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TRENDING

MY FIRST HOME

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JUN 2021

HOME ESSENTIALS SHOPPING GUIDE A MODERN APPROACH TO CHANDELIERS HOW TO SET UP A HOME BAR

THE STARTER EDITION A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO RENOVATING, DESIGNING & STYLING YOUR NEW HOME.

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CONTENTS

JUNE

NOW DESIGN/NEWS/PLACES TO V I S I T/ T H I N G S T O B U Y

17 HYBRID EXPANSION Seletti has expanded its iconic Hybrid tableware collection with porcelain culture from Africa, South Asia and Central and Latin America. 18 COLOUR OF THE MONTH Powder blue, the mellower, grownup version of baby blue, brings tranquility into your space.

S H O P P IN G

CARRE D’ARTISTES Newly opened in Paragon, this gallery is turning the art scene on its head by being accessible to everyone.

GREAT BUYS Our monthly roundup of the hottest new design products for the home. 29

LIVING These mint green items are a breath of fresh air in your interior.

N EW STO R E 26

H OT S POT 30

SAWMILL MARKET This food hall and culinary laboratory is a tribute to the cultural heritage of New Mexico.

BAROVIER & TOSO The world’s most established lighting brand chooses Singapore for the location of its ﬁrst foreign ﬂagship store.

Minty Fresh Mint green items we love.

CONTENTS

JUNE

PEOPLE

CULTIVATING STYLE

THE ART OF SUBVERSION

DESIGN I D E A S A N D I N S P I R AT I O N F R O M THOSE IN THE KNOW

Brooklyn-based Chilean Navarro on subverting reality and offering new meaning via his art.

Priscilla Tan, interior stylist and Instagram sensation, shares strategic tips that’ll help you turn a house into a home.

EGGCELLENT INITIATIVE

UP CLOSE

Elaine Yan Ling Ng, chief material innovator with material specialist studio Nature Squared talks about turning eggshells into commercial tile collection.

One of the world’s most eminent glass sculptors talks about the transformation of spaces through unusual art, the importance of funding for artists and the time he worked in a kibbutz in Israel.

WORKING AND LIVING SMART

TILL DEATH DO US PART

Smart designs and luxury are not necessarily out of reach, shares Futuristic Store Fixtures and Futuristic Home CEO David Low.

Award-winning young designer Eldon Ng shares the inspiration behind his winning proposal for a cremation centre.

Ivan Navarro “Art is a genuine response to human activities.”

CONTENTS

JUNE

A CASTLE OF OUR OWN Built by an iconic silent movie star, this 100-year old villa is a castle outside and cosy modern home with tons of personality inside.

TRANSFORMING POSSIBILITIES Hidden storage, pullout elements and smart space savers transform this apartment into everything the homeowner needs.

CURVES & COLOURS This four-room condominium in Lavender retains the integrity of its original structure while adding personality with colours, curves and delightful little details.

DISPLAYING POTENTIAL This ﬁve-room ﬂat in Tampines keeps the homeowners’ extensive collection of sneakers and toys in custom cabinets and on display shelves.

HOMES THE NEW MODERN

MUSIC HAUS This music-loving couple’s matrimonial home is ﬁlled with light, love and music.

86 PEACEFUL SIMPLICITY

This modest fourroom HDB Flat in St George’s Lane shows how to create a timeless and tranquil interior by simplifying its ﬂoor plan and dressing it up with a minimalist material palette. 92 SENTIMENTAL SPIRIT

A modern Peranakan aesthetic and a contemporary rustic feature breathe new life into this shophouse belonging to award-winning content hub Night Owl Cinematics’ CEO Sylvia Chan and her brother.

on the cover

60 A four-room condo dressed in colours and curves by The Scientist. PHOTOGRAPHY VER O NICA TAY STYLING NONIE CHEN

110

That Extra Sparkle îÉ¿°É§ ĝù myths about chandeliers.

102 FE ATU RE S

EDITOR’S NOTE

BASIC FURNISHING NECESSITIES A comprehensive shopping guide for essential home items.

H&D.COM.SG 122 IN STORE

102

CALLED TO THE BAR Cheers to everything you need to know as a mixologist at home.

123 WHERE TO BUY 1 24

BUYING GUIDE 120

110

FEATURES T H E L AT E S T I N D E S I G N AND DECOR TRENDS

THE HARD TRUTH

THAT EXTRA SPARKLE We debunk ﬁve myths surrounding the queen of lighting – the chandelier – and share shopping tips.

EDITORIAL

PHOTOGRAPHY

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Young Lim (younglim@sph.com.sg)

CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER Veronica Tay (verontay@sph.com.sg)

ASSISTANT EDITOR Asih Jenie (asihj@sph.com.sg)

EXECUTIVE PHOTOGRAPHERS Tan Wei Te (tanweite@sph.com.sg)

WRITER Melody Bay (melodyb@sph.com.sg)

SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS Vee Chin (veechin@sph.com.sg) Phyllicia Wang (wanglx@sph.com.sg)

CREATIVE SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Nonie Chen (noniec@sph.com.sg) ART DIRECTOR Kristy Quah (krisquah@sph.com.sg)

ADMINISTRATION & EDITORIAL SUPPORT SENIOR MANAGER Juliana Chong (julianac@sph.com.sg) SENIOR EXECUTIVE Cynthia Lee (hhclee@sph.com.sg) SENIOR EXECUTIVE Wendy Wong (wwong@sph.com.sg)

ADV E R T I S I N G SOLUTIONS

GROUP M AR K E T I N G

HEAD, SPH MAGAZINES Eugene Wee (eugenew@sph.com.sg)

DEPUTY HEAD Christopher Chan

TEAM HEAD, MAGAZINES Lin Shaomei

PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Raymond Goh (raygoh@sph.com.sg)

FASHION & BEAUTY Irene Tan

SENIOR MANAGER Chloe Chow

WATCHES & JEWELLERY Rachel Chin MOTORING Edward Ng BANKING, INVESTMENT, INSURANCE, TECH & TELCOS Ellen Lee

AD P R O D U C T DEVELOPMENT & I N N OVAT I O N TEAM HEAD, TITLE DEVELOPMENT Faith Yoong

PROPERTY, MALLS & TRAVEL Stella Yeo

COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Eileen Chia (elchia@sph.com.sg)

CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER Ignatius Low HEAD, AD PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT & INNOVATION Helen Lee

O P E R AT I O N S CONSUMER ELECTRONICS, DEPARTMENT STORES, FMCG & SUPERMARKETS Martin Boey

HEAD, CONTENT MARKETING Phin Wong

TEAM HEAD Alice Chee (siewyuen@sph.com.sg)

HEAD, PARTNERSHIPS & NEW GROWTH Linda Lim

GOVERNMENT, HEALTH & EDUCATION Yvonne Wong

ASSISTANT MANAGER Lin Feng (fenglin@sph.com.sg)

HEAD, BUSINESS PLANNING & OPS EXCELLENCE Joanna Ho

For sales enquiries, please contact Maggie at magadpromo@sph.com.sg

GROUP MARKETING HEAD Sharon Cheong CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS HEAD Chin Soo Fang VICE-PRESIDENT, HUMAN RESOURCES Irene Lee

Home & Decor is published by SPH Magazines, a division of Singapore Press Holdings Ltd, 1000 Toa Payoh N, S318994, Tel: 6319-6319 Distributed by Circulation Department, Singapore Press Holdings Ltd, Singapore registration no.: 198402868E Printed by Times Printers. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the written permission of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed or implied in Home & Decor are those of the authors or contributors and do not necessarily reﬂect those of the publisher. MCI (P) 088/09/2020. Expiry date: 16/09/2021. For back issues, e-mail: circs@sph.com.sg. Subscribe online: www.homeanddecor.com.sg.

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EDITOR’S NOTE

M A K E A M OV E Ýî Â°ĝ °Éé Þ°ÐÞ â°§É ĝÞÈ °â ââ Éé° Â ¦ÐÞ ĝÞâéʌé°È homeowners, as they can help to guide you along the whole â éé°É§ʌîÛ ÛÞÐ ââʨ a â days, many new owners also prefer to be actively involved in doing up their new nest. In this issue, we look into where to go to get all your home essentials, from the fridge to sofas and mattresses as well. In addition, we also take a look into adding statement lighting into your living room and with the growing popularity of entertaining ¦ÞÐÈ ÐÈ ʣ ú ÂâÐ ĝÉ out how to set up a proper home bar with tips from a seasoned bartender. Have fun with your new home! YO U N G L I M E D I TO R - I N - C H I E F

photography ANGELA GUO art direction NONIE CHEN

Moving out from the family home is an empowering experience, but it can be daunting as well. If you’ve just made the decision to establish your own abode, and feeling at a loss over what to do, don’t fret because it’s all part and parcel of this exciting ordeal. Start by understanding that there are things a new homeowner cannot control such as the amount of time needed for the renovation and ù °Â °Â°éĀ Ð¦ é ĝÿéîÞ â ĀÐî É ʣ É ¦Ð îâ ÐÉ ĝÉ ʌ tuning the things that can be decided way before the renovation begins, like how you want your home to look, the colours that will go into your rooms and planning the layout of the spaces.

AN A L L- N EW ONL IN E E XPE RI E N C E ! YOUR ENHANCED DESIGN JOURNEY INCLUDES: THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF H&D TV WITH VIDEO PLAYLISTS & MORE THE LATEST STYLE TIPS, TREND STORIES AND DESIGN FEATURES EXCITING GIVEAWAYS AND EXCLUSIVE OFFERS

AVAILABLE ON DESKTOPS & ALL MOBILE DEVICES.

W W W. H O M E A N D D E C O R . C O M . S G Check out popular blog posts of the month

REAL-TIME DESIGN UPDATES www.facebook.com/ homeanddecor.singapore The latest on home decor and shopping scoops.

MORE INTERIOR STYLES FROM OUR ONLINE IMAGE LIBRARY

SIGHTS & INSPIRATION Check us out at @Homeanddecor_sg

THIS MONTH ON OUR “KITCHEN TO DIE FOR” BOARD… www.pinterest.com/homeanddecorsg

D E S I G N N E W S , P L A C E S T O V I S I T, T H I N G S T O B U Y

HYBRID E X PA N S I O N First launched in 2011, Hybrid is a collection of porcelain ware that combines European and Chinese tableware in a playful, collage-like format designed by Milan-based CTRLZAK for Seletti. It has become one of the brand’s most recognisable, evergreen bestsellers. Ten years after its debut, Seletti and CTRLZAK have expanded the Hybrid universe with porcelain traditions from Africa, Central and Latin America and South Asia. The new collection comprises plates, bowls, cups and jugs with a similar design that sees one half with a European aesthetic and the other half with one of the other continent’s aesthetic. CTRLZAK says the inclusion of more cultures aims to celebrate “the uniqueness of the various cultures, giving each the â È ˈ°ÈÛÐÞé É ʗʨ Seletti Hybrid collection retails from 11,48 Euros ($18.60, for a table mat). Visit www.seletti.it/ global for more information.

C O LO U R O F T H E M O N T H

PANTONE 5473C

TRANQUIL BLUE Powder blue, a grown-up, sophisticated version of baby blue, is a chalky pastel blue with a grey undertone that goes with almost everything. “Fresh and clean, this colour is tranquil and peaceful,” says Wong Liangyuan, colour expert at Haven Lifestyle, of the psychological effect of powder blue.“I ﬁnd powder blue to be extremely calming, the magical colour of the sky just after sunrise,” he adds. No wonder that this colour ﬁts the year 2021, a year of recovery. In interior design, powder blue goes best with neutrals like white, beige, greige and grey shades. Layering powder blue with other, more intense and saturated blues can have a calming and restful effect as seen in this bedroom furnished with Ariel Upholstered Bed by British brand Sweetpea & Willow, which pairs powder blue with indigo and white that creates a feminine touch. “Although it is a soft, pastel tone, I personally feel that it has enough character to take the center stage in the interior,” says Liangyuan. “As the main colour, it really can go on anywhere in the interior – walls, large pieces of furniture, cushions and rugs.”

C O LO U R O F THE MONTH PANTONE 116-3C

PANTONE COOL GRAY 5C

The ceiling is your ĝ¦é ú ÂÂʨ S °Éé°É§ °é ÛÐú Þ Âî É Â É âÐÛ°âé° é éÐî éÐ ĀÐîÞ ÞÐÐÈʨ

é ÿÛ Þé â Āâ

WONG L I A NGY UAN ÐÂÐîÞ âÛ ° Â°âéʣ ) ù É ;°¦ âéĀÂ

“Throw in accent pieces of complementary ochre or coral to increase the visual interest in a predominantly powder blue room. As an accent colour, powder blue can add a fresh touch to a neutral setting via small items like throws, cushions, and frames.”

photo COURTESY OF SWEETPEA & WILLOW

TRENDING

INSTA-WORTHY TRAYS What’s the quickest way to create an insta-worthy vignette? Have some stylish trays. Plain, sculptural ones are great for grouping objects, while the graphic ones can double as artworks and accent pieces. Here are some of our favourites.

1. Cassina Chandigarh Tray, $520 at W.Atelier, www.watelier.com. 2 . 101 Copenhagen Duck Tray (Big), $346 at P5 Studio, www.p5studio .com.sg.

3. Chokmah John Marble-Style Pill Tray, $37 at Chokmah, www.chokmah.sg. 4 . Gangzai Punky Rectangular Trinket Tray, $68 at Journey East, www. journeyeast.com.

3 EXHIBITION OF THE MONTH

VIRTUAL REALMS: VIDEOGAMES TRANSFORMED What: Videogames Installation Exhibition When: 12 June 2021 to 9 January 2022 Where: ArtScience Museum, Marina Bay Sands Organised by the Barbican in coproduction with ArtScience Museum and Melbourne Museum, Virtual Realms: Videogames Transformed brings together interactive works by six of the world’s leading video game developers to create a series of large-scale, immersive installations. Tickets

start from $12 and can be purchased from 31 May at Marina Bay Sands Box Offices and website. Visit www. marinbaysands. com/museum for more information.

AN A LL-NEW O NLINE EXPER IE NC E!

W W W. H O M E A N D D E C O R . C O M . S G

YOUR ENHANCED DESIGN JOURNEY INCLUDES:

OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF H&D TV WITH VIDEO PLAYLISTS & MORE THE LATEST STYLE TIPS, TREND STORIES AND DESIGNER FEATURES EXCITING GIVEAWAYS AND EXCLUSIVE OFFERS

AVAILABLE ON DESKTOPS & ALL MOBILE DEVICES.

MAKE WWW.HOMEANDDECOR.COM.SG YOUR ONE-STOP DESIGN DESTINATION TODAY!

ARTIST OF THE MONTH

ICE, ICE, BABY There’s nothing like an ice-cold drink on a hot day. With the Ruhens Icemaker, a refreshingly cool drink is just a press of a button away. The Icemaker can dispense water at ﬁve precise temperatures, ranging from 4°C for the perfect cold brew to 87°C for sterilisation. Water connoisseurs will also be glad to know that you can make ice from the ﬁltered water that the Icemaker provides, and even choose between large and small cubes. An intelligent indicator lets you know when you’re low on the ice supply, so you’ll know when to top up. LIN HSIN HSIN The Ruhens Icemaker retails at $3,499 (before GST) at the Ruhens showroom.

ABSOLUTE MINIMALISM Combining sleek design with state-of-the-art performance, hansgrohe’s Talis M54 faucet range transforms the utilitarian sink area into a centrepiece of the kitchen. The range offers three shapes – L-shaped, U-shaped, and high arc spout – and three finishes to suit a wide range of styles. It features an intuitive control with a flow rate of 7l/minute for quick filling or 3.5l/minute with the spray to save on the water bill. Talis M54 retails from various hansgrohe dealers, price upon request. Visit www.hansgrohe.com.sg for more information.

Lin Hsin Hsin is a multi-disciplinary Singaporean artist whose works sit at the intersection of science, art, music and technology. With a degree in mathematics and computer science, Hsin Hsin is a pioneer in the digital exploration of art, having started in the early ’80s. She is credited with many ‘world’s firsts’, including the world’s first 3D artworks created using only mathematical equations in 2007, and the world’s first virtual museum, the Lin Hsin Hsin Virtual Art Museum, which she set up in 1994. Currently, some of her works can be viewed at the Something New Must Turn Up: Six Singaporean Artists After 1965 exhibition at the National Gallery, which will run until 22 August 2021. Visit www.lhham.com.sg for more information.

AUDIOPHILE ΅ g¨'# Bluesound, an award-winning audio brand founded by an alliance of designers, engineers and individuals who have spent their lives in the music industry, has launched Pulse Soundbar+. This audiophile-grade soundbar aims to satisfy any home entertainment need. The soundbar supports Dolby Atmos âîÞÞÐîÉ âÐîÉ î °Ð É Ðđ Þâ §Þ é Þ Ğ ÿ° °Â°éĀ ¦ÐÞ ÉĀ Éé Þé °ÉÈ Éé â é îÛʨ Available in black and white.

TILE OF THE MONTH

Retails for $1,299 (black) and $1,399 (white) at Atlas, www.atlas-sv.com, and Lenbrook Asia, www.lenbrook.com.sg.

WF H I N ST YLE Named after a 1927 British yacht, Okamura’s Cynara chair features an elegant silhouette and superior lightness inspired by the structure of traditional Japanese bow, yumi, that ﬂexes according to the applied pressure. Designed by Okamura, designer Andreas Krob and engineer Joachim Brüske, it won the Best of the Best accolade at Red Dot Design Awards 2017. Price upon request. Visit www. okamura.com.sg for more information.

E A SY B R E E Z Y Blade-free fans are a boon for those with a secret fear of getting our fingers hurt by fan blades. Mistral has combined a blade-free fan with air purifier in Mistral Blade Free Fan with Air Purifier (MBFAP500). It eliminates up to 99.95 per cent harmful pollutants soundlessly while providing airflow up to 120m/s – two birds, one stone! Mistral Blade Free Fan with Air Purifier retails for $399 (while stock lasts, UP $599) at www.mayer.sg and major electronics stores.

