Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2021 i Home & Decor

Ninja, a kitchen appliance brand from Canadian food processor brand SharNinja, has landed in Singapore with a slew of innovative appliances that merge multiple technologies to increase confidence in the kitchen. One of them is the Ninja Foodi Airgrill, a 5-in-one appliance that combines an air fryer with an indoor grill, making grilling delicious food indoors easy and virtually smokeless. This indoor grill also doubles as a 3.7-litre air fryer that allows the user to air fry, roast, bake, and even dehydrate their favourite foods right within their indoor home kitchen. How’s that for stealth cooking? The Ninja Foodi Airgrill is available at select retailers for $429.99. Use promo code GRILLMAM at www.ninjakitchen.sg to enjoy a promotional price of $349, valid until 30 June 2021.…

Get creative with the Miele Blackboard Edition, a refrigerator sporting a blackboard front that you can jot reminders on directly with liquid chalk markers or old-school chalk. The minimalist look is enhanced with clean lines and recessed handles, putting the focus on your notes and doodles. It’s practical both outside and inside — the interior is large enough to accommodate even baking trays, and has adjustable glass shelves you can move around. We also love the PerfectFresh Pro function, which reduces moisture and regulates the temperature automatically. The Miele Blackboard Edition refrigerator retails at www.miele.sg, price upon enquiry.…

While visiting the museum known as Pinang Peranakan Mansion is a must when in Penang, how about adding another stop to your itinerary? The next time you’re in Georgetown, drop by Nyonya Palazzo, a charming cafe serving a fusion of traditional and modern Peranakan cuisine. A veritable palace of antique Peranakan treasures, the cafe was conceptualised by the husband and wife who own Pinang Peranakan Mansion, and wanted to showcase more of the culture as well as have a place for visitors to relax and enjoy a taste of local fare. They approached the team at the famed Li Er Nyonya Cafe in the nearby suburb of Pulau Tikus and, together, they designed and built Nyonya Palazzo that opened in March this year. Although the cafe is in a separate…

Lovers of novel and even eccentric dining spaces have a new addition for their to-visit list: The Aubrey at Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, which opened in February 2021. Jointly designed by Maximal Concepts and Silverfox Studios, the Japanese izakaya occupies the hotel’s 25th floor and enjoys a sweeping vista of the picturesque Victoria Harbour. It also sets itself apart from the usual austerity and minimalism one usually associates with Japanese decor. The Aubrey’s style is inspired by Japonisme, a 19th-century French term coined to describe the powerful impact of Japanese art and crafts on Western society in 1854 after Japanese ports, closed to the West for over two centuries, reopened to trade. “The Aubrey honours the incredible cultural elements and exchanges that have happened here over the years,” says Matt…

WHO LIVES HERE A couple and their two young children HOME A three-bedroom condominium in Bukit Batok SIZE 1,378 sq ft IT professionals Gordon and Meilian purchased this three-bedroom apartment from the previous owner about two years ago. Located opposite Bukit Batok Nature Park and a stone’s throw away from Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, it is the perfect location for these nature lovers. Their brief to Eloycois Er, principal designer of Erstudio, was to give them a bright and airy interior that was both modern and luxurious. “We believe that less is more and wanted to keep it simple,” says Gordon. They also prefer natural materials such as wood and stone with hints of grains and patterns reflecting their love for nature. With two very active young children and no…

Versatile Icon Clean lined and versatile, while still perfectly functional, a daybed is the perfect alternative to a sofa in an airy and spacious living room layout. Fritz Hansen’s PK80 daybed is one timeless and iconic choice that will last for generations. Fritz Hansen PK80, price upon request from Fritz Hansen by W. Atelier, www.watelier.com Compact Nostalgia Muted tones, subtle curves and compact proportions go well with Asian living rooms. The Owen sofa from Castlery is designed with a Scandinavian aesthetic and is compact enough to be placed into a stylish apartment home without compromising on comfort or roominess of the seating area. Owen sofa starts from $1,299 at www.castlery.com Convertible Modularity Convertible modular sofa system goes well with the high level of flexibility demanded from today’s living room. King’s…

