Lookboxliving Issue #57

SPOTLIGHT

B R E A K T H Y FA S T

Start your morning like the successful and competent individual that you are. Do it like the rich and famous – from eating a hearty cafe-style breakfast to watching breaking news on TV. TEXT VANITHA PAVAPATHI

Spice it up Adding flavour to your poached or scrambled eggs doesn’t have to be an uninteresting event when done with this beautiful set of salt and pepper mills from Danish brand BoConcept. Standing at 20cm tall, these marble beauties are sure to elevate your tablescape.

Living salt & pepper mills are available at BoConcept,

Sink in Cleaning the dishes after a meal is inevitable. So, a durable sink such as the new hansgrohe SilicaTec granite sink is an absolute must in the kitchen to withstand the morning rush that is hastily cleaning the dirty pans and mugs. Composed of quartz (the hardest constituent of granite) and with a wide L-shaped rim, this German-made sink is robust and durable. Available in five different sizes, and in single and double sink variants, it’s easy to find the right fit.

www.boconcept.sg

SilicaTec granite sink is available at hansgrohe, www.hansgrohe.com.sg

Sweet sound For those who prefer not to start their mornings with hard news, listen to some relaxing music on Sony’s Glass Sound Speaker LSPX-S1 instead. Not only does it fill a room with pristine sound and crystalline illumination, it blends effortlessly into the scene alongside tableware and cutlery.

Glass Sound Speaker LSPX-S1 is available at

Tea, anyone?

Bearing a minimalist aesthetic, this wood handle teapot from Marimekko features the graphic Siirtolapuutarha pattern designed

by Maija Louekari, which effortlessly complements any interior style. The pot, strainer and wood-knob lid are made of white stoneware, while the glaze finish ensures the pattern remains vibrant even after years of daily use.

Sony Electronics (Singapore), www.sony.com.sg Oiva/Siirtolapuutarha teapot is available at Marimekko Capitol Piazza, www.marimekko.com 20 | LOOKBOXLIVING.COM.SG

SPOTLIGHT

Keeping it fresh Keep your breakfast foods like milk, eggs and yoghurt fresher for longer with the Bosch VarioStyle freezer-fridge. The VitaFresh system features two specific climate zones – one for fish and poultry, the other for fruits and vegetables – to ensure ideal humidity and prevention of cross contamination. It’s also the first fridge-freezer combination with changeable door panels to suit your every mood and ever-changing palette. Available in 19 expressive colours, the door panel can be snapped on easily without tools.

Bosch VarioStyle fridge-freezer is available at BSH Home Appliances, www.bosch-home.com.sg

Stay tuned What better time to keep up to date with the latest world happenings than in the mornings. Watch the news on Sony’s new 79-inch Z9F LCD TV from its MASTER series while having your breakfast. The new X-Wide Angle technology allows you to watch the TV from any angle without compromising on picture quality, while the X-Motion Clarity minimises motion blur without sacrificing screen brightness. Using Android TV Handsfree Voice Search, you can simply speak to the TV, so no more complicated navigation or tiresome typing necessary.

Sony Z9F TV is available at Sony Electronics (Singapore), www.sony.com.sg

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SPOTLIGHT

GRAND DESIGNS Peter Tay, renowned interior designer and judge at Lookbox Design Awards 2018, offers an insight into his design philosophy.

TEXT REDZMAN RAHMAT IMAGES COURTESY OF PETER TAY STUDIO

When it comes to the interior design industry in Singapore, there aren’t too many names or personalities that have reached prominence. After all, it’s a bustling industry that’s highly competitive and in constant flux. But one name that always comes to mind is Peter Tay. The founder and director of Peter Tay Studio is well known for his work on celebrity homes, and his illustrious list of clients includes Wang Leehom, Stephanie Sun and Zoe Tay. Peter has also cultivated a certain reputation for designing grandiose yet practical interiors. With his wealth of experience, he seems to have found that elusive balance between the luxurious and the utilitarian, designing spaces that are bold and beautiful, yet highly habitable.

“For me, luxury is about the feeling you get in a space.

The emotions you experience in a home is something that money can’t buy.”

– Peter Tay, founder and director, Peter Tay Studio

(Facing page) The double volume space of this apartment at Leedon Residence offers a dramatic ambience that’s further emphasised by the polished steel dining room wall.

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Labour of love Peter’s passion for design is unmistakable. Even when he speaks about the projects he has worked on, it’s easy to see that this is a man who loves what he does.

“When I design a space, I design it for the inhabitants.

I want to invoke feelings in a very poetic manner that will speak to the owner,” he explains. “It’s a space that’s not artificially created, but a space that grows and evolves with the owners.”

While preserving the identity of a space is important, Peter also believes in enhancing the spatial parameters of a home. One of his design calling cards is his knack for manipulating light in an interior and architectural setting. “It’s a very powerful phenomenon,” he goes on to say. “Light has the ability to almost dissolve the walls. You’re dematerialising the space, not through decoration, but through the power of light.” By focusing on the materiality of a home, Peter and his design team have come up with a design method that allows light to enhance the interaction between the space and its habitant.

