry, this four-room flat is warm and inviting. The ambient lighting and assortment of soft furnishings, as well as statement decor pieces, have infused it with the homeowners’ fun personality and warmth. An antique gramophone from India sits atop the foyer’s shoe cabinet, while a neon sign that says “shine bright” lights up the dining table. The homeowners, hedge fund manager Raphael Foo and writer-director Annette Lee, love to play host. (You might recognise her as Sue-Ann in social media website Sgag’s humorous videos, as well as from her public performances as a singer-songwriter). They also wanted a space they could work in and be creative. One minor challenge they had to overcome, though, was their different design preferences. They…

Maison&Objet Paris was the flagship event among the various furniture and art de vivre presentations that took place across Paris at the start of the year, and was the scene of a gathering of home decoration and design professionals (decorators, designers, artisans, industry brands, buyers and journalists). It presented countless novelties by some 2,910 exhibitors (603 new) within eight halls encompassing 115,000 sq m of the Parc des Expositions convention centre on the outskirts of the French capital. Welcoming 84,236 visitors (45 per cent hailing from outside of France, across 160 countries), it highlighted upcoming trends in a show layout divided into two fundamental categories: house and object. Highlights included the Designer of the Year exhibition presenting Sebastian Herkner’s authentic, ethical and sustainable creations that pay attention to colour, material…

BIG AND BEAUTIFUL... “The biggest challenge in working with large open-plan spaces is how to make them feel warm and friendly,” confesses Nikki Hunt of Design Intervention. “Too open a space can feel impersonal - so we often start with changing the lighting.” Dimming a bright, white, open space will immediately make it feel less intimidating – and a softer ambience can make even the most imposing of rooms feel cosy. A case in point is a project that Nikki and her team worked on at Ardmore Park, which helped her firm clinch Best Interior Lighting Design at the 2018 International Property Awards. Here, the Design Intervention team lent the apartment a rosy glow and placed a ceiling-to-floor chandelier in the furthest corner from the point of entry, immediately drawing…