Indholdsfortegnelse for April 2020 i Home & Decor

If you are a fan of Tempur’s pressure-absorbing mattresses that also keep the night sweats away, but wish it was a tad firmer, the brand’s latest mattress quite literally has your back. The new Tempur Firm Supreme with CoolTouch has an additional Tempur Extra Support Material layer that would find favour with side and back sleepers, as well as those with back aches. It also comes with an upgraded version of the brand’s CoolTouch technology that feels cool to the touch and absorbs excess heat. The Tempur Firm Supreme with CoolTouch retails from $3,999 to $7,499, and is available at all Tempur stores.…

Versace’s iconic jungle print (now synonymous with Jennifer Lopez since she stepped onto the Grammy Awards red carpet in 2000 wearing a sheer Versace green gown featuring the printed design and a plunging neckline) which was reprised on its Spring 2020 runway, also made its way onto the fashion house’s home selection. The porcelain collection comprises a service plate, dinner plate, tray, vase, scented candle and ashtray, all of which bear a gold-tone border, Versace’s iconic Medusa accent and an intricate Baroque design. The collection retails from $90 from a square dish to $500 for a plate, and is available at the Versace boutiques at #01-08/09 Paragon and #B1-31 & #B2-29 The Shoppes At Marina Bay Sands.…

The third of its kind in Japan after Omotesando and Matsuya Ginza in Tokyo, the Louis Vuitton Maison Osaka Midosuji opened its doors in February this year, and is a building like no other. Its unique architecture – a design collaboration between Jun Aoki and Peter Marino – pays homage to Osaka’s heritage as Japan’s most important sea port. Aoki, who is renowned for his work on other landmark Louis Vuitton stores including New York’s Fifth Avenue Maison, took inspiration from the sea-faring history of Osaka in his design for the exterior. The façade recalls the billowing white sails of the traditional Higaki-Kaisen cargo ship, while the metal fretwork motifs at the ground level lend the building the illusion of floating on water. Natural light filters through the translucent exterior…

On the American Riviera, the Hotel Californian—a member of the LVX collection of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, the world’s biggest group of independent hotels—immediately catches the attention of passers-by, with its Spanish Colonial architecture dating back to 1925. In May 2018, the hotel started a new chapter of its history after an important makeover led by developer Michael Rosenfeld and interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard, who counts many celebrities among his clientele (including Tommy Hilfiger, Eva Mendes and Edward Norton). Located in the heart of Santa Barbara, in Southern California, the hotel, which is a few steps from shops, restaurants and the beach, comprises three buildings. The first, Mason, has two structures with three floors and is home to the lobby, library, 58 rooms, five meeting rooms and a signature…

What gets you out of the bed in the mornings? My favourite part of the day is when the sun rises. It gives me the feeling that everything can be possible. I like to get up early and plan my day while having a coffee alone. What gets you to sleep at night? I love to reach home in the evenings feeling a little bit tired, because it means that I had an active and fulfilling day. I end the day by having dinner with my son and daughter while finding out how their day went. What is one music track that you like to listen to while you work? Into My Arms by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. It’s a great song and I enjoy the way he…

WHO LIVES HERE A couple in their 30s, their two daughters and two cats HOME A condominium in Meyer Road SIZE 2,800 sq ft To the uninitiated, this almost half a century-old condominium in the East Coast area, with its simple, repetitive geometric form and plain concrete exterior devoid of any ornamentation, may be dismissed as being old-fashioned or outdated. However, Terence Neo, design director of Eightytwo, recognised its design potential and it presented the perfect opportunity to transform the unit into an eclectic residence for his family of four and their two cats. “My wife and I love how the arched doorways and terrazzo flooring give the interior an effortless charm. I set out to retain this sense of nostalgia by repurposing and reusing some of the vintage elements…

Every designer’s dream is to have free reign when designing a project. For Eddy Kuswandi of Enoch Interiors, he embraced the opportunity to do so for this three-bedroom condominium home. The homeowners, who are based in Indonesia, bought this property as a holiday home for when they visit Singapore. As relatives and an elderly grandmother often stay over too, the design brief was to create a spacious layout that accommodates more occupants, with interiors that look modern, bright and cosy. Eddy went with a classical look, and incorporated wainscot panels and cornices throughout the apartment. Brass and gold tones are used extensively too, as it helps elevate the sense of luxury. He was also bold in his colour options, with every bedroom showcasing a different hue. WHO LIVES HERE A…

