NOW

HERE THOU ART, ROMEO

Brainchild of Italian design maestro Antonio Citterio, Flexform’s Romeo sectional sofa collection is a perfect marriage of understated elegance and supreme comfort. Set close to the floor and with generous goose down cushions, Romeo’s inviting proportion caters to today’s more relaxed lifestyle. Its thin metal frame lends a touch of lightness while its upholstery can be specified in any materials available in Flexform’s catalogue, from linen and cashmere to leather and velvet. Truly a versatile centrepiece that looks at home in any setting, from the sleekly minimalist to the lavishly decorated.

STORE AND DISPLAY

With multiple configurations and finish options, the Studio Storage system from British brand Very Good & Proper (VG&P) is suitable for working spaces both in commercial and residential settings. Studio Storage features a royal blue metal structure with integrated display panels fitted with either cork or whiteboards for office or family communications, as well as open shelves and cabinets to store documents and equipment.

ERGONOMIC PORTABILITY

These days, your couch, dining table and kitchen countertop might serve as a work surface. None of these is ergonomically designed for the correct posture. Rizr, a portable sit-to-stand desk by local brand MaNa, offers 12 height settings, lightweight case, a tilted surface and screen adjustment with a noslip grip to keep your laptop in place while working. Mura Wave Tiles is sold in a box of nine tiles for $640 from Woven Image, www.wovenimage.com.

TILE OF THE MONTH

PEACE & QUIET

Having worked from home these past few months, we realised that there is so much noise in our domestic environment. One way to minimise this distraction is by installing acoustic tiles in the wall of the study. Commonly found in offices, the acoustic tiles of today have evolved to look at home at, well, our homes. An example is the Mura Wave Tiles from Woven image. Featuring 4mm-thick 50x50cm tiles made with recycled PET, the acoustic solution absorbs sounds, creating peace and quiet in your study area, and adds texture to your wall. Available in 12 colours. 

TRENDING

IN FULL BLOOM

Add a dash of whimsy and delight to your living space with these sculptural chairs fashioned after the shape of flowers in full bloom. From the abstract and organic forms to the anatomically correct blossom, these chairs can serve as the centrepiece in a minimalist interior and or playful complementary piece among your houseplants and echoes the nature outside. Plus, it creates an instant Instagram-worthy profile picture.

PERFECTLY TUNED

The best task chairs in the market are precision-engineered to support your body for an extended period of time, hence: the hefty price tags. ErgoTune, a local brand specialising in adjustable seating solutions, offers a more affordable option. The ErgoTune chair features a height-adjustable backrest, an Auto-Tuning Lumbar Area Support (ATLAS), a fourlevel reclining mechanism and rotatable and adjustable armrests. In short, all that high-end office chairs offer, with a more comfortable price point.

SMART LAUNDRY

Forget the hassle of stacking your washer and dryer individually – LG’s WashTower is an integrated all-in-one unit for your laundry. The washer and dryer are separate units but communicate with each other, so that when you load your laundry into the washer, the dryer automatically sets the optimal course and preheats itself to save you time. They also share a single, intuitive interface for easy control.

EXHIBITION OF THE MONTH

Where: www.odetoart.com

ANTI VIRAL

Local interior specialist company Jestac has launched a line of antiviral vinyl wallpaper and flooring called Lonprotect, which uses advanced antiviral technology from Japan that deactivates contagious viruses by 99.9 per cent within an hour, making it ideal for high-traffic surfaces. The active agents in Lonprotect’s vinyl chloride resin layer destroy the living envelope of the virus, preventing it from replicating.

FRESHEN UP

Keep your clothes and bags fresh on the go with the DIY Fabric Spray bundle, a collaboration between Hong Kong fashion label Tove & Libra and UK organic skincare brand Neal’s Yard Remedies. The spray comes with three organic essential oils in lavender, palmarosa, and orange, which you can mix to concoct your personalised blend. The bundle also includes a linen and cotton pouch by Tove & Libra to hold all of your essentials.

