Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2018 i Tatler Homes Singapore

MICHELE KOH MOROLLO Michele is a big fan of Mid-Century Modern design—she enjoys scouring through vintage furniture stores in Hong Kong, where she now lives. In this issue, she explores a sculptural selection of outdoor lighting pieces (page 48) as well as inspiring bathroom vanity ideas to create a stylish space that also caters to your needs and lifestyle (page 150). CHRISTOPHER DEWOLF The author of Borrowed Spaces: Behind the Cracks of Modern Hong Kong, Christopher writes about urbanism, architecture, design and culture. For this issue’s report on museum architecture (page 88), he speaks to the architects behind the most hyped museum openings around the world, and curator Brendan Cormier of V&A in London. KOH BOON WEI Boon Wei credits his father as a key influence for his interest in…

“ARCHITECTURE IS UNIQUE. IT’S ON THE GROUND IN WHICH IT EXISTS, WHICH MAKES IT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER ARTFORMS” Simplicity speaks volumes and, as was famously said, it’s the ultimate sophistication. In the case of lauded British architect Eric Parry, simplicity reflects the intellectual rigour he applies to each project, whether it’s consulting on an urban master plan or designing a residence for the ultra-rich. There’s a strong sense of sensitivity that underlines his work, so it’s no surprise that his portfolio features myriad restoration and conversion commissions. While a lot has changed since Parry established his eponymous practice in 1983, his vision remains steadfast. In 35 years, he has made his mark not by designing statement buildings in the vein of other starchitects, but rather by those that make a…

In the competitive field of luxury kitchen design, Mk-tre distinguishes itself by defying run-of-the-mill solutions to give clients a personalised kitchen that truly meets their needs. Mk-tre was founded in 2016 by director Mahmud Karim, who has more than two decades of experience in the industry and currently oversees two offices in Singapore and Malaysia. Over the years, Mahmud has developed a strong understanding of what it takes to craft a bespoke kitchen that stands the test of time—a savoir faire that he has deepened by working closely with renowned European kitchen brands including Bulthaup, Effeti Cucine, Eggersmann, Poggenpohl, Rational and Schiffini. After working as a general manager for a kitchen purveyor, Mahmud decided to open a firm of his own after observing a repeated scenario: clients he had served…

One of the most recognised landmarks in Paris, the Grand Palais is a symbol of architectural marvel, ever since it was created in 1900 for the Universal Exhibition. Home to Chanel’s ready-to-wear and haute couture shows since 2005, the Grand Palais has seen many transformations under the stellar direction of the House’s artistic director Karl Lagerfeld—from the monumental sculptures of the Chanel jacket and lion that founder Gabrielle Chanel loved to a giant world globe, wind turbines, to waterfalls, a formal garden and even a model of the Eiffel Tower. Starting from December 2020, Chanel is contributing €25 million to restore and renovate the Parisian institution. “For Chanel, the Grand Palais, and especially its exceptional nave where our fashion shows are held, is much more than a simple monument in…

Every place I visit, I always look for a commanding view of the city. I have a few favourites, and they don’t always require being on top of the tallest skyscraper. I love looking back to Hong Kong island while on the Star Ferry, and recently, I enjoyed taking in the snow-laden rooftops of Tallinn’s medieval old town in Estonia from a small hilltop. Surely, I’m not the only one drawn to the cityscape whether it’s viewing it from up above or admiring it on street level. This collective desire alone displays the allure and power of architecture. While Singapore Tatler Homes primarily covers interior design, we chose to focus on architecture in this issue. For without a beautiful shell, it is harder to achieve beautiful interiors. Often, the most…

Tell us about Diptyque’s creative process. We work closely with a perfumer and illustrator together in a collaborative process; sometimes it starts with an illustration, a scent, or a memory that we want to reproduce. One of the three co-founders, Desmond Knox-Leet, is a painter; he thought of using the raw materials of a fragrance in the way that a painter would use colour pigments to create an olfactory landscape. His artistic background is also why the illustration featured on each perfume is so important to us—it’s always on the bottle, handmade and created in ink. In your opinion, what makes a good home fragrance? A good home fragrance should make you feel good; it’s also very much dependent on the atmosphere that you want to create. The candle gives…

Across the centuries, the appearance of the chandelier may have changed but its enduring appeal stays the same. Be it the vintage charm of the antique candle chandelier or the floral flourishes that is Rococo-style, this lighting piece instantly makes a glamorous statement in any space it decorates. German lighting brand Windfall celebrates the evolving design of the chandelier, through pairing the iridescent beauty of crystals with contemporary details. Its modular chandelier collections feature pure forms, nature-inspired motifs and customisable features that can make each lighting piece a unique one. LIGHT THE WAY Recent collections such as the Hellbob range add an enchanting air to selected Roberto Cavalli boutiques, the Heathrow airport in London, as well as in opulent abodes around the world. This collection comprises crystal chandeliers inspired by…