RUBY GLOW As a tribute to Japanese designer Shiro Kuramata on the 30th anniversary of his passing, Ambientec has re-issued the Samba-M, part goblet and part Â ÈÛʨ a ú°Èâ° Â Û° ú â ĝÞâé conceived in 1988 when Kuramata had placed a red light in his glass of champagne as a playful impromptu performance piece. Now, you can recreate it with the Samba-M, which is fully usable and rechargeable and waterproof. Says Ambientec CEO Yoshinori Kuno of Kuramata’s work: “I have great admiration for… his ability to create shifts in meaning, and the poetic resonance he could draw out of everyday objects and their functions.” For more information, visit www. ambientec.co.jp.

LOKALT TALENTS Co-created with young designers Tania Haddad from Amman, Akanksha Deo from Dehli and duo Ploypan Theerachai and Decha Archjananun from Bangkok, Ikea’s new limited edition collection Lokalt comprises embroidered cushion covers, lampshade, basket, rugs and vessels, all of which are handmade and produced by artisans under social businesses in Jordan, India and Thailand.

AU R AL E LEGANCE Noise-cancelling headphones can be a lifesaver when working from home. Bang & Olufsen’s latest headphone, Beoplay HX, is an elegant Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) headphone with precise, immersive sound for best-class sound and noise blocking capabilities with up to 35 hours of battery playtime. Crafted from durable materials, it also features a headband with centre-relief that ensures absolute comfort with extended wear. Beoplay HX retails for $799 at shop. designcollection.dk and select electronic retailers, and the B&O ﬂagship store at Grand Hyatt.

Lokalt limited collection is available for purchase in Ikea Tampines and online from 3 June, while stocks last. Find out more at www.ikea.sg/lokalt.

CARBON NEUTRAL Cosentino has launched its ﬁrst carbon-neutral Silestone collection. Inspired by the Mediterranean, Sunlit Days comprises ﬁve fresh colours: Faro White, Cincel Grey, Arcilla Red, Cala Blue and Posidonia Green. The collection is manufactured using Cosentino’s HybriQ+ Technology, which uses 99 per cent re-used water from the production processes, 100 per cent renewable electric energy and a minimum of 20 per cent recycled raw materials in its composition. Visit www.cosentino.com for more information or book a viewing appointment at Cosentino City Singapore at 34 Duxton Road by calling 6213-9543. 23

SLIM & Z Z

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Korean water purifier brand Wells has launched its award-winning water purifier, The One, in Singapore. Dubbed as the world’s slimmest tankless water purifier, The One features a full-colour LCD screen encircled by an easy-to-use touch control panel. Its six water temperature presets are engineered to maximise your beverage needs, including Cold Water, Room Temperature, Body Temperature (36.5 °C), Milk (50 °C), Tea (70 °C), and Coffee (85 °C) while its four volume options are 120ml, 250ml, 550ml and a continuous supply. Wells The One is available in three colours and retails from $3,000 at www.wellssingapore. com and Tangs at Tang Plaza.

NEWS Modular Approach Interior ﬁt-out specialist 4PLUS8, a longtime collaborator of high-end architecture ﬁrms like RT+Q Architects and Ong & Ong, has launched Furnic, a lifestyle brand offering custom and modular carpentry for the kitchen, wardrobe and shelving. Utilising a modular approach and 4PLUS8’s extensive network of fabricators and artisans, Furnic can deliver quality projects with a reasonable budget, including an entire kitchen set-up that will take three weeks to fabricate and three days to install. Visit www.thefurnic.com for more information.

Comfort & Quality Award-winning mattress brand Zinus has landed in Singapore. Touted as the pioneer of mattress-in-a-box, a compression technology that makes it lighter than traditional mattresses, the brand offers quality mattresses and bed frames in a comfortable price range. Its bestselling products include the iCoil Hybrid Latex series and the Hybrid Memory Foam series, which are made from hypoallergenic materials with cradling comfort.

Sleek Silhouettes Minimalist silhouettes and versatility in the home are more important than ever, a concept that’s embodied in Proof Living’s new Camerich collection. Established in 1997, the Camerich brand is known for its contemporary modular designs that remain on-trend. We love the Qing Armchair, which was inspired by the art of paper folding, and the Lesso coat rack, which takes its shape from traditional Chinese wooden screens.

Zinus mattresses retail from $289. Visit www.zinus.com.sg for more information.

Visit Proof Living at ION Orchard #04-16 or www.proof.com.sg to see the collection.

text ASIH JENIE & MELODY BAY

E H T F O T R A P E B

y jo n e o h w s r e v lo Meet fellow food . g in k a b d n a g in k o o dining out, c

, ts n e v e to s e it v in e iv s lu Join us now for exc eals and discounts! giveaways, dining d

TA S T E S O C I E T YS G

N E W S TO R E

B A R OV I E R & TO S O The world’s most established lighting brand chooses Singapore for the location of its ﬁrst foreign ﬂagship store.

t is hard to imagine that when the first tiles were being laid for the foundation of the Forbidden City in China, the artisans of Barovier & Toso were already hard at work crafting stunning chandeliers out of molten glass in the Venetian city of Murano, Italy. The brand’s establishment predates the building of the Chinese palace by a whopping 125 years. For the last seven centuries, it has borne witness to the passing of architectural styles – from the Renaissance to the Baroque – and graced the halls of palaces, museums and mansions of society’s elites. Even though it has survived two world wars and the rise and fall of global economies,

L EF T & BELOW

The Amsterdam chandelier and sconces. OPPOSITE RI GHT, TO P

Hanami is a collection of organicallyshaped modules in opaque and translucent glass. OPPOSITE RI GHT, B OTTOM

The showroom’s frontage and its modernlooking Robin pendant lamps. OPPOSITE LEFT, BOTTOM

The President chandelier is a showroom highlight.

Barovier & Toso’s legacy continues to exude a humble spirit, turning away from mass expansion and concentrating instead on perfecting the art of glassmaking that has been passed down over é ˈ§ É Þ é°ÐÉâʨ Despite its cult-like status, it has become an international icon and a hallmark of traditional luxury among ultra high net worth homeowners. Responding to the growing demand for its designs in South-east Asia, Barovier & Toso recently launched its first flagship outside of Italy in Nassim Road. According to the management, Singapore was a natural choice for its first

outpost because of the many well-known architectural and design firms based here, too. Clad in mirrored black walls and marble flooring, the intimate, split-level showroom is the perfect space for showing off its iconic creations in all é °Þˈ§ÂÐÞĀʨ A trio of chandeliers, along with a video wall highlighting the brand’s history, greets visitors at the door. Then a flight of steps leads to a cosy lounge showcasing more pendant and table lamp designs in a ÐÈ ÂĀˈ éÈÐâÛ Þ ʨ It’s here that guests can spend time appreciating the intricacies that go into the making of these glowing works of art.

Barovier & Toso is located at 1 Nassim Road #01-06. For more information, call 6735-0808 or e-mail showroom.singapore@ barovier.com.

text YOUNG LIM

NEW SHOP

C A R R E D ’A R T I S T E S Newly opened in Paragon, this gallery is turning the art scene on its head by being accessible to everyone.

delivers larger pieces and ÈîÂé°ÛÂ ˈÛîÞ â âʨ Ā Þ ÈÐù°É§ é ÈĀâé°Ýî ʣ Carre D’Artistes makes an ideal first foray into art ÐÂÂ é°É§ʨ Z âé° É °â ÛÞÐÐ¦ Ð¦ é éʨ ) ʙ É âéÞÐÂÂ°É§ éÞÐî§ S Þ°â ú É Û °Éé°É§ in a Carre D’Artistes gallery î§é °â Ā ʨ ) ú Â¿ °É É ʣ °É °â ÐúÉ úÐÞ âʣ ʖ¦ ÂÂ °É ÂÐù ʗʨ ÂéÐî§ ʙ É ù Þ ÐúÉ â°É§Â Û° Ð¦ Þé ¦ÐÞ é Éʣ é ÞÞ ʙ Þé°âé â ÐÉ Ûé made it an easy transition ¦ÞÐÈ É ú ° éÐ Þé ÂÐù Þʨ ʖBÐúʣ ú ú Éé éÐ Þ°É§ é°â éÐ Ðé Þ Û ÐÛÂ °É Z°É§ ÛÐÞ ʣʗ ˈâ Āâʨˈ

A B OVE & RIGHT

Visitors have lots to look at and choose from. B OTTOM, RIGHT

Rainbow by Italian painter Carlo Trevisan.

f you’ve ever felt °Éé°È° é éÐ ¼Ð°É é Þ § Â îâ Ð¦ É Þé § ÂÂ ÞĀʣ ĀÐîʙÞ ÉÐé ÂÐÉ ʨ a°â °â úĀ Zé Û É° aÐâ°ʣ "Þ É ÉéÞ ÛÞ É îÞ Þ°ù É Ā Þ Û ââ°ÐÉ ¦ÐÞ Þé°âé° Þ é°ÐÉʣ â é îÛ ÞÞ ʙ Þé°âé âʣ É Þé § ÂÂ ÞĀ é é ú Â ÐÈ â ÉĀ É ù ÞĀÐÉ ʣ °É ȾȼȼȽʨ xÐî É ÉÐú ÿÛ Þ° É é°â ÐÉ Ûé °É Z°É§ ÛÐÞ ʨ Þ°§é É ú Â ÐÈ°É§ʣ ÞÞ ʙ Þé°âé â °É S Þ §ÐÉ ¦ Ââ ÈÐÞ Â°¿ ù°ÉĀÂ Þ ÐÞ âéÐÞ ʣ ú Þ ÐÉ É Û Þîâ é §ÐÐ â îÛ ÂÐâ ʨ ,é °â é°â ù ÞĀ ° é é é § ÂÂ ÞĀ ú Ééâ éÐ É ÐîÞ § ʨ ʖr ú Éé Û ÐÛÂ éÐ °Éé Þ é ú°é é ÞéúÐÞ¿ʣʗ â Þ â é Z°É§ ÛÐÞ § ÂÂ ÞĀ ÐúÉ Þ Z âé° É Éʨ ʖfÉÂ°¿ éÞ °é°ÐÉ Â § ÂÂ Þ° â ú°é é °Þ ʘ Ð BÐé aÐî é ÞéúÐÞ¿ʙ â°§Éâʣ ĀÐîʙÞ É ÐîÞ § éÐ

pick up a piece for a closer look instead of merely admiring it ÐÉ ú ÂÂ ÐÞ Û âé Âʨ â é°ÐÉ °â ° é éÐ °¦¦ Þ Éé °Éé ÞÉ é°ÐÉ Â Þé°âéʨ ÉÐé Þ ¦ éîÞ é é È ¿ â é°â § ÂÂ ÞĀ °¦¦ Þ Éé °â é é ÞéúÐÞ¿â Þ ÛÞ° ÐÞ °É§ éÐ â°ą ʣ âé Þé°É§ ¦ÞÐÈ ˏȽɅȼ ¦ÐÞ é âÈ ÂÂ âé ʂȽȿ È ÿ Ƚȿ Èʃʨ a Þ Þ ¦ÐîÞ â°ą â éÐ ÐÐâ ˈ¦ÞÐÈʨ a âéĀÂ â ù ÞĀ ¦ÞÐÈ ú é Þ ÐÂÐîÞ Â É â Û â éÐ ù° Þ Éé ÛÐÛ Þéʨ V°§é ÉÐúʣ âéÐ ¿â Þ Þ ÛÂ É°â ù ÞĀ éÞ ÈÐÉéâʨ a § ÂÂ ÞĀ ÛÂ Éâ éÐ Ð é°â ÈÐÉéÂĀ ¦ÞÐÈ BÐù È Þ âÐ îâéÐÈ Þâ É ÂÐÐ¿ ¦ÐÞú Þ éÐ ¦Þ â Û° â Ā °¦¦ Þ Éé Þé°âéâ ¦ÞÐÈ Ðé Þ ÞÞ ʙ Þé°âé â § ÂÂ Þ° âʨ It also provides framing â Þù° âʣ âÐ ĀÐîÞ ÛîÞ â °â Þ Ā ¦ÐÞ É§°É§ â âÐÐÉ â ĀÐî § é ÐÈ ʨ SÂîâʣ °é

Carre D’Artistes is at #04-08 Paragon. For more information, please visit www.carredartistes.com/en-sg.

text MELODY BAY photos CARRE D’ARTISTES

LIVING

2 1

MINTY FRESH From small accent products to big-ticket pieces, add a breath of fresh air to your furnishings with our mint green selection. 1. Geometric II – Apex Grand 105/10045 wallpaper by Cole & Son, from $187.29 per 10m roll, from www. cole-and-son. com. 2. Saba Italia New York Suite, from $9,900 at P5 Studio. 3. Maison Pouenat Sorbet Humbert & Poyet Lamp, price upon request at www. humbertpoyet. com and www. pouenat.fr.

4 . & 5 . Emerald Large Vase and Herbariae Charger Plate Green by Vista Alegre, $1,078.83 and $156.19 at https:// vistaalegre.com/ international. 6 . Kartell Componibili storage unit, $380, from Space Furniture.

6 7

7. Orion Lounge Chair Jade Rose, price upon request, at www. scarletsplendour. com. 8 . Diana Chester Sofa by Baxter, price upon request, from Space Furniture.

H OT S P OT

S AW M I L L M A R K E T This food hall and culinary laboratory is a tribute to the cultural heritage of New Mexico.

R IG HT

Mercantile Cafe & Wine Bar straddles a Scandinavian vibe with Mexican touches. OPPOSITE

The facade of the Sawmill Market is reminiscent of its history as a lumber warehouse. OPPOSITE, B OTTO M LE FT

The main entrance. OPPOSITE, B OTTO M RI GHT

White stencilled letterings remind shoppers of what awaits them inside.

good to know With 17 individual local merchants, Sawmill Market aims to revive the early 20th-century vibrancy of its neighbourhood.

reating places where people’s experiences matter is the leitmotif of Brooklyn-based design firm Islyn Studio, founded by creative director Ashley Wilkins. Sawmill Market, its latest project, perfectly reflects this idea of a recurrent theme. Located in Albuquerque – a state known for its Route 66 – in New Mexico, this innovative place is an ode to the entrepreneurial spirit of the American West and the local culture through food and design. Spread over 3,716 sqm, Sawmill Market brings together

owner-operated restaurants, cocktail bars, farm-to-table pantries, taprooms, demo kitchens and pop-up shops. The Islyn Studio team transformed what was once a lumber warehouse into a food hall and experimental culinary and cocktail laboratory. The first of its kind in the Southwest of the US, the interior was inspired by the building’s industrial origins and the landscape and culture of B úˈA ÿ° Ðʨ The diversity of culinary options attracts multiple generations of people in a

space where each area has a different aesthetic while being a part of the same coherent concept. To name a few, The Botanic Bar masquerades as a lush greenhouse apothecary slinging cocktails from housemade tonics and local dried herbs. In Paxton’s taproom, the open shelves, the wooden pegboards, the stacked lumber and the hand-painted signage are all a nod to heritage woodworking. Flora Mexican Restaurant, adorned with neon flowers 32

ABOVE

Inside Mercantile Cafe & Wine Bar. FAR LEF T

Some of the food at Flora Mexican Restaurant. L EF T

The Botanic Bar resembles a greenhouse apothecary.

SPREAD OVER 3,716 SQM, SAWMILL MARKET BRINGS TOGETHER OWNER-OPERATED RESTAURANTS, COCKTAIL BARS, FARM-TO-TABLE PANTRIES, TAPROOMS, DEMO KITCHENS AND POP-UP SHOPS.

and vintage treasures from Oaxaca, transports one to the vibrant, ambient surroundings of Mexico City. And The Mercantile Cafe & Wine Bar, the heartbeat of Sawmill Market, is inspired by the New Mexican houses depicted by renowned artist Georgia O’Keeffe. Then there is the expansive outdoor terrace – ideal for movie screenings, picnics and co-working – that also affirms Sawmill Market’s ambition to become a cultural, culinary and creative hub. “In architecting the layout, we were inspired by the flexible functionality and wise use of space in traditional Navajo trading posts and employed similar wayfinding structures throughout,” Ashley says. “As for the historical materials, we weaved in storied elements of heritage and indigenous craft such as handmade tiles, saddle leather and earthy as well as organic layers that serve as both a homage to and – given the industrial architecture – a surprising subversion of New Mexico’s signature adobe. “Perpetuating tradition, we feature the works of local artists, artisans and expert craftspeople and woodworkers throughout the site.” What’s more, the majority of the materials, including the reclaimed wood, were found just kilometres away from é ˈ î°Â °É§ʨ Visit www.sawmillmarket.com

Paxton’s offers craft beers in the taproom’s leather-clad, retro-inspired interior.

for more information.

text KARINE MONIE photos READ MCKENDREE

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THE ART OF SUBVERSION “ I believe in art that is a genuine response to human activities,” says Brooklyn-based Chilean artist Ivan Navarro for whom art is a means of subverting reality that transforms an object’s original function and Ðđ Þâ ÛÐââ° Â É ú È É°É§â never before thought of. Writer Y-JEAN MUNDELSALLE probes his creative journey, starting with how he arrived at his medium of choice to °â ÐÉé°ÉîÐîâ đÐÞéâ éÐ democratise art galleries as well as create unconventional spaces to showcase nextgeneration talent and é ĀÛ Þĝÿ é°ÐÉ ÐÉ °â process-driven approach.

photo QUENTIN CHEVRIER

SPOTLIGHT

van Navarro loves building lamps. When he began using electric lights in Chile during the ’90s, there were few places for young artists to show their work. Galleries weren’t keen to welcome a new generation of artists, so he searched for nonartistic exhibition venues such as a building lobby or a friend’s living room to introduce his art as a part of architectural spaces. Then he realised that art could be considered furniture as the only way to exhibit his works was to create functional objects. They looked like lamps but were sculptures in disguise. A decade on, his lamps seem to come somewhere between the realms of design and art. And Dĩġäěäŉŉ ZÁġł͡ Ƌä UŖĆÚä ŖÚėäŅ, his video about a lamp with two protagonists wheeling a shopping trolley with white ĞîÐÞ â Éé îÂ â éÞÐî§ Chelsea’s gallery district in Manhattan and plugging into lampposts to power up their cart, has become a symbol of poverty, alienation and survival. “What is important is that every one of my works is almost a criticism of the one before it,” Ivan insists, “That’s how I keep creating. I don’t look for political issues to spark a new piece. I’m very focused on the process. Previously, I played with the idea that furniture could also be a sculpture and then I said, what if these pieces moved? The trolley revealed other meanings, too. I think that once you do something well with a certain material, the meanings come through. This logic also gives a lot of freedom. For instance, you could say ‘I’m making a

