Lasting Beauty

Robert Majernik and wife Christine are no strangers to remodeling; they’ve completed a slew of renovations in the past and have even fipped a home for resale. When the time came to start updating their newest home (built in the mid-70s), they knew just where to start: the kitchen, one of the most remodeled rooms under the roof. 

As they considered the budget and the hard-earned money to be spent on their project, Robert and Christine decided that they wanted a kitchen they could really love (and one that would be appealing to future buyers of the home).  With design trends and styles changing constantly, though, how do you create a kitchen that will 

stand the test of time and remain attractive through the fuctuating tides of real estate? Take a cue from the experts—the Majerniks—who have found a prescription for lasting elegance. 

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. 

Ten Tips to Save Money on Construction

1. Build from a pre-drawn plan, like the ones in this magazine.

Pre-drawn plans are a wonderful way to get a custom home for a lot less than hiring your own designer. Just about any plan can be adapted to ?t your needs and tastes, without breaking the bank. See page 190 to learn more about our custom modi? cation services. 

2. Build green. 

It doesn’t have to be more expensive. There are many simple and relatively inexpensive ways to build a home that uses less energy and water. Explore them. Rule 1: Don’t build more home than you need. When choosing a plan, look for designs in which every square foot is functional. With a smaller home plan, you can spend more on quality ? nishes and details, and your home will cost less to heat and maintain. 

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. 

Rugged Simplicity

Primary elements of loft houses are applied in small doses to create a cosy apartment with a raw edge

Inspired by the edgy industrial feel of loft apartments, the young couple of this four-room fat wanted to recreate that atmosphere in their new home. With that understanding in mind, the designer team from Exin went about to accomplish this task.

In one and a half months, this new apartment was transformed into a cosy and functional home for the pair of newlyweds. Whites, browns and textured surfaces have been cleverly applied in appropriate areas to create a warm, natural look that  can  easily  be  jazzed  up for entertaining.

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.

Nordic Calling

Unpretentiously warm and welcoming, this bachelorette pad’s quiet Swedish style is livened up by dashes of cool blue

Key Ideas

1.Blue is a cool shade so it is very complementary to an all-white colour scheme. It will instantly switch the mood from cold to inviting. 

2. Brighten up dull and petite kitchen spaces with the use of vivid hues  and implement some open shelving. An entire kitchen of closed cabinets will box up the space and make it  look narrow. 

3. Keep multi-purpose rooms versatile with portable furniture. This home’s study room features a desk that slides along the window niche so the settee can be accessed as a spacious reading corner.

4. For a lighter and roomier feel, go for low-lying furniture so it doesn’t hinder your line of vision.

Modest Allure

A simple combination of warm tones added with dashes of glamour create the perfect home for this family of four

At frst glance, this 1300-square-foot condominium unit appears to be a typical modern home. But take a closer look at the attention to detail put into this cosy space and you would notice subtle hints of luxury. Since this apartment located at Loyang is home to a married couple with two children, a welcoming atmosphere is defnitely in line. But above that, the family loves to entertain guests and wanted a distinctive touch, prompting designer Jesper Low from Arc Defne to throw in a unique mix of materials like mosaic tiles and glass. 

Introduced to Jesper by a friend, the homeowners were familiar with Jesper’s design capabilities and hence, confdently left the overhaul project in his hands. Upon entering the home, the subtle glamour is injected with textured wallpaper in a slight shimmer lining one end of the wall. On the other side, full-length black-tinted mirrors create visual space and interest for the dining area. A sparkling ceiling light is also chosen by Jesper to brighten up the space. 

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. 

Contemporary Hideout

A soothing Balinese vibe with a modern twist marks the style of this light-filled home

What makes a home a sanctuary for the soul? Is it the aura of calm that envelopes your senses as you relax into a plush sofa or is it the furnishings that evoke memories of a faraway holiday destination? To the owners of this three-bedroom condominium, it is a Balinese theme interspersed with modern design elements that provides a tranquil haven for them. Designer John Kow from Rhiss Interior gave this theme an eclectic twist which is most evident in the shared living and dining area. 

The walls are adorned with wallpaper with a coarse texture akin to that of natural pebbles and one of these wallpapered walls also serve as a living room feature after being fanked symmetrically by two veneer frames. Continuing the horizontal patterns of the frame, the area near the bay windows is installed with dark brown timber blinds to make it more conducive for relaxation. The base of the windows is deliberately left untouched, letting natural light pool at the bottom for a sense of lightness to the space. 

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.”

12 Decorating Secrets

1. Spice up a room with a feature wall. You can choose a contrast colour or wallpaper. You can also decide to apply wallpaper to the ceiling to create character and depth to the room.

2. You can maximize the height of the room by fixing curtains all the way up to the ceiling.

3. Rugs and carpets are an excellent touch to the room, but should end before the furniture in most cases.

4. Abstract sculptures are an easy fix to modernize any room. 

5. Avoid bright lights in the dining room. 

6. Try to match the shape of your dining table to the shape of your room.