SquareRooms January 2020 [PREVIEW]

REFRESH & RENEW

Bright ideas to freshen up your home for 2020 Instant makeover

JAN 2020

ISSUE 177 S$5.50/RM10

Rejuvenate your interiors with these easy style updates – no reno required

interiors

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Tidying up

Learn how to declutter like a pro from Singapore’s very own versions of Marie Kondo

ideas

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Green therapy

How to transform your living space into a lush, thriving indoor garden

inspirations

In Focus NEWS

Paint the town green

If you’re thinking of a new paint job for your home, why not opt for a sustainable option like Gush? This local paint startup brand gives you more than just colour on your walls – its flagship product, the Gush Air Interior Paint, is specially formulated to combat indoor air pollution for a healthier environment. Besides purifying the air, it also helps to eliminate bacteria and regulate humidity while preventing moulding. Oh, and did we mention it’s odourless and free of toxic chemicals?

Gush, 10 Ubi Crescent, #04-46 Ubi Techpark, tel: 6692 9000, www.gowithgush.com

Air fryer perfection

Food prepping is now easier, faster and healthier thanks to the LG InstaView ThinQ range. With its new air fry feature, users can whip up delicious, guilt-free dishes right in their oven – no preheating required. What’s more, the advanced range comes with an EasyCean and Self Clean function to remove residue without the use of any chemicals, so you won’t have to worry about cleaning up after every meal.

How’s that for convenience? www.lg.com/sg

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Shower smart Introducing the Ariston Andris2, the first ever WiFi-enabled smart heater in Singapore. Equipped with smart technology and dedicated controls via the Aqua Ariston Net App, this premium water heater comes packed with built-in features that allow you to adjust the temperature, get shower-ready alerts sent to your phone, and even receive energy consumption reports to monitor your daily habits – all at your fingertips.

Ariston, 1 Gateway Drive, #20-05/06 Westgate Tower, tel: 6226 0292, www.artiston.com/sg

In Focus FADS

Liang & Eimil marble ashtray, $237 at LuxDeco

Marble wall clock, $358 at Finnish Design Shop

Menu FUWL cage table, $588 at biblotek

Lencia marble side table, $249 at HipVan Broste bowl marble, $45 at Stylodeco

MARVELLOUS MARBLE

ÄDELSTEN pestle and mortar, $19.90 at IKEA

Wabi-sabi marble print tea set, $59.90 at Kiyolo

These elegant beauties will up the style ante at home in no time text & coordination GERMAINE CHEAH

Michael aram calla Lily marble dish, $158 at LuxDeco Tesora marble jewelry stand, $49.90 at HipVan Augusta dining table, $6,595 at BoConcept

Cosmos rug, $157 at LuxDeco

Stockholm table lamp, from $545 at BoConcept

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EICHHOLTZ candle holder sierra, $710 for a set of 3 at LuxDeco

Selva elwood table, $3,220 at LuxDeco

In Focus DINE

Coast to coast DINING

Caffe Cicheti offers the best aspects of Italy’s coastal cuisines in a foliage-filled restaurant Te x t R E D Z M A N R A H M AT

Occupying 1,500 square feet of prime space along South Beach Quarters’ retail piazza, Caffe Cicheti is a modern-day restaurant that offers bright and fresh flavours inspired by some of Italy’s most well-known coastal cities.

This new dining experience is part of the The Cicheti Group, which operates perennial favourites Cicheti and Bar Cicheti. And just like its other F&B offerings, Caffe Cicheti serves up Italian cuisine paired with a familiar repertoire of well-made, well-priced wines.

Dining at Caffe Cicheti is an experience that evokes a sense of serenity and charm, thanks to its beautifully inviting interiors. The setting was dreamt up by restaurateur Liling Ong and Amsterdam-based interior designer

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Photos CAFFE CICHETI

Simone Königshausen, and pairs dark emerald interiors with light, tropical prints. The result is a charming, bistro-styled Italian osteria that invites you to unwind over a glass of wine.

Rattan accents and richly veined marble bring to mind the lightness and homeliness of Italian seasides.

The intimate interiors form the ideal backdrop to the equally intimate menu on offer.

Structured like the traditional Italian meal, the menu features inspired takes on specialties and staples native to different coastal regions.

Expect to enjoy culinary inventions inspired

by Italy’s diverse foodscape, ranging from traditional Tuscan bread and tomato salads to vongole pasta with fresh Hobinosugai clams.