“I BELIEVE IN ART THAT IS A GENUINE RESPONSE TO HUMAN ACTIVITIES. IN MY MIND, ANY SURVIVAL STRATEGY IS IN ITSELF A FORM OF ART.” – IVAN NAVARRO

photo QUENTIN CHEVRIER

chair and what’s the opposite of a chair?’ Then you look for another object that makes sense in that logic, and you make it.” Light Fantastic While Ivan’s initial intention may have been to create a movable sculpture, his medium of electric lights has become a symbol of truth and hope; a way to illuminate the past and society’s ills. “Of course, I’m interested in social and political issues and how art can be a response that permeates everyday life. I believe in art that is a genuine response to human activities. In my mind, any survival strategy is in itself a form of art; that is my deepest source of inspiration. Art is a way to subvert reality É é é É é ¿ ĀÐî °É °đ Þ Éé directions, whether through escapism or confrontation ÐÞˈ Ðéʨʗ With his signature ĞîÐÞ â Éé É É ÐÉ Â°§éâ É mirrors, he hijacks everyday

Ð ¼ éâ ÐÞ Þ °é éîÞ Â ĝÿéîÞ â like ladders, doors, fences and water towers and imbues them with metaphorical meanings critiquing systems of power, authority and surveillance. °Ĕ îÂé ÐÉù Þâ é°ÐÉâ Comprising multicoloured ĞîÐÞ â Éé éî âʣ ,ù Éʙâ Red ÁĢà ěŖä 'ěäÚőŅĆÚ ĂÁĆŅ is his version of a remake of Gerrit Rietveld’s iconic 1918 Red and ěŖä ĂÁĆŅ. Drawing from the history of art and design as well as his personal life, it references capital punishment in the US and how electricity was used by the Chilean junta as an instrument of torture and frequent power cuts to isolate and control citizens. Representing Chile at the 2009 Venice Biennale, his wall of 13 one-way mirrored aluminium doorways outlined in glowing neons matched the rainbow hues of Ellsworth Kelly’s Spectrum series of monochromatic, vertical canvases arranged in succession. Entitled #äÁőĂ ĩū, these gateways of light, glass and mirrors that alluded at a row

1. Ivan in his Brooklyn, New York, studio. 2 . & 3 . Traffic, his 2015 installation with traffic lights, and park bench with neon lights that outline South America went on show in Ivan’s solo exhibition at Cent Quatre in Paris. 4 . The Red and Blue Electric Chair, a 2004 sculpture made with ﬂuorescent tubes and a metal frame.

of cells for prisoners awaiting ÿ îé°ÐÉʣˈ Þ é ÐÛé° Â °ÂÂîâ°ÐÉâˈÐ¦ °ÉĝÉ°é ÂĀ Þ °É§ space that attracted viewers with their seductive aesthetic and then plunged them into an abyss with an ominous fate. Seed of Rebellion Ivan was just a year old when General Augusto Pinochet seized power in Chile in 1973 in a coup d’etat that overthrew democratically-elected President Salvador Allende. Growing up in the shadow of a bloody, 20-year military dictatorship that left thousands dead or missing in Santiago, he lived in constant fear of being made to “disappear” after the torture and imprisonment of his father, a political cartoonist, graphic designer and socialist university dean in charge of

photo NICHOLAS BRASSEUR

the propaganda department. “It was always that feeling of not knowing,” he recalls. “My parents always thought that some catastrophic situation might happen. People were shooting outside and there were constant blackouts and water cuts, so we had to store water and keep a battery-operated Þ °Ðʣ É Â â É Ğ âÂ°§éâʨ “We couldn’t trust anyone. We had to be very careful, mind our own business, go to work or school and then go straight home. At around 9pm each night, a curfew kept people under control. This is very similar to what we’re living now, but it was way more violent.” Initially dreaming of becoming a set designer, Ivan applied to design school but was refused admission. As fate would have it, he ended up âéî Ā°É§ Þé é é SÐÉé°ĝ Â Catholic University of Chile in Santiago and mixing with classmates from the design, architecture and urbanism departments. “I didn’t want to study art because my father, mother and brother were artists, and I thought we didn’t need another artist in the family,” he

5 . Artworks at Galerie Templon. 6 . Nebula II, a 2020 artwork made with handpainted mirror glass, LED light, wood and aluminium. 7. No Se Puede Mirrar, a 2013 installation with a one-way mirror that translates to “No One Can See” in English.

“WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT EVERY ONE OF MY WORKS IS ALMOST A CRITICISM OF THE ONE BEFORE IT. THAT’S HOW I KEEP CREATING. I DON’T LOOK FOR POLITICAL ISSUES TO SPARK A NEW PIECE. I’M VERY

photo QUENTIN CHEVRIER

FOCUSED ON THE PROCESS.”

discloses. “But my art school was very rich in knowledge that I could exchange with other students. When I realised that, I decided it would be better to stay instead of switching schools. I couldn’t change ÈĀˈ âé°ÉĀʨʗ As an adolescent, Ivan attended underground music parties and concluded that music was not only an expression of artistic freedom and a means of escape, but it could also be an opposing force and act of resistance that countered the loud music used to torture people in Chile. Today, he’s a music producer, runs the record label Hueso Records and

releases vinyl discs of songs recorded during the Pinochet dictatorship that he rediscovered after going through his cassette tapes from that time. “In my 20s, protest music was way more accessible than going to clandestine exhibitions by conceptual artists who criticised the dictatorship. This was very elitist because they were for a certain group of intellectuals,” he notes. “Music was full of energy and more open because you didn’t even need an instrument to create. If you were a poet, you just needed your voice to sing or recite a piece. Those things were common at the

é°È É °ÉĞî Éé° Â éÐ È ʨʗ Today, he creates stationary works that visualise sound by playing a piece in deafening silence. Percussion instruments housing luminous, endlesslyÞ Ğ é ÐÉÐÈ éÐÛÐ ° úÐÞ â like “Slap”, “Bang” or “Beat” are repeated to abstraction until they become meaningless. Removing the original functionality of a drum, he writes the word “Bomb” in neon on one side and “Blow” on the reverse, evoking music É ˈù°ÐÂ É ʨ Stellar Performance Planetarium, Ivan’s exhibition at Galerie Templon in Paris that ended last March, marked the ĝÞâé é°È ʙ îâ Û °Éé â medium. In 2020, he returned to a more handmade production due to restrictions from the Covid-19 pandemic while collecting images of nebulae (clouds of interstellar gas and dust) at the same time. Considered astronomy’s world capital, Chile has the majority of the global infrastructure – mainly observatories and telescopes – as the skies over the north of the

artwork photos COURTESY OF GALERIE TEMPLON

country are very clear, so many enthusiasts visit it to commune with the cosmos. Mixing lightboxes and paint, Ivan recreated 3D paintings – from US$32,000 (S$42,600) to US$115,000 – that appear to capture fragments of cosmic landscapes. His nebulae works appear as stellar, otherworldly explosions with their swirls of stained-glass paint over panes of glass and dots ground out on a mirror with a handheld Dremel rotary tool to allow light from the LEDs to penetrate. In the pipeline is a vast public installation for the Villejuif - Institut GustaveRoussy metro station of the Grand Paris Express designed by French architect Dominique Perrault and set to open in 2026. Entitled ÁàŅÁĢ ĩěÁĆŅä (Sundial), Ivan’s artwork comprises 300 lightboxes, each bearing the name of a star that can be seen from earth with the É ¿ Ā °É °đ Þ Éé Â É§î § âʨ “It’s a unique history of ancient to recent languages from all over the world. Every time a new star is found, it usually gets a name connected to the geographical ÛÂ Ð¦ °éâˈ °â Ðù ÞĀʨʗ

PEOPLE

EGGCELLENT INITIATIVE Elaine Yan Ling Ng, chief material innovator with material specialist studio Nature Squared, talks about turning eggshells, a common domestic waste, into a collection of beautiful, commercially viable tiles.

he world produces approximately 250,000 metric tonnes of eggshell waste annually. AÐâé Ð¦ °é É â îÛ °É Â É ĝÂÂâʣ ééÞ é°É§ Ğ° â É ÛÞÐ î °É§ Ð ÐîÞâ É Ğ ÈÈ Â methane gas. Not many know that eggshells are an untapped resource for building material. Nature Squared, a Swiss material specialist headquartered in London with R&D facilities in Germany and the Philippines, is the latest to tap into the potential of eggshells by producing a tile collection called CArelle. The award-winning studio is renowned for turning unconventional natural materials, including seashells, feathers, tobacco leaves and termite nests, into products and beautiful designer surfaces for interior and architectural uses that have been changing the perceptions of ethically sourced and sustainable design. Hong Kong-based chief material innovator Elaine Yan Ling Ng talks about the company’s eggcellent initiative.

1 . Hong Kongbased Elaine’s background includes being a textile designer. 2 . & 3 . The CArelle collection highlights neutral and blue colour palettes.

4. The red-dyed fragments of cleaned eggshells ready to be turned into tiles. 5 . Two variants of blue CArelle tiles went on this wall. The material is also suitable for use in small sculptural objects.

HOW DID CARELLE COME ABOUT AND WHY EGGSHELLS?

The CA in CArelle is a wordplay on calcium in the periodic table. We select a raw material by its material property and chemical bonding structure. The inspiration came from the use of chicken eggshells as agricultural waste in medical and dental therapies. I thought that if solid biological waste is good enough for the medical industry, that’s proof that it has great strength and stability. With a change of formula, these properties could potentially be used in other industries such as architecture.

each range requires unique preparation. For example, we prepare the shell fragments for the neutral range by baking them to get a natural earth tone before adding a binding agent and moving them along to calibration, polishing and so on. Excess fragments are collected and reused. Each square metre uses over 3,000 eggshells that are combined with a carefully selected bonding agent that ¦îÂĝÂâ âé É Þ °É îâéÞĀ âÛ °ĝ é°ÐÉâʨ ,¦ ú° ÂĀ îâ ʣ our design and products would have a real impact.

“THE CA IN CARELLE IS A WORDPLAY ON CALCIUM. EACH SQUARE METRE USES OVER 3,000 EGGSHELLS.”

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST HOW DO EGGSHELLS GO FROM

CHALLENGE IN WORKING WITH

RESTAURANT AND DOMESTIC

THIS MATERIAL?

WASTE TO TILES?

After collecting them, we wash and clean all the shells and examine their quality before preparing them as the raw material for our tiles. Þ ÂÂ °â Ðđ Þ °É éÞ ranges and three sizes, and

It’s a relatively new material for commercial applications in interior design, so there are very few benchmarks or case studies we can use for reference when we experiment. We had to collect our data and test for practical applications.

“WHEN CONSUMERS REALISE THAT USING EGGSHELL TILES CONTRIBUTES TO A CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND HAS A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THEIR ENVIRONMENT, I THINK THEY WILL WILLINGLY USE THE NEW MATERIAL.”

6 & 7. CArelle tiles in green and pink palettes pair well with a variety of textures and materials such as brass and leather. 8 . Rectangular CArelle tiles create a visual rhythm that’s akin to woven ﬁbre on this outdoor bathroom wall.

WHAT ARE THE BEST PLACES FOR THESE TILES?

They can go on almost any surface, including curved shapes, and are durable as well as naturally UV-resistant. What’s more, their chalkwhiteness absorbs natural colours in fascinating ways, giving designers creative freedom. The material is safe, suitable for various uses, easy to clean and available in slabs as thin as 5mm, making it an ideal, lightweight wall ĝÉ°â°É§ʨ r Þ îÞÞ ÉéÂĀ conducting various tests for âî°é °Â°éĀ °É ĞÐÐÞ ÛÛÂ° é°ÐÉâʨ DO YOU THINK HOMEOWNERS CAN COME AROUND TO

THE IDEA OF CHOOSING EGGSHELLS INSTEAD OF COVETED MATERIALS LIKE

MARBLE AND EXOTIC TIMBER? HOW DOES CARELLE’S PERFORMANCE MEASURE UP AGAINST CERAMIC TILES?

It is very competitive. Eggshell is a renewable bioceramic that can serve â ʌ Þ ÐÉ é°É§ ĝÂé Þ because it has the preference to absorb and carbonate CO2 over other gases. This is a stark contrast to the traditional production of ceramic and porcelain ú ÂÂˈé°Â âʨ The CO2 emission from ceramic tiles reaches an average of 180,000 metric tonnes a year. About 80 per cent of the total CO2 output °â È°éé îÞ°É§ é ĝÞ°É§ and drying process. We are committed to creating a zero CO2 emission tile, which could absorb CO2 throughout the production process.

In time, people will better understand that the value of luxury no longer depends on just the cost or rarity of the raw material itself but craftsmanship and innovation as well. When consumers realise that using eggshell tiles contributes to a circular economy and has a positive impact on their environment, I think they will willingly use the new material. COST-WISE, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT FOR THESE EGGSHELL SURFACES?

Depending on the range and é âÛ °ĝ é °Ââ Â° Éé °â looking for, prices start at 595 Euros (approximately $968) per square metre. Visit https://naturesquared.com for more information.

text ASIH JENIE photos COURTESY OF NATURE SQUARED

PEOPLE

ou may have seen some of its designs without realising that they were a big part of your shopping experience. The familyowned Futuristic Store Fixtures has designed store concepts for several well-known international chains in Singapore and overseas for over 40 years. ,é Þ ÉéÂĀ Â îÉ é ĝÞâé Ğ §â°Û ÛÞÐ î éâ Ð¦ °éâ É úÂĀ expanded Futuristic Home line. The Venator Gaming Desk and Diva Smart Table not only look great but also boast integrated technology. The former sports a sleek Thermofoil tabletop with integrated wireless charging and stations for gaming accessories and the latter, a Bluetooth speaker and a lamp. We chat with CEO David Low about the inspiration behind the launch of Futuristic Home and what the brand hopes to achieve. TELL US MORE ABOUT THE FUTURISTIC HOME CONCEPT.

WORKING AND LIVING SMART Smart designs and luxury are not necessarily out of reach. Focusing on the right features could make é È ÈÐÞ đÐÞ Â é É ĀÐî é°É¿ʣ â Þ â "îéîÞ°âé° Store Fixtures and Futuristic Home CEO David Low.

Futuristic Home was conceptualised during the circuit breaker last year. Everyone was either working from home or staying in, so we wanted to design furniture for that. As a team, we looked at products that were most relevant to the market and that we could create with prominence to È é ÛÞ â ÉéˈÉ âʨ We also wanted them to be relevant post-pandemic. At the same time, gaming and e-sports have been gaining traction, and we think this trend will continue. So we started with something for gamers: the Venator. CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT HOW THIS FAMILY BUSINESS CAME ABOUT?

Furniture has always been in our blood. My grandfather came to

Singapore from China and set up a furniture shop in Upper Cross Street in the 1930s. Most of the family have been involved in the business. My uncle started Futuristic Store Fixtures in 1977, and I joined as an apprentice in 1979. Coming in was a natural choice. WHAT CONSIDERATIONS GO INTO THE DESIGN OF EACH FUTURISTIC HOME PRODUCT?

We try to create designs that are not commonly found in the market but can blend into most ÐÈ âʨ a ĝÉ Þ é °Ââʣ Â°¿ é seamless joints in the curve of the table, also matter. Most people believe luxury goods are expensive. We wanted to challenge that perception by È ¿°É§ é È ÈÐÞ đÐÞ Â ʨ The price point had to justify the craftsmanship that goes into each product while not being éÐÐˈ ÐâéÂĀʨ

Our pieces are versatile. The Diva Smart Table ($499), for example, saves space and money. You would have to pay much more if you purchased the table, the Bluetooth speaker and é Â ÈÛˈâ Û Þ é ÂĀʨ It’s also important that we design practical products. For the Venator Gaming Desk (from $535 for the 1.2m model), we had a focus group of gamers – casual and professional – whose ¦ ¿ ÂÛ îâ °đ Þ Éé° é between the essential and “nice to have” features, so we could focus on what matters and make °é ÈÐÞ ˈ đÐÞ Â ʨ Many of the features are the result of their feedback. For instance, the tabletop’s a ÞÈÐ¦Ð°Â ĝÉ°â °â ÐÐÂ éÐ é touch and helps prevent the overheating of their devices. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO FOCUS ON TABLES AS YOUR FIRST FLAGSHIP PRODUCTS?

1. David Low. 2. The Venator Gaming Desk’s sleek ﬁnishes. 3. The Diva Smart Table has a built-in wireless charger and multiple USB ports along with a Bluetooth speaker and lamp.

There’s already a wide range of chairs available. Tables present more opportunities for smart design. We’re planning to launch more products, like gaming accessories in the Venator series É °ù ˈâ° Ð Þ ʨ WHAT’S YOUR TAKE ON THE FUTURE OF SMART DESIGN IN THE SINGAPORE MARKET?

Smart design is all about combining and integrating é ÉÐÂÐ§Ā °ÉéÐ °đ Þ Éé ¿°É â of furniture such as a table with Bluetooth speaker capabilities or a wardrobe with a smart mirror. We see that trend coming. It helps to save space, which is especially important in homes where space is scarce. Working remotely is also going to stay for a while. Where are the ÐĔ â Ð¦ éÐÈÐÞÞÐúʪ a Ā É For more at home, they can be anywhere. information, visit Smart design for versatile www.homeúÐÞ¿âÛ â ú°ÂÂ é ˈ¦îéîÞ ʨ futuristic.com.

text MELODY BAY photos FUTURISTIC HOME

PEOPLE

ecorate your home. “It gives the illusion that your life is more interesting than it really is.” So said Charles M. Schulz, American cartoonist and creator of the Peanuts comic strip. This quote resonates with Priscilla Tan, whose practice STYLEDBYPT is registered here and in New Zealand. Trained as a fashion designer, she pivoted to interior styling in 2018 with her company, which quickly gained ¦ÐÂÂÐú Þâ ÐÉÂ°É É Ðđʨ Ðîâ ʣ she says, is never complete until it becomes a home – and that’s where interior styling comes in.

CULTIVATING STYLE Priscilla Tan, interior stylist and Instagram sensation, shares strategic tips that’ll help you turn a house into a home.

