I N T E R I O R S
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S O L U T I O N S
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BUDGET RIGHT
DREAMY BED AND BATH STYLES FOR TOTAL REST AND REJUVENATION
SUITE DREAMS
MAR 2019
ISSUE 167 S$5.50/RM10
OASIS
How to splurge and save on your bathroom reno
Stunning bedroom themes to fuel your interior goals
SHOP
BEDSIDE MANNER ELEGANT BEDROOM FURNITURE AND ACCESSORIES TO MAXIMISE REST AND REPOSE ART DIRECTION & STYLING Leyna Poh & Priscilla Tan PHOTOGRAPHY Wong Weiliang
STONE ISLAND You can never go wrong with a marbled side table to add that special sheen to your bedroom.
40 MAR
SIDE SHOW A sophisticated sideboard can serve double duty as a space to show off your favourite things. (Clockwise from left) Ro Hurricane No. 25 vase, $85 at Pomelo Home. actseed lettering print, $28 at Robinsons. Woud study table lamp, $240 at Pomelo Home. Design Letters pencils, $19.90 (for a set of five), and porcelain cup, $29.80 at Robinsons. CLUSE La Roche watch, $209, Maria Black Bell bracelet, $185, Shashi Dia bar ring, $85, and Estella Bartlett pave hoop earrings, $39, all at Kapok. Rhinoceros, POA at Pomelo Home. Hay wooden tray, $79, Shashi Chain ring, $89, Estella Bartlett Lucky 6 Pence necklace, $36, and Cornelia Webb double hoop earrings, $149, all at Kapok. (Below) Inoko candle vessel, $69 at Maissone. Musotrees travel book, $28, and Ashley & Co Tui & Kahili home perfume, $99 at Kapok. Punt Malmo sideboard, $7,780 at Pomelo Home.
(Opposite page) Punt Literatura shelf, $6,990, Ro Hurricane No. 26 vase, $175, Ro Hurricane No. 25 vase, $55, and Bilsby side table, $1,600, all at Pomelo Home. Hay 3-minute hourglass, $23, Izola Men’s Society Weekender wash kit, $49, Lost Guides Singapore, $32, Rocket Eyewear sunglasses, $160, and Laps Bodhi Cobalt watch, $269, all at Kapok. Terrazzo dimple tray in rose, $39, at Maissone. Cornelia Webb double hoop earrings, $149, Maria Black Bell bracelet, $185, Shashi Chain ring, $89, and Bar ring, $85, and Brooklyn Candle Studio Escapist votive set, $99 (for a set of three), all at Kapok.
MAR 41
SHOP
VANITY FAIR Get in the mood to start your daily grooming routine right with some coordinated vanity accessories.
(Clockwise from left) Objekt mirror, $89, Melt candle holder, $39, and terrazzo vessel, $45, all at Maissone. Izola Men’s Society Weekender wash kit, $49 at Kapok. Shashi Dia ring, $85, State Property gold and pearl necklace, $890, State Property Esther pearl ear climber, $239, SILA watch case, $236, SILA bracelet, $122, Cornelia Webb ear cuff, $85, and Odeme Odeon nail polish, $19, all at Kapok. Gaussian three-tier vessel, $149 at Maissone. In Good Company Valter necklace, $69, at Kapok. Punt Ernest desk, $2,400, and Mattiazzi Uncino chair, $1,430, both at Pomelo Home. (Opposite page, from top) Pott Sponge Up pendant lights, from $390 at Pomelo Home. Duo colour table lamp, $290 at Hand & Eye Studio. The Swimmer print, $230, Rise and Shine print, $180, Hand and Eye Studio Duo color table lamp, $290, and Case Valentine bed, $3,180, all at Pomelo Home. Sympatico Musk cushions, $96 each, Honning mustard cushions, $119 each, Lynette mustard cushion, $95, Geant musk cushion, $119, Città Tifaifai cushion, $69, and Coitier throw, $129, all at Maissone. Ro Flower Vase No. 2, $110, Ro carafe and glass set, $145, and Woud Sentrum side table, $440, all at Pomelo Home. Black concrete tray, $59 at Maissone. actseed card, $5.90, and Design Letters Thermo bottle, $53.80, both at Robinsons. Musotrees travel book, $28 at Kapok.
42 MAR
MORE IS MORE Pile on the soft furnishings to create a sleeping area ideal for cosy nights in.
