SquareRooms Apr 2017 [Preview]

I N T E R I O R S

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I D E A S

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S O L U T I O N S

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Fresh finds

Furniture trends seen at Singapore Design Week

Spa treatment Design tricks for updating the bathroom

All mixed up

modern

marvels

Industrial-luxe, modern-vintage and other new interior styles to love

APR 2017

ISSUE 144 S$5.50/RM10

Master the art of mixing and matching for a cool eclectic-style abode

Wish you could

magically expand your tiny kitchen?

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Make your compact kitchen work harder for you with these kitchen reno hacks.

Ideas

7 HDB kitchens to get inspired by

5 island ideas for small kitchens Advice

5 tips to maximise a small kitchen

4 practical layouts for small kitchens

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HOTBITES

aerospace ESCAPE

Get away from the hustle and bustle of urban life at two new dining destinations located in Seletar Aerospace Park TEXT Stanley Lim PHOTOS Wheeler’s Estate & The Summerhouse

S

ituated in the far reaches of Singapore’s north-eastern region, Seletar is well-known among locals as a former British Royal Air Force base and overall tranquil surroundings. Things have gradually changed since then, following plans to redevelop the area through the creation of the Seletar Aerospace Park, a 140-hectare site dedicated to growing Singapore’s aerospace industry and meeting its future needs.

As part of the project, a fraction of British colonial bungalows were left untouched for conservation purposes. These picturesque bungalows have recently been repurposed into F&B establishments, and no two are more photogenic (read: Instagram-worthy) than Wheeler’s Estate and The Summerhouse.

22 APR

WHEELER’S ESTATE

Mini Chotle Burger

The Fish & Chip Shop

WHEELER’S ESTATE is housed within one of the 32 bungalows at the Oval – a segment of the Aerospace Park.

Managed and established by three brothers, Ong Tiong Huat, Ong Tiong Ann and Daniel Ong, Wheeler’s Estate stays true to the bicycle-themed concept of its sister cafe, Wheeler’s Yard, as well as the Ong brothers’ background in the automobile industry.

At the entrance, it will be hard to ignore the sight of a burnished Airstream Bambi travel trailer – a symbol intended to call to mind the Wheeler’s

brand. Also occupying the first floor is a bar-and-cafe furnished with cosy woven rattan chairs and garden tables, which allow visitors to sit back and relax in an alfresco environment.

A work of art in itself, the stairway to the Estate’s second floor is surrounded by beautiful copper green walls adorned with intricate cornices, which leads into an all-white mirrored passageway.

In similar fashion, the Verandah restaurant impresses with its elaborate decor and tranquil atmosphere. Diners have the option of either dining

THE SUMMERHOUSE

Buckwheat porridge from The SummerHouse Dining Room & Balcony Bar

along an outdoors zone that overlooks the Estate’s lawn or the indoors wing, where beautifully-crafted glass facade alcoves, Chesterfield seats and textured bistro tables are carefully arranged.

Sharing the same space, a 9-m long bar constructed out of galvanised steel topped with light-grey Caesarstone countertops and backed by a brightly lit wall shelf, shows off an assortment of wine and whisky bottles in a variety of scintillating colours.

TAKING ON A more genteel atmosphere is The SummerHouse next door. The compound houses a Dining Room & Balcony Bar and Wildseed, a sister cafe-cum-bar, within the two floors of a black-andwhite bungalow. However, that’s not all. Complementary facilities, such as an edible garden, florist and coffee roaster are encompassed within the establishment’s range of offerings.

Retaining the heritage of its space, The SummerHouse’s interior features a high ceiling, along with

Cakes and pastries at Wildseed

sprawling verandas. Complementing the overall look, the choice of furniture with simple dark wood frames seen in the Dining Room adds to the light-filled ambience. The same can be said for the floral and plant-print upholstery that echo the greenery outside.

Not to be outdone, the design for Wildseed cafe – located on the ground floor – shows off a homey yet modern aesthetic. The indoors space is very much garden-inspired, as reflected by its selection of rustic wooden furniture and assorted hanging plants.