Our living room experiences more traffic than ever in our new normal domestic environment. Today’s living room is also expected to be flexible and multi-functional; it may host a different set of activities throughout the day. It could transform into a classroom, an office, a yoga studio, or a playroom depending on the time of day or the restriction imposed on us by the pandemic. But throughout all these changes and shifts in functions, one thing remains: the floor material, which has also become one of the most important investments in your home. It needs to be durable, easy to maintain, and, taking into account the future of the planet: eco-friendly. Here are some of the most innovative floor materials in the market today. Some are new and others are…

Bluesound, an award-winning audio brand founded by an alliance of designers, engineers and individuals who have spent their lives in the music industry, has launched Pulse Soundbar+. This audiophile-grade soundbar aims to satisfy any home entertainment need. The soundbar supports Dolby Atmos surround sound audio and offers greater flexibility for any entertainment set up via HDMI eARC, Apple AirPlay 2, two-way aptX HD Bluetooth, TOSLINK, RCA, USB, and the brand’s proprietary BluOS music streaming system. Available in black and white. Bluesound Pulse Soundbar+ retails for $1,299 (black) and $1,399 (white) at Atlas, www.atlas-sv.com, and Lenbrook Asia Experience Showroom, www.lenbrook.com.sg.…

Indonesian artist Yunizar believes that human nature reveals itself through organic instinct and personal ideas of beauty. This view results in a playful style that manifests in an aesthetic that reminds one of childlike doodles and scribbles. Drawing from Minangkabau’s poetic oral traditions, he incorporates incomprehensible scribbling in his work, a nod to the organic flow of words that travel through people. In Singapore, Yunizar is represented by Gajah Gallery, www.gajahgallery.com.…

Hidden in a nondescript corner on the second floor of Raffles Hotel Arcade is a gallery like no other. Art Now is the brainchild of art curator and entrepreneur Jasmine Tay. If her name sounds familiar, she was the founder of Jasmine Fine Arts and Museum of Art & Design (MAD) that are no longer functioning. Jasmine’s latest project is a cosy 4,500 sq ft space filled with a bewildering array of creations that run the gamut of pop art and the contemporary to 2D and 3D fine art, as well as fashion and other unique lifestyle items. “I started blending art with specially curated events to create lifestyle experiences that synthesise space with art while I was at MAD,” Jasmine says of her vision to take art appreciation beyond…

Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster is famous for its futuristic and experimental retail concept. Each designed with a narrative unique to its location, the brand’s boutiques draw customers with gallery-like interiors filled with contemporary artworks and installation. Late February saw the opening of Gentle Monster’s flagship retail concept in Seoul. Christened Haus Dosan, the five-level building houses a lounge, a two-storey Gentle monster store, the top floor for its cosmetics label Tamburins and the basement for the dessert shop Nudake. Adopting the theme of Unopened: Future, the Gentle Monster store welcomes shoppers into The Lounge, a highly stylised dystopian scene featuring an installation of architectural ruin by Frederick Heyman, who uses photogrammetry to stage digital worlds out of relics of the past. A soundtrack inspired by the installation, created by…

What comes to your mind when you hear the words “leather furniture”? At Baxter’s display in Space Furniture, it takes different forms, ranging from an oversized Chesterfield sofa to a shaggy stool in Mongolian lamb leather and a graphic armchair that hardly looks like it’s upholstered in leather. Founded in 1990, Italian-owned and -made Baxter has pushed the boundaries of leather furniture, bringing it to the 21st century with zest and style. We hear more from CEO Paolo Bestetti. WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO CONCEIVE BAXTER? This job is part of my family’s DNA. My brother has an architecture studio, my father had furniture shops in Milan and my uncle Luigi owns furniture brand Living Divani. I have him to thank for encouraging me and getting me involved in creating a…