SPOTLIGHT

“We listen a lot, and thereafter, we edit and abstract a coherent story that forms the backbone of each project.”

– Dennis Cheok, Creative Director, Upstairs

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SPOTLIGHT

LIFE’S LITTLE LUXURIES What makes a home luxurious? It’s not about how much you spend on your interior design, but how it looks and feels. Here’s a cheat sheet of what you can do to make your home look more luxurious without breaking the bank.

TEXT REDZMAN RAHMAT

Design by The Interior Place

C R E AT E A F O C A L P O I N T W I T H S TAT E M E N T P I E C E S

Design by Minimology

Not many people are able to furnish their homes with designer furniture. Thankfully, there are many retailers selling well designed pieces at affordable prices. But if you truly want to give your home an elevated sense of sophistication, it might be worth investing in one or two statement pieces that you could style the rest of the home around.

Mirage rug from GAN

P I C K A C O L O U R S C H E M E T H AT E X U D E S S O P H I S T I C AT I O N

Black with a hint of gold Think dark, moody interiors, sensual lighting and a highly romanticised mood. This is a look that harks to a somewhat decadent style you might find in opulent yet glamorous interiors. When you pair mysterious black with gold or brass, you can tweak the design to different themes. Go from glitzy Art Deco to sensual old-school Hollywood in a heartbeat.

Complete the look with glossy surfaces and a well-controlled lighting plan.

White with a touch of glitz The all-white interior is a versatile one. Depending on the flourishes you add, the design can easily be tweaked to your fancy. To achieve a more luxurious tone, pair the whitewashed interiors with brass and gold accents, lush greenery and neutral tones. It also helps if you pay close attention to the textures.

Think smooth white marble, metallic gloss and textured linen.

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SPOTLIGHT

Design by Joey Khu ID

C H O O S E A LT E R N AT I V E M AT E R I A L S T H AT A R E L U X E T O T H E T O U C H One of the biggest factors that affect the interior design of a home is the material palette, which is why luxury homes are typically heavy on the textures, with rich details that are exquisite to the touch. Examples include marble, quartz and hardwood. These materials are relatively expensive as they are naturally occurring and come from finite sources. But thanks to modern technology, man-made materials can now replicate these materials without compromising on quality and aesthetics. They are also often highly durable. Best part is, they come with a less hefty price tag. Here are three examples you can consider.

Wood alternative Nothing beats the feel of natural wood floors under your feet. But paving your home with wood will easily run up the bill. BerryAlloc vinyl floors, available at Hafary, aim to replicate the look and feel of natural wood with added ease of maintenance and convenience.

Marble alternative Italian Carrara marble is one of the most well known materials, with its light grey veining against pristine white backdrop.

The Dekton Opera from Cosentino takes inspiration from this popular marble type but is easier to maintain with a ‘velvet texture’ finish.

Edgy alternative Why not balance out the polished sheen of a luxury look with something a bit edgier? The Humboldt Street laminate from Lamitak perfectly mimics the beauty and rustic charm of raw, unpolished metal, inspired by the hip District of Downtown Portland.

www.hafary.com.sg

www.cosentino.com

www.lamitak.com

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HOME IN A GARDEN In major cities around the world, the ability to transform one’s home into a lush, green sanctuary is increasingly being viewed as a form of luxury; indeed, the growing desire for cool and relaxed spaces filled with positive energy amidst the heat and noise of city living has seen the rise of residential urban gardens in various shapes and forms. In the next few pages, we bring you ideas and stories to inspire, from Singapore and across the globe.

TEXT JANICE SEOW

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GREEN HOMES AROUND THE WORLD W H E R E : Amsterdam, the Netherlands H O M E : Apartment in a gentrified residential district W H O L I V E S H E R E : Interior decorating stylists Julien Rademaker and Maaike Chanowski This apartment features a big open space, and a somewhat unusual and playful layout – in particular, a patio in the centre of the home. Aside from paying serious attention to the use of colours, materials and choiced vintage objects to create a characterful interior, Julien explains that they have also “set up the patio in a way that it has truly become a part of the house.” This space has been filled with plants, thus blurring the boundary between the indoors and outdoors. And throughout the home, plants have been consciously grouped to create a ‘tailor-made jungle’. The couple sometimes take plants off the streets because they “cannot bear to see them being tossed out.” And given their love for imperfection, they have a particular fondness for ones that look wild and more mature.

It’s well and truly their own slice of urban jungle paradise.

SPOTLIGHT

WHERE: Madrid, Spain HOME: A former dairy turned house WHO LIVES HERE: Nuria, vintage shop owner and former journalist for Spanish Vogue Nuria loves to surround herself with objects that have soul. She also loves art and plants, together with a sprinkling of good humour. In her home, immensely tall windows look out onto a garden that while modest in size, is optimally utilised. “The plants enjoy relatively good conditions here and can grow to cover up the stark concrete,” says Nuria. Inside, the plants are clustered together in distinct groups. Nuria likes to group them by size, and she pays particular attention to combining certain types of plants with decorative objects, using greenery to bring balance and harmony to this eclectic interior. Her secret when it comes to caring for plants? “I insist on using natural fertilisers,” says Nuria.