To tie in with the pastoralthemed interiors, both F&B spaces offer a selection of farm-to-table dishes on their menus. Popular items

at The SummerHouse Dining Room & Balcony Bar include Panzanella, a tomato broth topped with eggplant “caviar”, and Buckwheat porridge accompanied by sunflower and pumpkin seeds and fresh herbs.

Meanwhile, Wildseed Cafe & Bar offers a range of pastries, such as the Pea Flower Muffin and Ginger Flower Banana Loaf.

Last but not least, sandwiches like the Independent Uruguay and Pulled Pork Rye burger are perfect complements to their Super Thin Curly Fries.

The Summerhouse 3 Park Lane tel: 6262 1063 www.thesummerhouse.sg

Highlights on The Verandah’s menu include the Tequila & Lime Pork Spare Ribs that are slowcooked for 12 hours in herbs and tequila, the Fish & Chip Shop, featuring fresh fish enveloped in crispy beer batter, and Chicken Parmigiana, a savoury dish that consists of a generous chicken schnitzel topped with layers of ham and cheese.

Wheeler’s Estate 2 Park Lane tel: 6262 0001 www.facebook.com/wheelersestate

APR 23

special report

In Vogue Here are the major interior trends we spotted at the International Furniture Fair Singapore this year Text Stanley Lim

hot find This soulful armchair

by Essential Home gives off a distinct sense of refinement with its velvet layers and gold-plated brass legs.

24 APR

1

Mid-century luxe Luxurious details, such as polished surfaces and sumptuous layers, are the essence of these timeless pieces

Udaipur sofa by ipse ipsa ipsum x Nathan Yong

Royal Maroc floor lamp

by Resource Decor Bardot armchair

by Essential Home

Pivot T82 side table

by GHYCZY Fuji armchair

by Cizeta One scoop table lamp

by Resource Decor

APR 25

special report

2

Mango wood drawers

by Laxmi Ideal Interiors

Eclectic exceptions Re-invent your home and imbue it with tonnes of personality with these eye-catching eclectic furniture finds

Kotar serving tray by ipse ipsa ipsum x Nathan Yong

hot find Trust Dutch furniture brand GHYCZY to come up with truly diverse designs.

PUMKIN bench

by Deesawat x Jim Thompson

Nishijin silk zabuton cushion

by Takaokaya

26 APR

Featuring the eclectic range of Pivot T82, Vintage T52, and Pioneer T79L side tables.

PLAYplay Polqa sofa

by Lanzavecchia + Wai x Journey East

3

hot find True to its name, the Cocoon easy chair from Cizeta is a welcoming seat that comes with a customisable bright fabric cushion in addition to its “protective� shell.

On the bright side Create a vibrant home by adding pops of colour through these pieces and their vivid hues

Sunset swivel armchair

by Cappellini

Plug chair

by Cizeta

Greens vertical garden system

by Maiori Design

PLAYplay Rail TV console

by Lanzavecchia + Wai x Journey East

Spring easy chair

by Cizeta

APR 27

special report

Talents to watch

Each year, the Singapore Design Week brings a kaleidoscope of regional and international designers to our sunny shores.

We look at some of the up-and-coming stars featured at this year’s International Furniture Fair Singapore and SingaPlural Text Stanley Lim photos iffs & SingaPlural

Avni Sejpal

Teddy Rahadianto

As someone who believes in purpose-driven design, Indonesian furniture designer Teddy Rahadianto creates works centred on both form and functionality.

Culture is just as important – products under Teddy’s brand, Mandaka, are inspired by Indonesian craft making traditions.

Kodai Iwamoto

Born in Kagoshima, Japan, Kodai Iwamoto first started his furniture design journey in 2009 after joining Design Soil, a collaborative design unit of student designers at Kobe Design University. As part of a team that constantly seeks to challenge the ordinary in their works, Kodai’s projects are driven by an innate desire to explore experimental themes in the context of modern-day design. Kodai has also previously participated in international exhibitions such as Salone del Mobile in Italy and Habitare in Finland.

