Tabla de contenidos para November 2020 en Home & Decor

MIX & MATCH Decorative tiles can easily and effectively personalise your space. The Mattonelle Margherita range by designer Nathalie du Pasquier for Mutina comprises no less than 41 different patterns in two sizes that can be mixed and matched to create anything from feature walls and accent surfaces to bespoke furniture. Mutina Mattonelle Margherita collection is available from Rice Fields, price by request, www.ricefileds.com. SIMPLE & SMART Your living space pulls multiple duties these days – it could be an office, a classroom, a gym depending on the time of day and the restriction posed by the pandemic. The new modular furniture system Smart Desk range from Japanese brand Nissin Furniture Crafters comprises simple desks that elegantly demarcate spaces. The collection is highly configurable, offering multiple lengths, storage and layout…

While most countries base success on the growth of their economy, the Kingdom of Bhutan has been doing something completely different for years. Located in the Himalayas – home to Mount Everest, the earth’s highest mountain above sea level – and with Tibet to the north as well as India to its south, east and west, Bhutan focuses on its Gross National Happiness. The four pillars of this philosophy are sustainable development, environmental protection, cultural preservation and good governance – and Six Senses Bhutan practises all of them. The luxury hotel, comprising five lodges, was designed to encourage guests to admire the natural diversity of the country and appreciate the beauty of its majestic landscape. Each lodge has a different style and showcases the characteristics of the five valleys of…

Kki Sweets is a homegrown dessert studio known for its handcrafted confectionery as well as its plated desserts. Founded in 2009 by wife and husband Delphine Liau and Kenneth Seah, Kki (pronounced keh-kee, after the Japanese pronunciation of cake) first called Ann Siang Hill home before moving to SOTA. Earlier this year, it moved into its newest home at Seah Street. “Natural sugar is great. Processed sugar, on the other hand, is bad for your body. If you’re going to indulge in sweets, be discerning” says Delphine. This reverence for sweets is apparent in her new spot – a chic, minimalist stage for both of its delectable offerings. Designed by Produce, a local multidisciplinary studio, the space has no signboard, and some items on the menu – which features no…

We often associate Paris with classical style. Nestled in an 1840s building in the 10th arrondissement, this 1,453 sq ft apartment could have been a testament to that notion if it weren’t for the very different story that unfolds inside. Designer and decorator Sacha Walckhoff, creative director of Maison Christian Lacroix since 2010, opens the doors to the home he shares with partner Pascal Ferrero, an internationally known wig and hair designer for the film and theatre industry. “We moved in just after a famous young French actor left. He’d done such a great job that we did not have much to do!” confesses Sacha. “We both work from home a lot and wanted a place where we could also invite clients for a drink so we could share our…

Homeowner Candy Chen has always wanted a walk-up apartment, but finding one in a convenient and quiet location was not easy. So when she and her husband found one above a quaint coffee shop in a tranquil area of Bukit Timah, they looked past its awkward existing design, focused on its potential and immediately made an offer. The 40-year-old unit had four bedrooms and just one bathroom and a toilet as well as a narrow service yard. The living and dining areas shared one window that didn’t provide sufficient natural light. The three common rooms with an underutilised triangular balcony wedged between them, on the other hand, hoarded all the natural light. And the master bedroom, positioned more like a service bedroom, was tucked away at the end of a…

Bespoke, custom, tailored, one-of-a-kind, artisanal – these words have been associated with hefty price tags that would spook budget-conscious homeowners. Design is inherently a collaborative process, and custom furniture is one of the great ways to assert your personality in the final design of your home. And there is a broad spectrum of price points for custom items, ranging from budget to bewildering. You may associate custom furniture with couture fashion – expensive, exclusive, and aspirational – which is true, for one extreme end of the spectrum. “BESPOKE FURNITURE IS NOT AS EXPENSIVE AS MOST PEOPLE BELIEVE.”– AHMAD HABSHEE, URBAN SALVATION Think of this extreme end of the spectrum like a kinetic couture gown by, say, Iris van Herpen and on the other end, a Uniqlo T-shirt. Yes, even a…

