SquareRooms July 2019 [Preview]

beautiful

MAKEOVERS

AMAZING INTERIOR TRANSFORMATIONS THAT COMBINE STYLE AND FUNCTION MONEY SAVING IDEAS

JULY 2019

ISSUE 171 S$5.50/RM10

Reno hacks to help you keep to your budget

MATERIAL DUPES

Affordable alternatives to popular interior surfaces

LIGHT THE WAY

A guide to decking out your home in functional lighting

HOTFADS

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sugar RUSH

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Furnishings and accessories in sweet sorbet shades to perk up your life

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TEXT & COORDINATION Jolene Limuco

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11 8 9 1. INGABRITTA throw, $69 at IKEA 2. Pink PVC handbag, $59.90 at Zara 3. Gubi Grashoppa pendant lamp, from $393 at Danish Design Co 4. Linen cushion, $85 at BoConcept 5. Bruno single seater sofa, $4,300 at atomi 6. Water vase, $95 at BoConcept 7. EKET cabinet, $85 at IKEA 8. PUDERVIVA quilt cover and pillowcase set, from $89 at IKEA 9. FORMIDABEL bowl, $4.90 at IKEA 10. STILREN tealight holder, $4.90 at IKEA 11. Gubi 3D dining chair, from $473 at Danish Design Co 12. Amara pouffe, $39.90 at HipVan 13. ÄDELHET candlestick and tealight holder set, $17.90 at IKEA

26 JUL

HOTBITES

El Dorado cocktail

cafe

CULTURE Enjoy a unique dose of caffeine in the heart of Chinatown

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TEXT Jasmine Ong PHOTOS The Affogato Lounge

ince the successful launch of their first standalone coffee bar in Asia, the brains behind The Affogato Bar has now opened its doors to their all-new sophomore concept, The Affogato Lounge. Much like their sister outlet, this new establishment specialises in alcoholic-infused affogatos, microbatch ice cream as well as hearty Italian bites.

Located within the iconic shophouses along Keong Saik Road, The Affogato Lounge joins a line-up of exciting dining options available for both locals and tourists who have set up temporary residency at KeSa House. Beyond the turquoise

facade of the building, The Affogato Lounge can be found in the same space as the boutique accommodation’s lobby. As such, the interior of the lounge has been artfully designed with geometric wood-panelling and mood lighting to fit in with the overall contemporary concept.

Ideal for the humid climate of Singapore, The Affogato Lounge serves up specialty coffee blends that have been paired with a scoop of ice cream and made into a unique affogato creation. Unique to this outlet is the first ever Asian-inspired affogato dessert, Coco Black ($17). This pulut hitam affogato is served with kaya bread

pudding, fresh coconut ice cream and drizzled with Empire, the flagship espresso blend from Ozone Coffee Roasters. In addition to this, the lounge is also home to their debut alcoholic affogato named Tiramisu ($20). In this unique deconstructed take on the traditional Italian dessert, a deep, smooth and dark roast is poured over the sweet, creamy mascarpone, crunchy ladyfingers and dark espresso ice cream to lend a hint of dark chocolate and muscovado sugar to complete the taste.

Catering to the laidback culture of Keong Saik, the lounge serves up a curated selection of coffee and tea cocktails which features star beverages Bruno ($20), a velvety cocktail made up of rum, maple and espresso, and Ashen ($20), which is a combination of Singaporean tea brand Pryce Tea’s Collyer Quay, a liquid-gold blend of Lapsang Souchong and Assam black tea, citrus and bourbon whiskey.

Alongside their decadent desserts and beverages, the lounge

offers a selection of savoury food items such as paninis, bowls and baked quiches. Diners who are looking for a warm and hearty meal can look forward to recommended dishes which include the Duck Croque Monsieur Panini ($16), Italian Couscous Tuna Bowl ($15) and Blue Swimmer Crab Quiche ($13).

Affogato Hazelnette

SCAN THE QR CODE TO READ MORE The Affogato Lounge KeSa House 55 Keong Saik Road #01-02 Singapore 089158 www.theaffogatolounge.com

JUL 27

SOLUTIONS

MONEY

WISE

EMBARKING ON ONE OF THE BIGGEST INVESTMENTS IN YOUR LIFE REQUIRES YOU TO BE EXTRA SAVVY WITH MONEY. STRETCH YOUR DOLLAR AND PLAN AND PACE YOUR FINANCES WITH THESE RENO HACKS TEXT Fidz Azmin

Piece of cake Refrain from biting more than you can chew from your budget with these three tips

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28 JUL

Have a proper sit down with your significant other and lay out both of your expectations for the overhaul. Then, get a sense of how much work is needed in the renovation and familiarise yourself with the general costs of materials and labour. You could tap on resources such as the World Wide Web, garner tips from friends with recent experience or acquire quotations from multiple interior designers to get a ballpark figure of how much you might need to shell out.