30 APR

Hailing from a family of textile manufacturers, Avni Sejpal is a talented architect and product designer driven by a love for unconventional use of materials and intuitive forms. She uses her architectural experience to create products for public and private spaces alike, from corporate environments to homes.

In 2011, Avni started her own Mumbai-based venture, Studio Avni, which sells products created in conjunction with her environmental engineer husband, Vipul Mehra. As intersections between technology and art, their designs bring a renewed sense of wonder to the commonplace with their futuristic, otherworldly shapes.

Matthew Lim and Loh Zhide, L*L

L*L is a multi-disciplinary collaboration between local designers Matthew Lim and Loh Zhide. Together, they explore the coming together of technology, design and art to create memorable experiences for people.

Individually, Matthew’s design direction is driven by his personal interests, which range from complex systems to cognitive psychology as well as his belief in creating meaningful experiences for people. On the hand, Zhide’s creations tend to be unassuming in the looks department but are accompanied by clever hidden twists.

Karyn Lim

Having undergone training in industrial design at the National University of Singapore and ENSCI – Les Ateliers in Paris, Karyn Lim is known to blend form and functionality into her creations.

Take Karyn’s recent collaboration with glasses brand Visual Mass for example, which saw the creation of an exclusive eyewear collection for SingaPlural 2017. Karyn’s work has also been featured on the international stage at design exhibitions, such as the Salone del Mobile in Milan and Launchpad Asia in Hong Kong.

Mike He

Tapping on his prior experience as an industrial designer, Mike He creates simple yet practical lifestyle products for his brand Pistacchi Design.

Through the playful design of his products, Mike hopes to surprise by way of familiar fairy tale icons and humorous imagery. Lighthearted and playful imagery is a key aspect of his works, and this is represented by smiling figures, such as children and animals, which are ever present in his fun-filled creations.

APR 31

Style

BLEND Trends

Mash-ups of interior design styles have sparked creative and personal living spaces. We take a look at four fascinating hybrid looks TEXT Rossara Jamil

38 APR

1

MODERN VINTAGE

LOVE SHACK Dan’s Workshop gives a nod to the simple life with these cottageinspired niches.

Design by Eightytwo

Design by three-d conceptwerke

Design by Dan’s Workshop

When it comes to interiors, combine the time-tested ideas of decades past with contemporary looks to bring them into the present. The herringbone pattern has a long history that dates back to the 16th century and has since returned to drive trends.

A great place is to use them is in the kitchen for your backsplash.

A contrasting wall colour highlights the zig-zag lines.

AND REPEAT From hexagon mosaic tiles to subway tiles, or flower power wallpaper, the century before loves its patterns! This home mixes diamond patterns with black brick ones in a monochrome palette for a masculine, urban edge.

APR 39

Style

Think industrial style and cage lighting comes to mind. How about changing things up with the timeless shape of IKEA’s RANARP lamp? Its sense of polish helps balance out raw finishes like concrete and metal.

Design by Fuse Concept

Image courtesy of IKEA

LIGHT UP

SIGHT LINES Another way is to bring a sense of order to the space.

Create definition with crisp features and a statement colour.

Streamlined furniture and lighting ensure that the space appears neat as a whole.

40 APR

2

INDUSTRIAL LUXE

Is the weathered and unfinished look of true industrial-themed interiors too much for you? Combine the relaxed feel of industrial-style furnishings with the warmth of woodgrains. With these wood-like tiles, there’s no need to worry about nicks and scratches.

Image courtesy of Hafary

Q-Style from Cooperativa Ceramica D’Imola is available at Hafary

APR 41

SIMPLE

STUDY in chic

Get those creative juices flowing with these pretty DIY home office accessories TEXT Jolene Limuco CRAFTWORK & ART DIRECTION Geraldine Tan & Linda Setiono PHOTOGRAPHY Wong Weiliang SHOT ON LOCATION Gallery & Co.