Kenzo Takada passed away recently on Oct 4 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, becoming one of the most well-known personalities to have succumbed to Covidrelated complications. An indomitable force throughout his life, Kenzo was born to a family of seven children in Himeji, Japan, in 1939, He developed a passion for fashion design when he accompanied two of his sisters to their sewing classes. In 1965, he bravely travelled alone to the heart of the fashion industry, Paris. What was supposed to be a six-month visit became a permanent stay. Known for his signature use of cheerful colours, animal motifs, floral and geometric patterns, Kenzo was the first Japanese designer to be established in Paris, even before his peers like Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto. In 1970, he launched his eponymous label,…

What: The Baoli Era: Treasures from the Tang Shipwreck Collection When: 5 September 2020 to 10 January 2021 Where: Shanghai Museum and The Asian Civilisations Museum Commemorating the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Singapore, the Asian Civilisations Museum has partnered with the Shanghai Museum to present The Baoli Era: Treasures from the Tang Shipwreck Collection. While 168 artefacts from the collection are on loan to the Shanghai Museum for the exhibition, visitors can see over 900 treasures at ACM’s Tang Shipwreck gallery. Admission is free for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents, and guided small-group public tours have resumed as well.…

Finding yourself missing the little cafes of Europe during this time of restricted travel? Step into Bar Milano. The restaurant looks like it’s been picked up from the quiet, cobblestoned streets of a sleepy Italian town and dropped directly into the bustle of trendy Keong Saik Road. Launched in early August 2020, the casual-chic Italian bistro was conceived by SJS Group that’s behind Pasta Bar and Employees Only at Amoy Street. “It pays homage to the classic tavernas of Europe,” says Sarissa Rodriguez-Schwartz, a co-founder of SJS Group. “It’s for aperitivo and Italian food lovers alike.” To achieve the quintessentially inviting atmosphere of a European cafe, SJS bucked convention and hired James Page, a movie set designer, to design Bar Milano. Upon stepping inside, one’s first impression is that of…

If you seldom or rarely use your balcony, you might want to rethink the design to maximise it. In 2013, interior designer Shu Ong was looking for a way to maximise the use of balcony spaces when she discovered Glass Curtains, a frameless, retractable, sliding glass system from Europe, and became the first to make it available here in Singapore. It was so warmly received that she decided to look for other products and discovered Australian brand Ziptrak’s outdoor blind system with a patented design that glides smoothly and stops at any height in 2017. She formalised her distributor business by founding DuraBlinds with husband Kevin that same year. The company aims to help businesses and homeowners maximise usage of their outdoor spaces by protecting them from UV rays, rain,…

Held in the Swedish capital in February, the world’s leading fair for Scandinavian furniture and lighting ran parallel to Stockholm Design Week. Spread over a 70,000 sqm space and held just before Covid-19 spread to Europe, around 700 brands and designers – with at least 80 per cent from Scandinavia – participated in the 2020 edition, which attracted 40,000 visitors from 99 countries in February. Highlights included an installation by the guest of honour Neri&Hu that spotlit social issues in China. Other favourites were the Design Bar – a mix between an exhibition space and a top-class restaurant marrying Scandinavian atriums and Japanese aesthetics – by Anderssen & Voll of Norway, the Temperament showcase by set designer Sahara Widoff, and the NM & A New Collection exhibition highlighting the design…

Mention vernacular architecture and images of bamboo huts, stone cottages and log cabins come to mind. However, a response to local climate, sensitivity to microsite context, and appropriate use of natural materials need not always adopt a rustic form. Take this detached home in Bishan, for instance. Designed by FOMA Architects, its modern expression draws inspiration from the traditional kampung house. “The circulation is always part of external space, just like in a kampung house,” says architect, Terence Tan Chin Chieh. The enclosed rooms open out onto semi-outdoor spaces, similar to the verandahs of a kampung house. It was Terence’s unconventional design pitch that clinched him the project. “The proposals by other architects mostly consisted of just one building, but Terence’s scheme had a two-building concept, which I liked,” says…

