Furniture Finds in Singapore :: Hock Siong

Hock Siong is not your typical furniture showroom. With 3 large warehouses of furniture, accessories and glassware, it houses second hand loot that mainly comes from hotels and show flats. Dusty - not for those with allergies (you might want to wear a mask) and in an obscure part of the island, you have to be patient in your search for gems. Generally most items are still trendy but I tend to go more for accessories that are classic, unique and easily replaceable. Pieces that probably will not go out of style or items that can't be obtained anywhere else that cheap!

What I absolutely love about them is that they seem to have a social media expert, Brillyn who uses social media platform - Facebook to their advantage, showcasing their treasures so customers and aficionados get to know about new items real-time!

These are some of the stuff I purchased over the past few months. 2 lamps with thin, golden base perfect for our tiny bedroom last week (see after pic). In line with the Great Gatsby theme *swoon*

Tyrol horns at a bargain!

A display table for my jewelry.

Do check them out at the following address and of course, "LIKE" them on FB!

Address/Contact:

153 Kampong Ampat
#01-03, Junjie Industrial Building
Singapore, 368326

Tel: +65 62818338

Tropical Glam

This decor style tropical glam seems perfect for Singapore. I'm quite tired of the woody, ethnic furniture that is always associated with tropical (exotic?) decor style. I would love to incorporate some of these (minimal wood) in my own home.

The tropics + straw carpet + glass furniture = va va voom!

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Consider using exotic fabric designs

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Because orchids are so readily available here, I never appreciated them. But after seeing them add a touch of elegance and color in such interiors, I see them in a different light altogether.

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Using textures in a monochromatic scheme

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Bring the beach home! Lime green + palm trees + turquoise with a touch of glam (chrome)

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Art Deco at Home

The blogworld is all abuzz with excitement for the release of Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. Have you read it or planning to read the novel before heading to the big screen? I would love to but it's just that I am more excited about the design, glamour and absurdly opulent sets than the story.

I have always been into clean lines, geometric shapes and gorgeous metallics that are inspired by the Art Deco era or the roaring twenties. I'd love some easy DIYs that are affordable, easy and not mess up. Something that can completed in perhaps one afternoon.

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Check out the How-To at The Glamourai
 

lorenzo castillo_madrid

 3-D art that is not too difficult to replicate. Use 3 tones of the same colored paper on a black background.

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Perfect at for covering ugly doors or make a statement in a boring hallway.

Go a step further. Use foil tape to perk up an entire wall. Check out the How-To at Kara Paslay Designs

Furniture Finds in Singapore :: CB2

Stopped by CB2 last evening at Peranakan Place Complex (next to Centrepoint). Strangely when I heard that the showroom was 6000 sq feet, I was under the impression that it'll be massive. I have to say I was mildly disappointed.

CB2 home furnishings is catered mostly for small space living with sofa-beds, moveable bars, office pedestals etc so its perfect for us, city dwellers. On top of this, the staff are pretty friendly and willing to help. PLUS!

I personally singled out these cool items for my small apartment.

Amp up your home style for a party. Stainless steel snack bowl USD 19.95

Not enough space? Use walls! Wall mounted candle holders USD 1.95

If you don't have room for a home office, this moveable file cabinet is the answer USD 159

Yup, use the walls. Linear 12 bottle wine rack USD 49.95

Reminders of fabulous travels should start at home (Limited edition) City of domes wall hanging USD 129

Narrow hallway? Get the Foundry console table USD 299

This can double up as a make-shift bar during a party or shelves for books/knick-knacks. Peekaboo clear rolling two shelf USD 349

All pics by CB2

Address/Contact:

178A Orchard Road
Peranakan Place Complex
Singapore, SG 238845

Tel: +65 6732 5333

Eternity in a Day

Rome is my favorite city in Italy. We covered the holy trinity - Rome, Florence and Venice during our trip very briefly and the one place I HAVE to go back to is Rome. There's just way too much to see and do, and we just scratched the surface during the 3 days we spent there.

This blogger pretty much sums it up - "Rome is an open-aired art museum, a feast of all senses. It is packed with all that I want out of life, footsteps away from the next breathtaking view or taste. It is life and death in some delicate balance, in a dance on the edge of something imperceptible. It is the footsteps of Artemisia Gentileschi, it is the footsteps of the Caesars. It is 6,000 year old Egyptian obelisks, it is 1000 year old Aurelian walls, it is the Grand Old Tour still walkable. It is the burial grounds of the English Romantic Poets. It is a dream. It is the eternal city. All roads still lead to it."

Here are my favorite memories of Rome:

1. Thanks to our tour director, Rosie, I had strangers singing me a birthday song on the evening of my birthday. I was jetlagged and did not even remember. What a pleasant surprise. .. my cake? A slice of tiramisu.