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Rashi Tulshyan, founder of Home Philosophy, also emphasises the importance of solid groundwork. Her number one advice to stick to a budget is to avoid making too many changes once renovations have commenced. Spend extra time at the beginning ironing out your vision and the details that are important to you with your designer. This way, when it comes down to execution, everything you've spoken about has been accounted for. Although they might seem small, these changes may snowball when you least expect it.

Give yourself a buffer. Unforeseen circumstances may cause you to blow your budget. Be sure to give yourself an allowance of about 20 per cent on top of that preplanned allocated amount. This way, you won’t end up stressing or, worse, end up with an unfinished facelift.

DESIGN BY EIGHTYTWO

Working partner Engaging an interior designer might cost you more, but you eventually get far more than what you paid for

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DESIGN BY JOEY KHU INTERIOR DESIGN

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TIME IS MONEY From ensuring precision in measurements and examining workmanship to overseeing the project and coordinating between sub-contractors, there truly is a thousand details in the process that require a considerable amount of time and energy. The experts are supposed to take the rein, so you can spend your time freely.

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INCOMPARABLE INSIGHT Designers with a strong foothold in the industry aren’t just experts in the craft, they hold valuable insight that far surpasses our long hours spent on research. Tapping their expertise will open up a whole world of possibilities.

MAKE NO MISTAKES Interior experts embark on a project with the end in mind – so they are able to envision if a furniture that you have your heart on will complement your apartment post-reno or end up sticking out like a sore thumb. Thus, saving you the trouble of a return or a redo.

MADE FOR YOU Although a contractor is indubitably knowledgeable in the craft, his job is to build carpentry. A designer’s job, on the hand, is to help you create a home that’s shaped around your personal taste, preferences, needs and habits.

ACCESS TO A NETWORK OF PROFESSIONALS Most designers already have their own team of subcontractors whom they rely on when it comes to specialty jobs. This saves the hassle of sourcing for reliable professionals and having to manage them to get the task done properly and on time.

JUL 29

STYLE

34 JUL

PARTING WAYS GO BEYOND WALLS AND MAKE A CLEAR-CUT DEFINITION BETWEEN THE TWO AREAS OF THE COMMUNAL ZONE WITH THESE SOLUTIONS

DESIGN BY FREE SPACE INTENT

TEXT Fidz Azmin

DESIGN BY AUTHORS INTERIOR & STYLING

CLEVER CARPENTRY A foolproof combo to beating tight spaces is built-in furniture. This custom designed dining table and banquette style bench not only maximises the dwelling’s square footage, it helps to enhance the room’s aesthetics as well. Features such as an extra-high backrest that doubles as a privacy partition prove that simple can be clever. On the opposite, stools in place of conventional chairs keep the constrained pad airy.

CENTRAL ZONE Don’t give up your dreams of owning a dining area even in a common space with minimal footprint. Apartments with a narrow but longer layout would benefit from a configuration where the parts of the home designated for seating and eating are back to back. No square footage left for additional furniture? No problem. Position the largest piece of furniture – usually the couch – roughly across the centre of the room. It acts as a dividing line to give the impression of dual zones.

JUL 35

STYLE+

REAL STEALS AFFORDABLE PIECES FOR LIVING AND DINING WELL TEXT & COORDINATION Rossara Jamil

MULIN HOME LEISURE SOFA SET $1,299.84 at Jiyoujia

EMERSON SIDEBOARD $699 at Courts

ESTHOLMEN CUSHION COVER $14.90 at IKEA

[ COCOA POWER ] Choose shades of brown to inject a rich, earthy flavour into your communal zones.

HELIOS ARMCHAIR $169 at Comfort Design

KNIXHULT FLOOR LAMP $79 at IKEA

HENDRIX SOFA $989 at Comfort Design

40 JUL

LUCID GLASS VASE $90 at BoConcept

TROLLBO PENDANT LAMP $29.90 at IKEA

[ SOFT LANDING ] Bring gentleness into your space with pastel hues.

LANDSKRONA THREE-SEATER FABRIC SOFA $829 at IKEA GRADVIS VASE $14.90 at IKEA

AMPAN TABLE LAMP $9.90 at IKEA

AMARA POUFFE $39.90 at HipVan

ALEX BEAN BAG $139 at Castlery

LUNA BOWL $145 at BoConcept

WIRE STOOL $195 at BoConcept POMEGRANATE VASE $28 at HipVan

CAPELLA ARMCHAIR $499 at Castlery

JUL 41

SAVVY

LIGHT THE WAY

The right lighting brings ease and comfort into your home – and it can even lift your mood. We look at lighting essentials and the upgrades that can bring forth that extra boost TEXT Rossara Jamil

IMAGE COURTESY OF SIGNIFY

B A S I C S M AT T E R When it comes to designing the home, many homeowners often consider lighting to be the least of their concerns.

