Home Rejuvenation (by KNQ Associates)

HAPPY WEEKEND INDEED

2009-11-22T00:34:00.006+08:00

I'm in a good mood. This evening, a client sent me a text message. It reads "Hi Stanley, just want to text you to say you did a very good job at my place! My friends and relatives who dropped by liked it too. Thanks!".

Actually, that's exactly what we interior designers wish to hear every single time, knowing clients loved the home we've created for them. Yeah, it's a damn nice feeling to be appreciated for all the hard work we've put in...

Stan

GUNNING FOR BEAUTY

2009-11-21T21:12:00.003+08:00

You know, I've never really taken a fancy to guns, rifles and all those stuff. But there's always exception - especially when it looks so good as a decorative art piece above my sofa...

Stan

HOW DESIGN CAN TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE AND MAYBE EVEN THE WORLD

2009-11-20T22:24:00.002+08:00

Design is all about optimism, action, and unlimited possibilities. This enriching little post wraps up my hectic week in a nice way. TGIF.

1. A designer does not have the luxury of cynicism.

2. It is easier to react than to create.

3. You must keep moving away from what you know.

4. A designer's gotta have the guts to be truthful at all times.

5. People don't fund problems, they fund solutions.

6. Many believe the world just is. Designers believe we can make the world be.

7. It can be helpful to think about an idea from a point of view that makes no sense.

8. Through the act of making things, we discover ideas.

9. When you're totally unqualified for a job, that's when you do your best work.

10. The goal is to be an expert coming out, not going in.

11. To bring about real change, you have to kiss a lot of frogs.

12. When the world isn't working well, you have the makings of a great design project.

Stan

PENNY TILE FLOOR AT THE STANDARD HOTEL

2009-11-20T09:47:00.004+08:00

At New York's new Standard Hotel restaurant The Standard Grill, money is put into good use. No, not in the sense of having a good accounting system in place or what. More like stepping on money isn't taboo, and the result is equally impressive as any marble or timber flooring. Link

Stan

MODULAR BOOK STORAGE

2009-11-18T22:59:00.003+08:00

Modular furniture is very adaptable. I personally feel that the modular concept applies extremely well in book storage, with the flexibility to expand with a growing collection. So it's no wonder these futuristic looking boxes stole my heart.

Stan

IKEA/ LEGO KITCHEN ISLAND

2009-11-18T09:24:00.004+08:00

I'm gasping for air looking at this stunning kitchen island designed by Parisian duo Simon Pillard and Philippe Rosetti. They took a basic IKEA island unit and covered it with close to 20,000 pieces of Lego blocks, creating a colorful head-turner in the kitchen instantly!

Stan

HYE RO HUN HOUSE BY IROJE KHM ARCHITECTS

2009-11-17T22:23:00.008+08:00

Korean architecture studio Iroje KHM Architects has designed the Hye Ro Hun House. The highlight of this house is the overhanging bamboo garden floating 'magically' over the living room. The sunlight falling through the ceiling openings into the space varies throughout the day, creating different atmospheres internally.

KUS

DIY HEADBOARDS

2009-11-17T15:43:00.001+08:00

This DIY headboard is surprisingly stunning!

Stan

TOILETSPIRIT WALLPAPER BY CHRISTOPHE KOZIEL

2009-11-16T23:23:00.003+08:00

This is surely one wallpaper you'll either love or hate.

Stan

KIDS' ROOM WALL STICKERS FROM E-GLUE

2009-11-16T23:11:00.006+08:00

And here we have one more nifty way to dress up the walls in your child's bedroom. France's e-glue offers large-scale stickers as wall decoration, 'turning' rooms into Jurassic Park, jungles or train stations instantly.

Stan

DECORATING WITH BOOKS

2009-11-15T14:47:00.006+08:00

Most of you might not be able to imagine, but like what Patricia says, "Books are such a wonderful way of personalizing your space." And they do more than just making a space personal. Books lined up against a wall can add an unique and dramatic decorative touch to an interior space.

And if they don't, at least it'll make you look that bit more intelligent.

KUS

HOME REJUVENATED!

2009-11-12T22:11:00.026+08:00

Some homes just seem to suggest a season. For this 2-bedroom apartment located in Woodlands, it is intended to introduce the fall colors for a serene feel. The Autumn palette plays out perfectly here - warm, exotic spice colors contrast against muted biege, balancing richness with subtlety.

Living/ dining areas - before

When I visited the apartment for the first time, the interior configuration was typical - square rooms after square rooms. It was decided to contemporise the envelope, but not to create the same old 'cliched, contemporary' look again. Personality - and yes, having plenty of fun - was obviously top consideration here, judging from the eclectic mix of Asian and European design elements.

To unite the disparate styles and elements, a number of recurring colors like yellows, blacks and browns were incorporated throughout the apartment. To keep with Feng Shui requirements, built-in structures were designed in a mixture of styles, although predominantly in a contemporary fashion. The timber partition is inspired by trellis screens in tropical environments and sections off the dining area from the entrance effectively. The shifting of the dining set to this end also means the walkway to the kitchen would not be blocked (had the dining set been positioned opposite). Dark wood, Buddha artwork and the majesty of golden yellow also evoke images of Thailand in an instant.

Master bedroom cosy corner - before

Elsewhere in the master bedroom, damask pattern and a glossy black glass chandelier provide another ambience - the mixture of European decorative arts and modern clean-cut lines made sure the 'sleeping pod' and cosy corner do not look dull - but yet would not appear overly dressed up at the same time. The design of a raised deck for the bed is a much casual approach as compared to more conventional bed frames.