KNOW YOUR NEEDS Let your family’s culinary habits and needs take precedence in the design process. Wet kitchens, for instance, are more suitable for Asian cooking where deep-frying may be required, while dry kitchens cater to European cuisines, which typically include light cooking and baking. If your kitchen doubles up as an entertainment space, consider opting for a kitchen island equipped with wine chillers, coffee machines and bar seats to create a gathering space. DIMENSIONS MATTER Plan the width of the kitchen’s passageway around the people that will be using the kitchen most frequently, so that movement within the space is unobstructed. The respective heights of the countertops and cabinetry should also be customised, with the individual needs of the elderly and younger members of the family also taken into…

MAJESTIC Let your child’s imagination take to the seas with this nautical-inspired collection. Grooved panels, brushed aluminium handles and a yew wood finish reference the seafaring spirit; the bookcase, in particular, features a decorative panel in the shape of a sail. GRAPHIC Create a lively bedroom for your children with a room as cheery as their personalities. This fashion-inspired collection pairs pale wood with brushed metal and colourful textiles; the fabric headboard also features an additional pocket for toys and books. DIMIX This versatile collection comprises multiple layout configurations and safety features made suitable for young children and teenagers alike. It features bunk beds, bookcases, integrated storage and desks, as well as partitions that can section a shared room to give your kids the space they need. URBAN Create a…

Hidden on the fourth floor of a nondescript building in the bustling heart of Sheung Wan, French interior designer Peggy Bels’ apartment seems to defy the laws of space and time upon first glance, as the blackened metal front door swings open and you struggle to reconcile the sweeping, serene space with the claustrophobic reality of the streets below. Bels, standing behind the oblong concrete kitchen table that acts as the social fulcrum of the apartment, welcomes us in with a modicum of haste. Indeed, the transplanted Parisian is graceful in her momentum, her tall, slender frame dressed in a bright patterned top that contrasts with the muted greys and blacks of the apartment’s palette as she darts to and fro. Moving to Hong Kong in 2008 after more than…

Having lived in Barcelona for nearly two decades, Chilean interior designer Jaime Beriestain is no stranger to the city—and his well-placed apartment in the historic Eixample district truly revels in the full bustle of its lively locale. “I love being in the centre of the city,” he professes. “Eixample is an area that’s constantly buzzing with design and fashion boutiques, charming hotels and restaurants, and art galleries.” Furnished with a vibrant collection of modern designs and contemporary art, it’s hard to imagine the apartment in its original state—as an office space. During his first visit to the property, the designer loved the abundance of natural light that streamed through the apartment and its lofty ceiling height. “As it is located on the main floor of the building, what won me…

WORLD OF WONDER A lot goes into the creation of a hotel, especially when it’s a passion project like The Siam in Bangkok. The brainchild of actor-musician Krissada Sukosol Clapp, the striking black-and-white hotel houses his enviable collection of antiques, imbuing every nook with a soulful character. The story behind its creation and evolution is lovingly captured in the book Our World—launched just in time for the hotel’s fifth anniversary. “A hotel is a work of art and every single one has a story to tell,” he explains about the intention behind the book’s publication. Overflowing with beautiful photos of the insanely photogenic space, it’s a tome that’s as much of a labour of love as the hotel itself. thesiamhotel.com STATE OF PLAY Add conversation starters to your rooms with…

Spring Fever Let nature inspire your decor scheme with botanical prints and rosy accents 1. DeGournay Madame Magical menagerie wallpaper by Kent Fulk, from Tatum Singapore 2. Missoni Home Oriental garden wallpaper, from Altfield Interiors 3. Tampopo Floating by Takao Inoue, from TheArtling.com 4. Classicon Pli side table by Victoria Wilmotte, from Space Furniture 5. Cherry pendant lamp by Daniel - Emma, from PetiteFriture.com 6. Nobilis Hibisicus wallpaper, from Cetec 7. Molteni&C Paul sofa by Vincent Van Duysen, from P5 8. Designers Guild Papillons eau de nil wallpaper, from Romanez 9. Fritz Hansen Coat tree ikebana vase, from W. Atelier 10. Cassina Réaction poétique side table by Jaime Hayon, from Space Furniture 11. Jasper coffee table, from King Living Elemental Beauty Pair natural textures of stone, leather and wood with streamlined…

 It’s the finer details that make a hotel stay memorable. Alongside impeccable service, the room has to be a liveable space that puts you at ease while having a sense of place that’s uniquely its own. These are qualities that design practice Bar Studio celebrates through each of its projects. “WE BELIEVE TODAY’S TRULY LUXURIOUS HOTELS MUST BE WARM, INVITING AND FLEXIBLE, WITH A NATURAL EASE THAT ENTICES GUESTS TO MAKE THEMSELVES AT HOME” “We aim to redefine luxury as a subtle mix of comfort, artisanal craftsmanship while cultivating a feeling of place that harnesses local architectural themes, colours and materials in a restrained way,” explains Stewart Robertson, principal and director of the Melbourne-based firm. “Our spaces are conceived with the well-travelled urbanites of the region in mind, who place…