INTERIOR STYLIST, DECORATOR AND DESIGNER: WHAT MAKES EACH ONE DIFFERENT?

Interior stylists beautify a home by adding, editing or collating decorative items such as furnishings, window treatments and bedding. While the duties of a decorator and a stylist are similar, the former also works closely with design professionals such as architects, lighting and kitchen designers, and suppliers to deliver the client’s requirements. An interior designer’s responsibilities begin once the ĞÐÐÞ ÛÂ É °â ÛÛÞÐù ʨ a Ā °É Âî focusing on all aspects of the interior structure. Not just how a room is decorated or how it looks in the end, but the plumbing and carpentry design works and more.

3 TELL US ABOUT YOUR STYLING PROCESS.

My team and I always start with ÐÉĝÞÈ°É§ é Þ È ĞÐÐÞ ÛÂ É É understanding the client’s lifestyle habits and needs. Next, we ensure that all the interior components are well-designed before introducing new or existing furniture and decorative items. Due to Covid, many clients have had to style their spaces with me via Zoom instead of having me take Þ§ Ð¦ é âéĀÂ°É§ˈ°É Û ÞâÐÉʨ 46

1. Priscilla’s services range from a twohour consult to styling and shopping for a full interior. 2. This compact work-fromhome station is about comfort and personality. 3.Display shelves don’t need to be crowded to reﬂect style.

HOW DOES ONE KNOW THAT IT IS TIME FOR A RESTYLE?

Say you buy a new artwork and realise how much better it makes a room look or add a new piece of furniture that makes everything else look dingy or old. When you’ve had the same ÂÐÐ¿ ¦ÐÞ é Â âé ĝù éÐ Ƚȼ Ā Þâʣ these are signs that it is time to refresh your home. WHAT ARE YOUR TOP

É Þ é °đ Þ Éé âéĀÂ°É§ vignettes whenever you feel like it. SÂîâʣ é Â âé éÞ °đ Þ Éé styles of bedsheets, dinnerware and table runners to keep things looking stylish and fresh. And, if you don’t want to paint your walls, add a rug for instant colour, warmth É ąÐÉ°É§ʨ "Þ â ĞÐú Þâ ÐÞ plants also energise a space and ÐÉ ʙâˈÈÐÐ ʨ

6 4. A curated mix of mirrors, frames and other decor are a great way to showcase your personality.

THREE TIPS?

Firstly, shop according to the °È Éâ°ÐÉâ Ð¦ ĀÐîÞ ĞÐÐÞ ÛÂ É to make sure any furniture you îĀ ĝéâ é âÛ ʨ Z ÐÉ ÂĀʣ focus on the walls. Explore hanging artworks, adding shelves or getting furniture that maximises their height and width. Compact elements visually minimise their height. Finally, avoid getting a rug that is disproportionate to your space. The front legs of the furniture must sit on it. As with art and most decorative items, it is better to go larger than smaller to balance out a space. WHAT MUST-HAVES SHOULD A STYLISH HOME POSSESS?

For starters, a tray! It should be the No 1 item in any home as it helps with the grouping of objects and makes styling a breeze. I recommend having three to seven trays so you

HOW MUCH SHOULD WE BUDGET FOR RESTYLING?

Leave at least 10 to 30 per cent of the reno budget to cover dressing up your home with lighting, wallpaper or paint, curtains or blinds, furniture and other decorative items that make it look instantly inviting.

5 . Plants, a swing sofa and woven rugs add tropical ambience to this balcony. 6.Patterned accents and a unique pendant light add visual interest while keeping this living room bright and airy.

DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE.

I love contemporary modern styles with classic black and white touches. It is an evergreen scheme and style é é , ĝÉ ÐÈ¦ÐÞé°É§ É timeless even as trends come and go. In my line of work, while I have to embrace colours all the time, a muted palette clears my mind and calms my soul when I am home resting or chilling with my family. Visit www.styledbypt.com for more information. 4

7. Textured bedding makes a bedroom even cosier. P R I S C I L L A’ S A DV I C E F O R A N I N S TA N T LY I N S TAG R A M M A B L E H O M E .

Go green with house plants. They add colour and life and purify the °Þʨ ÿÛÂÐÞ °đ Þ Éé ú Āâ éÐ É§ ÐÞ display your plants, from draping them over a shelf or wall to showing them in statement planters to add height and volume wherever you place them. Level up your shelfie game. Showcase your personality by displaying much-loved items, whether it’s gorgeous dinnerware, unique photo frames or pieces of art. Add ambient lighting. Floor lamps, table lamps and wall lights add a glow and warmth to any space. Overhead task lighting alone É ÂÐÐ¿ ÛÂ °É É Ğ é °É ÛÐéÐâʣ âÐ these additional elements make all é ˈ °đ Þ É ʨ

text ASIH JENIE photos COURTESY OF STYLEDBYPT

Inspiring Women

To celebrate 60 years of HER WORLD, we present

#Her World Her Story

60 60

inspiring real-life stories

women sharing their successes, challenges, passions & ambitions

Every month from March to August, we’ll be featuring 10 women in print and online. Read about their struggles and triumphs, and watch their videos on wwww.herworld.com/herworldherstory/ and our IG account @herworldsingapore

BE A PART OF #HERWORLDHERSTORY We want to hear your story too. Tell us about it on your IG proﬁle, and add the hashtag #HerWorldHerStory so we can ﬁnd it and share it.

U P C LO S E

DALE CHIHULY One of the world’s most eminent glass sculptors talks about the transformation of spaces through unusual art, the importance of funding for artists and the time he worked in a kibbutz in Israel.

What is your personal style? I like to use materials in unexpected ways such as inserting whimsy alongside elegance and beauty. I studied interior architecture in college and have channelled my creativity through the transformation of spaces ù Þˈâ°É ʨ a Ð éÐîâ )ÐéâÐÛʣ ÂâÐ ÐÈ éÐ ÈĀ âéî °Ðʣ °â ÛÞÐ ÂĀ the best example of my aesthetic. It is an eclectic combination of âéĀÂ âʣ ĝÉ°â âʣ È é Þ° Ââ É artwork. I like to use found wood °Éâé Ð¦ ú ÂÂ Ð Þ ʣ É , ÂÐù é°É and copper. I design with my personal collections in mind – vintage children’s books in the powder ÞÐÐÈʣ °§ ÐÂÂ é°ÐÉ Ð¦ Þé ÐÐ¿â with their front covers facing Ðîéú Þ âʣ Éé°Ýî Þ °Ðâʣ È Þ âʣ accordions and doorstops all placed in clever and unusual places. What’s your biggest strength? I have always been willing to take risks in my work. Challenging myself and my team to discover É È âé Þ É ú é É°Ýî â éÐ manipulate transparent materials for my creative ideas is energising. It’s okay if we fail because we are always learning something that leads to new ideas and new work. My Rotolo (Italian for “coil”)

sculptures are a good example of this process. We spent a lot of time pushing ourselves to solve the challenge of how éÐ Þ é é â ùĀʣ Éâ coils of glass without them shattering during the annealing process. It was a lot of trial and ÞÞÐÞʣ îé ú ÐÈÛÂ°â ú é ,ʙ â é Ðîé éÐ Ðʨ a é ú â ÿéÞ È ÂĀˈÞ ú Þ °É§ʨ What has been your biggest learning experience? Chihuly Over Venice in 1996 ú âʣ É â ÐúÉʣ é °§§ âé Ð¦ ÈĀ Þ Þʨ ,é ú â é ĝÞâé exhibition of that scale that I had ù Þˈ éé ÈÛé ʨ a ȽɁ °Éâé ÂÂ é°ÐÉâ °É É around the canals and piazzas of Venice were created with teams in four countries and Ðù Þ éúÐ Ā Þâʨ a ÈúÐÞ¿ʣ communication and problemsolving were crucial in navigating the multiple glass ÂÐú°É§ ÂÐ é°ÐÉâʣ ÿ° °é°ÐÉ â°é âʣ É§°É Þ°É§ ÂÂ É§ â and city regulations. I look back on that learning experience with immense pride and fondness. What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received? Receiving the Fulbright Fellowship for the study of glass and the US National Endowment for the Arts grants gave me ÐÉĝ É °É ÈĀ ÛÐé Éé° Â â É Þé°âé É é ĝÉ É ° Â âîÛÛÐÞé to focus on my art practice. Funding for artists is important; it takes money to purchase materials and keep a roof over your head while

text MELODY BAY photo CHIHULY STUDIO

ÛîÞâî°É§ ĀÐîÞ Û ââ°ÐÉʨ aÐâ grants meant everything to me. My wife Leslie and I do our best to support other artists and arts programmes through the Dale & Leslie Chihuly Foundation we established over 10 years ago. When are you the most inspired? Inspiration can happen anytime and in any place. I could be °ÉâÛ°Þ Ā q É #Ð§ Û °Éé°É§ʣ §Þ é â é°ÐÉ Ð¦ ) È°É§ú Ā ÉÐù Âʣ é âÐîÉ Ð¦ °Þ â â°É§°É§ é úÉʨʨʨ r É , ¦ Â É Þ§ é° ʣ ° â ĞÐú É ÂÂÐú È éÐ Ûîé inspiration to work. What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve done in your life? From being on the crew of an Â â¿ É ÐÈÈ Þ ° Â ĝâ°É§ Ð é to raising money for schooling and working in a kibbutz in ,âÞ Âʣ ÈĀ Éé°Þ Â°¦ ʣ Þ Þ and education have been an ù ÉéîÞ ʨ â É Þé°âéʣ âÐÈ Ð¦ the best moments have come ¦ÞÐÈ éÞ ù Âʣ È é°É§ °Éé Þ âé°É§ people and experiencing the world directly and spontaneously. What’s the best thing that has happened so far this year? Reassembling our team after separation because of the pandemic has been the °§Â°§éʣ âÛ ° ÂÂĀ â ú ʙù been working on the exhibition opening in Singapore. I am thrilled to place my work in the amazing spaces at Gardens by é Āʣ É ,ʙÈ ÿ °é éÐ â Þ ÈĀ Þé ú°é É ú î ° É âʨˈ

For more information, visit www. chihuly.com.

VO I C E S

D TILL DEATH DO US PART Eldon Ng, the winner of Nippon Paint’s Asia Young Designer Award 2020/2021 in the Architecture category, shares the inspiration behind his winning proposal for a modern cremation centre and the challenges he faced in dealing with the issue of death.

eath isn’t a widely discussed topic in our fairly conservative nation. That was one of several things that inspired my design – a modern cremation centre, linked to a columbarium and an urban farm – for the Asia Young Designer Awards (AYDA). In my concept, humanity gives back to the earth and society – quite literally – with the cremation process. I wasn’t expecting to win. I didn’t think it was even possible because of the topic I’d chosen. Furthermore, I was conscious of the various cultural norms that could be challenged by my proposal, especially in racially and religiously °ù Þâ ˈZ°É§ ÛÐÞ ʨ That said, questioning today’s norms was a large part of my work, thanks to a semester with the inspiring adjunct associate professor Bobby Wong of the Department of Architecture at the National fÉ°ù Þâ°éĀ Ð¦ Z°É§ ÛÐÞ ʨ ) allowed me the freedom of thought and expression while encouraging me to constantly challenge what we usually take for granted. The inspiration for the proposal was conceived at the start of the pandemic, and especially in those moments when everyone applauded the frontliners. It was then that I felt humanity’s desire to be connected, to provide aid,

to support and love, and to essentially feel less alone. The topic of death came up when Prof Bobby asked: ʖ)Ðú É é â°ÈÛÂ é â¿ of empathising and sharing be expressed in the light of Û É È° ʪ )Ðú °đ Þ Éé could it be?” Death is something we all fear. It makes us equal and good to is something we can know relate to emotionally, whether in the time of a pandemic or otherwise. Nippon Paint’s There was plenty Asia Young of inspiration, but it Designer Awards’ theme was still a journey full of Forward: of obstacles. One of the Human-Centred greatest was ensuring Design required that the project didn’t participants to take on a religious design projects revolving around agenda. I focused my the human architectural expression experience. and form on practicality and function. Even the theatrics of the space was carefully curated, so that it did not represent or favour any religious practice.

Of course, staying neutral while dealing with the topic of death was challenging as these two elements are often intertwined. I was grateful to have been able to Þ ââ é È °É é ĝÉ Â â°§Éʨ Being a part of initiatives like Nippon Paint’s AYDA is an opportunity for growth. They Ðđ Þ ÛÂ é¦ÐÞÈ ¦ÐÞ ĀÐîÉ§ designers like me to showcase our designs to a larger audience. They also give us the opportunity to network with industry heavyweights,

experts and professionals, who Ðđ Þ °Éâ°§éâ É ¿ÉÐúÂ § for purposeful design, and encourage improvement. There is no such thing as É § é°ù ˈ Þ°é° °âÈʨ My greatest takeaway is the valuable opinions of the panellists and everyone else who took the time to talk to me about the project. These conversations have sharpened ÈĀ îÉ Þâé É °É§ É Ðđ Þ me insight into areas I can improve on.

1. An artistic depiction of a walkway in the modern crematorium. 2. The project centres on the ideas of a shared grieving experience and giving back to the earth.

Eldon Ng is the winner of Nippon Paint’s Asia Young Designer Award 2020/2021 in the Architecture category.

photos COURTESY OF ELDON NG

Dubbed The Castle by its current owner, this centuryold home was originally commissioned by silent movie siren Barbara La Marr. OPPOSITE

The open plan living and dining area enjoys a captivating view of Los Angeles. The dining table was acquired from an antique shop in London.

A CASTLE OF OUR OWN Commissioned by an iconic silent movie star and renovated by husband-and-wife designers to house their family of nine, this 100-year old villa is a castle outside and cosy modern home with tons of personality inside. ASIH JENIE ĝÉ â Ðîé ÈÐÞ ʨ

arbara La Marr may not be a familiar name for those of us who aren’t hardcore cinephiles. But Google her name, and you’d recognise her as the iconic face of ’20s Hollywood silent movie siren. At the height of her career, Barbara had a 7,700 sq ft home in Hollywood Hills, California. Occupying a 2,023-sqm land, the three-level villa was fashioned after the French Normandy architectural style and had more bathrooms than bedrooms. It boasted four bedrooms, four full bathrooms

and three half bathrooms. Barbara passed away at just 29 in 1926, and remarkably the home has only changed ownership three times since then. Its current owners are Robert and Courtney Novogratz, a husband and wife design duo with over 20 years of experience designing and developing unique spaces across many typologies. Residing initially in New York City, the couple moved to sunny California with their seven children and bought the 100-year-old villa to renovate

as their new home. The home’s previous three ÐúÉ Þâ ù ÞĀ °đ Þ Éé tastes, which were apparent in its existing condition when the Novogratz bought it. “There were many small rooms, many éĀÛ â Ð¦ Þ úÐÐ ĞÐÐÞ°É§ʣ É ÉÐÉâ Éâ° Â ĞÐÐÞ ÛÂ Éʨ a house felt like a maze with tiny rooms and multiple doorways that led to more doorways and even more tiny rooms,” shares the couple, who decided to gut and renovate all the interiors. “The biggest challenge was to keep the charm and period feel

WHO LIVES HERE

A couple and their seven children HO ME A renovated 1920s villa in Hollywood Hills, California S IZE 7,700 sq ft

ABOVE

OPPOSITE

The stunning stairwell was restored to its original state with an addition of a contemporary pendant light.

The living room is Robert and Courtney’s favourite spot in the home where they hang out with their seven children.

LEFT

The kitchen features elements from Boffi.

The dining and living area enjoy an uninterrupted ﬂow of activity demarcated only by steps.

of the house while modernising the entire space,” they say. The renovation took a little over a year to complete and cost in ballpark estimates of US$3 million. “The design brief to ourselves was to create space by opening up the home and creating a place where people could gather. Whether it was our family or friends for entertaining, we knew we wanted to knock down walls and create fewer rooms, but bigger and more spacious ones,” they share. Dubbed The Castle by the couple, the renovated home is a modern, open-plan home with §Þ é âÛ é° Â ĞÐú é é ÂÂÐúâ

for easy communal interactions between its nine inhabitants. “We’re a big family, so opening up spaces makes it easier to gather and tougher to hide away. That volume is simple to create, but it is important éÐ È ¿ °é ĞÐú É Þ é moments, so it doesn’t feel cavernous,” they say. The ground level features an airy, double-volume living and dining space and a sprawling kitchen centred around a marble-topped island and a sun-drenched breakfast room that opens up the lush backyard via chic, steel-trimmed French doors. Steel windows and doors play an important role in the

TOP

The steel windows complete the elegant look of this vanity area. L EF T

The eclectic master bedroom with a canopied bed bought in India. An oversized Hollywood sign peeking out from the hallway. 57

AB OVE

Seen from the lush garden, The Castle’s unique architecture does live up to its name. RIGHT

The cosy outdoor dining space features terraced seating and a freestanding ﬁreplace. OPPOSITE

The terraced lemon and olive garden can host many events, including a recent wedding of the family’s friends.

design. “They made the house elegant and distinct,” says Robert. Courtney shares a tip: “If you love the look yet can’t đÐÞ °éʣ ĀÐî É îâ âé Â ÐÉ the main doorway and mimic the rest in aluminium.” Mixing high-end and ÂÐúʌ É ĝéé°É§ É ĝÉ°â â °â the couple’s primary strategy throughout the house to keep the renovation budget sensible. They invested in several key elements like the expensive Þ Â °È Þ úÐÐ ĞÐÐÞ°É§ from Schotten and Hansen and the tiles for the master bedroom, and used inexpensive materials like subway tiles elsewhere. The kitchen is Ðîéĝéé ú°é ÐĔʨ ʖr Âú Āâ îĀ ĞÐÐÞ ÈÐ Â ú° °â é Â âé Ɂȼ Û Þ Éé Ðđʨ r ÂâÐ have designed many kitchens with much less expensive cabinets, in which case we add more expensive hardware,” they share. The seven children share fewer bedrooms. “They got to choose the room designs, colours and so on. We have moved frequently, and it’s important to involve them in the design process because it’ll be their home too, and it’s

empowering,” says the couple. The upper level comprises two guest bedrooms and a spacious master suite. The walk-in wardrobe is lined with custom-built furniture, and the bathroom features a huge shower obscured behind smoked-glass panels. There are also a large family room with an adjoining kitchenette, a spacious guest suite with a private entrance, a gym and a recording studio. Populated with lemon and olive trees, the stunning terraced backyard provides shade and privacy for the outdoor kitchen and dining area near the oval-shaped pool. There is no typical day at The Castle. “Our work is °đ Þ Éé É ù Þ° â Āʣ so sometimes we are on a job site, sometimes we’re travelling, Ðé Þ é°È â ú ʙÞ ĝÂÈ°É§ ÐÞ doing a photoshoot,” say Robert and Courtney, whose latest projects include a furniture and homeware collection designed in collaboration with äŰ Ϟ Ƌä City star Sarah Jessica Parker. But when they are at home with their seven children, there are always beautiful moments to be had all around this castle of their own.

photography MATTHEW WILLIAMS

The custom curved navy and teal carpentry deﬁnes the space, provides storage and leads to the yard area. Bright yellow display squares add a nice contrast. OPPOSITE

Furniture and solid-coloured surfaces add pops of colours in the living space. The painting is by Bryan himself.