What should homeowners consider when planning the layout? Homeowners should avoid overcrowding the laundry space. Visualise the amount of space left after everything is moved in. Also take into consideration the area needed for drying, since that takes up a lot of space. What are some creative ways to maximise the use of the laundry area? If space allows, consider building a washing bay area for easy access to a water point for washing of mops, shoes or hand washing of clothes. Do so by varying the floor height or adding a kerb to keep the dry and wet areas separate. Many homeowners are choosing to combine the service yard with the kitchen. When would it be recommended to do so? This is not recommended if homeowners often air-dry their…

Just a couple of months ago, I had dinner in a Spanish restaurant on a trip to Malacca. The restaurant was a refurbished shophouse. We were invited to sit at a long wooden table in what used to be the airwell, right next to a palm tree that stretched nearly two storeys, towards the skylight that was above our heads. Not long after, back in Singapore, I attended the opening of the new Shake Shack on Neil Road, also in a shophouse. Shortly after that, I visited a new co-living space called Shang House, jointly created by Scene Shang and Figment, and – you guessed it – also in a shophouse. A pre-war terrace house, to be specific. These days, we might not give it a second thought, though purists…

Born in 1984, Javanese artist Kartika Affandi, is the daughter of Indonesia’s celebrated artist and modern art pioneer Affandi, and an accomplished artist in her own right. Like her father, from whom she learnt the unique technique, the expressionist artist finger paints directly from the paint tube, focusing on nature and facial expressions using bright colours. She has been invited to give talks at various international art events, and most recently exhibited at If Walls Can Speak at Ion Art Gallery.…

Home sweet home Together with Etiqa Insurance, Ikea has debuted Hemsaker, a new home content and personal incident insurance product that is designed to be comprehensive and affordable. It is priced at $59 a year and covers costs incurred due to damages - think water leakages, fire or natural disasters - to your home furniture, renovation and personal legal liability of up to $500,000. It also offers financial coverage in the event of burglary. For more information or to purchase Hemsaker online, visit https://insurance.ikea.sg . It is a complement to the compulsory fire insurance that all homeowners are required to have. Creature Comfort You can now find luxury linen brand Frette at W. Atelier, a purveyor of luxury home furnishing. The Italian brand is renowned for its elegant high-quality bedding…

Homeowners after stylish, functional furniture without a hefty price tag, get homegrown online furniture brand Castlery on your radar. Its aesthetic leans towards contemporary with a relaxed vibe - think Scandi-chic pieces to mid-century modern styles. You’ll also find pieces from collaborations between Castlery and award-winning international designers like James Harrison from the UK and Italy’s Paolo Cappello. Prices range from $189 for a coffee table to $749 for a two-seater sofa. Visit www.castlery.co.…

Conscious design was at the heart the 2019 edition of the fair, as explained by the WantedDesign’s cofounders: “Protecting the environment, achieving reasonable consumption and reducing waste are all issues that designers face on their daily tasks to create our homes, and our workspace, in addition to bringing beauty to healthier living.” To celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Campana brothers’ practice and the 10th anniversary of the Instituto Campana, Humberto Campana was the guest of honour at the IC Design Festival by WantedDesign at Brooklyn’s Industry City. Designers from the United States, as well as China, Latin America and Quebec, among other international design destinations, showcased their works, reflecting their creativity and passion for innovation. Some of them in particular caught our attention. TREND 1 LATIN AMERICAN TOUCH Curated…

WHO LIVES HERE A couple in their 30s HOME A three-bedroom executive condominium in Sembawang SIZE 1,066 sq ft Having lived in the US for four and a half years, engineer Andrei Teo and wife Averyl Chen, a finance executive assistant, were heavily influenced by Western as well as European design elements such as coffered ceilings and fireplaces. The former, in particular, was something the couple definitely wanted in their new home in Sembawang. “We love coffered ceilings, but most of the interior designers we consulted were clueless as to what they were,” Andrei recalls. “Then we came across some photos of a project by Cottage Crafts, which featured them in the right way,” adds Averyl. A coffered ceiling has decorative recesses or indentations on its surface, and is commonly…