The skyscraper has become a ubiquitous sight in any modern city. But as cities grow denser than ever before, these commanding structures can add to the general sense of vertiginous claustrophobia—an effect that German architect Ole Scheeren hopes to counter by rethinking the ways in which these monolithic towers are built. “The architecture that we build is not for ourselves, but for the public and the people who inhabit those buildings,” says the principal and founder of his eponymous firm, Büro Ole Scheeren. “The denser our cities become, the more important it becomes to think about the types of spaces we can create in them.” BUILT INTENTION The son of an architect, Scheeren grew up in the city of Karlsruhe in southwest Germany. He joined OMA (the Office for Metropolitan…

Wild Coast Tented Lodge isn’t one for grand entrances, nor does it desire to stand out. What it wants is to blend in and, given its location at the edge of Sri Lanka’s Yala National Park, Resplendent Ceylon’s first luxury safari lodge is all the better for it. Upon arrival, one is greeted by a humble hut set in verdant surrounds, which immediately reminds guests that they’re in the thick of a tropical forest bordered by the pulsing Indian Ocean. The deliberate integration of the design into the existing ecosystem was the work of Nomadic Resorts, which handled the architecture and landscaping in collaboration with interior design firm Bo Reudler Studio. From the use of local materials such as stone and mud brick to the rounded forms that dominate the…

We’re still living in the shadow of the Bilbao effect. Two decades ago, architect Frank Gehry completed work on a sinewy, titanium-clad museum on the banks of a river in the capital of the Spanish province of Biscay. It was an unlikely and immediate success. The new institution was a branch of New York’s famous Guggenheim Museum and Bilbao was an old port town unknown to most people outside Spain, yet millions of visitors flocked there to experience what architecture critic Rowan Moore calls “the most influential building of modern times.” Bilbao went from being an industrial backwater to a city praised for its far-thinking approach to development. The Guggenheim Bilbao created the expectation that big-ticket architecture could be a panacea for cities struggling with sluggish economies. It ushered in…

Most of us have fond memories of our first homes because of the memories held within—and not necessarily because of the aesthetic. When interior designer Louisa Lawless and her husband first moved to Hong Kong from their hometown of Sydney almost a decade ago, they landed in a poky flat in Causeway Bay that she remembers for its less-than-stellar view of the opposite building’s concrete facade and the bizarre tendency for objects to plummet from the upper floors. When the couple decided to expand their family, they realised it was high time to move. “My husband was definitely in charge,” recalls Lawless of their hunt for a new apartment. “He knew what he wanted and found it. We liked this space, its facilities, its green outlook and its proximity to…

Over the years, we’ve seen the segregation between interior and exterior spaces all but disappear as homeowners and designers seek a seamless transition from one to the other. The aim is to create a synergy between the natural landscape and the inhabited area, while minimising the environmental impact of our homes and decorative choices. Within an urban setting, green spaces offer an essential respite from the intense conditions of modern life, and have been proven to be beneficial for our health and well-being. Textile and furniture designer Paola Lenti extols the value of alfresco living, at the same time maintaining the importance of respecting the locale. “The most important issue when conceiving outdoor spaces, in my opinion, is the use of seating and accessories that ‘disappear’—that is, they don’t overwhelm…

A Altfield Interiors 1 Magazine Road #07-10 Central Mall Office Tower Tel: 6909 2768 altfield.com.hk C Carera Bathroom 12 Tai Seng Link #08-01 Tel: 6261 6133 carerabathroom.com Cetec 36 Armenian Street #02-05 Tel: 6634 5998 cetec.com.hk Cosentino 34/35 Duxton Road Tel: 6713 9543 cosentino.com D Diptyque 391 Orchard Road #B1-33A Takashimaya S.C Tel: 6732 0538 diptyqueparis.com Duravit 63 Tras Street Tel: 6238 6354 duravit.com F Flair Illume 25 Tagore Lane #03-07 Tel: 6458 9903 flairillume.com.sg Flexform / Studio216 200 Newton Road #01-01 Tel: 6909 2128 flexform.it sg.studio216.co G Gautier 18 Tampines Industrial Crescent #01-15 Space@Tampines Tel: 6908 0880 gautier-furniture.com Grohe Spa 1 Scotts Road #01-04/05 Shaw Centre Tel: 6311 3622 grohe.sg H Hansgrohe 69 Mohamed Sultan Road Tel: 6884 5060 hansgrohe.com.sg House of W. Atelier 75 Bukit Timah Road #01-01/02…