An Isle of Tile

The opportunity to own one’s own island in this country is almost unheard of, but in the Lowcountry, among all the unique slivers of land, there are a few dramatic plots surrounded entirely by water. One such property—of of Headquarters Island—is not only beautiful for its land-scape but, after an extensive remodel, it is also a vision on the inside.

After choosing an impressive selection of tile from Palmetto Tile Distributors for their new Folly Beach home, the homeowners tasked Palmetto Tile’s manager, Jason Goldberg, with revitalizing a wide range of spaces (including four bathrooms, one powder room, one pool restroom, one kitchen, and one pool) in their second home of of Headquarters Island. Together, they chose a mixture of materials and fnishes to add visual appeal to every surface. 

And A Place to Call Home

When  their  youngest  daughter was  diagnosed  with  a  rare form of  lymphoma,  the McAvoy family was  living  in the northernmost stretch  of Mt. Pleasant, making  their  fartoo-frequent  drive  to  chemotherapy  sessions a real road trip. The family decided it was best to sell their home and move into a rental unit near downtown while they constructed a home closer to MUSC Children’s Hospital.  This  process  placed  a  burden on  their heart  for  other  families  traveling long  distances  to  take  their  sick  children to medical treatments; not only is the journey emotionally taxing, but it is also fnancially  taxing. Matt and Amy began a nonproft organization known as The Journey House, which  currently  funds hotel  stays close  to MUSC  for  families who need  the assistance. Their  future plan  is  to build a home  downtown  to  house  these  families.   

Style Factor

Despite not keeping to a specific design theme, this breezy condominium unit located at the northern part of the island looks well put-together  

Spacious, cosy and decked in earthy tones, the laid-back vibe of this apartment unit is exactly what its homeowners wanted to return to after a long day. Having approached designers Andy Tan and Ace Li from D’Trenzo Interior to do up their home, the dynamic duo took only 9 weeks to transform their home from drab to fab. 

Beginning at the living area, the designers used a colour combo of pale brown and white on the walls to strike a clean-cut balance. And to create a seamless effect, the television is fushed against the feature wall, while the rest of the zone is adorned with plush furnishings and warm lighting to evoke the cosy feel. 

Open House

A complete reshuffle of this home’s original layout creates designated spaces for work, play and family time

Key Ideas

1. To break away from the norm, incorporate two or more different themes to create a distinctive look.

2. Closed cabinets can look stiff and block the fow of light and space. Opt for open shelving to create a look that is more free-spirited.

3. Instead of swing doors to connect rooms, use a sliding door or panel as a more space-saving option. 

4. Solid walls have the effect of boxing up a space. Reduce the boxed-in effect by replacing a portion of it with a glass panel to open up the space visually.

Chocolate Pleasures

Earthy browns and peaceful creams are great colours for interiors. They can be stylish and elegant and match with many other colour schemes.

In this condominium residence, we beleive that designers Sunny Chow and Tony Tao of Sky Creation Design Sdn Bhd, created these beatiful interiors with delicious inspirations from a cup of cappucino with wiped cream, white and dark chocolate, a slic of marble cheesecake or even new leather seats in soft cream and tan colours. All throughout the interior, the primary colıur scheme do not stray away from cream or brown. In the living area the cream is almost white, and the brown almost black, whereas in other spaces, such as the master bedroom, the two colours more pronounced and almost identical. 

Double Vision

Decorating Ideas

No matter if your home-decorating budget is sky high or, well, limited to somewhere around the tree-tops, achieving a stylish home is never out of the question with these fabulous picks

Foyer 

Go for hardy decor in this high-traffic area; think heavy-duty yet easy-to-clean surfaces. 

Living Room

Start with neutral-coloured basics like couches and rugs. Then, flesh out the decor with accessories that are dear to your heart to create a room with soul and personality. 

Everything Zen

A worn-out, old bath is transformed into an Asian-inspired oasis

Before Anna  Jacoby  worked  her magic  on  this Freemont,  Calif.,  bathroom,  it  was  typical  1980s, with  a  glaring  ? uorescent  light  above  the  sink, outdated  ? xtures  and  plumbing,  a  tiny  shower and a cramped layout. Her client wanted to turn the ordinary and aged room into a relaxing space where she could unwind in style. Jacoby obliged, creating a Zen  retreat with an oversized spa  tub, natural materials and mood lighting throughout. 

