Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2022 i Home & Decor

Home renovation typically entails significant financial commitments. For the typical homebuyer, whether a BTO or resale property, however, a long process awaits before the home is ready for moving-in day. Recent global issues have led to increased prices, including in the renovation sector. Shipping, supply chain and labour issues are among the factors that have led to delays and price increases, adding to the stress of home renovation. “The costs are rising. As for delays, that is typically due to the materials coming in from different countries,” says Kef Tan, creative director of d’Phenomenal, who added that working with a local team or factory eases delays. Many homeowners have an idea of their dream home. However, in such a climate, being clear on what they want can help with managing…

The experience of getting a fine piece of jewellery is usually associated with hushed opulence and “look but don’t touch” formality – but not in the MADLY Brand Experience Centre. Located in Ann Siang Road, the bespoke jewellery brand’s new experience centre eschews tradition and instead invites guests to experience the journey of a gemstone from beginning to end. From the moment you step in, the first thing you’ll see is the ‘Straight from the Source’ feature wall. Sculpted to resemble the contours of rough rock, the wall brings the diamond mine into the boutique itself in a slightly surreal experience. Guests are invited to reach into one of the niches and touch a rough gem, which activates an educational video and highlights the mining areas on the topographical outlines…

The year 2030 marks the goal for many companies to transition into fully circular businesses, including Ikea. Affordability is a two-edged sword for the furniture titan. On the one hand, it makes the brand’s products immensely popular, but on the other – coupled with the Singaporean tendency to flip houses every so often – it has also been seen as one of the most disposable furniture brands. We chatted to Tariq Oumarkatar, Country Sales Manager of Ikea, about what the company has been doing to reach its 2030 goal. CAN YOU SHARE SOME OF THE SHIFTS IN CONSUMER BUYING HABITS YOU’VE OBSERVED THESE PAST FEW YEARS? As we transition into a post-pandemic world, we have noticed an increasing interest in work-from-home solutions, especially as flexible working arrangements have become part…

The last two years have been lean on international design showcases, most of which have gone hybrid or complete virtual due to the pandemic. Borders have been opening up this year, but some shifts are here for a permanent stay. We asked Edwin Low, founder of Supermama, one of the few who kept showcasing and promoting local design and design talents internationally, to share his observations on the international design landscape. TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR MILAN DESIGN WEEK SHOWCASE THIS YEAR. We presented in last year’s edition and this year’s June one. The key for Supermama this year is to introduce as many different fields of Singapore creatives as possible. The idea is to show the diversity of our local talents. In our New Dimensions showcase, we had Serial…

Janda Baik in Pahang is just a half hour’s drive from Kuala Lumpur. Its cooler climes, hills, and forest have made it a popular spot for well-heeled city dwellers to build a holiday home. Many of these holiday homes veer towards aiming to impress. But for this couple, function and simplicity were their priority. To achieve this, they looked to Choo Gim Wah Architect. The award winning firm, foundedby Choo Gim Wah, has built many private residential houses on hill slopes and steep terrains with minimum disturbance to the natural landscape, which made them an ideal choice. As the site was relatively flat for the hilly terrain, the architect looked towards Mies Van der Rohe’s iconic Farnsworth House in Illinois, USA, for inspiration. Like the house, the one-and-a-half-storey, cabin, nicknamed…

From choosing appliances to electronics and fixtures, there are a multitude of decisions you have to make when preparing for a new home. Here are our shopping recommendations according to budgets suitable for single-person household ($), mid-range or multi-functional ($$) and premium ($$$) options. SMART TV PREMIUM SAMSUNG 85-INCH QLED 8K TV Movie buffs might want to go all out with the 85-inch 8K Neo QLED, which features Quantum Matrix Technology Pro to control the new Quantum Mini LED technology and dynamic sound that tracks the action from all corners. Retails for $19,999 at authorised retailers. VALUE FOR MONEY PRISM+ Q55-QE PRO An Android 4K television with Upgraded Quantum IPS Panel, this 55-inch model packs Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and hands-free voice control for a vibrant home theatre experience at…

Capella Singapore has joined forces with Hong Kong-based award winning hospitality designer Andre Fu and celebrated Italian Argentine chef Mauro Colagreco to present its latest restaurant, Fiamma. Named after the Italian word for “flame”, Fiamma serves authentic, traditional Italian cuisine inspired by the Michelin-starred chef’s grandmother’s cooking. The menu promises to present the nostalgic and familiar, “set ablaze with rich, new flavours”. The 138-seat restaurant itself occupies Capella Singapore’s former in-house restaurant’s long, crescent shaped space that opens out to the greenery and the South China Sea beyond. Like the menu, Andre’s design concept presents the blends of the familiar and the unexpected. The dining area is divided into six sections, each offers a unique dining experience. The alfresco lounge features a breathtaking view, the semi private den is anchored…