Designing one’s home in the old days was no easy feat – one had to make do with smudged swatches of paint, scraps of fabric, and a stretch of the imagination to visualise what the final product would look like. These days, though, things are much easier thanks to the widespread availability of VR technology and imaging software. Here, we round up six apps that help to ease the design and renovation process. LIVSPACE LivSpace touts itself as a one-stop managing platform for the entire home renovation process, where you can find designers, suppliers, and contractors all in one convenient space, as well as track the progress and manage all payments via the platform. Find out more at www.livspace.com. LAMITAK HOMES Lamitak’s interactive in-house app, Lamitak Homes, helps homeowners visualise…

THE SINGLETON More people are living on their own these days. Going solo means doing laundry for one. Therefore, laundry days are easier, faster and fewer. WHAT CAPACITY IS ENOUGH FOR ME? A low-capacity washing machine is sufficient and also cost-effective for the single’s home. A 6kg to 7kg washer can manage your weekly laundry load. It can also handle bedding items and other heavy loads like washable pillows and light curtains. IS A DRYER NECESSARY? A dryer can speed up your laundry. Bear in mind, however, that having a dryer can add to your household electricity bill in the long run and add to your upfront home renovation cost. Your laundry load as a singleton is generally light, and a drying rack would suffice. If you have extra cash…

The urban vibe of Shake Shack stores and Singapore’s heritage architecture may seem poles apart but thanks to retail and hospitality interior design firm Zebra Projects, the newly opened Shake Shack at 89 Neil Road blends both remarkably in its design-centric space. Its decor nods to its culture-rich Chinatown neighbourhood, taking on a nostalgic charm with references to Singapore’s Peranakan and colonial roots. The original neoclassical bones of the historic building it occupies have been preserved, including its columns, beams, shutters and doors, while the rest of the 450 sqm space is clad in pastel pink and mint hues. This softer palette, together with touches of rose gold (in place of the chain’s distinct use of stainless steel), ties in with the heritage-inspired furnishings. Countertops are laid with terrazzo, once…

Earlier this Spring, under a cherry-blossom flecked sky, the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park was finally reopened after a two year, US$130 million refurbishment. The most extensive (not to mention expensive) in its 117-year history, the hotel’s renovation was so significant that even the awning that it had hidden behind was designed by Sir Peter Blake and although the project was dramatically derailed last year (when a huge fire broke out), the reopening was a monumental and joyous occasion for the British capital and the hospitality industry at large. Of chief interest was the new décor, which had been devised by an all-star cast of starchitects and designers including UK firm Purcell, hospitality guru Adam Tihany and Hong Kong powerhouse Joyce Wang. “Working on the redesign of the Mandarin Oriental Hyde…

Having a holiday home tucked away in the mountains is a dream for many, and for architects Casper and Lexie Mork-Ulnes, it became a reality when they decided to design and build a family retreat themselves in Kvitfjell, Norway. Inspired by a shared love of the mountains, snow and skiing, they selected a 2,000sqm site located 943 metres above sea level in the west of Kvitfjell, which means White Mountain in Norwegian. The home, which offers sweeping views of the valley and river below, was designed to be an unobtrusive as possible. The couple’s building and design decisions were largely influenced by the surrounding landscape and regional historic architecture, as well as their own up-close encounter with the local wildlife. While they were camping there to familiarise themselves with the…

WHO LIVES HERE A couple in their 40s and their two teenage children HOME A three-bedroom condominium at Flora Drive SIZE 1,350 sq ft The homeowners’ brief to interior designers, Alvin Ling, Katrin and Cynthia Lim from The Scientist, called for a “sleek and elegant design with lots of storage and which makes good use of space”. In addition, as the husband is an avid cook, he wanted a more spacious kitchen. This warranted a re-design and re-configuration of the existing dry kitchen, including an island, as well as the utility room into part of the new kitchen. A study area adjacent to the master bedroom was also converted into a walk-in wardrobe within the bedroom. The renovations, which took three months, saw the existing interior entirely gutted out and…

To stop procrastinating, envision your life free of clutter. For most people, cleaning is a chore that we’d rather put off. To get over the procrastination, focus on the benefits of being clutter-free instead of the task itself. Envision saving time by being able to find things easily, increasing energy and happiness in a clean home, and living in a stress-free environment. Break down your spring cleaning into small and manageable parts. Be realistic with your concentration threshold and availability. Even 15 minutes a day can make a difference! Purge by category where possible. Proceeding by category such as clothes, toys, kitchenware, books, paper etc. gives you visibility on how much you own in one category. Build your decluttering muscle over time. Although Marie Kondo advocates to “discard all at…