Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2022 i Home Journal

When compiling this year’s Home Solutions (in the back of the book), our annual edition on trends in interior décor that covers all areas of a home, one question kept bothering me: why are we so obsessed with design trends when, like fashion, interior trends go around in circles anyway? Perhaps we shouldn’t be. But the truth is, we also shouldn’t be ignorant to what’s in vogue either, because, apart from aesthetic purposes, design trends underscore contemporary values, and what we truly need today. Take the 1970s style, which has risen to the fore this season, and will continue into the next. Highlighting curved furniture, rounded silhouettes, and natural materials such as rattan and stone, as well as earth tones and mixed colours, ’70s design embraces an eclectic aesthetic marked…

Owning a home is a dream shared by all Hongkongers and Ivan Ho believes that when that dream is realised the space we inhabit should carry with it a friendly and loving vibe, while being a place where family and friends can gather together and simply enjoy the best things in life. These are the themes that form the very foundations of the work Ho does as founder of C&I Interior Design, and they are themes that have driven his career since its inception. Ho’s interest in interior design and manufacturing was ignited at a very young age, thanks to his family’s background in the furniture industry, and it prompted him to pursue the practice with a degree in Taiwan. After returning to Hong Kong, he joined his parents’ company…

The family wanted their abode to feel airy and bright. They weren’t too fond of black-white-grey tones and anything that feel heavy-handed,” says designer Brian Chan, founder of Facade Interior Design, of the recent project he did for the family of three. For six months, Chan worked with the couple and their young son to remake their 2,000 square foot house at Mount Regalia in Kau To Shan into a comfortable and classy home with a luxurious, yet approachable vibe, turning the original four en suites into three, along with a study. “The challenge was pulling off a luxe look that feels rich without too much opulence,” Chan says. For the designer, that entailed choosing the finest materials and fabrics, and letting them speak for themselves; layering, contrast, tactility and…

Peninsular Malaysia Malaysia villas Perched on the pristine Peninsular Malaysia, Anantara Desaru Coast Residences is a boutique collection of 20 three and four-bedroom beachfront residences, each with a private infinity-edge pool as a focal point. The complex now welcomes the first group of owners in time for the opening of the new Desaru Coast Ferry Terminal, and the commencement of a direct ferry service from and to Singapore. Located in Johor Darul Ta’zim, Desaru Coast is home to world-class hotels and resorts, championship golf courses, a family-friendly water park, a convention centre, with more to come. Starting this month, the Desaru Coast Ferry Terminal will offer 90-minute round-trip direct ferry services connecting to Singapore’s Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, available from Thursday to Sunday. Facing the South China Sea, the beachfront…

A TRANQUIL OASIS The bedroom is where we go to get away from the demands of work and day-to-day life for rest and restoration. A good bedroom design therefore should encourage relaxation and make you feel calm and serene. This year’s trends of soft nature-inspired colours, botanical prints, plants, plenty of layering, and beautiful head-boards, come together to create romantic, almost fairytale-like bedrooms, where you can escape to dream sweet dreams and get a good night’s sleep. 1. INSPIRATION: SOFT AND ROMANTIC In 2022, bedroom design is all about soft blues and greens, earthy colours, botanical prints, and plenty of layering. Cool blues that bring to mind clear skies on sunny days and calm lagoons and meadows, while light olive or avocado greens are ideal for creating a calming space…

MAKE IT WORK For many of us, working from home is not only an option or alternative amid the pandemic, but also an integral part of our career as it offers greater flexibility and even productivity. From the selection of furniture to the addition of accessories, arranging your study room meticulously will enable you to enjoy working in the comfort of your beloved home, while also benefiting your wellbeing, and striking a balance between your personal life and career. As working from home continues to be a trend in the upcoming years, let’s spend more effort on creating a state-of-the-art study room. 1. CUTTING EDGE Undoubtedly, working from home has been a norm since the onset of the pandemic. A set of multifunctional earphones can help you take meetings with…

Home Journal’s cross-brand series has been held for three years in a row with incredible success and for the first time ever, we hosted a cocktail bash to celebrate the best-of-the-best furniture, home decor and appliances that embody the true value of what makes a design timeless. It was a lively night where members from the Asia Designers Community (ADC), homegrown interior designers, and senior executives from some of the most premium furniture and design brands in the world – including BoConcept, Ekobor, LG, VELA CASA, and Zzue Creation – gathered at premier venue The Annex in Central, celebrating and mingling over drinks and lip-smacking canapés. This year’s campaign is different from previous renditions in that we invited three SGS-certified interior design firms – C&I Interior Design, Hei Design, and…

Near the city of Guarda, in Portugal’s Goncalo parish, Portuguese architects Filipe Pina and David Bilo have rehabilitated a mid-twentieth century granite farmhouse and extended it with two gabled concrete structures to create a modern and minimalist countryside weekend retreat for a family of three. Located in an area known as Mora at the foot of the Serra da Estrela mountain range in central Portugal, the property – which the architects have named Casa NaMora – is set within a naturally sheltered 18-hectare plot surrounded by dense pine forests. The land around the property is a working farm so the landscape is verdant and well cared for. “NaMora translates to ‘in Mora’, but also means ‘flirt’ or ‘date’,” Pina says. “Thus, in a place named Mora, the concrete volumes forming the…