Featuring Hay golden tray, $36.90, See Concept reading glasses $45.90, and Tortus vase, $113.40, all from Gallery & Co.

52 APR

HANG LOOSE Free up some space on your desk with this creative solution: cut two strips of leather into 1m lengths, loop them though a rattan ring and secure with glue. You can use an adhesive hook, like the 3M Command hook, to hang them up on your wall.

FRAME OF MIND They say that looking at the colour green is good for the eyes so here’s an innovative way to introduce more greens into your workspace: a framed palm leaf! Make a plain weave from a palm by folding in a blade at a 45-degree angle. Repeat this step with alternating palm fronds. Once the first set is done, braid the remaining fronds with the previously folded fronds and work your way up.

After folding, press the entire thing between heavy books for a day. Then insert into glass frames.

APR 53

SIMPLE

PASS THE T E S T ( T U B E ) You don’t need a fancy vase to hold up those pretty florals – all you need are a test tube and a cork lid (we used one from a water jug). First, cut a hole at the top of the cork lid deep enough for the test tube to stand on. Then, spray the lid with stone-textured paint and leave to dry. Once dry, simply place the test tube into the hole.

Featuring The City Book – Singapore, $75, Nathalie pencil $4.90, and Hay Clip Clip, $19.90, all from Gallery & Co.

PHOTO OP These super cute photo holders are great for displaying anything from photos to reminders. All you need are wooden cubes and paint bought from the craft store. To create the colour blocked pattern, tape up parts of the cube you want to leave bare and spray over with stone-effect spray paint. Once dry, remove tape and glue small clothespins onto one side for inserting your photos or notes.

F U L LY B O O K E D This leather bookmark makes for a great gift for a book lover.

All you have to do is cut a piece of leather about an inch wide, then cut out a triangle at the end. Punch a hole on the opposite end and string a smaller leather piece through.

APR 55

Spaces

62 APR

fun with

geometry Colourful and playful, this condominium unit fully reflects the personal style of interior designer Raymond Seow Text Stanley Lim PHOTOs Wong Weiliang

space

2.5-bedroom condominium unit Riversails l o c a t i o n Upper Serangoon Crescent reno period

Approx. 3 months Home to

APR 63

Spaces

Living room (above)

Showing off multiple feature walls, every corner of the living room is filled with pastel colours and geometric shapes for a striking but effective look.

An industrial-chic shelf with different separators serves as a display for Raymond’s extensive hoard of collectibles.

64 APR

M

ost people would think that finding inspiration for an interior makeover would be effortless for a seasoned creative, but doing so proved to be a challenge for Raymond Seow, the co-founder and principal designer of interior design firm Free Space Intent when it came to designing his own apartment.

“Plants, wood and colours, are three elements that underpin my personal style, and putting them all together in a single space can be quite difficult.

However, with enough persistence, I was able to create a space that I can proudly call home,” shares Raymond.

Filled with interior features that incorporate the trio of characteristics, this entire home unambiguously conveys a playful vibrancy that is reflective of its owner’s exuberant personality.

To start, the central living zone plays host to a bright palette of pastel colours – consisting pink, blue and yellow hues – set against a background of neutral materials for a space that is at once soothing and effervescent.

Raymond's preference for pastels is made evident through various geometric shapes occupying the rear sections of the room, such as coloured hexagonal cement tiles and painted-on triangles that stand out against a backdrop of green or white.

Apart from the room’s surroundings, this carefree sense of style also presents itself in the form of various carpented furnishings, including the asymmetrical doors of a shoe cabinet that incorporate wooden and coloured panels within a herringbone layout. Offsetting the cabinet’s straight lines, a series of circular mosaic tiles that adorn an adjoining wall add interest to the zone with their iridescent shimmer.

Dining room wall and corridor rear wall

Hexagonal cement tiles from An Huat Trading Dining area & corridor

Apart from a mural that shows off colourful triangles in a congruous arrangement, geometry can too be found at the end of a corridor and dining area side wall, in the form of hexagonal tiling features.