2. I felt that the day trip to the Vatican was very rushed. As it was the holy week, there were hoardes of tourists there as well. 

But, being a catholic, I had always wanted to take a trip there. The Sistine Chapel did not disappoint. My jaw dropped as we entered the Chapel. It was overwelming and I saw a tourist tearing as he admired the famed ceiling frescoes. St Peter's Basilica was massive and I did not know where to start looking as we entered. A trip back is definitely in the cards.


st. peter's basilica



st peter's square



the colosseum



the arch of septimius severus

4. Trevi fountain is one of the most famous fountains in the world. It was so SO beautiful. It is said that if one throws one coin into the fountain with the right hand over the left shoulder, the person will return to Rome. If one throws two, you will end up marrying an Italian. My sister and I had quite a bit of a laugh over this as she threw two coins (!).

trevi fountain

5. The Pantheon was built originally as a temple to all Gods in Ancient Rome and has been used as a Catholic Church since the 7th century. Just the thought that the doors alone opened and closed almost every day for the last 2000 years is mindblowing.  



{all photos from urs truly}

Christian Bérard and Faux Architectural Details

I have this large wall next to the main door and I have no idea what to do with it. I ever toyed with putting up a gallery of photos/art but am afraid my living room will appear too cluttered.

Pictured are the trompe l'oeil architectural details Christian Berard designed in collaboration with Jean-Michel Frank for L'Institut Guerlain. Perhaps I can attempt to mimic these faux architectural details?

Pictures by Simply Smitten

Wanderlust Series :: Travelling from the Tropics to Freezing Europe (Points to note)

Recently I put together a few outfit posts for my trip to Europe. I under-estimated the weather because for the first time in FIFTY years (or so they say), the temperature dipped to freezer temperature in April - 0 degrees celcius or hovering ard a single digit in every country/city we went to. It was quite mad considering my parents were not used to the cold at all. But it was a nice trip and I wouldn't complain because it was snowing in Switzerland and it was just so beautiful. If we were to do it all over again, we would not go in between seasons since the weather gets increasingly unpredictable.

PINTEREST

"There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing." ~ Alfred Wainwright Photo Seymour Sheer. There’s a Girl Under There, 1967.

Some lessons learnt:

• I'll stick to my trenchcoat. It is waterproof, stylish and versatile.
• Ditch heavy, fashionable coats.
• Bring gloves (I realised that once my hands were covered, I instantly felt warmer/cozier)
• Bring umbrella (I took a chance and it backfired)
• Silk scarves are life-savers
• Forget heat-packs/thermal wears (I didn't think they were necessary. The heat-packs bulked up my pockets)
• Loved my new slightly wedged black leather boots.
• Bring thicker strapped slim cross body bags. My thin strapped bulky bag almost gave way.

What Makes a Space Glam?

This is Raiana's sophisticated glam living room and I love LOVE it! I was trying to figure out the details that make it so glamourous, chic and functional at the same time. Can you believe she has diapers hiding in that black credenza?? *sigh*

Furniture Finds in Singapore :: LUSH

Lush has contemporary furniture, accessories and lighting. They have new pieces quite often and the hubz and I love to drop by every now and then. There's no reason to not drop by as we are just a 5 min drive away.

We purchased quite a few pieces (side tables, chairs, mirrors) from Lush but if I had to do it all over again, I would stick to just the accessories rather than the tables and chairs. Our Eames replica in the study already gave way (!)

 

  

They used to have two showrooms but they moved out of the other one and consolidated all the furniture in one place with two levels. EVEN better for me!

Drooling yet?

Address/Contact:

73 Upper Paya Lebar Rd, Centro Bianco

#02/03-01, S 534818

Tel: +65 6858 5882

Saturday Reflection.

Love this post from Live Creating Yourself. Poignant thoughts about love and marriage.

“Marriage is those two thousand indistinguishable conversations, chatted over two thousand indistuinguishable breakfasts, where intimacy turns like a slow wheel. How do you measure the worth of becoming that familiar to somebody—so utterly well known and so thoroughly ever-present that you become an almost invisible necessity, like air?”

“People always fall in love with the most perfect aspects of each other’s personalities. Who wouldn’t? Anybody can love the most wonderful parts of another person. But that’s not the clever trick. The really clever trick is this: Can you accept the flaws? Can you look at your partner’s faults honestly and say, ‘I can work around that. I can make something out of it.’? Because the good stuff is always going to be there, and it’s always going to pretty and sparkly, but the crap underneath can ruin you.”

Words by Elizabeth Gilbert, Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage

photos via I Am Beyonce. Thanks