The biggest  challenge was  ? nding a way  to expand the bath without disrupting the adjacent rooms. Jacoby decided to borrow a foot of space from one of  two master bedroom closets, which gave  her  the  breathing room  she  needed  to enlarge  the  tub  and  improve  the  space’s  ? ow. “The  closet  was  more  than  three  feet  deep,” said Jacoby, “so we were able to take the space and still leave a standard 2-ft.-deep closet in the master bedroom.”

Back to the Future

Thoughtful remodelling and restoration work unearths the charm of a bungalow built in the eighties

In the midst of the rapid growth and development in capital, preservation does not always happen naturally. Buildings are torn down to make way for new ones that bear no trace of their old structures. Concerned that this architectural amnesia was eroding our heritage, interior designer James Yong took up the challenge to transform a hillside bungalow built in the 1980s while retaining its original character.  

  

The house slants shyly away from the road at a 45-degree angle, resulting in maximised usable building space and added privacy. By contrast, the garden’s design is not what one would call demure. Flamboyant tropical palms in giant pots as well as iconic modern outdoor furniture pieces transform the once unspectacular grounds into a stylish hangout spot. 

Chic Sophistication

Classic meets experimental to create a country-styled home that surprises

A European favour marks this 4-room HDB fat unit even before you step foot into its premises. Wood decking lies at the doorway to welcome guests. It is reminiscent of a verandah and the proud owner of this Scandinavian-inspired haven is a bachelorette. Engaging the design team from Renozone, they spent seven weeks transforming the place into what it is now.

For a look that is more country, the fooring of the entire apartment is clad with a timber-like laminate fnish. The walls in the living room and bedrooms are plastered with foral-themed wallpaper to play up the element of countryside living. In the kitchen however, the design moves to one that stems from the raw industrial look.

Malibu Marvel

A luxury duplex apartment in Malibu is the closest thing to perfection with gorgeous aesthetics paired with practical functionality.

Completed in 2009, the 800m² duplex apartment was designed for a young enterprising businessman. On the lower floor, the central idea was to enhance the living area so as to provide maximum integration among the spaces, as is the case with the gourmet kitchen, integrated with the dining-room. Likewise, the stairwell and elevator casing thst provide access to the upper floor were designed in glass, so as to integrate the living-room to the media room and the exterior, where we find the exterior, we find a bold swimming-pool, also built from glass, after thorough superimposed structure and load-bearing calculations. Glazing theelevator case and the clear glass steps on the stairs proved to be major challenges in the design of the apartment. 

Modern Artistry

These modern duplex condominium interiors designed by Nu Infinity unite classy, relaxing styles with a luxurious, upper-class feel.

Acquiring a well-executed modern interior design can result in a really exclusive and luxurious look in a home. This posh residence in Damansara Heights boasts of an array of neutral coloured designer furniture, with a mix of lavish materials and a touch of contemporary to achieve a really elegantly designed home. 

Expert Interior Lighting Tips

What kind of lighting does each room need?

There are two rules of thumb: You should have a mix of light sources at different levels to create a flatteringambience, and you need appropriate task lighting for whatever you do in that space (reading, sauteing, getting dressed). Here are tips for five key spots.

1. Living Room 

Light three of the four corners, focusing one of those lights on an object (art, a plant, a striking chair). Use a combinaiton of table lamps and floor lamps, some with a downward glow and some that shine upward. If you have an overhead fiture, put it on a dimmer. 

2. Dining Room 

To draw people in, make the table the brightest spot in the room. Use a chandelier or a pendant above the table, limiting the total wattage to 100. Elsewhere in the room, indirect lighting is best-it's relaxing and flattering. Give the space a subtle glow with a pair of small table lamps on a sideboard or matching sconces on the wall above. Battery-powered votives inside a glass-front china cabinet can be a nice touch.

How to Increase Your Property Value

Smart design decisions can help you improve the ROi (return on investment) of your home. I outline some key areas where you should consider upgrading, inside and out.

Colour

Rather than opt for a white interior, choose a softer colour to showcase your home. Coordinating a full colour scheme is best left to a qualifed interior designer or decorator; however, if hiring a professional is not in the budget, consider colour palettes created by paint company designers. 

Kitchen

The biggest, single investment you can make is to update the kitchen. If your budget allows, stainless-steel appliances, stone countertops and refaced (or freshly painted) cabinets are a good place to start. Granite and quartz have the most pizzazz and are desirable features when reselling.