CURVES & COLOURS This four-room condominium in Lavender retains the integrity of its original structure while adding tons of personality with colours, curves and delightful little details. ASIH JENIE takes a tour.

WHO LIVES HERE

A couple in their 40s and their two daughters, aged 4 and 6 HO ME A four-room condominium near the Lavender area SI ZE 1,044 sq ft

et’s make it colourful,” said Elaine Seak to her husband Bryan Lim when they decided to buy a four-room condominium unit near the Lavender area. They and their two daughters previously lived in a BTO unit in Yew Tee with a vintage industrial style marked by quirky design elements like an exposed brick feature wall, a reclaimed teakwood table and a chair made from an upcycled sewing machine. For this new home, they wanted to go even bolder and brighter. “I found the monochromatic modern style, where everything is straight

and square, boring,” Elaine says. “We wanted it to have an art gallery vibe.” The couple went online to search for the perfect interior designer to realise their vision. After shortlisting and meeting with a few studios, they engaged The Scientist. Krystle Teoh, the interior designer at The Scientist who helmed the project shares: “The keywords in the brief that emerged from our discussions were colours, curves and no cookie cutter elements.” The couple also wanted to retain the unit’s original layout and to avoid hacking while requesting

The doubleheaded wall light at the end of the corridor casts a stunning graphic effect on the painted wall and ceiling. A simple yet effective feature. OPPOSITE, LEFT

The 3.3m ceiling height maintains the airiness of the space while the pink complements the pops of colour in the dining-living room areas. OPPOSITE, FAR L E FT

Described by the designer as bubbly and cheerful, Elaine Seak loves colours and curves.

“ THE KEYWORDS IN THE DESIGN BRIEF THAT EMERGED FROM OUR DISCUSSIONS WERE COLOURS, CURVES AND NO COOKIE CUTTER ELEMENTS.” – KRYSTLE TEOH, THE SCIENTIST

ample storage space. “So, it was a matter of enhancing the overall look while incorporating their cheerful personalities,” says Kristle. The result is a bold home with unabashed use of curvy elements and jewel colours that is still cosy and welcoming. As Elaine and Bryan sold their old house with all its furniture, they started buying the pieces for their new home before moving in. The living room-dining area’s colour scheme is built around the quirky Bubble sofa from French brand Roche Bobois, which they discovered while driving past its showroom. “It’s all curves and comes in bright colour choices. It embodies what I wanted for this new home,” says Elaine. Complementing the Bubble’s curves are the Acorn pendant light from Million Lighting, the custom carpentry in the dining room, the arches framing the entrance to the yard and the corridor leading to the bedrooms. And, since the couple didn’t want to hack any walls, The Scientist cleverly layered these curves over the existing walls and turned the gaps into storage spaces. The dining space has a teal and navy blue ribbed finish with a bright yellow nook that houses a royal blue Dyson fan. A teal storage bench, magenta dining chairs and a custom granite dining table complete the merry ensemble.

L EF T, FAR L E FT & BOTTOM

Graphic details, bold and pastel solid hues and the terrazzo surface of the work desk make this study with custom wall-mounted storage pop. OPPOSITE

A peek into the yard area with Cole & Son wallpaper that adds visual interest while doing the chores.

“When we first presented the colours to Elaine and Brian, they asked if we could go bolder, so I suggested painting the ceiling,” says Krystle. Brian chose pink, which echoes the dining chairs and nicely unites the purple and the blue in the living space. At 3.3m, the generous existing ceiling height is maximised by surface-mounted lighting. The cheerful colour palette continues into the bedrooms. The master bedroom, for instance, has a custom headboard and solid colour blocking with teal, aubergine, yellow and orange on the wall and floor-toceiling wardrobe. The girls’ bedroom is pale pink and grey and has a custom wall decal from Etsy. The colour palette of the study they and their dad share ties the two

bedrooms together. It has a long terrazzo desk and a mural whose geometric shape is integrated into the wall-mounted storage, lending a quirky vibe to the room. The kitchen and bathroom are in their original state. The yard, on the other hand, got special treatment. Hidden inside the archway of the dining room’s carpentry, it has a brushed gold Steigen clothes drying rack and a wall covered with the Fruto Proibito wallpaper depicting monkeys eating pomegranate from premium British brand Cole & Son. “The yard is usually a forgotten spot, but I wanted it to be a little fancy, so one has something to look at while doing chores,” says Elaine. It’s definitely in keeping with the homeowner’s personalities. L EF T & OPPOSITE

Inside the master bedroom, the custom terrazzo wall light and cheerfully patterned bedlinen tie the solid colours of the custom headboard, ﬂoor-to-ceiling storage and other surfaces together.

photography VERONICA TAY art direction NONIE CHEN

TRANSFORMING POSSIBILITIES Hidden storage, pull-out elements and smart space savers transform this apartment into everything the homeowner needs. MELODY BAY discovers how the designer did it.

Soothing blues and greens, the homeowner’s favourite colours, tie the different elements together.

hat marketing manager Marilyn Tan likes is evident as soon as one steps into her home. Every section sparkles with personality, from the modern Peranakan accents to the musical elements on the walls. )Ðú ù Þʣ ° É ¼îâé Ðîé Ð¦ â°§é is far more than meets the eye. a Ƀȼȼ âÝ ¦é ÐÉ ÐÈ°É°îÈ apartment is her sanctuary, âÛ ¦ÐÞ Þ Ð ° â É place for entertaining friends. To achieve all three in one space, versatility and creativity were key, so Marilyn approached Amanda Pang of AMP Design Co to take up the challenge. The design director made °é ÛÐââ° Â ¦ÐÞ A Þ°ÂĀÉ éÐ â°ÂĀ transform the rooms whenever â É éÐ Ā °É Âî °É§ plenty of concealed storage and

WHO LIVES HERE

HO ME

A homeowner in her 40s A two-bedroom condominium apartment in Whampoa SIZ E 700 sq ft

pull-out pieces. For instance, one of the drawer units in the living room TV console is a Ðđ é Â ʨ r É ÉÐé °É îâ ʣ °é Â É â °É â ÈÂ ââÂĀ ú°é the rest of the units, freeing up space in the living room. ù É é îÉ°éâ É é é ÉÝî éé °É é ¼ Éé ÞÐÐÈ É ÛîÂÂ Ðîé É used as extra stools when her friends come over. That small, Þ°§éÂĀ Â°é Þ Ðđ éÐ é â° of the living room and kitchen serves multiple purposes. It’s where Marilyn has her meals and keeps her photography dry Ðÿʣ ú°É ¦Þ° § É é Â ¦ÐÞ È ¼ÐÉ§ˈâ ââ°ÐÉâʨ ,é ÂâÐ functions as the main storage Þ ú°é ÛÂ ÉéĀ Ð¦ °É éâʨ “Having enough space for all of ÈĀ Ð ° â É °Éé Þ âéâ ú â very important,” she says.

L EF T

The movable kitchen island allows the homeowner to free up the space for guests. OPPOSITE

Thanks to concealed storage, the multipurpose space offers plenty of versatility.

“JUST AS HOW A TAILOR WOULD MEASURE SOMEONE TO CREATE AN OUTFIT THAT SUITS THEM, I BELIEVE GOOD DESIGN SHOULD ALSO SUIT A PERSON’S LIFESTYLE AND PERSONALITY PERFECTLY.” – AMANDA PANG , AMP DESIGN CO

FAR LEF T

The storage units under the banquette can be pulled out to double as stools made comfortable by the cushions used as backrests. L EFT

One of the units in the TV console is a coffee table. BELOW

The custom metal grille was inspired by musical notes in a nod to Marilyn’s love for playing the guitar.

Hacking through the wall of the room on the left allows natural light to ﬂood the apartment.

Concealed storage is the key to keeping things clutter-free, says Amanda. For instance, a raised platform in one area provides plenty of space for Marilyn’s shoes and luggage. There’s even a workstation éî ¿ ú Ā °É ÐÉ Ð¦ é °É éâ ʋ ÂéÐî§ ÐÉ would never guess it from the streamlined look. Incorporating sliding Â È Ééâ Â°¿ é ÞÉ ÐÐÞ Â °É§ éÐ é ÞÐÐÈ ÂâÐ é ¿ â îÛ Â ââ âÛ ʨ r É shut, it conceals the entrance É Þ â È Â â ¦ éîÞ ú ÂÂʨ Meanwhile, a sliding mirror on é î°Âéʌ°É ÞÐÐÈ Þ ââ Þ ÛîÂÂâ ¿ éÐ Þ ù Â é aq °É °éʨ ʖa°â °â ÐÉ Ð¦ ÈĀ favourite features as it’s a super space saver,” shares Amanda. The overall look of the home °â ¼îâé â îÉ°Ýî ʨ A Þ°ÂĀÉ ú Éé modern Peranakan elements as a nod to her heritage, so Amanda incorporated them as accents. a § ÐÈ éÞ° ù Éé°Â é°ÐÉ ÂÐ ¿â in the living room wall and on é ÈÐù Â ¿°é É °âÂ É ʣ â

well as the Peranakan tiles that È ¿ îÛ é ¿âÛÂ â °É é kitchen, give the space a distinct character. And keeping them °É â â Ð¦ ÂÈ°É§ Âî â a contemporary update while unifying the overall look. Here and there are also nods to other aspects of Marilyn’s life. One wall in the living room has a custom metal grille with round ÞÐÉą É Â ¿ ÈÐé°¦â °ÉâÛ°Þ Ā Èîâ° Â ÉÐé âʨ HÉ Ð¦ Þ favourite features, it appears in é ÞÐÐÈʣ éÐÐʨ “A lot of the ideas were é Þ âîÂé Ð¦ A Þ°ÂĀÉʙâ °Â°éĀ to properly convey her preferences,” says Amanda. “Just as how a tailor would measure someone to create an Ðîéĝé é é âî°éâ é Èʣ , Â° ù good design should also suit a person’s lifestyle and personality perfectly.”

photography VERONICA TAY art direction NONIE CHEN

DISPLAYING POTENTIAL a°â ĝù ʌÞÐÐÈ Ğ é °É a ÈÛ°É â ¿ Ûâ é ÐÈ ÐúÉ Þâʙ ÿé Éâ°ù ÐÂÂ é°ÐÉ Ð¦ âÉ ¿ Þâ É éÐĀâ °É îâéÐÈ °É éâ É ÐÉ °âÛÂ Ā â Âù âʨ MELODY BAY ÿÛÂÐÞ â é ÐÉ Ûéʨ

ABOVE

The sneaker cabinet is right next to the TV console, so the homeowners can appreciate their favourites. RIGHT

The kitchen island is clad in the same terrazzo as the ﬂooring for a sense of unity. OPPOSITE

Illuminated display shelving offers a clear view of the toy collection from both inside and outside the room.

éʙâ ÉÐé Ð¦é É é é ĀÐî â âÐ °âÛÂ Ā â Âù â Þ°§é É ÿé éÐ é aq °É Â°ù°É§ ÞÐÐÈʣ îé é éʙâ ÐÉ Ð¦ é °§Â°§éâ °É é ¦°ù ʌÞÐÐÈ ¦Â é A Þ É B é â â Þ °É a ÈÛ°É âʨ "ÞÐÈ é é ÞÞ ąąÐ ¦ÂÐÐÞ°É§ °É é ÐÛ É ¿°é É éÐ Ð Ā ÞÐÐÈ Þ â È Â°É§ Èîâ îÈ ¦ÐÞ ¼Ð°Éé éÐĀ ÐÂÂ é°ÐÉʣ é °Þ ÐÈ °â ÉĀé°É§ îé ÐÐ¿° ʌ îéé Þʨ a ȿȼʌâÐÈ é°É§ îâ É É ú°¦ É§ § A Âù°É a É Ð¦ ) ÂÂÐ È ÞĀÐ ¦ÐÞ é â°§É É Þ ÉÐù é°ÐÉ ¦ÐÞ é Ā ÈÐù °ÉéÐ é °Þ Ğ é °É î§îâé Â âé Ā Þʨ

WHO LIVES HERE

H O ME

A couple in their 30s Five-room HDB ﬂat in Tampines SIZ E 1,185 sq ft

â ù° ÐÂÂ éÐÞâ Ð¦ âÉ ¿ Þâ É éÐĀâʣ é °Þ ÛÞ°ÐÞ°éĀ ú â ù°É§ âîĔ ° Éé °âÛÂ Ā É âéÐÞ § âÛ ¦ÐÞ ú é é Ā È ââ Ðù Þ é ˈĀ Þâʨ aÐ âÐú â é éÐĀâʣ A Âù°É âî§§ âé ¿°É§ ú Ā é ú ÂÂâ Ð¦ é Ðîé ÞÈÐâé ÞÐÐÈ É Þ ÛÂ °É§ é È ú°é §Â ââʌ ¿ â Âù â âÐ ĀÐî ÐîÂ â é È ¦ÞÐÈ °é Þ â° ʨ ʖr ú Éé é Ð Ā ÞÐÐÈ éÐ é ¦Ð Â ÛÐ°Ééʣ âÐ ú ÛÂ °é â° é Â°ù°É§ ÞÐÐÈʣ ÂÂÐú°É§ é ÐúÉ Þâ É §î âéâ éÐ ù° ú é éÐĀâ ¦ÞÐÈ é ÐÈÈîÉ Â Þ â Ð¦ é ÐÈ ʣʗ ÿÛÂ °Éâʨ â é Ā Þ ÂÂîÈ°É é Ā ; âéÞ°Û Â°§é°É§ʣ A Âù°É éÐÐ¿ ÿéÞ Þ éÐ ÐÉ Â é Â éÞ° Â ú°Þ°É§ʨ ʖa é ú â ÐÉ Ð¦ é °§§ âé ÂÂ É§ âʨ a Þ âîÂé°É§ ÂÐÐ¿ °â úÐÞé °éʨ r°é ú ÞÈ úÐÐ Â È°É é É Â ¿ È é Â âîÛÛÐÞéâʣ °éʙâ È° ʌ ÉéîÞĀ ÈÐ ÞÉ É °Éé°È é ú°Â °âÛÂ Ā°É§ éÐĀ îé°¦îÂÂĀʨ ÉÐé Þ ÂÂ É§ ú â Þ é°É§ ÉÐî§ âÛ ¦ÐÞ é °Þ ÿé Éâ°ù ÐÂÂ é°ÐÉ Ð¦ âÉ ¿ Þâʨ A Âù°É °Éâé ÂÂ ¦îÂÂʌ °§é âÐ °É é ú°é é°È Þ âéÞ°Ûâʣ Û Þé° ÂÂĀ ÐÛ É â Âù°É§ É ; Â°§é°É§ Þ°§é É ÿé éÐ é aq °É é Â°ù°É§ ÞÐÐÈʣ âÐ A Þ¿ É B é â É â°ÂĀ È°Þ é °Þ ¦ ùÐîÞ°é â ú°Â ÂÐîÉ§°É§ʨ

RIG HT

The couple has amassed quite the collection of toys and sneakers over the years. OPPOSITE, TOP

Different shades of wood add visual interest to the bedroom. OPPOSITE, BOTTOM

The bathroom sports the same clean-lined, dark palette as the rest of the home.

“WE WANTED THE HOBBY ROOM TO BE THE FOCAL POINT, SO WE PLACED IT BESIDE THE LIVING ROOM, ALLOWING THE OWNERS AND GUESTS TO VIEW THE TOYS FROM THE COMMUNAL AREAS OF THE HOME.” – MELVIN TAN, HELLO EMBRYO

For more visual interest, A Âù°É îâ é ÞÞ ąąÐ ĞÐÐÞ°É§ °É the kitchen that’s separated into ú é É ÞĀ Þ â Ā âÂ° °É§ door. The dry section with the Þ ¦Þ°§ Þ éÐÞʣ Ðé Þ ÛÛÂ° É â and a terrazzo-clad island is where Mark and Natasha take their meals. It’s the details like this that help a home stand out. “The busy look of the terrazzo represents é ù° Þ Éé É Þ§Ā °É é ¿°é É as the homeowners whip up È Ââ ¦ÐÞ é °Þ §î âéâʣʗ â Āâ A Âù°Éʨ ʖa É§ °É ĞÐÐÞ°É§ represents the contrast between é Â°ù°É§ É °É°É§ Þ âʨ HÉ is more for relaxation, and the Ðé Þ °â °ù Ð¦ é°ù°éĀʨʗ

photos HELLO EMBRYO

MUSIC HAUS a°â Èîâ° ʌÂÐù°É§ ÐîÛÂ ʙâ È éÞ°ÈÐÉ° Â ÐÈ °â ĝÂÂ ú°é Â°§éʣ ÂÐù É Èîâ° ʨ LYNN TAN § éâ °ÉéÐ é ÞĀéÈʨ

Having a piano as decor may not be everyone’s forte, but it’s perfect for music lovers. R IGH T

This nook offers a view and a chance to chill, chat or celebrate to both guests and the owners.