When my husband and I were shopping for our first private property in early 2007, we caught the tail-end of a real estate bear market. Prices were creeping up. With both of us at 30 years old with a limited budget, we focused on condominium units. However, an inter-terrace house in the Marymount area attractively priced at about $700,000 caught our eye. We were immediately put off at the viewing. The three-bedder was old and the renovation outdated. The housing agent pointed out the generous (rundown) kitchen, the decent-sized backyard that opened to the main road, and the upcoming Marymount station, ready in two years. We could stretch our budget to purchase this house but couldn’t afford any major renovation. The noise and dust from the MRT line’s construction also…

The pandemic may have thwarted their travel plans, but this couple did not let that prevent them from escaping to faraway lands without leaving home. Recognising that border restrictions would not be lifted so soon, they enlisted the help of Nikki Hunt, principal of Design Intervention, to design a home that would transport them to different worlds. Inspired by the Netflix series Bridgerton and the ITV series Belgravia, which she watched during the lockdown, the lady of the house dreamed of having a home decked out in a romantic, English period style with soft pastel tones. Being confined at home had also made her appreciate the outdoors more. She wanted her living room to be modelled after an English conservatory, where she could host her friends to an English-style afternoon…

MAIN TRAIL IMM It’s known as one of Singapore’s largest outlet malls, but it’s also a hidden gem for great furniture deals. This mall in Jurong East is home to several furnishing stores like Mondi Lifestyle Gallery, Song-Cho, and Star Living. Some well known interior design firms like SP Homes and Edgeline Planners also have offices here. Come here for: Bedding. Almost all the big names in bedding are here, including Sealy Sleep Boutique, Tempur, Slumberland, and Simmons Gallery, to name a few. IMM is located at 2 Jurong East Street 21. TRADEHUB 21 TradeHub 21 is packed with stores selling kitchen fittings and sanitaryware. Come here for: Kitchen and sanitary fixtures. Stop by Hafary if you’re shopping for tiles or Fotile if you’re seeking out kitchen appliances. TradeHub 21…

The smart home industry has seen tremendous growth in the past year. Vendors are expanding their reach into the global market, and more products are developed, giving consumers an abundance of options to set up a smart home. In Singapore, implementing some elements of home automation is getting more and more popular these days as homeowners are looking at renovating their new house, be it HDB, condominium or a landed property. As supply goes with demand, we also see several local startups getting into this industry, collaborating with interior design firms to provide smart home products and services. One of the current problems of setting up a smart home is that everything seems rather confusing, what devices work with which set up, how to choose the right system, or what…

I refuse to be labelled as an architect of the generation of war. I do not find interest in architecture as a war machine, nor in the wartorn building aesthetic,” says Lebanese architect Karim Nader in his 2020 monogram For a Novel Architecture, criticising the tendency to associate Beirut, which was at that time still reeling from the devastation of the Port of Beirut’s explosion that claimed hundreds of lives and billions in property damage, with ruins and abandoned architecture. Karim chooses the optimistic approach. “Beirut should be architecturally represented as always alive, forward looking, because forward is the way of life.” This optimism is apparent in one of his recent residential projects, an apartment on the 20th floor of a residential tower that suffered damages from the explosion’s shockwaves.…

WHO LIVES HERE A couple in their early 30s HOME Three-room resale HDB flat in Everton Park SIZE 750 sq ft Everton Park has always held a special place in Jody Ang’s heart. A full-time baker and confectioner in her early 30s, she cherishes the neighbourhood because this is where she grew up. So when she and her husband Cedric Chng found this HDB flat in the area, they didn’t hesitate to buy it. What’s unique about this flat is that it’s part of a twofloor shopfront unit, with Jody’s bakery located downstairs. The building is over 30 years old, and the original flat had the typical three-room layout spanning 750 sq ft. Jody and Cedric wanted something minimalist and practical. They found Rei Ye, senior designer at Arkhilite, through…

WHO LIVES HERE A couple in their thirties HOME 5-room resale HDB flat in Commonwealth SIZE 1,001 sq ft When you’re both creatives, it’s only natural that your home is a canvas for you to express yourself – as was the case for Christopher and Natalie, a couple in their early 30s who are in marketing and art therapy, respectively. For the renovation of their five-room resale HDB flat in Commonwealth, they approached Chris Huang, designer at Bowerman Interior Planner. Taking place during Covid restrictions, the process took six months to complete, with the homeowners moving in during the last two months of 2021. One of the top priorities for Christopher and Natalie was having a large enough space to host, as they love to have friends over. This meant…