MAR 43
SOLUTIONS
MAXIMUM UTILITY
BEFORE YOU TAKE THE PLUNGE TO EITHER UPGRADE OR OVERHAUL YOUR BATHROOM, FIGURE OUT YOUR NUMBERS BY TAKING NOTE OF WHAT YOU SHOULD BE PRUDENT WITH AND WHAT’S WORTH THE SPLURGE TEXT Fidz Azmin
44 MAR
FIXTURES UPPER SAVE
SPLURGE
WA S H B A S I N It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the variety of sinks in store. They come in many different materials, shapes and style. But remember, a wash basin is basically a vessel that aids in the act of hand or face washing. Practicality is without a doubt a priority when procuring one. On the material front, a reliable ceramic sink does the job well and is affordable to boot.
S H OW E R F I X T U R E A N D FAU C E T The fact is no bathroom is able to function properly without key hardware such as shower heads and faucets in place. As the workhorses in this utilitarian space, these fixtures are subject to prolonged and regular usage. Items that are poorly constructed are flimsy and tend to leak and loosen with use, while those made of inferior finishes are likely to chip off over time. Their short lifespan will therefore end up costing you more in the long run. With quality, you will be assured a product that delivers and is built to last. Our advice? Procure good quality fixtures as they tend to fare better against daily wear and tear. This makes the acquisition a worthwhile investment indeed.
LIGHTING In a place where a lot of activities happen every single day, a well-lit setting is essential. Apart from brightening your bath space with general overhead lighting, consider other spots to illuminate including above and around the vanity. This enables light to evenly filter in and not cast shadows on your visage, giving you a better view of what you’re doing. The result: spoton stubble or perfectly applied eye makeup, anyone? No need to shell out on fancy fixtures – we urge you to go for basics.
IMAGE COURTESY OF HANSGROHE
IMAGE COURTESY OF IKEA
IMAGE COURTESY OF IKEA
WAT E R C L O S E T From seat warmers to self-cleaning functions, the innovative features that are built into the toilets of today are undeniably remarkable. But novelty aside, what users are essentially looking for in a bowl is a unit that properly serves the task that it’s meant for. If you’ve got the dough, go for a wall-hung water closet. If not, a standard good quality seat does the trick.
Avoid fancy gizmos that are outfitted with a dozen features that are unnecessary – plan your purchase prudently and only seek products that fit your needs.
MAR 45
SOLUTIONS
MATERIAL WORLD SAVE
SPLURGE C O U N T E RTO P S In one of the most frequently visited rooms at home, the countertop bears the brunt of relentless splashes, spills from makeup and cleaning products, as well as high humidity day after day. This is why the material that you choose to serve as a sinktop needs to be resilient enough to take on these elements. There is a profusion of surfaces available from the premium to the cost-effective, but low-budget options like laminates tend to warp over time, while natural stones such as marble demand constant attention. Quartz countertops win our vote for offering both beauty and brawn – plus, it boasts a price tag that’s not unreasonable for the superb quality that you get. By undergoing specific processes down the assembly line, this engineered stone, as a result, becomes dense and nonporous. This equips it a durability that rivals granite as well as outstanding waterproof properties that make it fitting for splatter-prone zones. A generous selection of colours means owners will face zero issues trying to sift out one that complements their interior’s aesthetics.
IMAGE COURTESY OF COSENTINO
IMAGE COURTESY OF HAFARY
F L O O R A N D WA L L S U R FAC E S As they cover a large expanse of the bathroom, surfaces are imperative in setting the mood and look in this part of home. Floors especially face constant impact in this high traffic area, so they need to be tough as well. Fortunately, it’s easy to create a big impact with little cost – all thanks to tiles the likes of porcelain and ceramic. They come in a versatile mix of design, from concrete-effect and woodgrained patterns to colourful Peranakan motifs. You could even replicate a high-end luxury look for less with metallic or marble inspired surfaces.
46 MAR
DESIGN BY DB STUDIO
SPACE PLAN SAVE S TO R AG E Just like any part of the domicile, storage is indispensable in keeping the area free of clutter. Organising aids such as wallmounted cubbies or tall shelf units are great for stashing towels and toiletries, but in a room that is short on square footage, built-in cabinetry is better at making sure this limited plot of space is fully maximised. However, you don’t have to add a custom-built medicine cabinet in your bathroom, as there are more affordable store-bought options available.
SPLURGE G L A S S S H OW E R E N C L O S U R E If your decision to equip the bath area with a glass shower partition or door is still not set in stone, take heed that the merits of a well-constructed shower enclosure truly surpass that of the flimsy curtain. As the panel keeps splashes constrained within the shower, the rest of the space remains dry as a wick. This thus heightens the safety level in this water-prone zone particularly during the morning rush or if your family includes little ones.