However, the right lighting can make a difference in how you feel. Having too little or too much artificial light can affect our well-being, disrupting our circadian rhythm that regulates our sleep-wake cycle. Well-designed lighting also helps in bringing out the design element of the home.

50 JUL

LIGHTING 101 A good lighting strategy can be classified into three categories: ambient lighting, accent lighting and task lighting. Ambient lighting refers to general lighting that provides visibility as you move about in your home. Accent lighting serves to highlight design features, and task lighting brings illumination to specific areas for closerange work such as cooking and reading. Why is it necessary to have different lighting types? By combining and layering these different types of lights, you will be able to customise them to the mood or occasion.

G E N T L E I N TO T H E N I G H T Go easy on the number of recessed lights in the bedroom. You can mix it up with cove lighting that directs light to the ceiling. Cove lighting provides soft illumination while hiding the light fixtures, making it ideal for the bedroom.

DESIGN BY JOEY KHU INTERIOR DESIGN

DESIGN BY FREE SPACE INTENT

AMBIENT LIGHTING

TIP

DESIGN BY M. ATELIER

Lumen and wattage are crucial concepts to know when choosing your lights. Wattage is not about brightness, but a measure of the energy a bulb uses to achieve its stated brightness.

S E T I T AG L OW For ambient lighting, recessed lights are a popular option among homeowners. These lights can be built flush with the false ceiling for a cleaner look. While such general lighting does not have to be as strong or intense as task lighting, consider your specific needs when choosing the brightness. For instance, having a family member with failing sight would require your home to be sufficiently lit for safety.

Other ambient lighting options are ceiling lights, track lights and pendant lights.

JUL 51

SPACES

54 JUL

gathering

SPOT

Small tweaks to this HDB home’s layout resulted in a roomy dwelling optimised for relaxed family get-togethers TEXT Jolene Limuco PHOTOS D’Marvel Scale

AT A GLANCE

SPACE

5-room HDB Executive Apartment

LOCATION

Toh Guan Road OVERALL

With its soothing blue and white palette offset by light wood tones, this Nordic-inspired apartment is a sight for sore eyes.

The home’s spatial layout has been reconfigured to better suit the needs of this family of six.

RENO PERIOD

3 months

HOME TO

2 adults, 3 teenagers, 1 child

JUL 55

SPACES

70 JUL

chic

COMFORTS Decked with a multifaceted material palette brimming with modern glamour, this wellcurated resale condominium unit boasts all the indulgent comforts of a luxury hotel suite and a unique personality TEXT Disa Tan PHOTOS SpaceOne Interior Design Consultancy

AT A GLANCE

SPACE

3-bedroom condominium unit

LOCATION

Hillview

RENO PERIOD

10 weeks

HOME TO

2 adults

LIVING AREA

To introduce a punch of colour into this monochromatic setting, a set of four hexagonal-shaped ottomans works as the coffee table, impromptu seating and as a cheery-looking footrest. It adds an additional layer of plushness to the matching custommade floor rug with honeycomb motifs.

JUL 71

LIVING AREA

To meet the inhabitants' request for a home with a relaxed ambience, the living area features clean white walls for an airy atmosphere, which are further enhanced by ligneous surfaces and cosy soft furnishings.

nostalgic

CHARM Brand new furnishings, updated surface materials and a well-executed design plan gave this three-bedroom apartment a new lease on life TEXT Germaine Cheah PHOTOS three-d conceptwerke

AT A GLANCE

SPACE

3-bedroom walk-up apartment

LOCATION

Yio Chu Kang Road

RENO PERIOD

3 months

HOME TO

2 adults, 1 child

JUL 79

SPACES

DINING AREA

In addition to serving as a transitional element that delineated the living and dining area, the existing archway feature was retained as a testament to the integrity of the original structure of the house.

80 JUL

W

hether for a first or second home, when purchasing a resale apartment, it can be tempting to fully overhaul the space and update it with new fittings, fixtures and furnishings. However, there is something inherently beautiful about resale homes, and homeowners actually strive to maintain and honour the integrity of the old house despite sporting a new interior. This is perfectly demonstrated in this walk-up apartment in Yio Chu Kang.

Home to a couple and their toddler, the owners engaged the help of local interior design firm three-d conceptwerke to turn their dream home into a reality.

Having already had an existing relationship with the team from a previous renovation project, the owners gave the designers free reign over the ideas and execution of their new abode. Without the constraints of having to follow a specific theme, the designers could then focus on creating a space that would suit the young family’s current and future needs.

SHORTCUT

HANG IN THERE Here’s how you can display even more of your trinkets and decor neatly in your room IMAGE COURTESY OF Bloomingville

It happens to the best of us: accumulating things and running out of space to store them. If you love showing off your collections, this idea may be the perfect solution.

Hang a long piece of wood from the ceiling and drape or tie your fashion accessories or small home decor items like planters and wall hangings from the piece of wood. This simple idea is an easy way to add visual interest to just about any nook or cranny.

104 JUL