Ðé Èîâ° ÂÐù Þâʣ Â úĀ Þ A Þ¿ É§ É °â É§°É Þ ú°¦ SîéÞ° r°¼ Ā ú Éé é °Þ È éÞ°ÈÐÉ° Â ÐÈ éÐ â°§É ÞÐîÉ Â ââ° Â Èîâ° é È ú°Â °É ÐÞÛÐÞ é°É§ âÐÈ Âîÿ É Z É °É ù° É Â È Ééâʨ Also part-time piano teachers, they’re big on hosting âÐ°Þ â ¦ÐÞ ¦Þ° É â É ¦ È°ÂĀʣ âÐ é âÛ ÛÂ ÉÉ°É§ É °Éé Þ°ÐÞ â°§É éÐ ÐÈÈÐ é é â Þ Ýî°Þ È Ééâʨ a Ā ¦ÐîÉ °âé°É é , Éé°éĀ ÐÉÂ°É É ú Þ °ÈÛÞ ââ Ā °éâ ÛÐÞé¦ÐÂ°Ðʨ ʖr ÂÐÐ¿ éÞÐî§ °éâ Û âé ÛÞÐ¼ éâ É âÐÞéÂ°âé °é îâ Ð¦ âÐÈ Ð¦ é Â ââ° Â Â È Ééâ é é ú â ú É ú Éé °É ÐîÞ ÐÈ ʣʗ â Āâ A Þ¿ʨ HÉ ÛÞÐ¼ é é Ā Û Þé° îÂ ÞÂĀ Â°¿ ú â Â ¿ É ú°é Ðîâ °É é îÿéÐÉ Þ ú°é minimalist classical theme Ā â É°ÐÞ â°§É ÐÉâîÂé Éé

WHO LIVES HERE

9î Ā A ° x ʣ úÐ ÂâÐ È é â°§É Þ ¦ÐÞ é °ÞˈÐÈ ʨ ÿ Ûé ¦ÐÞ é Û ÞÝî é âé °Þ â ʣ ú° ú â Â é Þ âé °É Â ¿ʣ É ÂîâéÞ âʣ ÈÐâé Ð¦ é ĝÞâé âéÐÞ Āʣ °É Âî °É§ é ú ÂÂâ É ĞÐÐÞ É ú ÂÂ é°Â âʣ â ú ÂÂ â é î°Âéʌ°É °É éâʣ ú â ¿ ˈ ú Āʨ "ÐÞ A ° x ʣ ÈÐÂ°â°É§ é Û Þé°é°ÐÉ°É§ ú ÂÂâ â é é âé § ¦ÐÞ É ÐÛ Éʌ ÐÉ Ûé °Éé Þ°ÐÞ ú Þ é ¦ÐĀ Þʣ °É°É§ʣ ¿°é Éʣ Â°ù°É§ É Û° ÉÐ Þ â seamlessly connect, both ÛĀâ° ÂÂĀ É ù°âî ÂÂĀʨ a ¦ÐĀ Þ îâ éÐ Û Þé Ð¦ é ÐÈÈÐÉ ÐÞÞ° ÐÞ Ðîéâ° é Û ÞéÈ Ééʨ a ÛÞ ù°Ðîâ ÐúÉ Þ Ðî§é °é Ðù Þ É °é È Û Þé Ð¦ é Ğ éʨ ,é °â ÉÐú A Þ¿ É SîéÞ°ʙâ ʖ ÛÛĀ ÐÞÉ Þʗ ¦ÐÞ Þ Þ é°ÐÉ ú Þ é Ā É É§ Ðîé ú°é ¦Þ° É â

Ðù Þ § È Ð¦ ¦ÐÐâ ÂÂʨ aÐ é Þ°§é Ð¦ é ¦ÐĀ Þ °â é °Éé §Þ é °É°É§ʌ¿°é É âÛ ʨ ʖr°é é ú ÂÂ Þ ÈÐù ʣ é éúÐ Þ â Þ ÉÐú ÐÉ ú°é É °âÂ É ¼Ð°É°É§ é °É°É§ é Â éÐ ¦ÐÞÈ ÂÐÉ§ âîÞ¦ ʣʗ â Āâ A ° x ʨ a éúÐʌé° Þ °âÂ É °â ÉÐé ¼îâé âé é° ÂÂĀ ÛÂ â°É§ʮ °é °â ÂâÐ ÐÉù É° Ééʨ a îÛÛ Þ é° Þ °â ¼îâé é Þ°§é °§é ¦ÐÞ ÛÞ ÛÛ°É§ ¦ÐÐ ÐÞ ¿°É§ ú°Â âé É °É§ʨ Þ âéÐÐÂâ ÂÂÐú é Ğ ÿ° °Â°éĀ ¦ÐÞ °é éÐ îâ â Þ ÐîÉé Þʣ éÐÐʨ a ÂÐú Þ ÐÉ °â â°§É éÐ ÐÈÈÐ é ÛÞÐÛ Þ â°éʌ ÐúÉ È Âʨ É¿ Ð¦ âÐ ¿ éâ î°Âé °ÉéÐ é ù Þé° Â ÞÐÛ éú É é È makes it very convenient to use ú É é ÐÈ ÐúÉ Þâ ú Éé éÐ Ð ÐéÛÐé ÐÞ ÛÂî§ °É é °Þ Â ÛéÐÛâ É îâ é °É°É§ é Â â úÐÞ¿ â¿ʨ

HO ME

A couple in their 20s A Pipit Road executive maisonette SIZE 1,616 sq ft

LE F T

The black and white, dark versus light colour and material palettes in the dining and kitchen areas are inspired by the piano. OPPOSITE

The entrance foyer and recreation space ﬂow seamlessly into the diningkitchen area.

THE MASTER BEDROOM ON THE SECOND STOREY IS AN OASIS OF CALM. DETAILS SUCH AS WAINSCOTING ON THE WARDROBE DOORS CONTINUE THE CLASSICAL THEME. L EF T

The vanity table and cabinet are concealed in the wardrobe to minimise clutter. FAR LEF T

Classical touches in the master bedroom reinforce the overall design theme. OPPS IT E, TO P

The specialistdesigned, soundproofed music room allows the couple to make music in a purpose-built environment. OPPOSITE, BOTTOM

a Â°ù°É§ ÞÐÐÈ É Û° ÉÐ Þ Þ ÂâÐ ÐÉ °ù â ÐÉ Â Þ§ ʣ ÐÛ É âÛ ʣ ú°é é Þ îÉ Þ é âé °Þ â â Þù°É§ â éÞ Éâ°é°ÐÉ ąÐÉ éú É é éúÐʨ a ÂÐú Þ ÞÐÐÈ É a solitary bench create a cosy ù° ¦ÐÞ é°â °Éʌ éú É âÛ ú Þ §î âéâ É Û Þé ¿ °É é é°ù°é° â °É é Â°ù°É§ ÞÐÐÈ É Û° ÉÐ ÞÐÐÈ ÐÉ °é Þ â° ʨ a éúÐ âÛ â Þ °âé°É§î°â Ā é °Þ ÐÞ é é Þ É§ â ¦ÞÐÈ ÈÐ ÞÉ éÐ Â ââ° Âʨ a Â°ù°É§ ÞÐÐÈ É ¿°é É É °É°É§ Þ â ù ÈÐ ÞÉ âéĀÂ ʣ ú°Â é Û° ÉÐ ÞÐÐÈ °â ÈÐÞ Â ââ° Âʨ a Â éé Þ Þ úâ °ÉâÛ°Þ é°ÐÉ ¦ÞÐÈ ÐÛ°Éʙâ ÐÈ °É SÐÂ É ʣ ú° é ÐîÛÂ ù°â°é ʨ ZîÞÞÐîÉ Ā ÈÐ ÞÉ °Éé ÞÛÞ é é°ÐÉâ Ð¦ Â ââ° Â é °Ââ âî â ¦ îÿ ĝÞ ÛÂ ʣ

The luxurious master bathroom rivals that of a ﬁve-star hotel.

ú ÂÂ °É§â É ÞĀâé Â É Â° Þʣ §Þ É Û° ÉÐ é ¿ â ÉéÞ âé § ʨ HÉ Ð¦ é È ¼ÐÞ changes here is the glass ÉÐÛĀ °ÉéÞÐ î îÞ°É§ é ȽȾʌú ¿ Þ ÉÐù é°ÐÉʨ aÐ§ é Þ ú°é é °é°ÐÉ Ð¦ Þ ÐîÉé Þ É âéÐÐÂâ § °Éâé é ú°É Ðúʣ Û É Éé Â°§éâ É âÐÈ ÛÂ Ééâʣ é ¦ÐÞÈ ÞÂĀ ÉÐÉ â Þ°Ûé Â ÐÉĀ °â ÉÐú É °Éù°é°É§ âÛ ú°é ¦ ʌÂ°¿ È ° É ʣ Û Þ¦ é ¦ÐÞ É¼ÐĀ°É§ îÛ Ð¦ é ú°Â É¼ÐĀ°É§ Û° ÉÐ Þ °é Âʨ a È âé Þ ÞÐÐÈ ÐÉ é â ÐÉ âéÐÞ Ā °â É Ð â°â Ð¦ ÂÈʨ é °Ââ âî â ú °Éâ Ðé°É§ ÐÉ é ú Þ ÞÐ ÐÐÞâ ÐÉé°Éî é Â ââ° Â é È ʨ a ÐÞ°§°É Â È âé Þ éÞÐÐÈ É ¼ Éé common bathroom have been ÐÈ °É °ÉéÐ § É ÞÐîâ en suite master bathroom éÐ ÐÈÈÐ é A Þ¿ É SîéÞ°ʙâ Þ Ýî âé ¦ÐÞ Â Þ§ ʣ ¦Þ ʌâé É °É§ éî ʨ É é Ā âÛ Þ ÉÐ ÿÛ Éâ °É éîÞÉ°É§ ÐÉ Ð¦ é ÞÐÐÈâ °ÉéÐ Èîâ° ÞÐÐÈ ú°é âÛ ° Â°âé Ðîâé° âʣ °É Âî °É§ ú ÂÂâ É °Â°É§ ĝÂÂ °É ú°é âÐîÉ ÛÞÐÐĝÉ§ È é Þ° Âʣ Þ °â ĞÐÐÞ âĀâé È É Ðî Â ˈ ÐÐÞâʨ These provisions ensure é Ā Þ ÉÐé °âÞîÛé Ā ÉÐ°â ¦ÞÐÈ é âéÞ é É é é é Ā ÂâÐ Ð ÉÐé °âéîÞ é °Þ É °§ ÐîÞâ ú É ÐÉ î é°É§ Â ââÐÉâ ÐÞ

È ¿°É§ Èîâ° ¦é ÞˈúÐÞ¿ʨ A Þ¿ É SîéÞ° âÛ Éé approximately $100,000 on é Þ ÉÐù é°ÐÉâ ʂ ÿ Âî °É§ ¦îÞÉ°éîÞ É ¦îÞÉ°â°É§âʃʨ a Ā ÐÉâ° Þ é°â ÈÐÉ Ā ú ÂÂ âÛ Éé îâ é ÐÈ °â Þ Â°â é°ÐÉ Ð¦ é °Þ ù°â°ÐÉʨ ) ù°É§ Â°ù °É °é â°É September 2019, they are ÂâÐ ù ÞĀ ÛÂ â ú°é Ðú âĀ °é °â éÐ È °Éé °Éʨ É é Ā Þ ÂÐÐ¿°É§ ¦ÐÞú Þ éÐ ú Â ÐÈ°É§ ¦Þ° É â É ¦ È°ÂĀ °ÉéÐ é °Þ Èîâ° îâ ʂ# ÞÈ É ¦ÐÞ Ðîâ ʃ ÐÉ Þ âéÞ° é°ÐÉâˈ â ʨ

photography TAN WEI TEE art direction KRISTY QUAH

The three-metrelong dining table with organic edge from Timber Capitol is the centrepiece of the communal space. OPPOSITE

Linear storage bench and ﬂoating shelves reinforce the minimalist aesthetic.

PEACEFUL SIMPLICITY This modest four-room HDB Flat in St George’s Lane shows how to create a timeless and tranquil interior by â°ÈÛÂ°¦Ā°É§ °éâ ĞÐÐÞ ÛÂ É É Þ ââ°É§ °é îÛ ú°é minimalist material palette. ASIH JENIE ĝÉ â Ðîé ÈÐÞ ʨ

he layout and zoning of a space play as crucial a role in creating a feeling of spaciousness as its actual square footage. Home to a couple and their two-yearold son, this four-room HDB flat in St George’s Lane is one excellent example. Wanting a more spacious living and dining area for the family, the owners turned to L Architects to turn the standard HDB flat layout into something tailored to their lifestyle. L Architects started by tinkering with the layout of the space. “We want the users to move into a bright and airy space where they feel comfortable,” says Lim Shinghui, founder and principal architect of L Architects, who helmed the project. “The interior layout has É Þ ÐÉĝ§îÞ éÐ ¦ÐÞÈ ¦ ú Þ but larger living spaces that allow for more natural light.” The walls of one bedroom were removed to enlarge the living and dining areas. Next, part of the kitchen was opened îÛ éÐ ĞÐú ¦Þ ÂĀ ú°é é °É°É§ space, which is the designated social hub of the home. “They have large extended families, so âÛ°é é Ğ éʙâ ÈÐ âé â°ą ʣ

WHO LIVES HERE

A family of three HOME Four-room HDB ﬂat in St George’s Lane SIZ E 990 sq ft

they still wanted a space where they could host large family dinners,” shares Shinghui. She adds, “So, at the conceptual stage, we knew we had to propose a threemetre long table that could accommodate 10-pax dinners.” This oversize dining table from Timber Capitol is the centrepiece of the communal area. Its organic edge creates visual interest in the otherwise straight and linear aesthetic of the home. Tucked in the corner of the living area is the study. It is

separated from the communal spaces by a full-height storage ú ÂÂ ĝÉ°â °É Þ Ð Â é°È Þ laminate with open shelves that allow for visual connections while providing enough privacy to study and work. The material palette has also been kept simple, comprising ¦ È°Â° Þ ĝÉ°â â Â°¿ é ÞÞ ąąÐʣ mosaic tiles, oak, timber laminates and travertine. “We ĝÉ é é é â È é Þ° Ââ ù certain timeless quality to them. There is no ‘new’ or high-tech material exploration here,” says Shinghui. This simple material palette also has great colour contrast. The charcoal timber laminate from EDL pops out in the predominantly white and oak coloured interior, while the black and khaki mosaic tiles lend a cool graphic touch in the bathrooms. The bedrooms are designed to be purely a place to rest. “They would like the family to bond through daily activities in the communal areas rather than retreating back to their own private bedrooms,” says Shinghui. The master bedroom is a minimalist’s haven, featuring bare walls, a wardrobe and a mattress

L EF T

The upper part of the storage wall comprises open shelves that allows for visual access to the study. OPPOSITE

The study area tucked behind the storage wall.

"THE INTERIOR LAYOUT HAS BEEN RECONFIGURED TO FORM FEWER BUT LARGER LIVING SPACES THAT ALLOW FOR MORE NATURAL LIGHT." – LIM SHINGHUI, L ARCHITECTS

RIG HT

Black mosaic tiles provide a nice contrast with the pale wood. BOTTO M

Khaki green tiles and plants lend an organic touch to this bathroom. LEFT

Platform bed, oversized knitted throw and the pastel colour palette create a restful ambience in the master bedroom.

sitting on an elevated platform. Shinghui shares a design tip: “A platform bed is a good way to make the bedroom feel a little more spacious. The bed is often the largest item in the bedroom – lowering its position can help make the space feel less cluttered.” A slew of clever details ÞÐîÉ â Ðđ é °Éé Þ°ÐÞ â°§Éʣ concealing the standard HDBissued utilitarian elements. âÂ° °É§ È°ÞÞÐÞ ĝéé Ðù Þ one of the bathrooms’ window conceals the old school glass louvres while custom fullheight cabinets hide the shelter and ventilation sleeves. The home also provides ample storage spaces within its minimalist cabinetry, such as the pull-out drawers beneath the living room’s bench and the hollow bedhead in the bedroom. The renovation took two and a half months to complete and cost the family around $120,000. The feeling of spaciousness É é Þ ĝÉ Â § É Ð¦ é space, though, is priceless.

photography FINBARR FALLON

P R OJ E C T S H OWC A S E

SENTIMENTAL SPIRIT A modern Peranakan aesthetic and a contemporary rustic feature breathe new life into this shophouse belonging to award-winning content hub Night Owl Cinematics’ CEO Sylvia Chan and her brother. MELODY BAY ĝÉ â Ðîé ÈÐÞ ʨ

WHO LIVES HERE

HO ME

A sister, her brother and their cat and dog A shophouse in central Singapore SIZE 1,700 sq ft

We sit down with Sylvia for a chat about her new place.

TO P

TOP, R I GHT

The kitchen enjoys lots of light, thanks to its glass roof.

The shophouse’s facade was updated with modern Peranakan tiles.

AB OVE

A priority for Sylvia and Ryan was ensuring their home was pet-friendly.