MAR 47
SPACES
bachelorette
IN PARADISE Bespoke furnishings, striking colourways and a streamlined layout allows the occupant of this four-room apartment to unwind in daily comfort TEXT Germaine Cheah PHOTOS SPORES_Studio
AT A GLANCE
SPACE
4-room HDB unit
LOCATION
Compassvale Link
RENO PERIOD
12 weeks
HOME TO
1 adult
76 MAR
LIVING ROOM
Showcasing great attention to detail, the largest white triangular pattern in the living room was deliberately aligned to the top of the adjoining windows, essentially creating the illusion of sunrays pouring into the space.
MAR 77
SPACES
D I S P L AY C A S E
Serving as the main anchoring feature one sees upon entering the flat, the brass-accented display case captures the eyes to look at the collectibles on display while subtly hinting at the layers of textured space that lies beyond.
78 MAR
F
or any busy professional, home should be a place where they can truly let go of the bustle of everyday life and just indulge in some much needed rest. And things are no different for the well-travelled homeowner of this four-room apartment located in Compassvale. But before this resale flat came to be the tranquil haven it is today, renovation works were required, and design director Jackson Tan of SPORES_Studio was called in to oversee the job.
When asked for a design brief, the owner stated that she wanted to transform the flat into a bright and modern-meets-eclectic home where she could wind down from her busy work schedule in peace. Additionally, she also wanted the home to be a personal gallery where she could display her unique designer collectibles that were amassed from her years of travelling. One look around the apartment brings forth the triangular-shaped painted walls that dot the
Eames moulded plastic side chair with wire base from XTRA DINING AREA
Free from any sort of sharp corners, the round Billund dining table from BoConcept was selected to facilitate the owner’s circulation path between the kitchen and the outer living spaces.
MAR 79
SPACES
KITCHEN CABINETS
Matte timber-toned laminates
KITCHEN BACKSPLASH
Marble-lookalike quartz
KITCHEN
With considerably lesser natural light flowing through the kitchen, built-in countertop lighting along a soffit track light system was utilised to give the utilitarian zone a more dramatic look when the bookmatched marble-lookalike quartz backsplash and countertops are illuminated.
80 MAR
living spaces, which was inspired by the geometric paintings from Australian artist Esther Stewart. Jackson explains of the design inspiration, “Esther Stewart’s paintings attempt to generate mapping of domestic spaces and the push and pull between abstraction and representation, creating tension between colours and shapes. And we saw a parallel in this project where the domestic walls became the tensioned medium – at times juxtaposing calm pastel colours against dynamic triangulated geometric patterns and others to provide a clean, muted canvas to contrast against the eclectic objects of desire.” Upon closer inspection, it is quickly discernible that the geometric patterns on the walls throughout the home are separated into two sets of colours – one for the communal areas and the other for the private domain. “It was a deliberate decision,” adds Jackson. Doubling as a feature wall as well as providing a sense of orientation to the home, the first set – made up of white, light grey, pale blue and green – serves to provide a more dynamic presence to the communal areas.
MASTER BEDROOM
With the geometric patterns contained to only the headboard wall, the surrounding white space serves to balance out the colourful feature, in turn providing visual and psychological relief within the room.
Additionally, this colourblock wall design can also be seen on the bomb shelter entrance. “By doing so, not only is there a cohesive visual guide when one enters the unit from the entrance into the living room, but painting over the bomb shelter door also became a simple yet effective way to visually dematerialise the existence of the shelter,” the designer explains. To cater to the owner’s display needs, a bespoke display shelf-cum-divider screen was installed in the living room, which also offers the communal area privacy from the home’s entryway. To echo the triangular-shaped wall motifs, the divider screen also features a triangulated
structural system to maintain and reinforce design consistency throughout the home. Besides this brass-accented structure, the rest of the living space was kept free from any other built-ins, effectively ensuring that the apartment remains a spacious and flexible canvas that can be easily adapted and personalised in the future. Over in the kitchen, there is an understated luxurious quality, which is attributed to the warm timber tones on the cabinets as well as the marble-lookalike quartz on the backsplash and countertops. Meant to function more as a preparatory space for entertaining rather than an active cooking space, the homeowner’s top
MAR 81
SPACES
beauty in
SIMPLICITY A monochromatic colour palette, carefully curated materials and slim fittings fill this new four-room apartment with much tranquility and functionality TEXT Germaine Cheah PHOTOS KDOT Associates
AT A GLANCE
SPACE
4-room BTO unit
LOCATION
Sumang Lane
RENO PERIOD
6 weeks
HOME TO
2 adults
LIVING ROOM
The austere feel of the wood vinyl flooring and crisp white walls help to enhance the communal living area’s contemporary look.
