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. 

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. 

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.

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. 

The Brick Loft

Let us follow the journey that transitioned an old office unit to a contemporary loft apartment.

It is hard to imagine that this apartment was previously a dingy looking office unit. But obviously its new owners saw its potential, and we too, as well. Situated on the second storey of a shophouse unit in the charming JooChiat area, we wanted to reinvent, with a localised design language, the concept of a chic industrial loft. Well, we end up calling this apartment endearingly by the name of ‘the brick loft house’.

From the onset, we knew the importance of bringing light and the sense of lightness to the space within. The apartment has to feel as if it’s suffused with light. To do that, walls were knocked down to create an outdoor verandah area upon entry. Huge timber framed glass sliding doors are used to further increase light porosity. Generous amount of louvres are used at the rooftop to bring in more light to the mezzanine bedroom.

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.