WHERE: Baltimore, US HOME: Old cotton factory turned luxury apartment WHO LIVES HERE: Hilton Carter, filmmaker, producer, interior decorator and plant specialist The good flow of natural light into the apartment has allowed Hilton to grow a diverse range of plants. None are placed at random, with each serving as a design element in the space. According to Hilton, the bigger specimens, in particular, help to “set the tone and make the room more warm and inviting.” His bedroom (right) is practically a garden. Hilton has over 150 plants in his home, and sets an alarm so he knows when each plant needs watering.

(This and facing page) From Wonder Plants 2: Your Urban Jungle Interior, by Irene Schampaert and Judith Baehner. Available at www.amazon.com LOOKBOXLIVING.COM.SG | 49

UNDERSTATED LUXURY AT ITS BEST Vintage furniture, modern finishes and gold accents transform this pre-war apartment into a luxurious abode.

TEXT VANITHA PAVAPATHI

IMAGES COURTESY OF ASOLIDPLAN (UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED)

STYLE KIT

Having lived in New York, Sydney and Tokyo, the owners are not afraid to incorporate a melange of styles and materials to create a truly characterful interior they can call their own.

I N D E TA I L Home: Walk-up apartment | Floor area: 1,200sqft | Who lives here: An advertiser and social enterpriser | Where: Tiong Bahru

T

iong Bahru, one of the oldest residential estates in Singapore, has many blocks of conserved pre-war apartments. And it is this quaint quality that attracted an advertiser and social enterpriser to purchase a unit here about seven years ago. After living in this 1,200sqft ground floor apartment for several years, they decided to renovate it, and thus enlisted the services of ASOLIDPLAN. Like many old apartments in this neighbourhood, this property is built on a long, narrow lot, which resulted in a labyrinth of disconnected and anti-social spaces. The lack of natural light was also an issue. ASOLIDPLAN reworked the outdated floor plan, emphasising the connection between the communal areas.

The dining room used to be the living room and the four large windows facing the public walkway were

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rarely opened due to privacy. “In response to this, we designed four pairs of intricate double layered pivot screens behind custom sash windows, which can be entirely opened or closed like shutters,” shares Quck Zhong Yi of ASOLIDPLAN, who helmed the renovation.

“The aperture sizes on the brass coloured screen open up at the top to allow more daylight to enter without compromising on privacy,” he adds.

The brass coloured screens filter daylight and wash the dining room in a warm glow, highlighting the golden brown aggregates of the terrazzo flooring and the existing red brick wall. A bespoke rug from Omar Khan Rugs reflects the palette of the dining room, skilfully harmonising and anchoring the space.

Since the owners used to own and run a bar together, and now entertain a lot at home, it made sense for the bar and kitchen to be placed at the heart

STYLE KIT

S H O P T H E LO O K Create an eclectic interior with rich textures and vintage pieces.

Chair 811 by TON from Made&Make

Custom rug by Omar Khan Rugs

Vintage table from Noden

(Facing page) The sunken level of the living room – where the old kitchen and dining area used to be – makes the space feel grounded and relaxed. The exposed brick wall and custom L-shaped sofa help anchor the space.

(Right) The kitchen cabinetry is minimalist in detailing to let the textured and expressive bar counter stand out, while keeping in harmony with the immediate context set by the grey terrazzo floor with golden brown aggregates.

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SHOWCASE – DESIGN ZAGE

Project type: 5-bedroom terrace house – Floor area: 3,500sqft

SOOTHING SCHEME FOR A MODERN RELAXED VIBE The homeowners’ affinity for earthy tones and modern design are executed to great effect by Design Zage in this terrace house. Glossy white surfaces are paired with woodgrain patterns to achieve a contemporary but laidback look.

TEXT DISA TAN

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Earthy elegance The pronounced woodgrain patterns on the custom-built TV console are tempered to good effect by the large format homogeneous floors in pristine white. These contrasting style elements give rise to a sleek yet serene communal zone – perfect for the man of the house to entertain in style.

To avoid disrupting the quiet elegance of the space, the design team from Design Zage hid the storeroom discreetly within the right side of the TV console.

Dining with a view With beautiful landscaping bordering the perimeter of the house, it was only natural that the homeowners wanted to take their meals outside.

“They enjoy alfresco dining,” reveals the design team.

They extended the dining area outdoors and clad the floor with wood-look tiles to continue the modern relaxed design scheme. “Besides the outdoor extension and landscaping, we also designed a contemporary water feature to complement the landscape,” the design team adds.

Entertaining in style The guest room by the living area was completely gutted to make way for the new dry kitchen and bar counter.

The designers reveal: “The homeowners enjoy hosting and having drinks, so a liquor display was specially created to cater to their needs.” This custom-built feature has open shelving in various dimensions to accommodate liquor bottles of all sizes, and also serves as a focal point to help anchor the well-planned entertainment zone.

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