WHO LIVES HERE A family of five with two helpers HOME A 4+1-bedroom District 10 condominium apartment SIZE 2,885 sq ft Functionality was a top priority for this family of five when they engaged Collective Designs for the design and renovation of their Ardmore Park condominium apartment. With seven people, including two helpers, they needed every bit of space to be carefully considered and utilised. Collective Designs’ founder and principal designer Selina Tay and interior designer Jane Febrina got right to work on the homeowners’ primary needs, such as ensuring the bedrooms had adequate storage and improving the overall spatial flow. “We spent time with them to understand how they saw themselves using certain spaces and items – like, say, a particular cabinet, whether in the kitchen, study or wardrobe…

WHO LIVES HERE A couple and their two young children HOME Four-room condominium apartment SIZE 1,400 sq ft Looking at the photos of this four-room condominium apartment near the Bukit Panjang area, one would not guess that it is home to parents with two young children. The design has a sense of cool masculinity and a certain discipline about it. And then there's that dominant colour running throughout the house: white – usually a nightmare to keep pristine near curious young minds. It might scare us but not this family, so kudos to the interior design that makes managing their home a breeze. The brief called for plenty of common spaces to mingle and play in and storage space to keep things uncluttered. There were also considerations for the family’s…

Projectors used to be the stuff of classrooms and business meetings. These days, they’re beginning to show up in home theatres and living rooms as well in the form of sleek marvels of technology with such capabilities as Ultra HD, Bluetooth connectivity and even a built-in Android TV. There are plenty of advantages over the traditional TV screen, too. Here’s why you should install a projector in your living room. THERE’S ALMOST NO INSTALLATION REQUIRED If you want a fuss-free set-up, get a projector. All you need for a basic installation is a table or a console for the projector to sit on and a blank white wall – no hacking or drilling required. You can also opt to mount the projector overhead and install a screen as a more…

You’ve probably seen one or 10 of these sponsored posts enthusiastically touting advice on “How to Sell One HDB & Buy Two Private Properties!” popping up on your Facebook newsfeed. Curious, we met with one such advertiser, Daniel Wong, an associate group director at Propnex Realty. The interest from Singaporeans, he says, is real, and he gets two to three enquiries a week. “With 80 per cent of us living in HDB flats, there are many who are concerned about the ageing leases and are keen to buy private properties as a home and for investment.” He’s also seen a jump in interest during the condo en-bloc craze in 2017 and 2018, when sellers, flushed with cash, bought two properties with their pay-out. So how do you turn one property…

DALE CHIHULY: GLASS IN BLOOM What: A large-scale glass installations exhibition When: Until 1 August 2021 Where: Gardens by the Bay For more than 50 years, American glass artist Dale Chihuly has pushed the boundaries of the material, reinventing natural and man-made environments with his experiments in light, space, and form. Dale Chihuly: Glass in Bloom showcases 25 of his magnificent large-scale installations, as well as more than 80 sculptures and 2D works. Pictured is The Float Boat (2014) at Denver Botanic Gardens. Ticket prices start from $12. Visit www.chihulyinbloom.com to find out more about the artist and his works.…

Remember Buddhist nun and Korean chef Jeong Kwan from Chef’s Table on Netflix? She’s collaborating with Amsterdam-based company Steinbeisser for their initiative Experimental Gastronomy, which focuses on a mindful eating experience. Together, they’re working with artists to create custom cutlery and tableware with a complimentary vegan temple menu. These fascinating pieces use only natural materials that are foraged, upcycled or repurposed. For more information, visit www.jouwstore.com.…