OPPOSITE

Sylvia with Porky and some of her plants.

right, earthy, natural – that’s the feeling you get when you set foot into the shophouse Night Owl Cinematics’ CEO Sylvia Chan and her brother Ryan moved into in February this year. With plenty of natural sunlight streaming in and a veritable rainforest of plants – over 50 of them, says Sylvia – scattered throughout the house, it is a °ÐÛ°Â° ʙâˈ Þ Èʨ The siblings have modelled it after their childhood kampung home. “There was no blueprint,” Sylvia laughs when asked about the design challenges she faced. Nonetheless – or perhaps because of that – the home is an authentic reflection of the Û °ÞʙâˈÛ ÞâÐÉ Â°é° âʨ

What was your vision for é ˈÐÈ ʪ It’s a shophouse, so we wanted to keep the traditional elements intact while adding a modern twist. One of my inspirations was my old Peranakan kampung house, which had an open roof. For this house, we removed the roof tiles and used glass as ú ÂÂ â fq ĝÂÈ °É é °Þ ÛÂ to let in air and light. We also added modern Peranakan tiles that complement the original ȽɅȾȼâ ĞÐÐÞ é°Â â éÐ é ÿé Þ°ÐÞ wall and kept the old pintu pagar ʂ¦ É ˈ ÐÐÞâʃʨ Your favourite space? The kitchen. It is as authentic as it is functional and aesthetically pleasing. I am so pleased that we managed to recreate the openroof concept of my previous home. I don’t think I have ever seen another shophouse with a glass roof in its yard. I never need to turn on the lights in the daytime and it’s beautiful when it rains. Everyone hangs out in the kitchen – family members, colleagues and guests. It is the best spot as it takes me back to my childhood.

text MELODY BAY photos ISABELLE QUEK, BRYANT LEE & LIN HAI HAN

How did you decide on the colour palette and furnishings? I wanted it clean, bright and neutral. Although I love colours, white is the most ù Þâ é°Â É ˈ¦îÉ é°ÐÉ Âʨ I also like wood and rattan elements. Although they may be more contemporary, é Ā ĝé °ÉéÐ é S Þ É ¿ É aesthetic. Plus, all four bathrooms are black and white but have °đ Þ Éé é°Â â é é , Û° ¿ out. While they share a monochromatic minimalist vibe, a closer look reveals é °Ââ îÉ°Ýî éÐ ˈÐÉ ʨ ° ĀÐîÞ úÐÞ¿ °ÉĞî É ĀÐîÞˈ â°§Éʪ ĝÉ°é ÂĀʨ ,é °â ¦îÉ é°ÐÉ Â É Ûé Â ¦ÐÞ °đ Þ Éé uses. In the middle are photography and livestream studios as well as an editing room. We also needed plenty of storage space and have concealed some of it under the staircase behind two Commune shelves that are roomy and hold lots of equipment while maintaining an old-school vintage âé é° ú°é°É é ˈÐÈ ʨ

F E AT U R E

BASIC FURNISHING NECESSITIES Nine must-have home essentials, how to ÐÐâ é Èʣ É âÐÈ Ð¦ é âé ĝÉ âʨ

Furnishing the space and Ðîéĝéé°É§ °é ú°é é É ââ ÞĀ ÛÛÂ° É â °â É ÿ °é°É§ Û Þé Ð¦ éîÞÉ°É§ Ðîâ °ÉéÐ ÐÈ ʨ It can also be overwhelming, especially when you are starting with a completely blank space and braving the shops without the help of an interior designer ÐÞ ÐÞ éÐÞʨ r é éÐ îĀ ĝÞâéʪ )Ðú Ð ĀÐî ÐÐâ ʪ r Þ éÐ § é é âé °é Èâʪ )Ðú Ð ĀÐî balance the utilitarian and the âéĀÂ°âʪ ) Þ °â Þ ¿ ÐúÉ Ð¦ nine of the most essential items, how to choose them, and some of the best options available in é È Þ¿ éʨ

M U LT I P U R P O S E CHAIR With WFH and HBL, our domestic spaces are required to ÈÐÞ Ğ ÿ° Â ʨ ZÐ °â °Þʣ which may be stationed at the dining table for meals, used for Â ââʣ ÐÞ ù É â úÐÞ¿ °Þʨ

2 1. & 5 . Fritz Hansen Series 7 Chair, from $770, and Vitra Chaise Tout Bois, $1,380, both from W. Atelier, www.watelier. com.

HOW TO CHOOSE

2 . Gubi 3D Dining Chair, from $423 at Danish Design Co, www. danishdesignco. com.sg.

MATCH THE SCALE

The seat, arm and back height must match your needs and comfort, and the table(s) or a desk you are going to pair the °Þ ú°éʨ WATCH THE STYLE

Whether you plan to have two, ¦ÐîÞ ÐÞ â°ÿ ÈîÂé°ʌÛîÞÛÐâ chairs, consider how they úÐîÂ ÂÐÐ¿ éÐ§ é Þʨ îÉ°¦ÐÞÈ design conveys neatness and order, while mismatched or contrasting selections can make âÛ ÈÐÞ ÿ °é°É§ʨ

3 .Cellini Hatch Dining Chair, $280 (UP $360) at Cellini, www. cellini.com.sg. 4 .Ariake Papercord Dining Chair, from $1,150 at P5 Studio, www. p5studio.com.sg.

CONSIDER THE MATERIALS

If you’re using the chair for a prolonged time and not just for a meal, consider cushioned ÐÞ îÛÐÂâé Þ °Þâʨ 95

D I N I N G TA B L E

S O FA While there is a trend that eschews the sofa in favour of smaller furniture, it will never be completely phased out in our living room; it will just evolve éÐ âî°é ÐîÞ â°¦é°É§ É âʨ

LOVELY BONES One easy way to test the robustness of a solid-framed sofa is to lift one of its front legs around 15cm off the ground. If the other front leg doesn’t rise off the ﬂoor at the same height, is it a sign that the frame is weak – choose another sofa.

HOW TO CHOOSE MEASURE TWICE, BUY ONCE

Measure your living room and È ¿ âîÞ é âÐ¦ ¦°éâ É° ÂĀʨ ÂâÐ È âîÞ ĀÐîÞ ÐÐÞú Ā (height, width and diagonal fit) and lift and see if you can get the sofa through or if it can be transported in parts before îĀ°É§ʨ

11 11. Wendelbo Lilin Remix Sofa, price upon request, from Wendelbo by Made & Make, www. madeandmake. sg.

MATERIAL MATTERS

Evaluate both the skin and bone of the sofa – its upholstery É °éâ ¦Þ È ʨ a ¦Þ È should be sturdy and durable, while the upholstery should match your commitment to its È °Éé É É ʨ

12 . Bolia Cloud Sofa, $2,300 at Danish Design Co, www. danishdesignco. com.sg. 13 . Normann Copenhagen Ace Sofa, $3,109 at Xtra, www. xtra.com.sg.

WHICH OPERATING

14 . Delta III Flexible Modular Sofa, from $2,490 at King, www.kingliving. com.sg.

MECHANISM?

We demand more from ÐîÞ âÐ¦ é â Āâʨ ,é É serve as an additional bed (sofa bed), storage (storage base) or even an alternative working space outfitted with Þ§°É§ âîÞ¦ É âÐ ÐÉʨ 13

R E F R I G E R ATO R Þ§î ÂĀ é Â Þ§ âé É é ÈÐâé °ÈÛÐÞé Éé appliance in your kitchen, also an element that ú°ÂÂ ÞîÉ ÐÉ Â éÞ° °éĀ ȾɀʯɃʨ HOW TO CHOOSE

KNOW YOUR TYPES

Top freezer, bottom freezer, side-by-side and "Þ É ÐÞ ÈîÂé°ʌ ÐÐÞʨ a ¦°Þâé éúÐ Þ â Â¦ʌ ÿÛÂ É éÐÞĀ É Þ é ÈÐâé î § éʌ¦Þ° É ÂĀ ÐÛé°ÐÉâʨ a Â âé éúÐ Þ Â°ééÂ ¦ É ° Þʣ Ð¦é É with added features like water and ice dispenser É §Þ é Þ îâéÐÈ°â é°ÐÉʨ ÐÐâ ÐÞ °É§ éÐ

M AT T R E S S MATTRESS FIRMNESS SCALE Mattress firmness is rated on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the softest and 10 the firmness. The general rule of thumb is the heavier you are, the firmer you need your mattress to be. Your sleeping habits also play a part: side sleepers suit mattresses scaled 2 to 4, back sleepers and couples 5 to 7, and stomach sleepers and people with back pain 8 to 10.

HOB

1 9. Wolf Induction Cooktop, price upon request, at Subzero-Wolf Asia, www. szwasia,com.

21. Brandt BPI6314B Induction Hob, $1,499 at Best Denki, www. bestdenki.com. sg.

2 0. Hafele Domino Induction Hob, $888 at www. hafele.com.sg

22 . Turbo Incanto T702SSV 70cm 2 Burners Built-In Hob, $480 at Turbo Italia, www. turbo-italia.com.

VISUAL EFFECT

FRONT-LOAD OR TOP-LOAD?

The great eternal load type é ʨ éÐÛʌÂÐ ú â°É§ machine is good as a starter washer because it is more affordable and allows for easier °é°ÐÉ Â ÂÐ È° ʌú âʨ HÉ the other hand, front-load washing machines tend to have better cleaning results and can

WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE IT A COMBO?

éúÐʌ°ÉʌÐÉ È °É °â space saver, so invest in one if you have a small footprint and don’t mind that while in dryer mode, the combo machine can only take half of é ÂÐ Ð¦ â Û Þ é È °É âʨ

WA S H I N G M AC H I N E

WAT E R H E AT E R

27. Miele WWV980 Front Loading Washing Machine, $4,399 at Miele, shop. miele.sg. 2 8. Panasonic 10KG Top Load Washing Machine NAF100A4, $695 at Courts, www. couts.com.sg. 2 9. Electrolux EWF1042BDWA 10kg Front Load Washing Machine, $1,397

SEPARATES OR ONE PIECE?

a ÈÐâé ÛÐÛîÂ Þ ÿÛÐâ

TOILET

F E AT U R E

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CALLED TO THE BAR Cheers to everything you need to know as a mixologist at home.

counter includes the essential glasses, the tools, the drink trolley to get if you’re strapped for space and even cocktail recipes. With this, you’ll be mixing things up like a pro before you know it. Cheers!

id 3D CONCEPTWERKE

ith staying at home the norm for most of us, this is as good a time as any to work on your mixology skills. Our definitive guide to what you will need for your bar

id SPACE MATTERS

DIMENSIONS Your bar should be of a good height for both sitting and preparing drinks. “You want it to be slightly higher than your kitchen counter, but not too high that it makes cutting stuff up and stirring difficult,” says James Li, a former Zouk bartender with 12 years of experience. The ideal height is around 1.1m, and the length depends on how many people you’re planning to seat and whether the bar is pulling double duty at mealtime. A bar of about 2.5m long should fit six to eight comfortably and still have room for a prep area.

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S T O R AG E “THE RACK SHOULD ALSO BE

Consider the optimal workflow when preparing drinks. Glasses and bar tools should be within easy reach of the preparation area, either within builtin storage or at a separate sideboard. “And you’ll need a drawer for things like bottle openers, coasters and straws – tools and accessories that you’ll need at a moment’s notice,” says James. As for liquor bottles, an overhead rack is a great way to make a visual statement and save space. Ensure that it is installed with enough headroom. James recommends a height of 1.8 éÐˈȽʨɄɁÈʨ “The rack should also be load-bearing as each bottle weighs an average of 2kg when new and unopened,” he says. So, if you have a large collection, the overhead rack needs to withstand about 500kg of weight.

LOAD-BEARING AS EACH BOTTLE WEIGHS AN AVERAGE OF 2KG WHEN NEW AND UNOPENED.”

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id EDGE INTERIOR

id HOME JOURNAL

– JAMES LI, FORMER ZOUK BARTENDER

id MOW

L AYO U T Apart from the tools and bottles, your refrigerator should also be close by so that ice and chilled mixers are accessible. Of course, a built-in sink would be ideal but may involve major plumbing. Check with your interior designer or contractor if this is feasible. “You’ll also need a wet preparation area for chopping and slicing fruits and pouring in different liquids,” says James. It needs to be waterproof and near the sink.

photo COSENTINO

good to know Quartz is recommended for bar tops. Porous stone like natural marble may absorb wine stains and be harder to clean.

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good to know 2

For garnishing, oranges, lemons, limes and cherries go with most cocktails.

photo CHRISTOFLE

1 . & 2. Set of two silverplated mixers, $180, and Oh de Christoﬂe stainless steel jigger, $87, from Christoﬂe.

ESSENTIAL BAR TOOLS IF YOU LIKE IT SHAKEN: A three-piece shaker or a French shaker. For beginners, this is easier to use than the more advanced ÐâéÐÉˈâ ¿ Þʨ

photo CRATE AND BARREL

A jigger is a small tool for measuring spirits. While it comes in a variety of sizes, the best is the 45ml and 30ml combination. IF YOU LIKE IT STIRRED: A mixing glass exists solely for mixing drinks. It is not to be confused with other glasses, and one should never drink from it. A bar spoon has a longer handle than most and is designed for stirring drinks in the mixing glass. A Hawthorne strainer helps to sieve out bits that may go into mixed drink, leaving you with a clear and âÈÐÐéˈ ÐÉ Ð é°ÐÉʨ

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3 . Hatch Mixing Glass, $19.95, from Crate and Barrel. 4 . & 5. Bernadotte Bottle Opener, $60, and Sky Corkscrew, $80, from Georg Jensen.

6. Sky Ice Cubes, $60, from Georg Jensen.

5 6

A GUIDE TO GLASSES FOR YOUR BASSIC COLLECTION 7

The Nick and Nora This stemmed glass is used for serving stirred or shaken cocktails such as a Mezcal Negroni ÐÞˈA Þé°É°ʨ

10., 1 2. & 13. Nick and Nora glass, $10.60, Bryn highball glass, $14.60, and Verve martini glass, $19.90, from Crate and Barrel. 11 . Bernadotte tumbler, $96 for a set of six, from Georg Jensen. 14.Kawali crystal ﬂutes, $299 each, from Christoﬂe.

photo WMF

The Rock Also known as a whisky tumbler, this is great for anything on the rocks such as a Vodka Stinger, an Old Fashioned and a White or Black Russian.

7. Sommelier Set, $178.98, from WMF.

The Highball The taller cousin of the rock glass and designed to hold plenty of ice, this is ideal for drinks like StrawberryLemon Mojitos and r°â¿Āˈ)°§ ÂÂâʨ

8 . & 9. Fenton Graphite Jigger, $29.95, and Graham Bar Tool Set, $134.80, from Crate and Barrel.

12 11

The Martini Made classic by the Bond movies, the martini glass is a staple in any collection. Suitable for not just martinis but a Cosmopolitan and é ˈA É éé É â ú ÂÂʨ 8 14 9

photo CRATE AND BARREL

photo GEORG JENSEN

The Flute A must for Champagne! Together with the wine glass, this rounds out your glass collection.

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STYLISH BAR CARTS KEEP THE CLUTTER OFF THE COUNTERTOP WI T H T H E S E M O B I L E T R O L L E YS .

Bloody Mary By Ceccotti Collezioni, $14,083-16,180.80, available from Proof Living.

Roiia Trolley Contemporary in silhouette and functional in design, the Roiia evokes a Scandinavian vibe combined with a dose of modernity and youthfulness. Retailing at $490, and available from https://www.aartical.com.

Meng Bar Cabinet A cabinet is a great alternative if you prefer to store your prized gin collection in a private but suave location. This cabinet comes with an Oriental-style brass lock and accents for a traditional feel. $2,900, available from https:// shop.sceneshang.com.

Duke Bar Art Deco lines meet tropical flair in this rattan cart retailing at $500, and available from https://shop.sceneshang. com.

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Mondrian Black Bar Cart This no-frills design promises both looks and durability. Retailing at $1,399, and available from Crate & Barrel.

Nissafors 3-Tier Trolley Three spacious trays provide all the space necessary for storing bottled beverages, books or other knick knacks. Retailing at $44.90, available from https://www.ikea.com.

H A N DY R E C I P E S MANHATTAN Ingredients 50ml bourbon 25ml vermouth 2-3 drops Angostura bitters 1 drop orange bitters Cherry for garnishing Instructions 1. Pour the bourbon, vermouth and bitters into a mixing glass with ice. Stir until the drink is properly chilled. 2. Strain into a chilled martini or coupe glass. 3. Garnish with a cherry.

VESPER MARTINI Ingredients 60ml gin 20ml vodka 10ml white vermouth Lemon zest for garnishing Baronet Bar Cart This uber-chic trolley will ensure that you serve up your tipple in absolute style. Produced by homegrown brand Alt.o by Commune, this cart takes on the form of a hotel luggage trolley in a walnut veneer and brass finish. We love that it comes equipped with ample storage space and lockable castors as well. $2,319, available from https://thecommunelife.com.

Instructions 1. Pour the gin, vodka, and vermouth into a shaker with ice and shake well for 15 seconds. 2. Strain into a martini or coupe glass from the shaker. You can also use a fine-meshed strainer. 4. Squeeze the strip of lemon zest over the drink and then place it in the glass as a garnish.

text MELODY BAY & YOUNG LIM

109

F E AT U R E

É °é ÐÈ â éÐ °ÂÂîÈ°É é°É§ âÛ ʣ ÉÐé°É§ âÛ ÂÂâ ÂîÿîÞĀ Ýî°é Â°¿ É Â° Þʨ ,éʙâ é Â°§é°É§ Ð° ¦ÐÞ Û Â ÂÂÞÐÐÈâ É È Éâ°ÐÉâ âÐ úĀ ÉÐé ĀÐîÞ ÐÈ â ú ÂÂʪ H¦é É ââÐ ° é ú°é îÛâ Â âé Â°âÈ Ééâʣ È ÉĀ âĀ ú Ā ¦ÞÐÈ îĀ°É§ é È ¦ÐÞ ¦ Þ Ð¦ °§ ÛÞ° â É é °Þ ÐÈ â ÂÐÐ¿°É§ é Ðù Þ é éÐÛʨ "ÐÞéîÉ é ÂĀʣ É Â° Þâ Þ ¦ Þ ÈÐÞ ââ° Â é â Āâʣ é É¿â éÐ ú° Þ É§ Ð¦ éĀÛ â É ˈÛÞ° âʨ ;°§é°É§ ÿÛ Þéâ ÂÛ îâ Þ ââ ¦°ù ÈĀéâ Ðîéˈé Èʨ

That Extra Sparkle r ʌ îÉ¿ ĝù ÈĀéâ âîÞÞÐîÉ °É§ é Ýî É Ð¦ Â°§é°É§ ʋ é É Â° Þ ʋ É â Þ âÐÛÛ°É§ é°Ûâʨ

MYTH

Grand and bold chand e l i e r s m ay l o o k o u t o f place in modern homes.

