Lifestyle & Living

Design Trends Can’t decide what’s missing from your latest design project? Chances are, it’s texture. Texture is an all-important—and sometimes overlooked—element in transforming a space from flat to multidimensional, adding layers of depth and richness. Be it via countertops or flooring, creating the right atmosphere is all about the choosing the right surfaces. Below, we feature nine trending surface textures and where to use them. Concrete Yolanda Tejeda ,  Chile Sotheby’s International Realty Industrial charm doesn’t have to be reserved for the factory-turned-loft spac...

In Singapore, when one talks about property investments, many investors would first think of condominiums, luxury apartments and Good Class Bungalows (GCBs). Another quality choice for investors to consider investing in is Singapore’s heritage shophouses, or shophouses that are under conservation. There are basically three types of heritage or conservation shophouses: a) Residential shophouses b) Commercial shophouses, and c) Mixed Commercial-residential shophouses. Conservation or heritage shophouses are considered rare as there only roughly over 6,500 of such shophouses in Singapore. B...

Melbourne in the Australian state of Victoria is certainly one of Singaporeans’ favourite city to live, study, work, play and even retire in. Now, developer OSK Property is introducing a new chapter in Melbourne living through its $2.8 billion, 5-acre development named Melbourne Square, which is set to be one of the largest and most iconic mixed-use precincts in central Melbourne and includes an array of premium residential apartments and penthouses, retail, offices and a hotel. A visionary project from OSK Property and COX Architecture, Melbourne Square spans an entire inner-city bl...

The city that was has been named the world’s most liveable city by the Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Liveability Index for seven years in a row is Melbourne, Australia. It was only recently, and barely, overtaken by Austria’s Vienna. A thriving modern metropolis rivalling the world’s great cities, Melbourne is Australia’s second largest city and the capital of the south-eastern state of Victoria. Home to nearly 5 million people of 140 different cultures from indigenous Australians as well as expatriates and immigrants from all over the world, Melbourne is a melting pot of cultures a...

Singapore is home to some of the most expensive properties in the world. The cooling measures rolled out over the past 20 years did not seem to diminish the value of real estate in Singapore. This is because the measures are meant to check the sharp increases in home prices so as to maintain a stable and sustainable property market. As a result, property prices are able to hold steady even though sales volume is reduced. Exactly how expensive can properties in Singapore be? Typically, a luxury apartment would be priced from $3,000 per square foot (psf), with factors like size, level and or...

When it comes to refreshing bedrooms this fall, the latest hues for walls and décor are sunny, moody, and saturated. Pantone’s Color of the Year—Ultra Violet—has been influencing bedroom tones from plummy purple to aubergine, while marigold yellow is bringing whimsy and cheer to even the most traditional of spaces. Take your cues from these three mood boards when starting down the path of your next bedroom overhaul, and let the trending colors of fall 2018 infuse your home.

Culture Trends Design When Dutch design company Waarmakers was receiving parts for a new prototype, they all came in cardboard tubes. It got them thinking that perhaps the packaging could be the object itself. Enter the R16, a new wire-hung light that clips together using the packaging it came in: cardboard. Nor is Waarmakers alone in its vision. If cardboard has long been associated with disposability, and thus low value, now it’s being rediscovered as a unique material with a vast array of properties: cheap, lightweight, strong, structural, insulating, recyclable, cuttable, foldable...

Imagine an ideal world where our living quarters are programmed with the ability to intuitively foresee our needs and cater to our preferences, without us having to lift a finger. What seems like a dream is slowing turning into reality. With the incorporation of SMART (Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology) technology into new residential developments, the once foreign concept of smart homes may soon be the new norm. In line with the government’s initiative to morph Singapore into a Smart Nation – where virtually every element of our lives will be enhanced by technological advan...

The Yunnan region could become winemaking's next Shangri-La, reports Mark Ellwood.

Being one of Singapore’s historic districts, Tanjong Pagar is a parcel of Singapore’s rich history. In recent times, this historic district has undergone an urban renewal and has attracted a vibrant community. Looking forward, the future growth is enormous as the district will serve as a gateway to the future Greater Southern Waterfront. Tanjong Pagar Centre In the heart of the district’s evolution lies Tanjong Pagar Centre , a towering vertical city that integrates premium grade A office, 181 luxury homes, lifestyle and F&B, 5-star business hotel, and an urban park into...