CAFFE CICHETI

26 Beach Road, #B1-21 South Beach Tower, 6384 1878 www.caffecicheti.com

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S T Y L I S H

U R B A N

F A R M H O U S E

At a glan ce

Space 3- BE DRO O M CO NDOMI N I UM

Location K AT O N G

Home to A Y O UN G CO UP L E

Reno period 3 M ONTHS

By taking unconventional inspiration from charming British farmhouses, this apartment designed by Ethereall becomes a stunning home that balances simplicity with modernity Te x t R E D Z M A N R A H M AT

Photos ETHEREALL

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SHOP

F A S HF IOO N R W A R D ADD SOME CHARACTER TO YOUR SPACE WITH BOLD COLOURS, INTERESTING TEXTURES AND GILDED FINISHES

art direction & styling LEYNA POH photography WONG WEILIANG text GERMAINE CHEAH

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HOME INSPO

One for the gram Space 2-bedroom condominium Location Botanique at Bartley

Photo opportunities are at every corner of this glamorous den

Reno Period 8 weeks Home To A single lady in her 30s

Te x t F I D Z A Z M I N

Just like most first-time homeowners, the lady of the house wants hers to be extra special. But a prosaic theme that doesn’t inspire simply doesn’t cut it. In fact, one of the expectations she seeks in her condominium’s makeover is a design that is ‘insta-worthy’. And this lady isn’t afraid to break boundaries to achieve that.

To kickstart the transformation, she needed an expert’s assistance.

“Not only was she willing to push the envelope in terms of design, my client placed her utmost trust in me and my team,” shares Sean Hafiz of Mr Shopper Studio who led this renovation project. The opportunity to take the rein allowed the senior designer free play – and after much creative brainstorming, he decided to give the residence the ‘wow’ factor with a dramatic setting. “The aesthetic that I went for was a dark scheme with touches of forest green,” he explains. Although most dwellers of small pads tend to shy away from dusky shades, Sean doesn’t share the same sentiments. On the contrary, he firmly believes that moody tones have the power to make an interior feel cosy and sophisticated – precisely the mood and look that his client had wanted for her home.

A base colour scheme comprising neutrals such as charcoal grey, black and white saturates the 2-bedroom apartment through the use of furniture and finishes. Wall coverings, instead

of traditional paint, clad the walls in the living area – but what’s unique is that Sean papered the ceiling as well. “Wallpaper softens the harshness of walls as compared to paint,” says Sean, explaining his plan to texturise the entire interior. In addition, he outfitted the seating area with a wealth of sumptuous soft furnishings to heighten its inviting atmosphere. Facing the lounge zone lies a full-length bespoke cabinet that spans an entire wall. Black laminates that impersonate marble’s resplendence clad the side where the TV feature wall is, while brushed brass laminates frame the adjoining display and storage units to balance the piece’s dark toned veneers. The latter’s shiny surface also serves to inject a fresh and modern edge into the overall visual experience. Plus, it picks up on the other metallic accents found within the proximity – tying the room seamlessly together so that it shines with effortless style.

Speaking of sparkle, the lady of the house’s boudoir is bound to appear as stunning on screen as it does in reality – no filters needed.

To keep the aesthetics across the apartment consistent, Sean adhered to a similar colour and materials palette for this place of retreat. Only he decided to take things a notch higher here by designing the master bedroom to emulate the tropical luxe theme. The forest green hue that is wielded in moderate amounts in the

Photos MR SHOPPER STUDIO

communal zone appears more consequentially here, from the headboard panel draped with a wallpapered print of a dense jungle foliage by Cole & Son to an assortment of decor items and furnishings in deep emerald tones. The result is enchanting. No wonder the homeowner dubbed this space her secret garden. Gilded elements and velvet keep the look high-end, while reflective surfaces stealthily help make the darkly glamorous suite appear more spacious.

Nearby, a luxurious walk-in wardrobe dressed in all black brings to mind a sophisticated secret lair. Glass doors lined with gold laminates slide open to reveal wall-to-wall storage with a selection of open and closed compartments to cater to the fashion-savvy lady’s variety of outfits. The interior sports clean lines that do wonders in widening up the narrow dressing room. Ample wardrobe lighting doesn’t simply aid with the task at hand, it enhances ambience and creates a calming space to start and end the day. With furnishings, a pouf and a plush rug keep things comfortable during deliberation sessions.

Dramatic, atmospheric, yet comfortingly cosy, this condominium cuts a stunning image both on and off screen. But what’s most important is that it also provides its owner with the perfect sanctuary to rest, relax and go about her every day with ease.

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