Mysterious, cold, and often distant, grey is far from the easiest colour to apply to interior design, but when done right, the neutral colour palette is, in fact, highly malleable. Through mixing and matching a variety of tones, lightness and materials, grey can create a range of atmospheric spaces – think calm and collected, chic and understated – to bring out the personality and style of the homeowner. VirtuouS Interiors recently remodelled a 1,200 square foot apartment at Mei Foo Sun Chuen with flexible grey colours, creating for a couple and their pet a chic and stylish living space that’s a masterclass in practising restraint. “As the female owner loves the stylish feeling of grey, we used different shades of the colour to set the base tone for the home,” says…

Riviera Maya, Mexico Residence A gated resort community in Mexico’s Riviera Maya, Fairmont Residences Mayakoba is tucked amid the tropical destination’s lush greenery, lagoons, fairways, and pristine beaches. Spanning 3,148 square feet with double-height ceilings and a seamless indoor-outdoor connection, Residence 1211 is slated to be completed by the end of the year and is priced at $1.67 million. Packed with a relaxed, yet sophisticated aesthetic, with interiors done by Spanish firm Room 1804, there will be three bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms, staff quarters and large private outdoor spaces that are perfect for entertaining. The main terrace will be accessible from the living room through receding glass pocket doors, with a luxurious plunge pool for residents to enjoy in private. Residents will have access to all the amenities…

ROUND THE TABLE Undoubtedly, the dining room is one of the most preferred places in any household for members of a family to gather. In addition to the quality of dishes and wine, the experience matters as well. The entire dining experience at home consists of a number of factors, including tableware, ambience, the design of the dining room, and even the rapport among the family. Moving forward, as our ways of life and how we work have changed since the onset of the pandemic, the functions of the dining room have evolved as well. In this article, we talk to Russia-based designer Natasha Popov about her thoughts on modern dining rooms and her design project. Every room in our home boasts a unique function and the dining room is…

Marble, a stone that often gives a feeling of cold, rigid, and even of the ancient, is actually more versatile, flexible and fashionable than you may think, when used correctly. Marble as a building material dates back to ancient Greece and Rome. Celebrated for its durability, longevity, and elegant appearance, the stone was widely used as a construction material for historical monuments, temples and statues, some of which are still standing intact today. With a seemingly infinite supply throughout the world, excavated directly from the earth, marble is sustainable and heat resistant, promising longevity when in good care. This explains why the stone has been favoured by architects, designers and artists throughout the centuries, and can be found in almost every home today, particularly on countertops, flooring and, now more…

As someone who runs a luxury real estate rental business, Paola Gheis knows all too well what makes a house stand out from the rest. When she was looking for a second home for off-season use and yet another bespoke property to add to her company’s portfolio, she knew just where to look. “I’m a Sardinia-born Italian, but now live in Barcelona. I am very fond of the sea, which is why I created the property ‘Refugi Blau’ in Menorca, one of the four Balearic Islands in Spain,” Gheis said. “In Menorcan language, ‘Refugi Blau’ literally means ‘blue shelter’. It’s a place where I can escape from the city to work remotely and enjoy the island every time I hear the call of the sea.” Declared a biosphere reserve by…

London, UK Apartment Situated in the Grade II-listed neo-baroque Old War Office where Winston Churchill commanded the British Armed Forces, and Ian Fleming dreamt up James Bond, this opulent 2,807 square foot three-bedroom residence by award-winning interior design studio Angel O’Donnell is the crème de la crème of what the opulent OWO Residences by Raffles has to offer, and which has now been listed for £14.25 million. Developed by Hinduja Group, the OWO is an extravagant reincarnation of the former Old War Office, which was completed in 1906, which will offer a collection of 85 residences alongside a host of residents-only amenities, an opulent five-star Raffles Hotel, and 11 bars and restaurants. Intended as a collector’s piece for the likes of a seasoned traveller and cultural connoisseur, the residence features…

FIVE KITCHEN DESIGN IDEAS This year, kitchen design is all about bringing people closer, and connecting the kitchen with the other functional areas of the home. 1. ENHANCED CONNECTIVITY Interior designers and homeowners continue to choose open-concept kitchens which merge seamlessly with other functional spaces of the home. Increasing the kitchen’s visual and spatial connectivity to the dining room, living room, or garden, is a top priority in kitchen design right now. “At the moment, there is a strong focus on kitchen concepts that bring people together. Homeowners want open kitchens where the person behind the stove can interact with family and friends while they prepare a meal,” says Maggy Cheung, cofounder of award-winning Hong Kong interior design studio Grande Interior Design. When designing a kitchen to enhance connectivity, she…

PERSONAL PARADISE The bathroom is the place where we enjoy some private moments, and to relax. It is about hygiene maintenance and helps us get ready to start our day, and wind down. Keeping the bathroom simple and spacious can ensure our safety, but there are a lot of places in the bathroom we can work on to enhance the entire experience. Good quality materials and functionality make a good bathroom design. Although some fixtures are permanent, there are still some installations that can be added or removed easily to give you a refreshed feeling. 1. LAYING THE GROUND WORK Tiles are an important part of home furnishing. They dominate the feeling of the bathroom and fixtures to curate a comforting environment. According to Cecilie Larsen, co-founder and interior designer…