TRUTH

110

a Â ââ° É Â° Þ É °ÈÛ Þé Þ § Â âé é È Éé éÐ ÉĀ ÞÐÐÈ â ÂÐÉ§ â °éʙâ é ¦Ð Â ÛÐ°Ééʨ ÐÉéÞ âé°É§ °é § °Éâé ÐÉé ÈÛÐÞ ÞĀ °Éé Þ°ÐÞ ú°ÂÂ ÂÛ °é âé É Ðîé ù É ÈÐÞ ʨ r É ÐÐâ°É§ ÐÉ ʣ é°É¿ Ðîé Ðú °é ú°ÂÂ ĝé °É ú°é é Þ âé Ð¦ é ¦îÞÉ°éîÞ É ĝÿéîÞ â °É é ÞÐÐÈʨ a Ā âÐîÂ ÉÐé ĝ§é°É§ ¦ÐÞˈ éé Éé°ÐÉʨ

“LIGHTING CAN BE SO MUCH MORE REWARDING IF YOU CHOOSE IT THOUGHTFULLY. IF IT ALSO HOLDS MEANING FOR YOU, LIGHTING DOES MORE THAN SIMPLY ILLUMINATE A SPACE.” – DIOGO CARVALHO, DESIGN DIRECTOR OF CASTRO LIGHTING IN PORTUGAL

ʖ;°§é°É§ É âÐ Èî ÈÐÞ Þ ú Þ °É§ °¦ ĀÐî ÐÐâ °é éÐî§é¦îÂÂĀʨ ,¦ °é ÂâÐ ÐÂ â È É°É§ ¦ÐÞ ĀÐîʣ Â°§é°É§ Ð â ÈÐÞ é É â°ÈÛÂĀ °ÂÂîÈ°É é âÛ ʣʗ â Āâ °Ð§Ð Þù ÂÐʣ â°§É °Þ éÐÞ Ð¦ SÐÞéî§ Âʌ â âéÞÐ ;°§é°É§ʨ ʖ ÐÉʙé ¦Þ ° éÐ é ¿ Þ°â¿âʨ S° ¿ âÐÈ é°É§ ÐÂ ʨʗ

1. Handvark 6-Globe Chandelier, $6,680, from Xtra. 2. Rainforest Suspension, price upon request, from Castro Lighting.

3. Nuura Miira 6 Circular Chandelier, price upon request, from P5 Luminaire. 4. Lasvit Cipher Chandelier, $10,071, from W. Atelier.

MYTH

good to know

Chandeliers belong in the dining or living room.

TRUTH ÐÉʙé ¦Þ ° éÐ ÛÂ é È ú Þ ù Þ ĀÐî É Â°ééÂ §Þ É îÞʨ É Â° Þâ °É ÉÐÉʌ ÐÈÈîÉ Â âÛ âʣ Â°¿ é ÞÐÐÈ ÐÞ éÞÐÐÈʣ Þ é îÂé°È é ÂîÿîÞĀ îâ é Ā ÐÈ ÛÞ°ù é ù°âî Â éÞ éʨ ʖa ÈÐâé îÉ ÿÛ é ÛÂ È Ééâ , ù ù Þ ÐÈ ÞÐââ Þ Âú Āâ Þ Â é éÐ Û ÞâÐÉ Â °Éé Þ âéâ ʋ ¦ÞÐÈ

îé°¦îÂ ÛÞ°ù é § Þ § â ĝÂÂ ú°é âîÛ Þ Þâ éÐ °É ÐÐÞ âú°ÈÈ°É§ ÛÐÐÂâ °É §ÐÞ§ Ðîâ â éé°É§â É ÛÂîâ Þ ÐÞ °É§ âéî °Ðâ â ú ÂÂ â é é Â° Þâ Ð¦ Þé°âéâʣʗ â Āâˈ °Ð§Ðʨ

Consider adding matching wall sconces or a table lamp to complement the chandelier. Such additional light sources won’t distract from the chandelier.

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5 7

MYTH

All chandeliers a r e s i m i l a r.

TRUTH a â Āâʣ é Ā ÐÈ °É ÂÂ â Û â É â°ą âʨ AÐ ÞÉ É Â° Þâ ù È°É°È Â°âé â°ÂÐî éé â É ¦ ú Þ îÂ âʣ È ¿°É§ âé é È Éé ú°éÐîé °É§ Ðù Þ é éÐÛʨ a°É¿ Ðîé é âÛ ĀÐîʙÞ É§°É§ °é °Éʨ Â°ééÂ Â ¿ É Â° Þ È Ā îÉ Þú ÂÈ°É§ °É ù âé °É°É§ ÞÐÐÈʣ îé °é É È ¿ éÞÐÐÈ Ðîé°Ýî ʌ Ðé Âˈ ° ʨ

112

5 . FL04-4 Chandelier from the FLUO series by Arturo Alvarez, $4,499 before GST, from The LAB 2.1. 6. & 8. Lasvit Candy Ring Chandelier, from $63,600, and Neverending Glory collection, from $4,160, both from W. Atelier.

7. Barbara Barry Nipomo Chandelier, $9,800, from Proof Living.

9. Bijout Chandelier by Serip, $35,000, from Lux & Beyond. 10. Moooi Meshmatics, $3,615, from Space Furniture. 11. Rotterdam Chandelier, $33,500, from Barovier & Toso.

MYTH

C h a n d e l i e r s a r e wa y t o o ex p e n s i ve .

TRUTH a É¿â éÐ é ú° Þ É§ Ð¦ ÈÐ Ââ é â Āâʣ é°â °â ÉÐé é â ÉĀÈÐÞ ʨ ʖa ÛÞ° Þ É§ éÐ Ā °â ÛÞ ééĀ ÞÐ É îâî ÂÂĀ Û É â ÐÉ é ÐÞ°§°Éʣ Þ É É éĀÛ Ð¦ È é Þ° Ââ îâ ʨ É Â° Þâ É Þ É§ ¦ÞÐÈ â ù Þ Â îÉ Þ ÐÂÂ Þâ éÐ Ƚȼâ Ð¦ éÐîâ É âʣʗ â Āâ Ðî§Â â ; ʣ Ð¦ È Þ¿ é°É§ ÐÈÈîÉ° é°ÐÉâ é q;îÿ ;°§é°É§ʨ

113

13 MYTH

Yo u n e e d t o o w n a l a r g e h o m e t o h ave a c h a n d e l i e r.

TRUTH ù É âÈ ÂÂ âÛ â Â°¿ aH Ğ éâ É ÐÈÈÐ é É Â° Þâ ú ÂÂʣ îé ĀÐî É éÐ È âîÞ é °È Éâ°ÐÉâ É Û° ¿ âî°é ÂĀ â°ą ÐÉ éÐ ùÐ° Ðù Þú ÂÈ°É§ é ÛÂ ʨ a °Â°É§ °§é °â ÈÐâé °ÈÛÐÞé Éé ú É ° °É§ ú Þ °é °â §Ð°É§ éÐ §Ðʨ ʖ"ÐÞ ÉÐÞÈ Â °§é Ð¦ ȿÈʣ ÐîÞ Â ÿ É Þ° ÐÞ ĀÂÐÉ É Â° Þ °â É ÿ ÂÂ Éé Ð° ¦ÐÞ Ðù Þ é Â°ù°É§ âÛ ÐÞ °É°É§ é Â ʣʗ â Āâ #°É a Éʣ ÞÐù° Þ ˸ aÐâÐ Þ É È É § Þʨ

114

TIPS FOR CHANDELIER SHOPPING DOUGLAS LEE, VLUX LIGHTING’S HEAD OF MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS, TELLS YOU HOW TO PREP PURCHASING A CHANDELIER. DO A MOOD BOARD OF THE ROOM AND DECOR AND TAKE IT WITH YOU WHEN SHOPPING.

Chandeliers tend to be the focal point in a room. Everything else is its supporting cast. ALWAYS FACTOR IN THE ROOM SIZE.

This includes the ceiling height and what you’re planning to place beneath the chandelier. If it’s a dining table, the chandelier shouldn’t hang too low over it.

1 2. Moooi Paper Chandelier, $4,950, from Space Furniture.

THINK ABOUT THE FEELING YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE.

13. Lasvit Fungo Chandelier, from $26,800, from W. Atelier.

Are you going for grandeur, intimacy or something in-between? As chandelier sizes and shapes vary greatly, each can achieve a different effect to enhance the surrounding space.

1 4 . 101 Copenhagen Drop Chandelier Perforated Rose, price upon request, from P5 Studio.

text MELODY BAY

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I N S TO R E

O D E T O J A PA N Nathan Yong has launched a new collection of furniture under his original label, Folks. Comprising 14 unique designs embodying his love for wellcrafted, contemporary furniture made of solid wood and veneer, each is a unique take on modern, functional furniture with an architectural spine. The Folks Collection 3.0 pays homage to the skilled craftsman of Japan and introduces glass to the material palette, adding a visual lightness to the range that includes a cabinet, desk, shelf, side tables, dining tables and chairs, a sofa, and a bed frame. Folks Collection 3.0 retails exclusively at www.grafunkt.com. It includes this walnut Moon Desk.

CORDLESS CONVENIENCE LG takes the convenience of a cordless vacuum cleaner up a notch with the new LG CordZero A9 Kompressor Handstick Vacuum Cleaners. The three models share innovative features such as the trademarked Kompressor technology for dust compaction that makes emptying the storage bin easy and LG’s proprietary Power Drive Mop that shortens cleaning time by vacuuming and moping simultaneously. The battery life can run uninterrupted for up to 120 minutes. Another plus: you can monitor the machine remotely via the LG ThinQ app.

The LG CordZero A9 Kompressor Handstick Vacuum Cleaner retails from $799 at major electronic stores. Visit www.lg.com/ sg for more information.

E C H O - F R I E N D LY WELLNESS Launched late last year, Esoteric Echo is a local eco-friendly brand that offers a wide range of aromatherapy candles made from soya wax which burns cleaner and produces less soot. It also burns slower than paraffin wax, so your candles last longer. Esoteric Echo soya wax candles retail from $11.96 to $78.40 at www.esoteric-echo.com.

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text ASIH JENIE

W H E R E TO B U Y

BAROVIER & TOSO

P5 STUDIO

THE LAB 2.1 GALLERY

#01-06 1 Nassim Road Tel: 6735-0808 www.barovier.com

213 Henderson Road Henderson Industrial Park, #01-08 Tel: 6771-9500 www.p5studio.com.sg

399 Guillemard Rd Tel: 6929-7221 www.solluminaire. com.sg

CASTRO LIGHTING

www.castrolighting. com CHRISTOFLE

581 Orchard Road Hilton Shopping Gallery, #02-11 Tel: 6737-8710 www.christoﬂe.com

VISTA ALEGRE P5 LUMINAIRE

213 Henderson Road Henderson Industrial Park, #03-08 Tel: 6513-9595 www.p5luminaire. com.sg

https://vistaalegre. com/international

2 Orchard Turn ION Orchard, #04-21/22 Tel: 6634-8488 www.crateandbarrel. com.sg

2 Orchard Turn ION Orchard, #04-16 Tel: 6509-0555 www.proof.com.sg

GEORG JENSEN

SCARLET SPLENDOUR

www.georgjensen.com HUMBERT & POYET

www. scarletsplendour. com

www.humbertpoyet. com

SPACE FURNITURE

53 Mohamed Sultan Road, #01-01A Tel: 6926-8294 www.luxandbeyond.sg

#03-67, 114 Lavender St Tel: 9693-9096 www.amp-d-space. com

724 – 730 Geylang Road Tel: 6742-7288 www.vlux.com.sg W. ATELIER

201 Henderson Rd #03-01 Tel: 6270-8828 www.watelier.com

DISTINCT IDENTITY

#01-02 LTC Building B, 12 Arumugam Rd, Tel: 6846-0033 www.distinctidentity. com.sg HELLO EMBRYO

http://helloembryo. com

RUHENS

#01-32, Vertex 33 Ubi Ave 3 COLE & SON Tel: 8186-2186 www.cole-and-son.com www.ruhens.com.sg

LUX & BEYOND

AMP DESIGN CO

VLUX LIGHTING

PROOF LIVING CRATE AND BARREL

INTERIOR DESIGNERS

77 Bencoolen Street Tel: 6415-0000 www.spacefurniture. com.sg

WMF

L ARCHITECTS

Tel: 6861-6233 www.wmf.sg

15 Kian Teck Crescent Tel: 6586-0571, 9878-6660 www.larchitects.com. sg THE NOVOGRATZ

www.thenovogratz. com THE SCIENTIST

#06-86, CT Hub 2 Lift Lobby 114 Lavender Street, Tel: 6743-0363 www.thescientist. com.sg

117

BUYING GUIDE xHfV HB ʐZaHS V ZHfV "HV SVH f aZ B Z Vq, Z

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ACORN

#02-09 512 Chai Chee Lane Tel: 6445-6144 www.acorn ceilingfan.com

SPACE FURNITURE

MOW INTERIOR DESIGN

77 Bencoolen Street www.spacefurniture. com.sg

#08-02 Tai Seng Point 11 Irving Place Tel: 6246-6614 www.mowinterior.com

HARVEY NORMAN

#01-59 to 63 Millenia Walk Tel: 6311-9988 www.harveynorman. com.sg

STAR LIVING

1 Pasir Panjang Road Tel: 6273-2522 www.starliving. com.sg

BRANDT ASIA

#02-51/52 Oxley Bizhub 65 Ubi Road One Tel: 6508-4639 www.brandt.sg

XZQT

"fVB,afV ˸ "fVB,Z),B#Z

#01-05 8 Pandan Crescent Tel: 6774-8031 www.xzqt.com.sg

HOME 2 U GALLERY EFENZ CEILING FAN

#06-01 1 Kallang Way 2A Tel: 6747-2742 www.efenz.com.sg ELECTROLUX S.E.A.

#07-10 Galaxis 1 Fusionopolis Place Tel: 6727-3699 www.electrolux.com. sg FISHER & PAYKEL

#03-01A Ubi Biz Hub 150 Ubi Avenue 4 Tel: 6547-0100 www.ﬁsherpaykel. com/sg

#02-719/720 Suntec City Tower 4 Tel: 6737-7838

NEU KONCEPTZ

#03-11 Bizhub 28 28 Senang Crescent Tel: 6746-3723 www.neukonceptz. com.sg THREE-D CONCEPTWERKE

24 Eng Hoon Street Tel: 6293-8001 www.three-dconceptwerke.com

,Ba V,HV Z,#B VZ

MUJI

#02-198 Vivocity Tel: 6376-8023 www.muji.com/sg ROCHE BOBOIS

#01-02 Boon Siew Building 75 Bukit Timah Tel: 6513-1918 www.roche-bobois. com

V BHq a,HB A a V, ;Z CAESARSTONE S.E.A.

#08-06 The Spire 10 Bukit Batok Crescent Tel: 6316-1938 www.caesarstone.sg COSENTINO

34/35 Duxton Road Tel: 6713-9543 www.cosentino.com DURAVIT ASIA

(Singapore Branch) 63 Tras Street Tel: 6221-9315 www.duravit.com HAFARY

DESIGN INTERVENTION

75E Loewen Road Tel: 6506-0920 www.design intervention.com.sg DWELL INTERIOR DESIGN

11 Kim Yam Road Tel: 6883-1005 www.dwell.com.sg

SCANTEAK

HAIRE LIVING

60 Sungei Kadut Drive www.scanteak.com.sg

Level 4 29 Mayo Street Tel: 6441-3345 www.haireliving.com IMAGINE BY SK66

#01-22 UB One 81 Ubi Avenue 4 Tel: 6604-8330 www.imaginebysk66. com

;,#)a,B# LIGHTCRAFT

131 Jalan Sultan Tel: 6297-6658 www.lightcraft.com.sg SOL LUMINAIRE

395 Guillemard Rd Tel: 6612-1221 www.solluminaire. com.sg

105 Eunos Avenue 3 Tel: 6250-1368 www.hafary.com.sg NATURAL FOREST

#10-01B Keck Seng Tower 133 Cecil Street Tel: 6238-5920 NOVITA

#04-00 Techniques Building 8 Tagore Drive www.novita.com.sg TIMPLEX

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THE HARD TRUTH

WHAT’S TRENDING & WHAT WE THINK

HONEY, WE NEED TO TALK

1. DECIDE WHICH AREAS HAVE PRIORITY

My husband does most of the cooking, so the kitchen is his domain. As such, he got to ° ÐÉ é úÐÞ¿ĞÐú É é positioning of things. When it came to colour, I wanted a white countertop and he, a black granite one. He won because practicality was more important. Ultimately, decide which areas are beyond compromise. The dining room because you do your work from home there? a ĞÐÐÞ°É§ îâ ĀÐîʙÞ °É Þ§ Ð¦ ÈÐÛÛ°É§ʪ a É ĝ§îÞ 120

out the areas where you’re willing to compromise on. Does your partner have a stronger opinion about the blinds? If so, let him choose them. The important thing in any household is that everyone ¦ Ââˈ Þ ʨ 2. UNDERSTAND THE DEEPER REASONS BEHIND YOUR CHOICES AND THOSE OF YOUR PARTNER

Our childhood home plays an essential role in shaping our expectations and preferences for our future home. You may prefer one that’s cosier with plenty of soft textures, for instance, because you enjoy feeling cocooned from the outside world. Your partner, on the other hand, may prefer a minimalist look because he grew up in a cramped home and now craves the freedom of open spaces. Take the time to discuss and understand the root of your preferences, and share both of your growing-up experiences. This will help you reach a ÛÂ â°É§ˈ ÐÈÛÞÐÈ°â ʨ 3. ESTABLISH COMMON GOALS

You are in a relationship because you love each other and have common goals to achieve as a couple. Take the same approach to your household: what kind of lifestyle do you want to have together? How important is space for other potential ¦ È°ÂĀˈÈ È Þâʪ Having a calm discussion helps you to see the bigger picture and ĝ§îÞ Ðîé Ðú é â°§É ÂÛâ éÐ achieve that. Talk to your interior designer and ask their advice on îÉ°¦Ā°É§ °đ Þ Éé âéĀÂ âʨ ¦é Þ ÂÂʣ medley of design nuances is what makes a home interesting and lends it its unique character.

id MILLIMETERS STUDIO

enovating a new home is never easy. Imagine spending many weekends in furniture stores, looking for sensible ways to work around a budget and feeling as if you are ready to scream if you see another laminate sample. These instances are foreseeable. But what isn’t is the migrainelevel headache you may encounter when it comes to agreeing on styles for anything home-related with ĀÐîÞˈÛ ÞéÉ Þʨ I was fortunate that my husband mostly ceded to my Ð° â âÛ°é ÐîÞ °đ Þ Éé é âé âʨ I wanted light and airy; he wanted Þ¿ É ÛÞ é° Âʨ , ú Éé ĞÐÐÞâ in the palest wood possible; he wanted something warmer so “dirt and hair would be less visible”. Eventually, we compromised: he would design his study and the ¿°é Éʣ É , úÐîÂ ù é ĝÉ Â say in the overall aesthetic of our home. Coming to this agreement ú âÉʙé âĀ îé ú ° ĝ§îÞ out some ways to constructively discuss the renovation. Here are the top three:

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