APR 65

Spaces

70 APR

amazing grace

Keeping to a minimalist style with touches of luxury, this three-bedroom apartment is outfitted in a selection of premium finishes that elevate its graceful look Text Stanley Lim PHOTOs Icon Interior

space

3-bedroom condominium unit The Nautical l o c a t i o n Jalan Sendudok reno period

Approx. 4 months Home to

APR 71

Spaces

Living room

Serving as the centrepiece of the living room, a generous marble feature wall adds a touch of luxury to the entire space. Accompanying the structure is a collection of grey furniture that enhances the room’s classy yet cosy ambience.

72 APR

W

ith its simple aesthetic, minimalism is an interior design style that tends to eschew sumptuous fittings in favour of pared-down features such as neat silhouettes and neutral colours. In relation to this three-bedroom condominium apartment, designer Max Lee of Icon Interior chose to take the middle road by creating a space that incorporates elements from both schools of design.

“As this home belongs to a couple, there’s a need to cater to each of their tastes and preferences. While the male homeowner prefers a no-frills look with plain lines and symmetrical colours, the female homeowner is more partial to

luxurious materials as she likes the bespoke style of celebrity designer Kelly Hoppen,” says Max. Despite being a fusion of two different design styles, the result is a seamless interior that features the best of both worlds across each and every room. In the case of the living room, this is exemplified by a classy television feature wall that fronts a grey leather sofa and acrylic coffee table.

No cost was spared in the construction of this beautiful fixture, which features a generous slab of expensive white marble that blends in with the choice of neutral-coloured furniture.

A pair of custom-made shelves, which sandwich the television feature wall, can be observed to add a contrasting touch of cosiness

Spaces

Living room

Showing off the apartment’s distinctive Peranakan aesthetic, the living room makes full use of traditional materials, such as black-and-white tiles, stained wooden frames and patterned tiles to create a Straitsinspired interior. At the rear of the space, a custom-made sliding door combines both transparent and multi-coloured glass for a classic look that fits perfectly into its surroundings.

78 APR

local

flavour Drawing inspiration from Peranakan-style homes, this contemporary abode blends heritage with natural greenery Text Stanley Lim PHOTOs Brim Design

space

4-bedroom condominium unit The Inflora l o c a t i o n Flora Drive reno period

Approx. 1 month Home to

APR 79

Spaces

Indoor garden feature wall

Cottage brick tiles from CraftStone

Indoor garden & d i n i n g s pac e

Aside from incorporating greenery in the form of an indoor garden, the dining space also comes with cove lights that lend the space a cosy feel. Meanwhile, a variety of flooring types, including artificial grass, broken mosaic pieces and monochrome tiles, demarcate the different zones in the area.

80 APR

K

nown for its bright hues and old-school fittings, the visual style of Peranakan decor harks back to the shophouses of old – a common sight along Singapore streets during the early 1900s. So when designer Grace Wong of Brim Design was tasked to create a traditional-style interior, heritage shophouses were the first buildings she referenced.

“We really had our homework cut out for us when coming up with the initial design for this project, because we had to carefully study and replicate a variety of traditional elements to accurately create a Peranakan-style interior,” recalls Grace.

To breathe new life into this near century-old style, Grace sought to bring in greenery as a way of adding a natural yet complementary touch to this personal sanctuary.

Taking on a largely monochromatic appearance, the living room features a floor constructed out of geometric blackand-white homogeneous tiles – a hallmark of Peranakanthemed interiors.

Carpented wooden strips adorning the entire stretch of a wall running along the living room’s length also give the space its distinctive traditional look. Arranged in a rectangular

APR 81

Shortcut

golden edge Give your study a classy update with the right statement accessory IMAGE COURTESY OF Bloomingville

Spark inspiration in your home office with a glimmer of gold. We love how a neutral space can be jazzed up with a single gilt-hued accessory. It doesn’t have to be a lamp – the sky’s the limit with stationery, photo frames and even chairs.

112 APR