Whether you are renovating your existing or new home, clearly articulating your ideas and preferences makes the process smooth and stress-free. Here are key interior design terms that’ll empower you to communicate with your interior designer with ease.

When it comes to the kitchen, the countertop is where all the action happens – that’s why durability is essential.

Accent colours, varied textures and interesting details are just the right ingredients for a sleek home design. LYNN TAN talks to the homeowner to find out more.

Get wood-, marble-look surfaces, or nanotechnology materials in your home without worrying about maintenance with these laminate and Compact options.

Wood accents marry industrial elements for a posh yet practical effect.

This apartment plays it cool with Scandinavian touches.

The design of this monochromatic home relies extensively on one laminate finish — but applied in different directions to mix things up.

We are in awe of trees. These towering observers of time silently record the passing of days. As beneficiaries of their meticulous work, we are able to enjoy every knot, whorl and wave of their grain.

Oh, to live in a palace built with marble – a stone synonymous with luxury – to feel the coolness of its surface, and its familiar solidity. Enjoy life by appreciating all that nature has to offer.

Rose-tinted glasses make us look fondly upon designs from the past, but only a few are timeless enough to surface again and again. Distinct colours, patterns and styles have the power to conjure up memories of people, places and feelings.

When the world gets too much, we crave anonymity, and security under a cloak of darkness. But it’s never cold in our little sanctuaries. Organic textures lift the gloom and off er a soothing and comforting space.

Time leaves its mark on everything, creating proud battle scars rich in visual and sensory stimulation. When we see the wondrous watercolour mottling of rusted metal, and the eroded indentations on stone, we recall the touch of cool metal on skin, and the sandpaper-like tactility of rough stone.

White wintry landscapes, paired with a bracing chill in the air, wake up the senses. The season of cold, as well as comfort, with its white-washed hues outside, and cosy textures indoors, evokes a clean and serene palette.

Fall into the embrace of Rose Quartz and Serenity, which twins a warm blush with cool tranquil blue, Pantone’s colour of the year.

What does your car say about you? We take inspiration from some marquee models, for home design.

Q: For more storage, I want to build my cabinets all the way up to the ceiling. Is there a way to access them more easily?