It is not often that one comes across a home like this executive flat in Woodlands that is both spacious and cosy. Homeowners Ken Chin and Caselyn Lee, a civil servant and financial consultant respectively, prioritised a monochrome palette and hotellish ambience when they approached Sherlynn Low, founder of Millimeters Studio to design their resale flat, which was ready for moving in after a three-month renovation. Having adequate space for entertaining was a key consideration as the couple has friends and family over quite often. Their goal: an open plan that would allow everyone to move seamlessly from the dining area to the living space. “During celebrations, we want people to feel like they’re together even when they’re in different parts of the home,” says Caselyn. This communal living idea…

Paging all fashionistas: are you storing your designer pieces correctly? If you’ve carefully invested in a collection over the years and want to keep them in mint condition for the next generation, you’re going to need to take appropriate action to protect every garment and accessory like their couture. And while it might be tempting to display your Louboutins or Birkins, such practices are harmful to your beloved collection. Time to reassess your wardrobe and take note of these 10 tips to protect your clothing, shoes and bags. VENTILATE YOUR WARDROBE Humidity is your enemy. Clothing and leather articles are targets of mould and mildew growth in high moisture content environments. Keep wardrobe doors and windows open daily to increase ventilation and light to the area. A good dehumidifier or…

Design lovers visiting Copenhagen now have a new accommodation option: Villa Copenhagen, a new luxury hotel that occupies the Danish capital’s former Central Post and Telegraph Head Office building. Designed by London-based architecture and interior design practice Universal Design Studio, the former post office’s interiors have been completely transformed to accommodate 391 rooms across five floors while retaining its classical Neo-Baroque exterior that dates back to 1912. At first glance, the interiors may seem decidedly modern but look closer and you’ll notice period details like the grand window surrounds, timber panelling and architraves. All were restored to retain the building’s original character. This nod to the history and context of local architecture, alongside the curated collection of contemporary bespoke furniture from craft-centred European brands, showcases the best of both classic…

What’s your favourite time of the day? The morning. It signifies the start of a brand new day. I always look forward to and am grateful for it. There is a simple joy in being able to wake up in good health and start anew. What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received? The time when I took my parents to see my first-ever completed project – a contemporary Italian restaurant – and they said, “this is a good design”. They have always supported me in everything, including my education in architecture, without ever expecting anything in return. It was very heartening to hear their compliment and see the pride in their eyes while we dined there. What’s your personal design style? I live by the mantra “form follows function”. It…

The vintage architecture and pitched roof of this compact corner terrace house built in the 1950s sealed the deal. Drawn by the charm of its architecture, designer Kelvin Teo retained its structure. “I’d been on the lookout for property in District 13 for a while,” says Kelvin, the founder of Space Sense Studio. “The house was also in its original state, which was one of my criteria.” This gave him the freedom to transform the house – with a built-up floor area of 1,900 sq ft – to his taste. He dressed the facade with grey bricks and steel cladding, instantly giving it a contemporary update. Past the main entrance, Kelvin overhauled the entire layout of the ground floor, creating an open-concept communal space with a “fireplace” cabinet beside the…

Couture lovers will be glad to know that their homes can look as spectacular as they do, with high-end fashion brands presenting luxury home furnishings that'll make their hearts skip a beat or 10. Most launch new home lines only once or twice a year, bringing the same level of detail and beauty to these creations as they do their fashion collections. Whether meticulously handcrafted by a leather artisan or created to honour a famous artist, each piece usually has a story behind it. Here, we share our favourite picks from recent collections. ARMCHAIRS SIT BACK AND RELAX Armchairs complete a living room by complementing the sofa or adding a design accent. Use these to even out the profile of your furniture or to add a pop of vibrant colour.…