Few places in the world offer what Azumi Setoda has: a quiet and unassuming yet deeply rejuvenating experience for the soul. Imagine being awakened by sunlight filtering in from the courtyard-facing window and relishing a quiet, home-cooked breakfast in the communal dining room followed by meditation in the garden room or a session in the bathhouse. Located in a 140-year-old compound that used to belong to the influential 17th-century salt trading Horiuchi family, the residence has been carefully restored by architect Shiro Miura – who is trained in the sukiya style of Japanese architecture – and reimagined as a modern ryokan. Bordered by a modern version of the traditional cedar kakine ( Japanese fence), of which each suite has a private view, it has 18 guest suites, four duplexes and…

Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo harnesses the energy of its famous location into its interior. “Our design blends layered textures, fabric, art and furniture that explore Tokyo’s relationship to both the past and the future,” describes Shawn Sullivan, partner and studio leader at Rockwell Group. Opened just months ago, it comprises 151 rooms and two dining options decorated in different styles and patterns, capturing the vibrant spirit of the neighbourhood while reflecting a sense of peacefulness in the heart of the Japanese capital. Manhattan meets Tokyo in the interiors, honouring the philosophy of Rockwell Group: “We want to surprise ourselves,” Shawn says. Sculptural plaster walls and a 3D folding wall welcome guests and visitors in the lobby, also the location of The Jones Café | Bar, an all-day chill New York City…

The world’s best furniture trade shows were either postponed, cancelled or migrated online last year. Founded in 1978 and held annually in London, Decorex International is one of Europe’s leading trade shows for luxury interior design that usually attracts over 400 exhibitors and 15,000 visitors each year. It made its online debut on Nov 17 last year in a three-day virtual event with exhibitions, networking sessions and inspiring talks on some of the most pressing issues in interior design. Highlights included five 360-degree interactive curated spaces with the theme Happy Places by five of the most exciting interior practices in the region and, of course, a slew of innovative and inspiring new products. Here are nine of our picks. HAARA SEVENTEEN — CAMERON DESIGN HOUSE A contemporary take on the…

WHO LIVES HERE A couple and their Japanese Spitz dog HOME Five-room HDB flat in Bidadari Park Drive SIZE 1,000 sq ft SET AGAINST THE INDUSTRIAL FINISHES OF THE HOME, THE PERSONALITY OF THE FURNITURE AND THE ACCESSORIES SPARKLES. A home should be playful, expressive and inviting – and this five-room HDB flat in Bidadari Park Drive embodies all three elements. Belonging to Anthea Tang and Gabriel Chan, the home is light and airy with subtle industrial touches and is filled with their favourite toy collectables and artwork. To meet with their brief, Ong Wei Sheng, the lead designer of Earth Interior, conceptualised a timeless yet modern look with a neutral palette of deep grey, walnut and off-white tones that anchors the space and acts as a backdrop for the…

The living room used to be the social hub of our domestic environment. In recent years, that role has been usurped by the kitchen and dining areas while the living room has evolved into an entertainment hub. Today, in our new normal, the living room is not just an entertainment space, it has also become the multi-purpose space whose function can change throughout the course of the day. So, how do we best approach the design of our living room? Here are tips from five inspiring case studies. Multi-Purpose Open Space “How and when has the ‘room for living’ been reduced to a mere room for watching TV?” ponders Woon Chung Yen, founder of Metre Architects. This home in Compassvale by the firm does away with the mono-functional approach of…

SITTING PRETTY Soft, understated, relaxed. The Fleur sofa collection with an adjustable backrest and arms for maximum comfort is the latest of Australian brand King’s seating options. The sleek, curvilinear silhouette features King’s Postureflex Seating System built on an engineered steel frame for durable support. “Visually light, Fleur features a modern aesthetic and a distinctive silhouette that defies trends,” says David Hardwick, King global head of design. Fleur is available as 2-, 2.5- and 3-seater sofas. There is also a swivel Fleur lounge chair and an ottoman that comes in three sizes. The King Fleur sofa collection retails from $6,008 for a 3-seater and $501 for a high ottoman at www.kingliving.com.sg. MID-CENTURY MODERN Designed to accommodate a domestic life requiring some degree of flexibility, Castlery’s new Madison sofa collection is…