SHOPPING

Textures and Patterns 

Eye-catching patterned tiles in your home on walls and floors can easily make the look of your home iconic and unique – such as in the Alabama porcelain tile collection. The decorative patterns are combined with textural vein designs to help add dimension and depth to surfaces. 

The Alabama porcelain tile collection is available at Hafary, 105 Eunos Avenue 3. 

Hot Seat 

In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the iconic Sacco beanbag chair, W. Atelier, in partnership with Zanotta, invited local talents to design and recreate their version of this furniture piece, with the theme “Urban Living the Asian Way”. The top 10 designs were recently unveiled, including three winning designs, which will be exhibited in the Zanotta showroom in Milan next month. The winners are Jarrod Lim from Jarrod Lim Design, Karyn Lim and Tiffany Loy. 

All 10 designs of the Sacco beanbag chair will be showcased at W. Atelier flagship showroom and the National Design Centre in Singapore on July 2, 2019.

Celebrating Design 

Renowned and leading interior designer Kelly Hoppen has launched The Kelly Hoppen International Design Awards, with the aim of recognising and celebrating interior design excellence. Submission for the inaugural competition opens till Jan 31, with the award ceremony to take place at Design Shanghai in March 2019. With categories such as residential interiors, hotel interiors, restaurant interiors, commercial interiors, product design, lighting design, and architecture, as well as a new talent award, the competition will celebrate all facets of the industry. 

Property Curation 

Search for your dream home easily with newly launched property search portal Mogul.sg. The keyword-based search engine uses custom keywords – generated from the Singapore Land Authority’s Onemap geospatial data – to optimise its results, so potential buyers can also configure their property search along MRT lines. 

CAST IN STONE

Italian designer Matteo Leorato took inspiration from Venetian architecture for his design of the Loggia series of coffee tables, which are made entirely of terrazzo. Specialising in the use of marble, Matteo enjoys exploring new patterns and ways of incorporating the material into his works. The popularity of terrazzo is seeing a comeback, so the Loggia tables are right on-trend! 

See Matteo Leorato’s complete collection at www.matteoleorato.it. The Loggia table is available at www.1stdibs.com. 

Kitchen Goals 

Keep your kitchen free of clutter with the Kitchenminis range of compact and space-saving appliances including a smoothie maker, one-litre glass kettle, two-egg cooker, steamer and chopper. Made of Cromargan stainless steel casing and with brushed surfaces that have high matte finish, these timeless appliances are designed to complement any interior style. 

Appliances from the WMF Kitchenminis range retail from $89 (chopper). Find out more at www.wmf.sg, or at one of the 20 WMF concept stores islandwide.

ECO-FRIENDLY

Ever seen a wall finising which does not only look good, but can also help purify the air and absorb moisture? Purion is Singapore's first natural paint option made of an organic material called Diatom, which, through extensive research and development, has proven to be odourless, moisture-absorbent, anti-bacterial, mould-proof, life-retardant, durable and even air-purifying. The team at Purion Wall has created a wide selection of 48 colours and six textures including marble-look, brick-inspired and silk-textured.

Learn more about Purion Wall at its showroom, #01-75, Midview City, 22 Sin Ming Lane, www.purion.com.sg.

NOW AND ZEN 

Water is an important element in meditation so, naturally, bathware label Apaiser takes bathing to be an equally meditative experience. Through the oval and round marble bathtubs of its Zen collection, you will see a fine balance between hard and soft lines and the merger of geometry and subtlety. The Zen basin and Butler's Tray, also in a soft white hue and inspired by Japanese ceramics, complement the bathtubs. All Apaiser products are handcrafted from Apaiser Marble, a blend of repurposed marble, stone and minerals.

See the Zen collection at the Apaiser showroom, 23 Mosque Street, tel: 6223-2378, www.apaiser.com.

CHARACTER-FILLED 

What does rockstar-themed furniture look like? Commune shows you, with the latest Volta furniture collection. Featuring bold contrasts and a marriage between elegant and rustic elements such as walnut wood and leather finishes respectively, the furniture pieces in this collection are chic and full of character. Take the Volta side chair for example (right). Its solid walnut frame contrasts with steel stretchers and leg caps in a matte brass finish. The chair seat and back is upholstered in genuine black leather for that cushy, luxurious feel. 

The Volta collection comprises a dining table, dining chair, end table, sideboard, coffee table and TV unit. Shop the new collection at Commune flagship store, #02-52, Millenia Walk.