84 MAR
MAR 85
SPACES
STORAGE WALL
Wood laminates STORAGE WALL
In addition to keeping the bomb shelter entrance hidden from sight, the wood-laminated fixture also doubles up as a storage unit for the owners’ household accessories.
86 MAR
T
ucked away in the quiet residential area of Punggol and located far away from the bustle of the Central Business District is this unassuming and unpretentious four-room Build-ToOrder HDB unit. Helmed by local interior design firm KDOT Associates, the unit follows a modernScandinavian design concept complemented by minimalist decor, and primarily serves as a comfortable abode for rest and relaxation for its two occupants.
Throughout the home, plenty of soft pastel colours and natural wood tones were utilised to create a welcoming atmosphere. Meanwhile, the originally bare flooring was laid over with vinyl strips from local flooring manufacturer Floor Xpert, giving the home a much more modern and updated look. Upon entering the living room, one would be immediately greeted by the sight of an inviting comfy grey sofa. This is accompanied by the room’s primary entertainment area which consists
KITCHEN
Given that the rest of the home is clad in monochromatic hues, the use of pastel greys and pinks in the kitchen inject some much needed colour into the home without overpowering the overall look.
of a wood-accented television console as well as a sleek flat-screen television. Besides these loose furniture pieces, the design team stayed away from installing any built-ins around the space. By doing so, the living area is made to feel more spacious and a lot arier without these boxy fixtures in the way. One of the homeowners’ main requests was to have an open kitchen that would make entertaining friends and family a breeze. To achieve this free-flowing layout, the partition wall that once separated the utilitarian zone from the rest of the home was knocked down. In its place
now is a wood-laminated kitchen island that not only increases countertop space during food prep, but also serves as a bar counter for breakfast and other casual meals. Since the placement of this island unit faces the living room’s generous windows, it is also used as a resting spot where the owners can sit and admire the lush greenery that sits just beyond. Just like the outer communal areas, the owners’ private living chambers carry a contemporary charm with their clean layout and neutral colour scheme. When suffused with natural light coming through the windows, the
MAR 87
PROADS
EASY DOES IT Open and airy, this clean-cut home has a laid-back charm which beckons people to feel at ease almost immediately
F A C T F I L E
SPACE 5-room HDB unit SIZE 1,184 square feet LOCATION Marine Terrace HOME TO 2 adults
DESIGNER Brim Design RENO PERIOD 2 months
92 MAR
With their creative know-how, the designers at Brim Design pride themselves on their flair for practical, everyday ideas and a keen eye for design trends. This boutique interior firm caters to residential and commercial projects of all kinds to suit most budgets. Brim Design attributes their success in the creative field to their skills in building and nurturing meaningful and lasting relationships with their customers.
DINING The dining space is clean and pristine thanks to the full wall of hidden storage flushed against the wall.
KITCHEN To keep the cooking fumes out but natural light in, a semi open-concept was the way to go. It makes the kitchen look more refreshed as well.
MASTER BEDROOM Keeping the design ethos consistent, the master bedroom is furnished simply with wooden pieces and a high gloss laminated wardrobe for added sheen. LIVING Timber laminate floorboards were laid over the existing high gloss floor tiles. Even though the original flooring was in relatively good condition, the overlay creates a European style which sits in well with the Scandinavian look. One wall was finished in bricks and painted white and the neat white grouting keeps the Scandi style neat and seamless.
#ENDURING STYLE
A neutral palette of white and woodgrains can make a home feel cosy and timeless all at once.
STUDY A ledge plus under window shelving create a less obstructive flow to the entire study. This allows room for a central workstation which can accommodate two comfortably on various sides.
9 Marshall Road, Singapore 424845
BRIM DESIGN PTE LTD
Tel: 6299 5733 WhatsApp: 9877 2277 Fax: 6299 5676 Email: info@brimdesign.com.sg Web: www.brimdesign.com.sg
MAR 93
SHORTCUT
STIMULATE YOUR SENSES A bold new colour scheme to transform your kitchen IMAGE COURTESY OF Dulux
The kitchen may be a functional space but that doesn’t mean that you can’t inject a bit of style into it. An easy way to revitalise a cooking zone is to add some colour to the surfaces. Even cabinet and island fronts can get a new lease on life with some carefully coordinated colour scheme. Whether with paint or new laminates – your revived kitchen will be sure to lead to more culinary adventures.
104 MAR