Architecture Saving Our World

Taking place over six weekends from 25 September to 31 October, the 2020 edition of Archifest is a hybrid of physical and digital events. It takes the theme of Architecture Saving Our World and presents a lineup of more than 100 programmes comprising pop-ups, ground-up initiatives and projects across the island, as well as the staple pavilion. This year’s winning design by ADDP Architects and OWIU Design, titled Reclaiming Connectivity, is a virtual pavilion that invites festival-goers to experience an interactive 3D virtual tour accessible through Archifest website www.archifest.sg.

A Rehab Kit for the Win

KIMIA, a hi-tech wearable knee rehabilitation kit designed by NUS graduates Aaron Ramzeen and Ricky Guo has been crowned as the national winner of the 2020 James Dyson Award. KIMIA simplifies and streamlines the rehab process. 

From Tuscany with Love

Edra, the trailblazing Tuscan design brand has landed in Singapore shore thanks to Space Furniture. The prominent furniture retailer unveiled the new Spazio Edra, a dedicated display at its Space Furniture Asia Hub showroom on Bencoolen Street, in September. The sculptural pieces displayed at the showroom include iconic pieces like the Rose Chair by Masanori Umeda, On The Rocks Sofa by Francesco Binfare and the polycarbonate Ella Chair by Jacopo Foggini.

999 ELEPHANTS

Vitra’s iconic toy elephant turns 75 this year. Developed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1945; it never went into production until 2007, when it quickly gained a cult status. In 2018, Vitra launched the wood version to much fanfare, and this year, marking the semisesquicentennial (that’s three-quarter of a century) anniversary, Vitra has launched a special series in grey-stained wood, bringing the intricately produced collector’s item even closer to its living counterparts.

NATIONAL IDENTITY

Find these familiar? You probably will if you’ve lived in Singapore long enough. This limited-edition NDP 55 collection by design-forward furniture brand Grafunkt and fabric design studio Onlewo features a stool and ottoman upholstered in a tile-pattern reminiscent of the benches and tables usually found in Singapore’s public spaces. The pieces are modular, so they look great on their own or arranged as a group. Either way, it’s sure to be a talking point among your guests.

FOREVER INDUS TRIAL

Fans of industrial aesthetic rejoice! Cosentino just launched Silestone Loft, a collection of five new colours inspired by the specific industrial look in some of the coolest cities in the world. The grey Camden is an homage to its namesake London neighbourhood; the warm grey Poblenou is a nod to Barcelona; Seaport mimics the gritty cement of Manhattan’s seaside district and Nolita’s white shade is inspired by New York’s North of Little Italy area; while the deep black Corktown is inspired by Detroit. The new colours are produced using a new environmentally friendly technology and come with a 25-year warranty.

ALL WITHIN REACH

A cluttered desk reflects a cluttered mind – so says many workplace experts, who advise to tidy up your desk at the end of the day so you can have a fresh start the next day. This principle applies, too, at home, where most of us are working from these days. And the secret to a tidy desk? Have an ample storage. The Barley-N-MY Study Table from Star Living offers a clean-cut, matte-white work surface on a powder- coated base that is attached to a whole cupboard finished in light-coloured Oak melamine that serves as storage, filing cabinets and drawers for all your document and electronic, storing everything you need within your reach, and making it super easy to tidy up at the end of the day.

TAKEN TO BED

Now that we spend most of our time at home, your bed has evolved into a place for not only sleeping, but also for entertainment or even a workspace where you check emails and do some tasks. Cellini’s Float Adjustable Bed is designed to cater to our increasing demand for flexible and tailored furniture. It features a frame that can be adjusted for a comfortable sitting position and USB ports on both sides to ensure your gadgets never run out of battery. Taking into account multiple users’ different sleeping habits, Cellini has designed the double bed with two mattresses and separate reclining mechanisms that allow you to sit and work while your partner peacefully sleeps. The Natura mattress features breathable bamboo fabric that ensures it always feels cool even on warm and humid nights. 

text ASIH JENIE & MELODY BAY

photo LG ELECTRONICS