Play House

Make your kid’s room a fun, stylish and safe space to live in. Flexa’s latest collection — Flexa Classic House —is designed to transform into a small playhouse complete with window boxes and even a chimney. Available  Full House, Half Classic House and Midsleeper with a Half Classic House, customise according to your kid’s preferences, needs and even to your interior design style at home. 

Check out Flexa Classic House at their showrooms, #01-33 to 35 United Square, #03-38 i12 Katong, and #02-22 Forum the Shopping Mall.

SLEEK SURFACES 

Leading surface specialist Cosentino has launched a new range of colours for its Dekton and Silestone collections. Inspired by materials such as cement and natural marble, the new colours in Dekton’s ultra-compact surface Industrial collection include four matte options – Laos, Soke, Kreta and Lunar – which have detailed aesthetics and a variety of shades from dark to light grey. For the Silestone quartz Loft series, go for the Brooklyn and Silver Lake options if you’d like a cement- or concrete-look surface. As for natural stone-inspired looks, choose the Vera and Kira, which are elegant and mimic the look of Gris Pulpis marble.

Check out the new Dekton and Silestone range at Cosentino City Center, 34/35 Duxton Road.

PRADA APLENTY 

Luxury fashion brand Prada’s new creative lab, Atelier Lab, launched a collection of fragrances with bottle sleeves inspired by signature patterns iconic to the brand. The fragrance bottle covers can be customised from a selection of six graphic designs, which were featured in various Prada fashion collections over the years. The made to measure for La Femme Prada and L’Homme Prada. 

Shop the Atelier Lab collection at www.prada.com.

PIECE OF CAKE 

New online store Piece of Cake has launched a line-up of small accessories. First on its list of brands is Thai label Labrador Factory, which uses recycled full-grain cow leather to create key jackets, travel wallets and table trays. You can even choose the colour of the leather, like green or grey, when purchasing the table trays. Minimal chemicals have been applied to the leather, and the brand focuses on achieving the most natural feel of leather. Watch this space for more brands and updates.

Visit www.sglabradorfactory.wixsite.com/pieceofcake. 

BLACK IN STYLE 

Create the perfect all-black kitchen with Turbo’s range of black appliances. The Turbo Incanto Chimney hood TD8188 has an air flow of 900 cubic metres per hour and a four-speed touch panel, while the Incanto Multi-Function Oven TFM628T – awarded an A-class energy rating – features an easy-to- clean enamel interior, five removable shelves, and eight functions, so you can bake cookies and roast meats. The T702GV-BK hob is made with Schott glass for extra durability and produces flames at the energy-efficient angle of 45 degrees. 

Visit Turbo’s exclusive showroom at Meng Kee & Co, 55 Jalan Besar, tel: 6294-3771. The products are also available at all gas, electrical, hardware and sanitaryware dealers.

THE RIGHT SHADE 

Operated via a single remote control, the wind-, water-, and UV-resistant Lagune can be installed on three sides of a balcony, easily turning it into an “indoor” area. The retractable terrace cover lets just the right amount of sun in and features concealed drainage gutters for the rain, preventing water from splashing into the balcony. You can also opt for LED lights and  giving you the freedom to create the ambience you want.

Renson Lagune is available in 10 colours including black, grey, mustard and blue. Find it at MC2, #01-28, Vertex Building, 33 Ubi Avenue 3, tel: 6634-7333.

NEUE IN STORES 

Skeletal in design, the Neue Chair is made up of strong yet lightweight materials. This computer chair comes under Neue, Secretlab’s latest subsidiary. So confident are they about this launch, that the chair comes with a 12-year warranty. The durable three-layer mesh blend (which includes Dupont Yarn) promises to feel good on the skin, while the aluminium alloy used for the wheelbase and backspin offers durability. To adjust the height, simply squeeze the Controlshift hand levers located at the handrests. 

The Silver ($999) and Obsidian ($1,149) Neue chairs are available on Lazada, Shopee and Secretlab’s website. The Obsidian features additional industrial plating to increase resistance to corrosion. Visit www.secretlab.co.

Waste Not 

There is actually a lot that goes into creating the perfect bin, from odour and soft-closing mechanisms to the fit of its liners and recycling efforts. Designers then condense this into chic vessels which now include fingerprint-resistant finishes and vibrant colours. Take a look at these trendy bins and you’ll know what we mean.

1. Joseph Joseph 24L Stack Bin, $109, from Redmart 

2. Simplehuman 55L Rectangular Step Bin in Rose Gold, $369, from Robinsons 

3. Brabantia 20L New Icon Pedal Bin in Moss Green, $168, from Robinsons 

4. Rotho 40L Stepbin in Patchwork, $119, from Hipvan