Lookbox issue 27 Preview mag

your sourcebook for home interiors, designers and products

The shortlist Online stores that make home shopping a walk in the park

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#27

design kit Interior design veteran Ciseern talks shop

showcase 19 inspiring interior projects for your viewing pleasure

FOCUS on

bedrooms & bathrooms!

Designers share their secrets

for bedroom and bathroom design

Live fresh!

We’ve gone and given ourselves a makeover!

The Shortlist

Bathroom bliss

Beautify your bathroom with these new finds

The PuraVida bathroom mixer combines form and function into a sculptural masterpiece that lets you adjust the water jet in any direction. from $633.70, from Hansgrohe

Take your wet towels off the floor and hang them up in style, with the DĂŠcor Walthers chrome towel ladder.

The Naked basin and complementary Trapezio wood frame lend a Japanese minimalist slant to your bathroom.

$1,070, from Vanilla Home

$890 (Naked) and $2,280 (Trapezio), from Interior Affairs

If you think your bathroom walls deserve a pop of colour, then check out the Charles range of self-adhesive wall storage collection by Pulpo. $53, from Lifestorey

Hang up your towels and bathrobes in style with the Porada camper.

Price upon enquiry, from QSquare By Marquis

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With its gentle curves and polished surfaces, the Knief & Co. Victorian bathtub is a sensual addition to any bathroom space. $4,800, from Sansei

The fun graphics on this Sandgrun shower curtain makes bath time something to look forward to. $29, from Ikea

FOR THE KID S! Enjoy both caressing and vigorous spray patterns with the Power&Soul showerheads.

Price upon enquiry, from Grohe

Keep your reading material within easy reach while you make a statement with this toilet roll-cummagazine holder. $99, from Molecule

Watch the kids’ faces light up with joy once they lay their eyes on the adorable Hello Kitty ceramic tiles. $160 per set, from Mosaico

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The Shortlist

Bed buddies

Transform your bedroom into your own

private sanctuary of rest and relaxation

Get your clothes off the floor and hang them up in style with the Libra coat rack. $290, from Molecule

Cool down with new Starlite ceiling fan, complete with an enhanced blade technology that moves large amounts of air with minimum resistance.

Price upon enquiry, from Crestar

The right wallpaper can give your rooms a completely new look and feel. So turn the bedroom into a cosy santuary with a delicately textured wallcovering, like this Precious Walls wallpaper. $187/m, from Goodrich Global

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Using the Magewa tray table as a nightstand brings a refined twist to your bedroom, with its clean design and understated simplicity. $490, from Atomi

The Prettiest armchair combines comfort with style in one adorable package. $980, from OM

Normann Copenhagen provides a tongue-in-cheek accessory to hang your clothes with the Hang On wall coat rack. $160, from Lifestorey

Invite nature into your sleeping chambers with the MALIN LOV cushion. $14.90, from IKEA

The Millimetrica modular open wardrobe system can be customised to fit your exact specification, with shelves, drawers and racks.

Price upon enquiry, from Marquis Qsquare

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Design Kit feature

Project Type CORNER TERRACE HOUSE Floor area 2,840sqft Text: rachel lee-leong Photos: edward hendricks unless otherwise stated

The New Old Distinctidentity helps a family add texture and character to a new and pristine terrace house

M

ost homeowners rejoice when a

and just apply the bathroom tiles on the base of

and pristine. Leong Hoi Hoong and Jobina

Jobina shares that they enjoy having

newly bought home is minty fresh

Tan, however, are not most homeowners;

family and friends over and designed the first

with imperfections. But time constraints and

the indoor dining area, she reveals that the

they prefer the tales and memories that come a precarious property market pushed them to

settle on a brand new two-and-a-half storey corner terrace off Bukit Batok Road.

“Because the house is a newly done up place,

we wanted to compensate for the newness,” says Jobina of her design brief to interior design firm

Distinctidentity. “We wanted a sort of retro, Modern Scandinavian feel – something more

floor of the house accordingly. Apart from adjacent outdoor dining space is also one of

the most frequently used spaces in the house.

Anchored by a long concrete dining table and

an accompanying concrete bench that the designers customised for the house, this space

has already hosted many gatherings with loved ones.

A large factor in the feel of the interior is

cosy,” she elaborates.

the type of furniture that was chosen. Armed

and industrial concrete find their place

Scandinavian

Materials like rustic bricks, warm woods

throughout the light-filled house – the raw, organic textures are set off very nicely in natural

light. Some compromises had to made, however.

“I’ve always liked rectangular ceramic bathroom

tiles and I initially wanted the whole kitchen to have that to create this café feel we were going

with a penchant for Mid-century Modern furniture, Jobina

and

Hoi

Hoong bought most of their furniture before renovations had even started. “We knew what

we wanted and when we heard that certain stores were having moving out sales, we quickly went to buy!” Jobina says.

Despite the family having moved in a mere

for,” Jobina says, “but that would mean tearing

three months ago, the house already feels very

In a move towards financial prudence, they

even as they start a new chapter of memories in

out all the tiles that were already in the kitchen.” decided to leave the original tiles in the kitchen

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the bar counter.

lived-in. It is exactly as the family had hoped, their new home.

Credit: Wooden bowl from Air Division

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Design Kit feature

Instead of getting “plasticky” outdoor awnings, the homeowners went online and bought two inexpensive canvas sails that are commonly used to shelter outdoor spaces in places like Australia. Credit: Pink cushions from Air Division.

DESIGN NOTES Getting Distinctidentity to customise a dining set out of concrete meant that there were few restrictions on its size. They even included under lighting beneath the table top and power points for steamboat sessions.

Outdoor complements like this rocking chair from CMYK not only make lounging on a balmy afternoon more enjoyable, it also brings a welcome burst of colour to the patio.

The selection of furniture in this house plays a large role in how it feels. The owners have a penchant for Mid-century Modern furniture and the warm, slightly traditional look they carry. Colour is introduced by way of upholstered chairs from Room of Woods.

PHOTO: DISTINCTidENTITY

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A portion of the second floor was extended to incorporate a slightly larger study and a charming green space that encourages contemplation.

PHOTO: DISTINCTidENTITY

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