In the study area, I wished to use bright, happy colors to harmonise with the landscapes. I used a deep periwinkle to reference the blue water and sky and brought in a dose of red to avoid monotony. I suppose the President is having a happy stay, ha!

Stan

CORIAN SUPER-SURFACES SHOWROOM BY AMANDA LEVETE ARCHITECTS

2009-11-11T23:02:00.004+08:00

Kitchen countertop is not the only application for solid surface material. Inspired by ripples on water, this installation sees the material assuming various flowy forms to create seating, shelving and partitions. Amanda Levete Architects absolutely "pushed the boundaries of what this material can do in both form and structure" and created an artful masterpiece at the end of the day. Link

Stan

IPHONE APPLICATION - MARK ON CALL

2009-11-11T22:42:00.003+08:00

There seems to be no lack of ideas for iPhone applications. Now you can create rooms in accurate dimensions, lay down flooring and furniture and even take photos of materials and place them in the room to see whether they work, thanks to L.A. based interior designer Mark Lewison. Yes, all those chore which you do so lousily on pen and paper previously suddenly doesn't exist anymore. Don't you love technology? Link

Stan

HIDE & SEEK FROM MUNNA DESIGN

2009-11-11T01:48:00.002+08:00

Those who are looking for a touch of luxe in their homes can consider the Hide & Seek fabric screen from Munna Design. Those killer pleats and classic polished brass nails add to an exuberant design that brings together creative freedom and fantasy.

Stan

GETTING INSPIRED IN LONDON

2009-11-08T01:24:00.012+08:00

Sorry for the silence lately. I spent the past one week in London and enjoyed my stay there tremendously.

The trip is especially important to me as I felt I've reached a point where I need to open my mind up again. I'm not sure if you've heard, but did you know anecdotal evidence has long held that creativity in artists and writers can be associated with living in foreign parts? I think it really made sense as the few days away from Singapore is enough to perk me up. The food, the history, the art, the architecture... everything in London inspires. And it just made me want to return as soon as possible, ha!

While showcasing key moments in his development as well as at major recent projects, David Chipperfield's breathtaking exhibition at London's Design Museum also validates - via his studio's intricately-crafted architecture models - that nothing matters more to a designer than the fine details.

Javier Mariscal's rich and diverse body of work (displayed at Design Museum) spans kooky cartoon characters to stunning interiors, from furniture to graphic design and corporate identities - definitely a visual feast for my eyes.

Creative ideas abound everywhere in London - in the shops, on the streets or at the museums. Whoever knew the three little pigs could be that glamorous?

Stan

CHOPSTICK BY ANDREAS SAXER

2009-11-08T00:52:00.002+08:00

For once, the clothes rail looks more stylish than the clothes hanging on it...

Stan

'EROTIC' FURNITURE

2009-10-28T00:43:00.002+08:00

The word strange doesn't even quite describes these 'erotic' furniture. Link

Stan

Stan

APARTMENT IN BRUSSELS BY AGENCE ANDREE PUTMAN

2009-10-25T18:32:00.002+08:00

"When Agence Andrée Putman designs a duplex for a Brussels heiress, it's clear that women rule." Link

KUS

SUITED CASE BY ERIK DE NIJS

2009-10-24T22:33:00.002+08:00

Feeling homesick while on the road? Designer Erik De Nijs of Nieuwe Heren presents a set of suitcases that can be combined to form a sofa when not in use. Strange but fun.

Stan

A CONVERSATION ON SMALL APARTMENT DESIGN

2009-10-24T22:01:00.005+08:00

That day I overheard a friend's friend mentioning how tiny his new apartment is. "It's only 600 square feet, so there's no need to do anything to it... An interior designer? Forget it..."

Actually it comes as a strange statement to me, because I thought the small size is precisely the reason why a professional is needed. His is a family of four, with a maid and tonnes of stuff to move over from his present 4-room HDB flat. I can already imagine much havoc going on in the process of finding a home for everything when he move in. An interior designer can definitely help bring some sanity to the whole thing, as well as make better use of every inch of the available space. Especially if you are holding a day job which requires you to jet off to another country ever so often, isn't it the best option to leave that task to people like us?

Ha, that does sound like some kind of advertisement for KNQ Associates...

Stan

A BLUE CONVERT?

2009-10-23T00:55:00.006+08:00

I have never been a fan of blue walls until I came across the interiors of Germain, a Parisian restaurant in a newly revitalized space at 25-27 rue de Buci in the 6th Arrondissement. Suddenly, I'm a convert.

Stan

HOME REJUVENATION ON FACEBOOK - FINALLY!

2009-10-13T00:11:00.006+08:00

Sorry folks, we are a little late into the game but we are quite pleased to announce that Home Rejuvenation is finally on Facebook ! We at KNQ Associates love to make new friends from all over the world, so - regardless of whether you are a design aficionado or not - we'll love to see you add us on your friend list. Just don't send us spam, ha!

See you people on Facebook!

CLIPPING

2009-10-11T21:38:00.008+08:00

So how do you make the most of a small space and still make room for all of your belongings (and your baby)? The answer is a 'love bed' as the architect describes it.

The interior doesn't come with any colors (unless if you consider black a color). It's minimalist. It can even be described as sparse-looking. But there's something about this home by Tamizo Architects that attracts me. Maybe it's the serenity of it all...

I'm in love with those back-lit acrylic panels featuring abstract tree forms seen in the duplex Wow suites at the Lexington W.

Stan

FOLD OUT BY MARK KINSLEY

2009-10-11T21:30:00.002+08:00

Designer Mark Kinsley has come up with Fold Out, an innovative way to decorate the walls with either an artwork or artifacts by folding out the individual mural panels.

Stan