Have a Seat

With an immediate family the size of two football teams (22, not including spouses!), the Keanes of Boston knew their Isle of Palms vacation home had to accommodate and withstand a very large clan. Their challenge was to fnd sturdy, weatherproof furniture that ft stylistically within the backyard oasis they envisioned. 

“We wanted furniture that would last because we didn’t want to have to replace things when we visited. And, we wanted the spaces to be comfortable,” explained matriarch Karen Keane. For this logical set of requirements, Karen approached Sharon Campbell of Backyard Retreats for her vast knowledge about outdoor furniture. “Sharon has a phenomenal service where she ofers to come to the home to see the spot being furnished,” Karen gushed. “When she visited, we clicked right away because she really listened to what I wanted, and she wasn’t trying to change everything.” 

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.   

White Out

Exuding a nostalgic Scandinavian flavour, this open and airy home harnesses the best of this clean-cut style

Key Ideas

1. Brick walls are becoming the  hottest commodity as feature walls. Use strips of laminate to outline these coarse walls and make a stronger statement.

2. Claim the Scandinavian look with neutral doses of colour. Pastel, whitewashed and earthy hues all work well in creating a spacious and airy Scandinavian haven.

3.Be sure to select furniture with clean lines too. This helps with furnishing the space with an uncluttered feel.

4. Use fooring to expand the visual size of an area. A long strip of tiles or homogenous fooring from one zone to another can elongate the space effectively.

5. Move the vanity out of the bathroom if there are two people sharing it. Have double sinks so both users can wash up at the same time.

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. 

Sleek Sanctuary

Modern design strokes imbue this flat with an idyllic holiday feel

For the couple living in this HDB fat unit, the design of the interior makes their home the perfect place to unwind after a day’s work. Mesmerised by the stylish yet homely feel of service apartments on their trips abroad, they wanted to recreate that feel in their own apartment. To achieve that, they engaged John Chan from Genesis ID and in a mere fve weeks, they were presented with a service apartment-inspired house to call their own.

Doused in a soothing shade of dark brown and laid with marble fooring, the communal space is a vision of relaxation and elegance. Separated into two zones by a full-height display cabinet that provides storage and also doubles up as a divider, the living area features a zone for watching television and another zone for entertainment and games. When not in use, sliding glass panels conceal the screen and other entertainment peripherals.

Sensuous Spaces

This one-bedroom shoe uni is a definite show-stopper with its open versatile living areas, streamlined cabinetry, luxurious detailing and sensuous lighting. 

There are many occasions when it is simply not possible to physically enlarge your home, especially

when you live in a purpose-built block of apartments. However, inspired thinking can hlp you use the space you do have to best effect, at the same time creating the illuson that your home is much bigger than it really is. In this show unit, an edgy, urban vibe is cetainly felt by the palette of cooli idustrial colours of gaphite greys, black and ash browns. The living area is kept simple wit minimal furniture like the 60' inspired wooden-framed sofa filled with comfy pillows in a myriad of grey stripes and a sculptural tree-trunk, which also acts as a side table. A rush of playful colours is introduced by a floor rug which provides a vibrant energy to space. Not only that, accessories, like the framed black and white piece of art, are stylish must-haves for blank walls. 

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.

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. 

Loft Living

Experience a different home living when you step into The 80's Studio's New York loft concept showroom cum office space   

True to their aim of creating innovative and unconventional design concepts, the newly set up interior design company recently opened its doors to their frst offce cum showroom space. Helmed by director Andy Tan, this approximately 1000-square-foot is designed to evoke a raw industrial feel of lofts in New York. 

Located at Ubi Avenue 4, this offce cum showroom underwent a two-month-long overhaul, with the most major modifcation being the mezzanine level that was added on. Upon entering the showroom, one would be greeted by a clean and welcoming kitchen space. 

Iconic Ideas

"The home is a haven ideas. Here the show unit of Icon Residenz, a prestigious project by Mah Sing Group Berhad, experiments with colour and texture, furnishings, lighting and room planning."

With the growing demand for urban housing, developers andarchitects have worked towards making the most of our space and creating more interesting homes. Large living spaces are a highly desirable element in both houses and in this residence, a large, open-planned space plays host to three entertaining areas -the living, dining and kitchen. A sleek L-shaped sofa accompanied by ann array of luxurious pillow and an illuminated wall of glass shelves provide elegance to the living area while a modern six-seater dining set with gleaming chrome fittings sits perfectly beneath a stunning chandelier. A huge mirrored wall is also installed, which is a bril,ant way to visually enlarge and brigthen the space. 

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.”

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. 

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.

A Touch Of Class

Luxury beckons in this two-bedroom apartment unit which is decked out in simple yet sophisticated touches

For most people, the storage space within the home is just as important as any other aspects of a home. And so it came as no surprise when renovating their new home, the young owners of this two-bedroom apartment unit wanted to maximise the space. Designer Daniel Loi of Space Defne was tasked with the apartment’s design and unperturbed by the limited space, decorated the interior in accordance to their storage needs while accommodating to the owners’ style preferences. 

The style of the home is a  simple concept: modern, luxurious with artful arrangements of furnishings and a clever utilisation of colours. To create a bigger entertaining and relaxation area, the living and dining areas were combined into an open-plan space, while keeping the other areas of the home such as the sleeping quarters private. The owners wanted a neutral backdrop, thus walls were painted and wallpapered in white while the foors were laid in pale marble tiles. The background of white walls is complemented with a large TV console in black stucco fnish. 

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.

Cabinetry Talk

The bare facts of custom-built laminate cabinetry straight from the industry experts

Synonymous with custom-made cabinetry, laminates are pretty much the prime material in every home. Look into any household today and you would most probably fnd laminate kitchen cabinets, wardrobes, shelving and design features like pillars and wall coverings. To better understand the characteristics, variety and maintenance of laminate, we got a group of laminate experts to answer some common questions and share their maintenance tips for the material.

Q. What is laminate?